Soloist Jamie Chamberlin Granner, Nathan Granner, and Colin Ramsey perform in the Verdi Chorus’ 40th Anniversary season finale concert “Star Crossed!”

The Verdi Chorus presents selections from Mozart’s “Idomeneo” and “Don Giovanni,” Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor,” Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette,” and Lehar’s “The Merry Widow,” with guest soloists soprano Jamie Chamberlin Granner, tenor Nathan Granner, and bass Colin Ramsey. Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum, who is celebrating her fortieth consecutive year in the role leads the concert. Laraine Ann Madden accompanies at the piano.

In a press release Ketchum says, “As part of the Verdi Chorus’ celebratory 40th Anniversary season, I wanted to bring back Jamie Chamberlin Granner and Nathan Granner, as they are both wonderful guest soloists who have sung with us many times before, and are also having great careers of their own. Jamie and Nathan are also very close to us in a personal way, given that they got engaged on the stage of our 2017 Fall Concert, in which they were both featured. There is a duet in the first act of “Lucia di Lammermoor” in which the two star-crossed lovers pledge their commitment to each other, and in their own minds become married, and Nathan used that very duet to propose to Jamie onstage at the conclusion of the Sunday matinee! In fact, I’ve added Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette” to this program because of the two of them. I’m also so excited to welcome guest soloist Colin Ramsey to this concert. Nathan has worked with Colin before, and after being introduced to him through Jamie, I was absolutely blown away by his incredible voice.”

The 50 plus members in the Verdi Chorus include singers from ages 20 to 87 who come from a variety of professions. Among members the Fox Singers, a group of sixteen young professional singers who serve as section leaders and rehearsal coaches. The choir also includes soprano Esther Foulke, mezzo-soprano Emma Ginzel, and tenors Kirk Garner and George Froehlig who are this year’s Sahm Foundation Apprentice Singers.

The First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica hosts “Star Crossed!” on April 27 and 28.