On Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, TimeIn Children’s Arts Initiative hosted “Vissi d’Amore” at Gavin Brown’s enterprise in New York City, which featured performances by bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, soprano Jennifer Rowley, and tenor Brian Jagde, who is advisory board member of TimeIn.

The event was a rather relaxed and casual affair. The entrance of Gavin Brown’s enterprise featured a prominent art gallery with an adjoining salon for socialization, caviar (among other appetizers), and wine. In one corner of the vast space was a large television screen featuring highlights from past TimeIn Kids events.

After an hour, the event moved up four floors to an even larger gallery featuring art by Ella Kruglyanskaya flanking a Steinway piano and rows of seats. The chilly venue would play host to the ensuing hour of festivities which included an introduction by TimeIn Founder and Executive Director Cyndie Berthézène and two young students, London and Christopher. All three told stories about the experience of TimeIn, a prologue to the ensuing auction that was punctuated by high fives from the two students.

At close to 9 p.m. (the event started at 7 p.m.), Jagde introduced himself and then gave the floor to pianist Howard Watkins and Pisaroni, who performed an aria from “La Sonnambula.” Rowley and Jagde followed with arias from “Adriana Lecouvreur” before Watkins took on the Intermezzo from “Cavalleria Rusticana.” Each artist presented a couple of other pieces, including arias from “Tosca” by the tenor and soprano, before the event officially came to a close.

Time In Children’s Arts Initiative educates at-risk children in numerous art forms including performing arts and visual arts. The Initiative consistently brings in talent to talk to the children about great works of art and even engages them in the creative process.