Euro-Guyanese Classical Music, Opera Association debuts with performance in Guyana

The newly-formed Euro-Guyanese Classical Music and Opera Association held its inaugural concert on Monday evening, presenting an evening of classical music and opera at St George’s Cathedral, Georgetown. The event, held under the patronage of European Union (EU) Ambassador to Guyana Luca Pierantoni, featured internationally acclaimed Argentine-Spanish baritone Leonardo López Linares and oboist Cecilia Maragno. They were joined by local and regional performers from the association, including Chie Clarke, Maria Rodriguez, Marilyn Dewar, Syesha Yahya, and the Woodside Choir.

The concert, attended by over 800 persons, is the association’s first public performance since its establishment and brought together musicians from participating institutions, including the Clemsville Music Conservatory, Dewar’s Music School, the Guyana Music Teachers Association, Mitchell’s Mount Academy, and the Symphonic Orchestra of Jesus. López Linares, known for his operatic repertoire and international career, has performed on major stages worldwide. Born in Buenos Aires to a family of musicians, he studied in a performance environment from an early age. In 1995, he won First Prize at the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition in Philadelphia, a milestone that led to professional collaborations, including a performance with Luciano Pavarotti in an “Opera Extravaganza” production, where he sang the role of Marcello in La Bohème. The association was conceptualised by Ambassador Pierantoni as a collaborative platform to promote classical music and opera through partnerships between Guyanese and European music institutions.