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Northern Ohio Opera League

Opera

Board/Officer/Donations Information

Carole Roske

Chair of Board
NoOhOperaLeague@aol.com

Gregory Polyak

Second V.P.
Webmaster, FB Web Page Master
gregory.polyak@gmail.com | 440-570-6695
Please write Greg for any website additions or corrections.

Bob Cutler

1st V.P./Treasurer
NoOhOperaLeague@aol.com

Gregory Polyak

Secretary

Nancy Dempsey

Correspondence Secretary

Please send all membership information, donations or payments to:

NOOL
26003 Lake Road
Bay Village, OH 44140-2574

Note: Being prompted to send checks to any other address is a scam! Please report any false NOOL promotional materials you may receive.

Northern Ohio Opera League Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) organization
located in Shaker Hts, OH.EIN #87-0792632 Nonprofit
Classification: Educational Organization

NOOL has openings for new board members.

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Upcoming Opera Events

Recent NOOL Events:

David Graham and James Dusek Hosted House Benefit

Oct 13, 2018 NOOL held a benefit at the 1927 Renovated mansion in Cleveland Heights. The outside of the house was decorated for Halloween and all enjoyed the backyard flower garden and Koi pond. Opera singers, violin and piano entertained a packed house. Guests used valet and had a fabulous buffet that included wine, beer or spiked punch.

See Archive of All Past NOOL Events

News Flashes

Passing of Cleveland Opera Icon Andrea Anelli

By 

NOOL is extremely sad to announce the passing of a truly significant leader in Cleveland opera scene, Andrea Anelli. She passed peacefully from a long-term cancer in her Chardon home the morning of 1/1/22. 
Only after the founder of Cleveland Opera by co-founder David Bamberger and Dorota Sobieska and Jacek Sobieski with Opera Circle now, The Cleveland Opera, has there been other significant “Starter from scratch” personage of opera in NE Ohio like Andrea Anelli. Note: Northern Ohio Opera League “NOOL” 2007 has a board and presents concert opera type events to support all opera companies in NE Oh and therefore is not a “Starter from Scratch - founder type company. 

Soprano Andrea Anelli was the founder and co-director of three different opera companies:  Opera Per Tutti (2006), rebranded as Cleveland Opera Theater (2014), and ContempOpera/Cleveland (2016). 
Each opera company had a different goal and audience to satisfy. And satisfy Andrea did with each company. 
She not only created, auditioned, selected music, costumes, sets, directed, produced, found venues to perform in, and raised funds she sang in most of the productions. I am tired thinking of all she did. Succeeding in each endeavor makes her a Cleveland legend.
Most today say her Cleveland Opera Theater is today’s highest level and most diverse in NE Ohio. She took them from a "founder-driven" to a "board-driven" entity for growth. "I never dreamed it could become what it did," Anelli said. "It so far exceeded my expectations. It's been quite a journey."

Andrea Anelli was the general director for Opera Per Tutti, a company she founded in 2006 to keep the art of opera alive and accessible in Northeast Ohio, offering talented, local singers the opportunity to perform. “There are a lot of fine singers in Cleveland who want to stay here without going out of town,” said Anelli, a lyric soprano. “You know what the saying is, ‘I want to be able to bloom where I am planted.’ Anelli has been credited with making opera affordable and accessible to all interested in Cleveland. She has been featured in Cleveland Business Connects Magazine and is a past recipient of the Cleveland Italian American Heritage Award.

In 2016, she moved on and formed ContempOpera of contemporary works to give “voice to composers of our time” that resonated with a wider audience. Performances may include pieces that cross over into musical theater and pop music.

Opera Per Tutti has made several appearances and received high praise for performances in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. At the rededication of the Italian Cultural Garden on July 21, 2008. Joyce Mariani, executive director of the Italian Gardens Foundation, said it was a historic event because it was the first Opera in the Italian Garden in 68 years. Opera in the Italian Gardens now hosts up to 1500 people each year. 

So, to honor Andrea NOOL suggests you listen to an opera song or attend the Met in HD at your local theater. Maybe, I will see you 1/5/22 when my wife and friend go to the Valley View Theater to see the Met in HD Cinderella encore at 1:00. 
Respectively written by Greg Polyak NOOL 2nd VP, Sec, Website Master and FB page Master, & photographer. 
To learn everything going on in Opera in NE Ohio go to: northernohiooperaleague.org. a 501©3 non-profit.

NOOL’s Annual Luncheon, Meeting & Entertainment

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NOOL’s Annual Luncheon, included a Meeting & Entertainment. Marian Vogel (Soprano), Tim Culver (Tenor) sang Broadway and Grand Opera accompanied by Marcia Snavely on Piano. The guests and members were delighted to her such great performers, have fine food and finally be able to see friends again in person after the 14 month hiatus from Covid19. The Shaker C/C was a fine venue for the event hosted by NOOL 1st VP & Treasurer Bob Cutler. Carole Roske (COB) presided over the meeting. Greg Polyak introduced the performers and turned pages for wife Marcia. He also set up the practice keyboard in the Board room for the entertainers to use before the show. The entire Luncheon went from NOON until 2:45.

Covid Hiatus

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During 2020 and well into 2021 NOOL has stopped all live programs. Instead, we are looking for grant money to help strengthen the coffers so when live Opera comes back we are better set to provide the N. Ohio area the joys of both live Opera and educating the public about Opera in general.

NOOL members are still enjoying re-runs found in the Met Opera’s programs and a very few local opera companies that have a rare internet streaming performance.

I have posted more on NOOL’s Facebook page than here on our real website. The Facebook page has less information about local performances and instead may post silly cartoons and virtually any other aspect of opera. Go to: https://www.facebook.com/northernohiooperaleague.

So we at NOOL wish all to stay healthy, have less stress and be prosperous. Stay tuned for more opera hopefully in later 2021 nearer Fall.

All News Flashes Opera Info

EMAIL US


    NoOhioOperaLeague@aol.com

    Donors/Sponsors/People of Recognition

    Mary Hamlin was NOOL’s President for 7 years before her passing in 2017. She also led the local chapter of Daughters of the British Empire, was a Board Member of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation and the personal British Garden caretaker for decades. She was a proper, gentle lady who helped NOOL in its early years with steadfast devotion to Opera. Such dedicated board members should always be remembered. She is pictured below with her husband Clive during NOOL’s Dancing With the Dinosaurs Benefit at the Cleveland History Museum.

    Clive Hamlin & wife NOOL President Mary Hamlin.

    John Ingold and Phyllis Donnelly Ingold. This couple have been worker bees in numerous organizations for decades including the Cleveland Opera League and Charter members of NOOL. In many instances they maintained address lists, created fliers and invitations as well as reserving venues, ordering meals and almost everything else needed to create benefits. John was more of the administrator, set up and tear down worker for Phyllis while Phyllis was the creative half of the partnership. No one ever donated so many silent auction items as John and Phyllis. Fussy how everything gets done their personal friendships helped fill many a venue.

    John Ingold and NOOL Membership Chairlady Phyllis Donnely-Ingold.

    Greg and Marcia Snavely Polyak. This couple were on the Cleveland Opera Board and Charter members of NOOL. Marcia is locally famous for her piano playing just about every benefit gig and party. Most often she donates her professional playing abilities helping each organization make a profit. She is known to have music put in front of her moments before playing it for the professional. This sight reading ability allows her to play just about any style of music making her a very busy pianist for so many groups they can’t all be listed. But being a professional musician continually since age six was only half of her story as she was also a Chemist for 40 years.

    Greg is a worker bee having been the following: V.P., Secretary, NOOL Webmaster/creator as well as NOOL’s Facebook web page master, 2nd V.P., event Chair, Master of Ceremonies, usually hired the entertainment, helped with event set up and tear down and more. Together they always Donated Silent Auction items as well as buying many of other silent auction items at every single benefit. Greg is also on numerous other nonprofit boards doing similar work on each board be it an Orchestra, Arts, Ethnic, International Grant group or Wine Tasting Society. With 10 kids, 20 Grandkids with 2 more arriving in 2019 they are the Energizer Bunnies of Cleveland’s nonprofits.

    Greg Polyak and Marcia Polyak

    Important Donors/Sponsors: There are a number of ways to donate to NOOL. There is Cash, Silent Auction Items, Membership dues at different levels, Hosting a benefit in one’s home, and providing Prize money or by Paying stipends to entertainers. The list will never be perfect. It contains names of people who have donated over many years to those who have donated for shorter periods of time but in larger ways. So please excuse any failures, exclusions or other wrongs but feel free to contact me for additions or corrections. Additions to the list will continue making it a living expanding praise of thanks. To be continued.