STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Chances are you’ve never seen an opera star accompanied by an accordion singing “Sleigh Bells Ringing,” no less.
Chrystal E. Williams offers a most animated rendition of that Christmas classic, along with effusive praise for Sun Valley, in Sun Valley Opera’s just-released 12-minute holiday video.
Sun Valley Opera President Kyle Johnson calls it Sun Valley Opera’s gift to the community during the opera’s 20th anniversary. The opera plans to have a big gala at the end of 2021 when the pandemic is behind us, he offered.
In the meantime, the Sun Valley Opera worked with The Argyros to compile the video offering snippets of holiday music from the guest performers who graced the stage in 2019 and 2020 before the pandemic took its toll on musical performances.
Bass-baritone Zachary James, who played Lurch in Broadway’s version of “The Addams Family,” sings a duet of “Blue Christmas” with Bonnie Montgomery, a classically trained opera singer who has won acclaim for her voice reminiscent of such country greats as Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn.
Allison Semmes, who starred in a show featuring the Best of the Girl Bands from the 1950s and ‘60s, delivers a chipper “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” that she seemingly doesn’t want to end. And when that’s done, she sings effusive praises of Sun Valley, recounting how she was overwhelmed by the beauty of the mountains and the warmth of the community.
Cayman Ilika, who performed at a garden party in late summer before Blaine County saw an uptick in COVID cases, sings a little ditty with her son Teddy.
Tiffany and Mike Evariste and Bryan Terrell Clark get in a few chords, as well.
You can see the video at https://www.sunvalleyopera.com/