By PAUL STANSBURY

Contributing writer

The Community Arts Center invites you to meet Gregory Turay, Centre College’s 2017 Alltech Artist-in-Residence. On Wednesday, the Arts Center’s Lunch with the Arts program will travel to Centre’s campus to hear this accomplished American tenor, recipient of several of classical music’s most coveted honors, perform and share his story. 

A Lexington resident and alumnus of the University of Kentucky, Turay’s story began in 1995, when— at the age of 21, — he won the Metropolitan Opera National Council’s Auditions. After training in the Met’s Lindemann Young Artists Development Program, he debuted at the Met in “Ariadne auf Naxos,” conducted by James Levine.  He has since appeared on the Metropolitan Opera stage for 10 consecutive seasons.  Turay’s performances are not confined to appearances at the Met. He has appeared in opera and concert engagements all over the United States and Europe as well.

Turay is the winner of the Richard Tucker Award, George London Foundation Award, ARIA award, and Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. He was hailed early in his career by the London Times as “one of the brightest natural talents to have emerged from the US in recent years.” 

Although Turay is noted as an opera singer, he is also an admired chamber recitalist.  Among the many venues where he has appeared are the Edinburgh Festival, Wolf Trap, the Danny Kaye Playhouse in New York, and a collaborative performance of Brahms’ “Liebeslieder Waltzes” with pianists James Levine and Ken Noda in Weill Recital Hall, New York.

As part of his artist-in-residence responsibilities, Turay will give a recital, offer vocal workshops and collaborate with Centre’s choral conductor, Johann Van Niekerk. Turay is currently teaching an opera workshop during the three-week CentreTerm. He will also collaborate with Centre Associate Professor Nathan Link, who specializes in 18th-century opera, on a team- taught course. And for a fortunate few, Turay will also offer private voice lessons.

The Community Arts Center is indeed fortunate Turay has graciously agreed to take some time from his busy schedule for a noontime program for the public.

Appearing with Turay will be his accompanist, Marcello Cormio.  In addition to playing for Lunch with the Arts, Cormio has been assisting Turay with Opera Workshop scenes during the January CentreTerm.

Lunch with the Arts will be held in Grant Hall room 114, on the lower level of the Norton Center for the Arts on the Centre College campus. For easiest access, guests should park at the lower end of the Norton Center parking lot and follow the signage. The parking lot is accessible at the intersection of Walnut and South Fifth streets.  A ramp for the sidewalk is located at the end of the parking lot nearest the soccer field. Follow the sidewalk on the parking lot side of the building. The door to the building is partially hidden by a short brick wall, but there will be signage. Once inside, please make your way to the lowest level of the building, accessible by elevator or stairs. For a map, visit communityartscenter.net/event/lwta-gregory-turay

Beginning with this program, Lunch with the Arts will no longer offer lunch during the program, but guests are still invited to bring their own while enjoying the presentations.

Online: www.gregoryturay.com

IF YOU GO

Lunch with the Arts,

featuring Greg Turay

noon-1 p.m. Wednesday

in Grant Hall, room 114 (lower level) of Norton Center for the Arts;

$7/door, Centre students free

COMING UP

• Starry Night Studios: Winter Woods, 7-9 p.m. Jan. 24, $28; Friendly Frog, 2-4 p.m. Feb. 5, $28, register online

• Paint-Your-Own Pottery, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays: Unleash your inner artist in the paint-your-own pottery studio. Pieces start at just $7.

2017 Classes Now Enrolling

• Mini Masters (K-3rd), 4-5 p.m. Mondays, Jan. 23-March 6, $80

• Homeschool Youth Ceramics (K-8th), 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Jan. 23-March 6, $50

• Comics and Cartoons (4th-8th), 4-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 24-March 7, $80

• Mudslingers (K-8th), 10 a.m.-noon Saturdays, Jan. 28-March 11, $125/$200 

• ActUp! Children’s Theater Workshop (K-8th), 10 a.m.-noon Saturdays Jan. 28-May 6, $105/$155

• Intro to Clay (teens and adults), 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 24-March 7, $100

• Printmaking 101 (teens and adults), 7-9 p.m. Jan. 25-March 8, $105

• Ballroom Dance, 7 p.m. every Thursday, beginner classes, $10/door, no partner required

• Ceramic Sculpture (teens and adults), 7-9 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 26-March 9, $145

• Wheel-Thrown Pottery (teens and adults), 2-4 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 29-March 12, $145

Need-based scholarships are available for all classes.  Contact Maggie Shapiro Haskett at (859) 236-4054 or email education@communityartscenter.net to apply.

Online registration for all classes at communityartscenter.net.