Operas depicted in holiday decorations at Osborne Homestead in Derby

DERBY - Daughter Allegra and I visited the Osborne Homestead Museum on the day after Thanksgiving, as we have for many years in the past. It's a holiday tradition for us to tour the beautifully decorated home of businesswoman and civic leader Frances Osborne Kellogg. 
These little figures caught my eye in the studio. They depict characters in Richard Wagner's opera, "Das Rheingold."

Holiday tours will run through Dec. 17. Tours will be offered Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  
On Fridays, Dec. 1, 8, and 15, from 4-7 p.m., the museum will present “Twilight Tours” to display the shimmering glow of the decorations. 

The Osborne Homestead Museum at 500 Hawthorne Ave. is operated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Stay tuned for more photos of the decorations based on several operas in an upcoming Valley Voice newsletter. 

Recuperation journey: Happy Pie for Breakfast Day

I don't do Black Friday. Not my idea of a good time.

But I do indulge in leftover pie for breakfast.
Hmm ... should I have apple or pumpkin?

Today I'll visit the beautiful Osborne Homestead Museum that is decorated each holiday season by area garden club members. This year's theme is "Holiday at the Opera."
Today is the first day; the schedule is:

"Holiday tours will run through Dec. 17. Tours will be offered Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  

On Fridays, Dec. 1, 8, and 15, from 4-7 p.m., the museum will present “Twilight Tours” to display the shimmering glow of the decorations."

The museum is at 500 Hawthorne Ave., Derby. Don't miss the beautiful decorations. They'll put you in the holiday spirit.

Celebrate the season at Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby

DERBY - Are you ready to hear some bel canto? Do you have your libretto?  Well put your opera capes on!  

2015 file photo of museum

It’s time to enjoy “A Holiday at the Opera” at the Osborne Homestead Museum, 500 Hawthorne Ave. and learn about some of the world’s famous operas.  

Holiday tours will run from Friday through Dec. 17. Tours will be offered Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  
On Fridays, Dec. 1, 8, and 15, from 4-7 p.m., the museum will present “Twilight Tours” to display the shimmering glow of the decorations. 

For more than 30 years, volunteers have created the gorgeous holiday decorations at the museum.  
These talented and committed volunteers are Derby Garden Society, Garden Club of Orange, Long Hill Garden Club, Naugatuck Garden Club, Olde Ripton Garden Club of Shelton, Oxford Garden Club, Jen Plasky of American Institute of Floral Designers, Roxbury/Bridgewater Garden Club, Women Redefining Retirement Milford, and Ye Olde Kellogg Garden Club.  

This year’s holiday theme will pay tribute to Frances Osborne Kellogg’s love of the opera.  She frequently attended the Metropolitan Opera, and her uncle Henry Krehbiel was a famous music and opera critic.  
As president of the Women’s Club, Frances invited many opera singers, such as Caterina Jarbora, John Brownlee, and Marjorie Lawrence, to perform in Derby.  Because of her love of this musical genre, each room will represent operas seen by Frances and her family and friends.  

Holiday Farm Market

Visitors will also get a chance to support local farms and small businesses at the Holiday Farm Market in the Kellogg Environmental Center located behind the museum.  

The Holiday Farm Market will be held Dec.1 from 4-7 p.m. and Dec. 2 from 9 a.m.-noon.  Choose from a wide variety of products, such as Connecticut Grown produce, meat products, beauty and bath products, scented candles, and more.

Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted.  
Kellogg Environmental Center and Osborne Homestead Museum are operated by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.   

To register for group tours and for more information, call 203-734-2513, email donna.kingston@ct.gov, or visit www.ct.gov/deep/Kellogg.

This is a press release from Connecticut DEEP.

Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby to host Holiday at the Opera

One of my favorite local events to celebrate the holiday season is visiting the Osborne Homestead Museum. 
Members of area garden clubs always do a wonderful job decorating the Colonial Revival house at 500 Hawthorne Ave. in Derby.

This year the clubs include: Derby Garden Society, Garden Club of Orange, Long Hill Garden Club, Naugatuck Garden Club, Olde Ripton Garden Club of Shelton, Oxford Garden Club, Jen Plasky AIFD, Roxbury Bridgewater Garden Club, Women Redefining Retirement Milford, and Ye Olde Kellogg Garden Club. 

This year’s theme pays tribute to Frances Osborne Kellogg’s love of the opera, according to a release from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which operates the museum.
It continues: "Kellogg frequently attended the Metropolitan Opera, and her uncle Henry Krehbiel was a famous music and opera critic.
"As president of the Women’s Club, Frances invited many opera singers, such as Caterina Jarbora, John Brownlee, and Marjorie Lawrence, to perform in Derby. Because of her love of this musical genre, each room will represent operas seen by Frances and her family and friends." 

*Sharing this information from an online community calendar sponsored by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and The New Haven Independent.

Baroque operatic rock duo from Shelton, Seymour ink record deal

Suzanne Vick and Richard Demko

Vocalist and Shelton native Suzanne Vick, and writer/producer Richard Demko, a Seymour resident formerly of Monroe, have scored a record deal with West Haven Indie label HMG Recordings. 

The duo call themselves "DEMKOVIC" and their debut album, "Breathe," is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2016. 

Vick and Demko started working together in 2007 when they played in the local funk/jam band Electric Mayhem. 

The two eventually left the group due to what Demko describes as "life," but he always knew he would eventually find himself working with Vick again. 

After a few years of musical hiatus, Demko started writing again and could think of no one other than Vick to bring his latest batch of songs to life.  

When asked to describe DEMKOVIC’S musical style Demko said it is "very deep, emotional, operatic rock with elements of heavy guitars, big drums, deep bass, and flowing, dynamic, layered vocals.”

Vick is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Demko again in such a different capacity than their first musical venture.  

“This project is a creative dream come true for me,” Vick said. “I’m a classically-trained vocalist, but don’t usually get the opportunity to utilize that training or my four-octave range. Rick’s writing and production push me to expand past what I think I can do vocally and the results are amazing and very satisfying.”

Information about their album release along with tour dates and other information can be found on social media @DEMKOVIC or on the web at www.demkovic.com.

This is a press release from Richard Demko.

Streep brings NYC socialite to life in 'Florence Foster Jenkins'

Meryl Streep as Florence Foster Jenkins

Florence Foster Jenkins loved to sing. And sing she did.

But she was undoubtedly the worst singer of her generation. Or dare I say any generation! 

And she certainly was not good enough to sing at Carnegie Hall. But she did. 

Jenkins (1868-1944) was a New York City socialite. Her life of great wealth and love of great music was brought to the silver screen by the one and only Meryl Streep. 

The movie, directed by Stephen Frears, also starred Hugh Grant as her devoted British stage actor husband, St. Clair Bayfield.

Jenkins, a soprano, is tone deaf, but she fancies herself a great opera singer. Her husband perpetuates that myth. He pays people to write positive reviews of his wife’s performance. 

The two have a marriage in name only, since Jenkins was infected with syphilis by her first husband when she was 18. But it’s clear they love each other.

The movie - rated PG-13 - also featured Simon Helberg as the pianist hired to accompany Jenkins’ off-key-to-say-the-least singing. Helberg’s character, Cosme McMoon, a gifted young pianist, politely calls Jenkins’ voice “flat.”

This is a fun film, and one that touches the heart and soul. Streep truly becomes the heiress whose ambition clouds rational thought processes. She really believes that her fingernails on the blackboard style of singing sounds good.

If you want to sit back and laugh go see Florence Foster Jenkins. You’ll definitely be entertained.