UNCW Professor Nancy King and her talented Opera Outreach Project students (UNC-WOOP) gave another thrilling performance to a standing-room-only crowd at the Southport Community Building on Sunday, March 1. FOLSOI has sponsored this highly anticipated annual event for the past 18 years.

This year’s performance was kicked off by FOLSOI president, Diana Fotinatos who welcomed the audience and announced that the afternoon’s selections would be from Henry Purcell’s epic tragedy, “Dido and Aeneas.” 

After introductions of Professor King, choral director Aaron Peisner and keyboard accompanist, Bettsy Curtis, King set the scene for the performance by giving the audience some background information on Purcell and the opera in her trademark informative and entertaining style. 

At the conclusion of a truly professional presentation by these young musicians, the audience was invited to enjoy refreshments prepared by FOLSOI members, and personally thank the performers for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. 

At the conclusion of the event, Fotinatos was overheard telling King that she had already booked the Community Building for next year’s performance, and much to the relief of all who heard her, King promised to be back for performance number 19.