UNIVERSITY NEWS - OCTOBER 2003

MEDIA CONTACT: Stacia Smith
561-297-2971 or ssmith@fau.edu

FAU's Azure String Quartet Debut Presents "Chamber Music for Opera Lovers"

Boca Raton, FL (October 6, 2003) - The new School of The Arts in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University will present two concerts entitled "Chamber Music for Opera Lovers," performed by the School's newly formed Azure String Quartet. The first concert will take place Saturday, October 11 at 2 p.m. in the Liberal Arts Auditorium on the FAU Davie campus, 2912 College Avenue. The second concert will take place Sunday, October 12 at 3 p.m. in the University Theatre on the FAU Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road. The concerts are $12 and $15 according to seating, with group discounts available. FAU students, faculty and staff may attend the event for free.

Highlighting the program is Guiseppe Verdi's "String Quartet in E minor," a dramatic and melodious instrumental work which is highly operatic in its conception.

The program will also feature the tuneful and narrative "String Quartet No. 13" of prolific opera composer Gaetano Donizetti, the poignant elegy "Crisantemi" by Giaccomo Puccini, the beloved operas "Rigoletto" and "La Traviatta" by Guiseppe Verdi, and "The Magic Flute" by W.A. Mozart.

The newly formed Azure Quartet brings together international and national performing musicians and active educators Rebecca Lautar, violin; Xin Chen, violin; Diane Kennedy Weisberg, viola, and Iris Van Eck, violincello.

Tickets are available from the FAU Box Office at 561-297-3737 or at the door two hours prior to performance. For further information on this performance, call 561-297-3821. For more information on other School of the Arts events, call Arts Update at 561-297-2977 or visit www.fau.edu/artsupdate.
- FAU -