Purdue University Fort Wayne’s School of Music will present Aria Jukebox, a fundraising gala and recital, at Rhinehart Recital Hall on Friday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m.
While enjoying heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer, and wine, patrons can bid to hear their favorite arias and Broadway songs that are loaded into the Aria Jukebox, comprised of vocal students ready to sing crowd favorites once the bidding concludes for the evening.
Directed by Matt Giallongo and Belinda Smith, the Aria Jukebox will be loaded with audience favorites from Così fan tutte, Candide, Don Giovanni, Hänsel und Gretel, The Secret Garden, The Phantom of the Opera, Le nozze di Figaro, The Pirates of Penzance, Giulio Cesare, and Trouble in Tahiti.
Funds raised will help with upcoming opera ensemble performances.
The gala takes place in the Music Center lobby at 6 p.m., with the performance in the Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30.
More NCAA sporting events earmarked for city
Thanks to the success of Fort Wayne hosting the Division III Men’s Basketball Championships at Memorial Coliseum since 2019, the NCAA has awarded the city with five upcoming events over the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Among the awarded sporting events are the 2027 Division I Women’s Golf Regionals at Sycamore Hills Golf Club, the 2027 and 2028 Division II Men’s Basketball Championship at Memorial Coliseum, the 2027 Division II Women’s Basketball Championship at Memorial Coliseum, and the 2028 Division II Women’s Basketball quarterfinals and semifinals at Memorial Coliseum.
“One of the initial goals of our 10-year Tourism Master Plan is setting up Fort Wayne and Allen County to be a national sports event destination,” said Nicolle Campbell, director of sales at Visit Fort Wayne. “Winning these NCAA events with the support of our partners at Purdue Fort Wayne, Sycamore Hills Golf Club, the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference is a perfect way to launch Fort Wayne toward the realization of that goal.”
Science Central fundraiser at Electric Works
Science Central’s Mixology fundraiser will be from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8, in the GE Club at Electric Works.
The theme of this year’s Mixology, which includes local bartenders competing to create the best cocktail, is Back to the Future. Guests are encouraged to dress to reflect any of the decades depicted in the Back to the Future films, be it 1985, 1955, 2015, or 1885.
Tickets are available at sciencecentral.com and start at $150. Included with your ticket are era-inspired cocktails, a buffet by ObiCai, a silent auction, and science-themed activities. Guests can play with a Van der Graff generator, participate in candy experiments, experience an energy bike, and more.
Guests can also enjoy tabled seating while watching local mixologists compete for the best cocktail in the Battle of the Bartenders.
Sculptures added to city parks
New sculptures have been dedicated at Lakeside Park, 1401 Lake Ave., and at Shoaff Park, 6401 St. Joe Road.
The sculpture in Lakeside Park, “Crescent Moon Quartet,” uses a series of crescent moon shapes to demarcate space and time.
“Mystery of Continuity and Change” at Shoaff Park seeks to embody the tension between being at rest and the joy of being active in the natural environment.
Both pieces by artist Jim Merz are designed to move with the wind.
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