For Immediate Release: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Tenor and area resident Michael Hayes will perform songs from Broadway and opera in a free performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, at the Olney branch of Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL). Mr. Hayes recently retired from a 35-year opera/musical theater career, where he earned a reputation as one of the world’s most versatile and charismatic tenors.
The Olney Library is located at 3500 Olney-Laytonsville Road in Olney. Advance registration is not required to attend, but seating is limited. Light refreshments will be offered following the concert.
The concert will feature selections from musicals such as Les Misérables, Camelot and Man of La Mancha; opera arias from Carmen, Tosca and Turandot; and pop standards by Judy Garland, Elvis Presley and Nat King Cole. Mr. Hayes said his song list will include the beloved Irish ballad Danny Boy and the Neapolitan song O Sole Mio (popularized by Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti). Before each piece, he will briefly overview its context within musical history.
“This event is one more great offering from County libraries—they bring wonderful performances by talented artists from all genres to our diverse community,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. "Mr. Hayes' concert will surely deliver an unforgettable musical experience filled with timeless hits."
Mr. Hayes has a wide-ranging repertory that included roles in the world of opera as well as the Broadway stage. He has performed as the Duke in Rigoletto (with Cleveland Opera) and Danilo in Lehar’s The Merry Widow (in a PBS national broadcast of New York City Opera’s “Live from Lincoln Center”) and in the title role in Verdi’s Otello (with RIA Opera in Amsterdam; Opera de Nantes, France; and Summer Opera of Washington). One of his roles was as Roscoe in Stephen Sondheim's Follies, in which he made his Broadway debut at the Marriott Marquis. He also performed this role at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., and at Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (July 2020), Mr. Hayes performed a “Virtual Virtuoso” concert via MCPL’s Facebook Live. It was seen by more than 500 viewers and was a highlight of MCPL’s virtual program offerings.
“Michael Hayes was able to share his musical talents at a time of great uncertainty and sadness,” said MCPL Director Anita Vassallo. “Music can act as a salve and bring people together during such times, and his performance served that important healing role for the community.”
To learn more about the upcoming in-person program with Michael Hayes, visit the MCPL website.
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