Ave Maria Celebrates the Arts March 25-27
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 17 March 2011 19:55
The dedication of one new artistic masterpiece -- carved in stone -- and the performance of another -- sung by Opera Naples -- will bracket a long weekend celebrating the arts in the town of Ave Maria March 25-27.
In between those two events wll be a performance by the Ave Maria Hometown Band, the premiere of a new film directed by AMU student John Broadhead, and several live demonstrations by visual artists working in various media outside shops ringing the Ave Maria Oratory in the town center.
Events begin Friday, March 25 -- the Feast of the Annunciation -- with the "unveiling" and dedication of the white Carrara marble sculpture of The Annunciation on the façade of the oratory. The 70-ton bas relief, carved over two years on the campus of Ave Maria University by sculptor Márton Váró, will be officially dedicated by Diocese of Venice Bishop Frank Dewane at 1:30 p.m. March 25. The dedication will be preceded by Mass in the oratory at 10 a.m., with Bishop Dewane as the principal celebrant, and a procession at 11 a.m.
On Saturday, March 26, there will be art displays and demonstrations in the town center, many sponsored by merchants. The Conrad Moroder shop, which sells hand-carved religious statuary and other devotional objects, has brought over one of the company's Italian master carvers -- Carl Moroder (left) -- who has been carving religious objects from wood for 25 years and is the great grandson of the firm's founder. Mr. Moroder will also be carving outside the storefront in La Piazza on Thursday and Friday, March 24-25.
The Ave Maria Inspirations Gift Shop will be showcasing three artists -- oil painter Diana Montoya, stained glass artist Chris Schnatzer, and Mary Stuller, the shop's co-owner who will be showing her oil paintings.
Cuban-born religious artist Vincent Perez Mendez will be working outside the women's clothing boutique The Secret Ingredient Saturday and Sunday.
The music of the Ave Maria Hometown Band will fill the town center from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, and the band also will be holding a fundraising lasagna dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Donahue Academy.
Saturday night there will be the world premier screening of the feature film Everyman, produced and directed by AMU student John Broadhead.
Sunday afternoon, Opera Naples will perform Verdi's Requiem Mass at 2:30 p.m. in the Golisano Field House with special family-friendly pricing.
Detailed event schedules:
The Unveiling and Dedication of The Annuciation of Ave Maria Sculpture
Friday, March 25
10 a.m. - Mass in the oratory
11 a.m. - Eucharistic procession
1:30 p.m. - Unveiling and decication ceremony
2:30 p.m. - Music
Open to all, but seating for Mass in the oratory may be limited if heavily attended. All are welcome and there is no charge to attend although special luncheons and reserved seating for the dedication is being sold: A VIP luncheon with AMU founder Tom Monaghan and sculptor Márton Váró, which also includes front-row seating for the dedication, at $100 per person; reserved seating on La Piazza with lunch in the Golisano Field House is available at $50; reservations 239-280-2420. Lunch also will be available at The Bean of Ave Maria, the Queen Mary Pub and the Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
The Ave Maria Hometown Band and Orchestra
Saturday, March 26
Noon - 3 p.m. - Free concert in La Piazza
4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - Fundraising dinner
More information, and to order tickets for the dinner: http://amhbo.org/
World Film Premiere - Everyman
Saturday, March 26
7 p.m., AMU Student Union Ballroom. Admission $5 adults/$ children
Opera Naples - Verdi's Requiem Mass
Sunday, March 27
2:30 p.m., Golisano Field House
$5 for bleacher seating with $25 family maximum; reserved floor seats $25 each
To reserve tickets call 239-280-2420