Broadway Meets Opera will be presented at View on Thursday, August 18, at 7 p.m., featuring opera tenor, Luigi Boccia and mezzo soprano, Heather Gallagher.

They will be accompanied by pianist, Arthur McManus.

Deke Morrison of Old Forge, a member of the Board of Directors at View, was impressed by their performance in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro that was presented by Vero Beach Opera in Florida in February, and he arranged for the trio to come to the Adirondacks to perform at Gould Hall at View.

“I attended their concert, and I had the crazy idea that I might be able to get one of them to come up here to perform,” Morrison said.

At a dinner following the concert, Morrison asked one of his friends how he might be able to arrange for someone of their quality to come to Old Forge this summer. His friend said, “Just go ask them.”

“I did, and they said, yes!” Morrison said.

The program will include opera arias, art songs from all over the world, and Broadway tunes, said Luigi Boccia.

Boccia, who was born in the U.S., moved to Italy when he was six months old after his father received a good job opportunity there.

He spent the next 25 years of his life there, growing up in a small town with a 14th century monastery.

Boccia said he sang songs as a child, like every child, but there was one episode when he was six years old that he considers the real beginning of his career.

“One of the priests from the monastery wanted to put together a children’s choir for Christmas Eve and he came to my school and asked the children to audition,” he said.

At the following day’s audition, Boccia and the other children were asked to sing a popular Christmas song.

“So I sang. And as I was singing the priest said, ‘I think we have found the one we’re looking for.’ As it turned out, I was the only one who would sing all of the solo parts,” he said.

Boccia said he didn’t tell his parents about the solos because he didn’t realize that it was anything special. However, when the Christmas Eve Mass was over his father asked him the name of the child who was singing.

When he told his father that it was him singing, he didn’t believe him and told him to stop joking.

But the next day, his father happened to meet the Priest, who congratulated him and suggested he support his son’s talent. The priest also recommended that his father encourage Luigi to take piano lessons.

While growing up, Boccia became familiar with operas by listening to recordings of tenors. After graduating from the University of Pavia in 2004 with a Masters degree in Musicology he realized that he wanted to pursue a career in opera.

When he came to the U.S. in 2005, he studied at the world renowned Julliard School of Music for a year and the second year he registered with the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, where he is currently a resident artist and studies under Bill Schumann.

In 2010 he debuted at Carnegie Hall as tenor soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass.

Boccia said he is looking forward to performing at View.

“It will be a true honor to perform for a community that doesn’t know us yet and I hope to make friends with the audience with my music and my voice,” he said.

To listen to a sample of Luigi Boccia’s rich tenor voice, log on to his free on-line channel: Bowtie Leisure. He said the site can be easily accessed by typing in the words, Bowtie Leisure and that he posts new videos every two weeks.

“The videos include arias or art songs that are rarely performed but are very beautiful,” he said.

Mezzo-Soprano Heather Gallagher, who is joining Luigi Boccia, is originally from West Palm Beach, Florida. Among her credits is her role in March 2011 as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro .

In April 2011 she traveled on a full scholarship to study the bel canto technique with Marcello Giordani and Bill Schumann at the Teatro Bellini in Sicily.

Pianist Arthur McManus, who coaches and accompanies singers in a wide repertoire, has also served as pianist for master classes conducted by Licia Albanese, Robert Merrill, and Martina Arroyo, as well as in the studio of Metropolitan Opera baritone, Theodor Uppman.

Following the concert, the performers will be available to talk with members of the audience.

For ticket information visit the website: www.ViewArts.org or call (315) 369-6411.