The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra
Italian American Celebration 2025

Program

Guest Artist: Lynette Tapia, Soprano / John Osborn, Tenor

With extraordinary guest singers joining the show, this concert will highlight the beauty and depth of Italian American Music from Broadway to Opera.

Based in Florida's friendliest hometown, "The Villages Philharmonic" is a professional Orchestra presenting the highest possible standard for excellence in musical performance since 2003.

Under the musical direction of acclaimed Conductor Pasquale Valerio, the orchestra has grown in stature while enriching and shaping cultural life. The orchestra presents musical masterpieces to nourish the hearts, souls and minds of local music patrons.

Most members live in the Orlando area but we have regular members who come from as far afield as Jacksonville, Tampa, Daytona and St. Petersburg. The Philharmonic gives 13-15 concerts per year and so we don't provide full time employment for any of the players. Our players are comprised of resident and international artists who collaborate with symphonic and operatic companies at large. Although most orchestra members are not Villagers, there are two professional orchestra members who are Village residents and there are six amateurs who train each Saturday so that they can meet the standards required to play with the Philharmonic.



John Osborn

John Osborn, tenor, from Sioux City, Iowa, now living in The Villages, FL has garnished international acclaim in opera houses and concert halls all around the world. He began his operatic career with Des Moines Metro Opera in 1993, is a Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Awards, and is First Place Winner of the Operalia Vocal Competition Placido Domingo.

His early career included many roles in Rossini operas including Il Conte d'Almaviva in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, Principe Ramiro in LA CENERENTOLA, Lindoro in L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI, Conte di Libenskof in IL VIAGGIO A REIMS, and Don Narciso in IL TURCO IN ITALIA; and Mozart roles as Don Ottavio in DON GIOVANNI, Ferrando in COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Tamino in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, and Belmonte in DIE ENTFÜRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL. He was equally at home in roles by Donizetti including Nemorino in L'ELISIR D'AMORE, Ernesto in DON PASQUALE, Edgardo in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Fernand in LA FAVORITE, Tonio in LA FILLE DU REGIMENT, Percy in ANNA BOLENA, and Roberto in ROBERTO DEVEREUX. Bellini roles include Elvino in LA SONNAMBULA, Arturo Talbot in I PURITANI, and Pollione in NORMA.

His career changed paths with his debut as Prince Léopold in LA JUIVE by Fromenthal Halévy and the Opéra National de Paris Bastille, and taking on the role of Arnold Melchtal in Rossini's GUILLAUME TELL in his debut with L'Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy. He has consequentially performed this epic role in more productions and performances than anyone in the history of opera. He graduated to the more lyrical role as Eléazar in LA JUIVE, and has performed other important French leading tenor parts in Gounod's FAUST and ROMEO ET JULIETTE; Massenet's MANON and WERTHER; Meyerbeer's LES HUGUENOTS, LE PROPHETE, and ROBERT LE DIABLE; Berlioz's BENVENUTO CELLINI and DAMNATION DE FAUST; and LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach.

John Osborn's prestigious awards include the 2010 GoffredoPetrassi Award (cultural); 2012 Aureliano Pertile Award (tenor); 2014 Bellini d'Oro (bel canto); 2015 Friends of the Dutch National Opera "Prix d'amis" (best performance); the 2015/16 Friends of Liceu Critical Award (male singer) for his portrayal of Benvenuto Cellini; Abbiati Critics Award in Italy; and most recently an Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Award for his program; "John Osborn: a Legend Returns" with Lynette Tapia, soprano, conductor Ryan Haskins, and the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra with Iowa Public Television.

Lynette Tapia

Lynette Tapia, Bolivian-American soprano, is a Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions; First Place and "Prix de la publique" in the Operalia International Voice Competition Placido Domingo; First Prize George London Foundation; First Prize Licia Albanese - Puccini Foundation; an Opera Index Award; First Place Spotlight Awards; and Winner of the MacAllister Competition.

Ms. Tapia has appeared in several opera productions with Opera Classica Europa. Liù in TURANDOT by Puccini; Michaëla in CARMEN by Bizet; Violetta Valéry in LA TRAVIATA, and Gilda RIGOLETTO by Giuseppe Verdi; as Lucia in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Adina in L'ELISIR D'AMORE, and Norina in DON PASQUALE by Gaetano Donizetti. She has appeared recently as Marie in Parnassus Society's performance of LA FILLE DU REGIMENT by Donizetti, a role she has also sung with Opera Pacific, Arizona Opera, and Todi Festival USA; and the Salzburg Festival, Austria as Clorinda in LA CENERENTOLA by Gioacchino Rossini.

Other roles throughout her carter include Die Königen der Nacht in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE; Zerbinetta in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS; Adele in DIE FLEDERMAUS; Blondchen in DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL; Rosina in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA; Contessa di Folleville in IL VIAGGIO A REIMS by Rossini; Berthe in LE PROPHÈTE by Giacomo Meyerbeer; and Cunegonde in Bernstein's CANDIDE. Recent concert appearances include Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Italy; Opera Naples; Kloster Eberbach, Germany; Teatro Regio Parma, Italy; Alte Oper Frankfurt, Germany; the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra.

Prestigious conductors have included Donald Runnicles, Richard Bonynge, Julius Rudel, John DeMain, Stephen Lord, and Andrew Litton; She has recorded two albums, "L'amour consacré" and "La coppia degli acuti" with her husband, John Osborn, tenor, and Christopher Larkin, conductor, with the English Chamber Orchestra; and she has a commercial recording of LE PROPHETE with Aalto-Theater Essen, Germany.

Ms. Tapia has a Bachelor of Music Degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music.