Tag: singers

A free Phantom of the Opera concert in San Diego!

A great free concert will be held in San Diego this coming Saturday, October 25, 2025. Just in time for Halloween, The Phantom of the Opera in Concert will be performed in Balboa Park at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion!

The 75 minute concert will begin 6:30 pm, but you might want to arrive early for the best seats. The concert will feature soprano Laynee Dell and tenor Cole Tornberg and include popular music from Phantom of the Opera and spectacular organ solos with spooky projections on the front of the Pavilion!

Audience members are encouraged to come in costume! You’ll be able to get your photos taken with the artists on stage!

This very special concert is presented by the Spreckels Organ Society.

How awesome!

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Song and butterflies in the Zoro Garden.

Did you miss the Zoro Garden Theater Festival today? No worries! The festival continues tomorrow, Sunday, August 17, from 2 pm to 5 pm. The free cultural event, produced by the City of San Diego, takes place at the Zoro Garden in Balboa Park.

The program today began with three powerful singers. They each sang about the journey of life.

Of struggle. Uncertainty. Freedom. Happiness.

I and others in the audience sat in the sunken stone grotto–what today is called the Zoro Butterfly Garden–and listened while butterflies flitted above and around us.

The butterflies seemed to move with the singing. I saw as many as six Monarchs at one time, dancing before us in the pleasant breeze, in the San Diego sunshine.

Later on there would be poetry readings and a play. I was told some of these same performers will return on Sunday.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Meatball sandwiches and opera in Balboa Park!

Two professional opera singers performing Italian songs outdoors in Balboa Park? That’s what we got today during the House of Italy lawn program at the International Cottages!

We also got meatball sandwiches (which were really, really good) and spumoni!

I was surprised when I recognized one of the smiling singers: Victoria Robertson. She also performs with Opera4Kids! I’ve enjoyed two Opera4Kids productions at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in the past few years. See my photos here and here!

Today I learned something else. Both of today’s amazing opera singers, Victoria Robertson and Rosario Monetti, have opened a new coffee shop and wine bar in Hillcrest. It’s appropriately called Divo Diva! They’ll be singing together in a dinner show concert later this month. Visit their website here!

A few more fun photos from today’s House of Italy lawn program…

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Rehearsal of Chicago the Musical at Rady Shell!

I got super lucky today. I was walking near the Rady Shell on downtown San Diego’s waterfront when I heard singing voices. I turned toward the San Diego Symphony’s beautiful outdoor venue and discovered Chicago the Musical in Concert was rehearsing for tomorrow’s evening performance!

I sat for a while–one cool thing about rehearsals at The Shell is the public is free to watch politely up close and listen. All I can tell you, anyone going to Chicago the Musical in Concert on Friday is most likely in for a treat!

All That Jazz… Cell Block Tango… Mr. Cellophane… All of the jazzy voices are amazing. I seriously thought I was at a Broadway production.

When I looked at the vocalists’ bios just now, I see that, indeed, they’ve performed in many world-class productions in the most prestigious venues!

Learn all about Chicago the Musical in Concert, and perhaps purchase tickets, by visiting the Rady Shell’s website here!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

A special Mother’s Day concert in Balboa Park!

It was a very special Mother’s Day at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. Not only did an audience hear San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez playing beautiful music for the Sunday afternoon concert, but he was joined by an extraordinary vocalist.

Soprano Caroline Nelms graced our ears with her soaring notes as she sang half a dozen pieces created by female composers. Composers of her selections included Amy Beach, Fanny Mendelssohn and Lucy Simon.

Caroline Nelms has added her crystalline voice to musical theater, opera, classical performances and jazz. Perhaps you heard her when she accompanied the Spreckels Organ during a spooky Halloween concert!

In addition to her singing, and Raul playing Mother’s Day favorites (including Ave Maria and a Glenn Miller Medley), the concert concluded with Raul and Caroline together handing out red roses to mothers who were in attendance.

It was a special day, indeed.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Rhythms of Madagascar coming to San Diego!

Have you ever listened to music from Madagascar? I can’t say that I have.

A live performance by BeMaeva, an independent band rooted in the soul-stirring rhythms of Madagascar, is coming to San Diego on March 14th, 2025. This sounds like a great event at a very cool venue that is located a little east of downtown: The Soap Factory!

(I once visited the Soap Factory during an architectural open house event. See that blog post here.)

You can get tickets for BeMaeva LIVE in San Diego and learn more about the concert at this webpage.

The description includes: Led by the dynamic duo of Dina Maeva, a powerhouse Baltimore-born vocalist with Malagasy heritage now based in San Diego, and Rade Bema, a multi-instrumental maestro from New York, BeMaeva brings an unforgettable fusion of world music, storytelling, and cultural celebration.

More than a concert—this is a cultural journey you don’t want to miss!

Awesome!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share this!

The Rady Shell gets ready for a new season!

It’s now April. The days are getting warmer. The sky has turned a deeper blue. The San Diego Symphony is preparing their outdoor venue The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park for a new season!

The Shell’s red seats were being taken out of storage today in preparation for upcoming concerts. The very first concert, in a couple weeks, will be Lang Lang by the Bay. A couple days later, Peter Frampton will take the stage. And about a week later, Willie Nelson! Yes, lots of musical superstars will be swinging by San Diego in 2024. See the full schedule by clicking here!

I remember the very first concert held in 2021 back when The Shell was brand new. If you want to see photos of the historic opening concert of The Rady Shell, click here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Concert Series kicks off at San Diego Library!

The 2024 Winter/Spring Concert Series kicked off today at the San Diego Central Library. Sue Palmer and her Motel Swing Orchestra entertained a packed house inside the library’s Neil Morgan Auditorium.

The audience really dug the jazzy selections, including music by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and great pieces written by San Diego’s “Queen of Boogie Woogie” Sue Palmer. A few audience members felt inclined to dance during the upbeat performance!

Sue Palmer is an inductee into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame. Her top notch Motel Swing Orchestra includes piano, saxophone, guitar, drums, trombone and bass. Each musician wowed the crowd, receiving spontaneous applause. The strong vocals were provided by Jazz and Blues singer Liz Ajuzie.

More concerts are scheduled in the months ahead. Several make use of the Central Library’s Steinway piano and will feature some of San Diego’s top pianists!

Believe it or not, this marks the 68th season of free concerts at the San Diego Central Library.

To see what’s coming up, check out my next photo, or visit the library’s web page here.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Dean, Rosie, Nat and Sinatra appear in National City!

Four legendary singers are coming to National City. Dean Martin, Rosie Hamlin, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra are gradually materializing outside Cafe La Maze Streakhouse!

Check out this amazing spray paint mural that is being created by Paul Jimenez and Signe Ditona of Ground Floor Murals!

Most people know Dean Martin, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. But do you recognize the name Rosie Hamlin?

Rosalie “Rosie” Hamlin was lead singer of Rosie and the Originals. The musical group’s 1960 hit single Angel Baby is now considered an oldies standard. Versions of the song has been recorded by numerous famous artists, including John Lennon and Linda Ronstadt.

Rosie Hamlin wrote Angel Baby while attending Sweetwater High School in National City!

Very cool!

Curious about all the squiggles and tiny figures in the mural? Ground Floor Murals begins painting their artwork this unique way.

Next time I walk by it, I’ll take photos of the completed mural and post them as an update.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Sing-along Saturdays in Balboa Park!

Would you like to sing happy songs with new friends in San Diego’s beautiful Balboa Park? There’s a Saturday sing-along Meet-Up that you should check out!

I stumbled upon the group today as I walked past the Starlight Bowl. Bill Protzmann was leading the group in song and even dancing a little. Bill had a huge smile and came to speak to me when he saw me listening. I informed him that if I sang, some nearby windows would need repair.

I see that Bill also works to lift people in difficult life situations with song. With song and inspiration he encourages personal empowerment. Check out his Music Care website here.

So, does singing make you happy? This fun Saturday in the Park Sing-Along Meetup Group can be freely joined by clicking here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!