Insidethisissue - aha Creative Ink

y Ann Haver-Allen
Festive evenings add to
Crossroads Center fund
Charles Edwin Taylor, a
baritone with the New
York Metropolitan
Opera and a native of Prescott,
performed at a benefit concert
Wednesday, Aug. 11, and
Thursday, Aug. 12, for the
Prescott College Crossroads
Center building fund.
The gala evening was made
possible thanks to the loyalty
and generosity of devoted
alumni Tony Ebarb ’84 and
Liisa Raikkonen ’84. The
Ebarbs hosted the Fifth Annual
Evenings of Vocal Treasures at
the Pine Cone Inn, Arizona’s
oldest supper club and a
Prescott landmark. Joining
Taylor was mezzo-soprano
Kelly Gebhardt, his fiancée.
Pianist Glen Davis accompanied
them.
“Opera experts have called
Charles the ‘baritone of the
century,’” Ebarb said as he
introduced Taylor. He told the
16 TransitionsFall 2004
audience that Taylor had
entered a number of competitions
and had won first, second,
and third prize each time.
“What I am trying to tell you
is that you are in for a real treat
tonight,” Ebarb said. “Charles
is a true musical genius.”
When Taylor stepped on
stage he thanked Ebarb for
such a gracious introduction.
“About 30 percent of what
Tony said is true,” Taylor said.
“But I sure want him to contribute
to Biography when the
time comes.”
Taylor sang a number of
selections from Franz
Schubert, who effectively
established the German lied as
a new art form in the 19th century
and is considered by many
to be the greatest composer of
German lieder with more than
600 to his credit. Taylor
described the lied as the first
of the “reality” shows.
Photos by Bridget Reynolds
Enjoying an evening at the opera are, from left, Toby Ebarb, Tony Ebarb,
Liisa Raikkonen, Mark Hayden, and Prescott College President Dan Garvey.
Charles Edwin Taylor and Kelly
Gebhardt performed at a benefit
for the Crossroads Center fund.
Schubert wanted to write
music that reflected real life
instead of the fairy and
princess stories popular in
Italian opera, Taylor said.
“So of course, since it reflects
reality, there was adultery and
murder.”
Taylor’s selections for the
evening included Der Zwerg
(The Gnome), which he called
“a complete opera in four minutes;”
and three arias from
Schwanengesang (Swan Song).
The fund-raiser added about
$8,000 to the Crossroads
Center coffers.
“Prescott College is very
grateful to have dedicated,
loyal alumni such as Tony and
Liisa,” said Prescott College
President Dan Garvey. “It’s
through support like theirs that
the Crossroads Center is
becoming a reality.”
Tony and Liisa earned their
bachelor degrees in 1984
through Prescott College’s
Adult Degree Program in
accounting and language studies
respectively. Their daughter,
Theresa Ebarb-Makela ’04,
graduated from Prescott
College Saturday, Dec. 4.