Opera at the lofts

The Chinatown Artists Lofts HOT PHOTO

Hawaii Opera Theatre (HOT) partners with The ARTS at Marks Garage to present the first-ever Opera at the Lofts from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Chinatown Artists Lofts May 30.

The event will showcase singers from HOT’s Orvis Opera Studio, including Fasone Winker, Blythe Kelsey, Matt Walker, Marlise Ahuna and more.

“All have sung in this year’s touring production of The Pirates of Penzance, HOT main-stage productions seen at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, and in performance with world-class artists,” explains HOT marketing director Jason Walter.

Entertainment also will be provided by dj mr. nick.

For HOT, this first-time event comes on the heels of finishing a season of inventive moves — including producing a contemporary opera, Siren Song, which was presented at Kakaako Agora. It also has been hosting HOT Tuesday, a pau hana meets opera party.

The idea behind these initiatives is to make opera more accessible to a wider audience.

Also during Opera at the Lofts, the lofts themselves will be open, displaying work by resident artists. Chinatown Artists Lofts were founded in 2010 and now are home to more than a dozen multimedia artists from around the world. More recently, the lofts’ courtyard has been newly renovated.

“The artists who fill the lofts are chosen on the basis of merit or potential; they are community-minded individuals interested in collective impact,” explains Sarah Bauer of The ARTS at Marks Garage, which runs the lofts. “Our definition of (an) artist is very broad — it is multicultural and multidisciplinary, ranging from mixologist to pen and ink, to recording engineer, printmaking, photography, etc.”

“This event offers attendees a unique experience of the arts in a beautiful, unconventional space,” says Walter. “People will be able to listen to one of Honolulu’s most accomplished DJs, take in famous and infamous opera melodies, and see groundbreaking creations from the resident artists of the lofts.”

Food from Grondin French-Latin Kitchen and Ethiopian Love Restaurant also will be available for purchase, as well as drinks from The Manifest.

Tickets cost $10, and include pupus. Proceeds benefit HOT and The ARTS at Marks Garage.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit operaatthelofts.eventbrite.com.