On Sunday, Oct. 2, St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Bay Shore hosted the amazing “Divalicious” for a concert presented by the Islip Arts Council.

Lynda Moran, the executive director of the Islip Arts Council, said the organization has wanted to do opera live for many years, but of course, COVID came. The IAC was able to get a grant to fund the program thanks to the work of Suffolk County Legis. Steve Flotteron.

“I’m so happy it was an amazing turnout and amazing performance, and everybody was bubbling afterwards,” Flotteron said.

He noted that he had even heard of one person who said that since the pandemic they have not been able to go into New York City to see the opera, and they were so happy they could see an amazing performance right in their neighborhood.

Divalicious is made up of pianist Daniel Ragone and singers Leslie Valentine, Gina Haver, and Ruthann Turekian. Ragone, who in addition to being a pianist is also a vocal coach, gave short stories and explanations for each song so the audience could better understand what they were listening to. Valentine, a native of Long Island, has appeared in operas, concerts, and recitals throughout the United States as well as in Great Britain and Japan.

Haver has credits throughout the metropolitan area in classical music, opera, and Off-Broadway theater. Turekian has sung with various opera companies throughout the country, such as the Central City Opera, the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, the Des Moines Metro Opera, and the Bronx Opera, along with many others.

After the show, attendees were invited to have desserts and coffee next door as well as listen to a presentation from the Bay Shore Historical Society about Italian heritage in Bay Shore. (October is Italian Heritage month.)