Ravinia 2024 Issue 3

CHOCO ORTA A native of Santurce, Puerto Rico, singer, per- cussionist, and actress Virgen Milagros Orta Rodríguez—most widely known as “Choco” Orta—graduated with honors from the Univer- sity of Puerto Rico, earning a bachelor’s degree in theater education. Orta started her career in show business in 1979, performing comedy and singing acts with renowned Puerto Rican actor Antonio Pantojas. She continued her career with theatrical presentations, which included The True Story of Pedro Navaja, Vejigantes and Las Bohemias , a play with a cast of seven women. As a dancer, Orta studied with several well-known Puerto Rican dance instructors including José “Junito” Betancourt, Sarita Ayala, and Ita Me- dina. Her vocal skills and training were perfect- ed under the private supervision of professors Fonseca and Darisabel Isales. Her knowledge of music theory and solfeggio she accredits to her years of study at the Puerto Rican Conservatory of Music. In 1996, Choco Orta made her debut recording Sentimiento y Sabor , which was fol- lowed by additional critically acclaimed record- ings including Ahora Mismo and Choco Swing . After living in Cuba for a short time, in 2004 she decamped to New York, where she performed frequently at the Tropicana Night Club. Among the artists that Orta has worked with over the years include Tito Puente, Gilberto Santa Rosa, El Gran Combo, and many more. A longtime friend of the famed Puerto Rican contralto and, later, senator Ruth Fernández, Orta premiered “Homenaje a Ruth Fernández” at Teatro Tapia in San Juan Puerto Rico in 2015. Choco Orta is making her Ravinia debut. MARTIN THEATRE 7:30 PM THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2024 KAREN SLACK, soprano # KEVIN MILLER, piano † African Queens ° RAGLAND Precatio * ° SIMON Behold, the Queen * ° RAGLAND The Queen of Sheba * ° COLERIDGE-TAYLOR “A Prayer” from African Romances, op. 17 * MONTGOMERY The Song of Nzingha * ° ONOVWEROSUOKE Luwah (Bitter Tears) * PRICE Night * OKPEBHOLO A Letter from Queen Ufua * ° –Intermission– ONOVWEROSUOKE Duniya (Mystic Universe) * BARNES I Am Not Your God * ° LIVERMAN A Prayer * THOMPSON Queen Nanny’s Lullabye * ° GETER Amanirenas * ° † Ravinia debut # Ravinia Steans Music Institute alum * First performance at Ravinia ° Commissioned for Karen Slack by the Ravinia Festival, with co-commissioners Aspen Music Festival and School, Boston Symphony Orchestra for the Tanglewood Learning Institute, Denver Friends of Chamber Music, Washington Performing Arts, The 92nd Street Y (NYC), and the Newport Classical Music Festival RAVINIAMAGAZINE • JULY 22 – AUGUST 4, 2024 68