[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17970]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 HONORING THE FRIENDS OF THE OPERA OF MICHIGAN ON THE OCCASION OF THE 
 INAUGURAL OPERA PERFORMANCE AT THE FORD COMMUNITY AND PERFORMING ARTS 
                                 CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 25, 2001

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Friends of 
the Opera of Michigan as they celebrate the opening of the city of 
Dearborn's wonderful new Ford Community and Performing Arts Center. The 
Friends of the Opera will christen this impressive new facility with 
its first opera on September 22, 2001. A performance of Verdi's Messa 
da Requiem has been chosen for this inaugural event. An impressive cast 
of international artists directed by the Friends of the Opera's own 
Quinto Milito will showcase their talents to an appreciative audience 
in Dearborn.
  Additionally, a statue of Verdi will be unveiled at the opening. 
Verdi stands as a monumental figure in Italian opera and his 
compositions are greatly admired by the large Italian-American 
population in Dearborn, the communities of Downriver and throughout 
metropolitan Detroit. We are blessed to have such a fine facility and 
such extraordinary talent available to us here in Dearborn.
  I am pleased to extend my best wishes to the Friends of the Opera of 
Michigan and to the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center for many 
years of beautiful performances.

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