Augustine Mercante to sing at St. Peter's in Lewes Nov. 12

Internationally acclaimed countertenor Augustine Mercante will join the Lewes Chamber Players in a concert of French arias at 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 12, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Second and Market streets in Lewes.

It is the third program of the season for the St. Cecilia Guild, established last year to offer to southern Delaware residents a variety of musical genres including jazz, organ, handbells, and concerts by the Lewes Chamber Players, composed of violinist Sylvia Ahramjian, cellist Ovidiu Marinescu and T.J. Thomas on the organ and harpsicord.

The concert will feature works by French composers for violin, cello and harpsichord, for cello and piano, and for violin and cello. A highlight will be five French songs performed by Mercante and the musicians.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Mercante studied in Augsberg, Germany, and performed with opera companies there. In this country, he has appeared in concert halls from New York to Washington state. He is a founding singing member and board member of the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware, and as the founder and creative director of LifeSongs, he has been recognized on many occasions for his commitment to the arts in Delaware.

Mercante has a teaching studio in Wilmington. He is on the voice faculty at the Music School of Delaware and is an adjunct instructor at Wilmington University.

 For more information, contact T.J. Thomas, St. Peter's minister of music, at tthomas@stpeterslewes.org, or 302-645-8479.