A world renowned American opera soprano will sing in a Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) fundraiser this month to thank her old teacher, tenor and stage director Dr Gary Burgess, for his encouragement during her college days.Ms Aikin will star in the BNG ‘Art of Music’ event to be held outdoors at Bacardi International on Pitts Bay Road in Pembroke.“Her only connection to Bermuda is through two Garys, one Dr Gary Burgess, and through me, Gary Phillips,” said Gary Phillips, BNG Chairman and opera aficionado. “Dr Burgess started the opera department at the State University of Buffalo. She was one of his students. She had a phenomenal voice. He encouraged her to do something with her voice and finally she caught the bug and has been going strong ever since. She is in great demand in the North American and European theatre.”Ms Aikin, now in her 40s, lives in Basiglio, Italy a village outside Milan, Italy. She is considered a leader among the dynamic sopranos performing today. She is known for an arresting stage presence and a range of over three octaves. Ms Aikin is a regular guest in the world’s leading opera houses including The Vienna State Opera, La Scala Milan, Bavarian State Opera, Bastille Opera in Paris as well as the Metropolitan Opera, the Santa Fe Opera and the San Francisco Opera to name but a few. At the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, she has performed more than 300 times in such major roles as Lulu (Lulu), Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier) and Adele (Die Fledermaus). As a concert artist, Miss Aikin has appeared in numerous major concert houses throughout the world with symphony orchestras such as those of London, Chicago, San Francisco, Vienna, Cleveland and Melbourne. Most recently, she appeared as Marilyn Monroe in the world premiere of ‘Waiting for Miss Monroe’ for the Netherlands Opera in Amsterdam, Holland. Critics called her “the soprano who wields the colours of her voice like a vocal Renoir”.“What is interesting about Laura is it is not just the notes she sings, but what happens between the notes,” said Mr Phillips. “It is about the way she hangs on the notes. There is a whole story between one note and another. The way she changes the colour and tone of every single note that she sings is absolutely amazing.”Oliver Grant, a teacher at the Bermuda School of Music will accompany her on piano. Mr Grant studied piano in Madrid Conservatoire and later in Bath Spa University and Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He has performed worldwide.Mr Phillips said the idea to host a night of opera started when the BNG was brainstorming fundraising ideas. At first he wanted to do a barefoot opera night with another well known Canadian opera singer, but she was unavailable. Dr Burgess recommended Ms Aikin.“He said he had just the right person and she was dying to come to Bermuda,” said Mr Phillips. “She is very busy and would appreciate some time away to relax. She is coming here for about a week and performing this wonderful night of opera songs and arias for us in recognition of her respect for her former teacher.”Tickets will be sold in three tiers, but BNG Director Lisa Howie, said everyone will have a special music experience regardless of where they are seated.“Everyone will be enjoying premium spirits thanks to our partner Bacardi Limited,” she said. “Everyone will be enjoying some beautiful desserts. The patrons will get a chance to meet Laura, which is the most important part of their participation. They will have VIP parking underneath Bacardi and get a little bit more of a special experience. Ultimately, our patrons are really saying that they really support the BNG as we can really go forward into the next year. We are doing quite well at the patron level because Gary (Phillips) is very good at developing relationships with people who have a passion for the arts.”It will not be a full opera but a night of operatic songs and arias. The atmosphere will be casual. There will also be some pleasant surprises during the show.Ms Howie said like a lot of other charities they have been suffering from the downturn in the economy, and donations are down. The BNG is hoping this fundraiser and others like it, will help them through a difficult time. It will also kick off their 2012/2013 annual appeal.“There will be further music nights,” said Ms Howie. “The BNG has a history of mixing art and music. There is one happening at the end of the Biennial. It will be Reinterpreting the Biennial with Music. That one will be on November 23. In the new year we will be hosting Japanese pianist Mirei Tsuji as part of our ongoing music presentation from the BNG.”The Art of Music with Laura Aikin will be held on October 20 at Bacardi International on Pitts Bay Road in Pembroke from 7 to 10pm. Tickets are $1,000 for patrons, $500 for fellows and $100 for friends and can be purchased at www.bdatix.bm or at the BNG on the Second Floor of City Hall in Hamilton.