Palacio del Rio, the aptly titled Saint Andrews Island riverfront home of Kurt and Marilyn Wallach, added an extra dimension of elegance to an evening filled with music Saturday evening, at another exceptional Opera on the River fundraiser, this time to benefit CASTLE Child Abuse Prevention programs.
Dressed for a night at the opera, guests wandered throughout the expansive home, sipping on wine and champagne, and enjoying a substantial hors d’oeuvres buffet before the performances. The evening’s featured divas were Shirley Wang and Janet Rabe-Meyer, accompanied by pianist Donna Topp, who enthralled the audience with a diverse selection of arias from well-known operas and operettas that delighted opera newcomers and seasoned connoisseurs alike.
Shirley Wang a versatile Chinese-American soprano, pianist and choral director, has performed with numerous opera companies and orchestras throughout the United States, including as a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall opposite one of Vero’s favorite operatic tenors, Marcello Giordani.
Mezzo-soprano, songwriter and vocal teacher Janet Rabe-Meyer apprenticed with the Sarasota Opera and Natchez Opera Festival and was a Lockheed Martin Studio Artist with Orlando Opera. She has performed with orchestras and opera companies in Florida, New York and the Czech Republic.
The Wallachs have hosted a number of events at their lovely home, and this time coordinated everything themselves.
“It’s been wonderful. The Wallachs put this whole thing together. They said you don’t have the time to do it, so we’ll do it for you,” said Katie Kowanic, CASTLE community relations specialist.
“We really enjoy using our home to make life better for others, but it’s hard to find an organization able to do all it takes to put these things together,” explained Marilyn Wallach. “Sometimes the venues cost so much it takes away from the charity. And we love the opera, so it’s a win-win.”
The couple have been members of the Exchange Club of Vero Beach for 25 years, each serving on the board at different times, including a term as president for Marilyn Wallach.
“This Exchange Club was the founder of CASTLE so we always try to support it. We were the pilot program for the first one and now it’s all over the country,” said Marilyn Wallach of Safe Families, the program which started it all in 1981.
“I remember that when I had my son, I looked down at him and thought – how lucky you are. You have parents that love you, who care for you and can support you and who will never abuse you. And we want that for other children so that they can have the same benefits. It breaks my heart knowing that children are going to bed hungry or afraid.”
Last year, 145 children died in Florida as a result of child abuse or neglect; tragedies CASTLE strives to prevent by empowering parents through education and awareness. Local programs include in-home parent education, support groups for children experiencing divorce or loss, supervised visitation for parents and children experiencing domestic violence, low-intensity education and support workshops, and family-strengthening programs for at-risk families.
The most visible aspect of need for their programs is the annual “Memory Field,” which displays a flag honoring every young child who has died from child abuse in Florida over the prior year. This year’s Memory Field begged the question: “If one child is too many … what about 145?”
