Operatic mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich, Lincoln Academy Class of 1992, sings the aria Habanera from Georges Bizet’s 1875 French opera Carmen during the inaugural Linac Music Festival at Schooner Landing in Damariscotta on Friday, Aug. 5. the lead role in the San Francisco Opera’s 2006 production of Carmen and has sung internationally with renowned opera companies, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York. (photo by Evan Houk)
Alumni of Lincoln Academy in Newcastle gathered to play an eclectic mix of music at the inaugural Linaca Music Festival at Schooner Landing in Damariscotta on Friday, August 5th.
Approximately 200 people, including alumni, family, friends and summer visitors, packed the dock at Schooner Landing for the event. Members from the class of 1988 to the class of 2020 enthusiastically played 12 different sets with a lineup of musicians that rotated and changed throughout the night.
The music had something for all tastes and ages. Each lineup played two or three songs in genres ranging from rock and roll to modern pop-punk, classical opera, foot-stomping Americana, soft jazz and even a little Touch of Tuba.
Towards the middle of the event, Sam Russ, Class of 2019, played a carefree instrumental solo on tuba with Jojo Martin, Class of 2020, accompanied on keyboards.
“I believe it wouldn’t be Linaca without just a touch of tube,” Russ said.
Popular local band The Gulch kicked off the event with a performance of Steely Dan’s “Josie” and The Allman Brothers Band’s classic “Whipping Post.”
Ben Chute, class of 2013, played electric guitar and Griffin Han-Lalime, also of 2013, played bass guitar and sang lead vocals. Michael Sevon, Class of 1988, pounded the drums and Corey Redonnett, also of 1988, played bass guitar. Chuck Benton rounded out the group on keyboards.
“We had to break the ice a little bit, play something wild,” Chute said before leaving for another gig that night.
Opera mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich took the stage to perform with accompanist Sean Fleming, singing the aria “Habanera” from Georges Bizet’s 1875 French opera “Carmen” and the standard “Cry Me a River.” Aldrich, a 1992 graduate of LA, starred in San Francisco Opera’s 2006 production of “Carmen,” and has sung internationally with renowned opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
The audience was intrigued from the start, but when Fleming played the staccato notes of Bizet’s famous melody, a wave of recognition went through the audience that seemed to shift the focus to Aldrich’s performance. Her articulate acting and rich vocal timbre brought a taste of the glittering opera scene right to Schooner Landing.
Hailey Graves, pop-punk artist and 2019 LA graduate now based in Seattle, WA, upped the ante with original songs from her recently released EP, including “She Thinks My Pop Punk Is Cringey” and “Pop Punk Princess.” .
Graves’ stage presence was magnetic. In 2021, it opened for nearly 100 artists. Between songs, she spoke about her goal to encourage individuality and representation of Black and LGBTQ+ artists in the music industry, and engaged the audience in a callback.
Theater veteran Joe Lugosch, Class of 2008, served as master of ceremonies, keeping the event light with his whimsical humor and tongue-in-cheek introductions of the musicians between sets.
“If you have any questions, don’t ask me,” Lugosch said after opening the event.
Lugos said that 15 of the 20 musicians who performed are alumni of Lincoln Academy, and the other five have close ties to the school.
Elizabeth “Liz” Matta, band director and head of visual and performing arts at LA, played saxophone on several tracks.
Money was collected throughout the night and a QR code was even displayed on a flyer at people’s tables to make it easy to donate directly from their mobile phone. All proceeds went to the LA Department of Performing Arts.
The “Linace Fair” was first held in April 1941 at Lincoln Academy and included a hobby show, a “fancy poultry show,” a science exhibit, a one-act play, a “grand ball” and music from Lloyd Rafnell’s band.
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“I haven’t been able to find any information or recordings of Lloyd Rafnell’s band,” Lugosch said. “But I can only assume they were singing old-timey music in a can… and I’m basing that solely on the movie ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’
Actress Anna Belknap, in 1990, addressed the audience, telling them that she was not a musician, but could be considered part of the “fancy poultry” exhibit.
Belknap is perhaps best known for her role on CSI: NY as Detective Lindsey Monroe in 2005 and for her guest appearance on Law & Order, Law & Command: Special Victims Unit and No Trace.
Belknap spoke with the LA Players in high school – riding in a van across the state, acting out skits about drug and alcohol awareness and answering questions in character.
“I learned more about acting in that program than in many acting programs; about truth, about empathy, about vulnerability, about being an actor,” Belknap said.
She noted how many creative graduates have come out of LA and how important art programs in schools are in nurturing that kind of talent and original thinking.
“We need more art and more artists right now,” Belknap said.
Heather D’Ippolito, LA Director of Community Engagement and Development, and Juliet Kelsey Holmes, Class of 1992 and member of the LA Board of Trustees, conceived the idea as a way to showcase the talent that has come out of the school and bring alumni together.
“Right now, it’s exciting to sit back and watch the reunion happen,” D’Ippolito said before the music began Friday. “People come out and hug and reconnect.”
Holmes was also involved in organizing the class reunion for her class of 1992, which was held the following night at Sprague Point in Nobleboro.
When looking for a name, someone suggested using Linac after seeing a poster of the original 1941 event hanging at the school, D’Ippolito said.
Corey Redonnett, Class of 1988, was instrumental in spreading the word and getting all the musicians together for the festival, Holmes said.
Holmes noted that her father, Paul Kelsey, 1962, attended the event, as did her children.
“What a way to bridge the gap in the community,” Holmes said.
Holmes said she hopes the festival could become an annual event and expand to include an art walk and perhaps some performances at the Lincoln Theater.
“We’ve just scratched the surface,” Holmes said of the artistic talent coming out of LA.
