by Roxanne Washington

Eight years ago, when Joyce Mariani organized the first free opera at the Italian Renaissance Cultural Garden in Rockefeller Park, she was a bit nervous about attendance. "I didn't even want to go because I was afraid no one would show up," Mariana remembers. She was wrong, gratefully. Lots of folks flocked to the event, and over the years the crowd has ballooned, to about 1,800 people who came to the 2014 concert.

"This year we're expecting over 2,000," Mariani says. Opera in the Italian Cultural Garden 2015, featuring well-known songs from famous Italian operas performed by Opera Circle, is 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The garden is located at 990 East Blvd. Like the concert, parking is free. Rather than playing musical chairs with the 250 chairs provided, attendees are encouraged to bring their own to ensure a seat.

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Source: http://www.cleveland.com/