It’s nice to have connections in any walk of life and it’s no different in the wonderful world of entertainment.
Because Stephanie Salsnek, the president of the Oliver Arts Council, is good friends with Michael Burgess, the acclaimed musical tenor and veteran stage star of Les Miserables, Burgess has agreed to perform later this summer.
“Stephanie is a good personal friend of Michael Burgess and had worked on previous events where Michael was invited to perform in the Okanagan,” said Penelope Johnson, a board member with the Oliver Arts Council and co-ordinator of the visit by Burgess set for the Oliver Bandshell on Saturday, Aug.3.
“Stephanie knew he would be in the area in early August and convinced him he would have to add one more stop on his current tour so he’s coming to town and we’re obviously very excited.”
Burgess, recognized as Canada’s premier musical tenor, Burgess will perform Broadway hits, arias, and popular showstoppers he has made famous as part of his current “Bring Him Home” tour.
One hundred early-bird tickets to cover upfront expenses sold out in three days.  Regular advance tickets are now selling briskly for $25. Tickets at the gate will sell for $35.
“Because he is such a famous performer, we expect tickets to sell very quickly and we wanted to give everybody who wants to see the show to get their tickets as early as possible,” said Johnson, who expects most of the 2,000 tickets to sell in advance.
“We’ve been getting calls from people all over the province and even a couple from as far away as Calgary, so we know the demand for this show is going to be strong.”
Once at the venue, the audience can take advantage of a food court and wine garden open from 5:30 p.m.  CDs will also be available for sale.
Burgess was born in Saskatchewan but raised in Toronto. He became an international celebrity performing the lead role of Jean Valjean in the long-running original Canadian staging of Les Misérables (1989-92).
Later, he was Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, and appeared in Blood Brothers, The Fantasticks, and Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.
Although without extensive opera training, his ringing vocals impressed North American audiences in works from La Bohème and HMS Pinafore to Messiah and The Beggar’s Opera. His signature song, “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables, was made doubly famous when Kurt Browning used his version to perform in the 1990 World Figure Skating Championships.
No stranger to television, he won a Gemini Award for CBC-TV Special, “Michael Burgess at Massey Hall”.
Burgess is an admitted sports fanatic, and is known for his frequent performances of the Canadian national anthem at major sporting events around the world, heartfelt renditions that ring from the rafters. Burgess was also the first to sing “O Canada” at the baseball World Series in Atlanta in 1992.
Burgess was recently awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Order of Ontario.
It’s always exciting when a world-class performer the calibre of Burgess agrees to perform in your community, said Johnson.
“This is a pretty huge deal for our organization and we’re tremendously excited about this,” she said. “We have no doubt he will put on a show to remember.”
Tickets are on sale at Beyond Bliss in Oliver, the Oliver Parks and Recreation Department office, Polka Dot Door  in Osoyoos, Jardin Antiques  in Okanagan Falls, Winemaster  in Penticton, S.O. Country Radio Station in Penticton and Home Again, Home Again in the Cherry Lane Mall in Penticton.
Credit cards and phone orders can also be received at Paw Prints Studio and Gallery at 250-498-4732 or through Oliver’s arts council at [email protected].