The United States Postal Service, The Rosa Ponselle Foundation and Morgan State University have announced the Baltimore dedication and unveiling ceremony of a 32¢ postage stamp to honor Rosa Ponselle on Sunday, September 28 in the Murphy Auditorium of Morgan State University at 4:00 P.M. The legendary Metropolitan Opera soprano is considered by many to have been the greatest singer born and trained entirely in the United States. She resided in Baltimore for the last 40 years of her life benefiting the cultural community of the City.

Following the ceremony, a concert featuring former Laureates of the Rosa Ponselle INTERNATIONAL Competition for the Vocal Arts and "ALL MARYLANDERS"' Competition will perform with the Morgan State University Chorus under the direction of Dr. Nathan Carter. The musical preparation for the concert will be by renowned vocal coach, conductor and Music Director of The Rosa Ponselle Foundation, Maestro Igor Chichagov. The piano accompaniment for the concert will be by Morgan State faculty member, Eric Conway. The concert artists are Kevin Short, Kenneithia Redden, Eric Greene, Tameika Lunn, Cristina Nassif, Erin Frisby and Daniel Holmes. Guest artist will be William Warfield and the Mistress of Ceremonies will be the celebrated Shakespearean actress of stage and film, Mme Irene Worth.

United States Postal Service officials will be present to postmark the Ponselle postage stamp which will be affixed to 1st day issue commemorative envelopes featuring a photograph on silk of Ponselle in her last critically acclaimed operatic role, CARMEN. Concert attendees will be given gifts of these collectors items at the event for a donation of $5.00 to the Rosa Ponselle Scholarship Fund recently established at Morgan State University.

Concert tickets may be requested at locations to be announced for a charitable contribution made payable by check to The Rosa Ponselle Scholarship Fund at Morgan State University of $10.00 per ticket.

Tickets may also be mailed directly with the receipt of $10.00 contribution made payable to the Rosa Ponselle Scholarship Fund along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope sent to:

The Secretariat
The Rosa Ponselle Foundation
"Windsor"
Stevenson, Maryland 21153-9999

OR

Miss Sherrell M. Dameron
Morgan State University
Murphy Building
Baltimore, Maryland 21251

Making her American debut in the Morgan State University Concert of September 28, will be the newest young operatic star to emerge from the Republic of Georgia, Irine Ratiani. The 25-year old vocal artist was the winner of the famed Verdi Competition held in Busseto, Italy last July. She was awarded a Rosa Ponselle Medallion and a $3,000 professional grant for her achievement as the Verdi Artist of the Year.

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