The Verdi Chorus’ first home was the popular Verdi Ristorante di Musica in Santa Monica. The restaurant featured professional opera singers for entertainment while dining. Shortly after opening, the owners decided to augment their program by adding an opera chorus. They invited any of their patrons, who loved opera, and dreamed of singing on stage, to participate and asked Pasadena City College’s Anne Marie Ketchum to lead and teach the new singers.

The Chorus presented 79 performances at the restaurant, including taking part in a full scale production of Cavalleria Rusticana. It also served as the opera chorus for the USC production of La Clemenza di Tito.

Although the chorus members were enthusiastic, the policy of taking “any and all singers” made quality and training difficult.  “We were a motley crew,” says Ketchum, “and not very good.” But the people loved it and we filled the restaurant whenever we sang.”

When the restaurant closed in 1991, the Chorus reorganized as a non-profit corporation, hired Ketchum as permanent Artistic and Music Director, and began performing at various venues on the West Side of Los Angeles, including bars, restaurants, and hotel ball rooms. The chorus settled in the Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Santa Monica. In the fall of 2001, it was necessary to move to a more spacious venue, the acoustically magnificent First United Methodist Church of Santa Monica.

“We have grown to a chorus with a rich, full sound. I can now divide the group into eight parts, pull soloists from the chorus, and  create a truly professional sound. I select music for the group based on what I love. I tend toward Verdi, because he loves the chorus. We are unique in that we perform only opera. We have paid sections leaders, and world class soloists that join us for our concerts. A Verdi Chorus Concert is truly a unique and wonderful operatic experience.

Beginning with just 16 participants, the Chorus today numbers over 50 voices. Its repertoire includes over 120 operatic choruses, as well as many additional choruses from light opera and Broadway productions. Of the more than 60 guest artists and musicians who have performed with the Chorus, many have gone on to enjoy national and international recognition. In addition, the Chorus supports the Metropolitan Opera National Council by offering performance opportunities to the Metropolitan Western Region audition finalists.