Voce Festiva shakes up Port Cape

This weekend Port Cape Girardeau will trade the screaming guitars and howling vocals of its usual rock 'n' roll show for something a little more elegant.

Instead of testosterone-laden guitar licks, Port Cape will be filled with the sound of female voices. One of the area's only all-female vocal ensembles, Voce Festiva, will provide a night of music, and Port Cape will provide the food.

Port Cape owner Doc Cain said the show is something new for Port Cape -- a venue that usually plays host to rock music or community theater in its second-floor Water Street Lounge.

"Voce Festiva is probably the foremost women's vocal ensemble in the city here," Cain said. He'd seen them perform before and knew the group would be the right choice to try out a new musical format.

"These women are just absolutely tremendous, so we thought that would be a nice situation for us in a dinner setting," said Cain.

Cain said Port Cape used to provide dinner with stand-up comedy performances that have since ceased. The restaurant had some success with those shows, he said.

Voce Festiva will give two performances over the weekend -- one Friday night and one Saturday night. The Southeast Jazz Trio will open each night. The jazz ensemble will provide music for dinner, with the vocal group performing afterward.

Voce Festiva is made up of five music educators from both the K-12 and college level. They've been together for seven years, but typically only perform a few shows a year.

Member Stephanie Fridley said the group plans an evening of light-hearted selections, including jazz and pop standards from the past and American and Celtic folk tunes. Voce Festiva typically performs classical selections, Fridley said, but changed its repertoire to create a different atmosphere this weekend.

"I think it's going to appeal to people who like vocal music, but it's not going to be real heavy," she said. "It's not going to be like listening to a Mozart requiem or a Bach cantata."

Cain's restaurant is hosting the performances, but won't be profiting from them. Instead the money will go to help a restoration happening at Christ Episcopal Church here in Cape Girardeau.

msanders@semissourian.com

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