Enjoying the Nichols House Museum's annual "Spring Fete" are, left to right, Maureen O'Brien, Caroline Baker, and Katherine Minton. (Photo by Roger Farrington)

More than 200 friends and supporters gathered at the Boston Athenaeum on June 4th for the Nichols House Museum's annual "Spring Fete" benefit to raise funds for ongoing preservation and community outreach efforts.

The Nichols House Museum preserves and interprets the 1804 townhouse that was, from 1885 to 1960, the home of Rose Standish Nichols, noted landscape gardener, suffragist, and pacifist.

The house was built by Jonathan Mason and is attributed to Charles Bulfinch. The Museum educates visitors by providing a unique glimpse into domestic life in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries on Boston's historic Beacon Hill.

Located at 55 Mount Vernon Street, the Nichols House Museum is considered one of Boston's hidden cultural gems. For more information about the Museum, visit www.nicholshousemuseum.org.

Free Opera Performance at Hatch Shell on August 12

Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) invites all arts lovers to spend a summer evening listening to opera for free at the DCR Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade.

Those "eager for an inexpensive evening and itching for live music" can go to the Hatch Shell alone or with friends and family in tow on Wednesday, August 12, at 7 p.m. The concert runs until 9 p.m.

Together with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, BLO will preview excerpts from its 2009-2010 Season, combined with selected works from other timeless operas.

BLO artists, Meredith Hansen, soprano; Heather Johnson, mezzo-soprano; Darren Anderson, tenor; and Christopher Burchett, baritone, will take the stage with the Orchestra to perform pieces from Bizet's "Carmen" (BLO's Season opener), Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette," Mozart's "Idomeneo" (also from the Season), and Verdi's "La Traviata," among other favorites.

Opera-goers and newcomers alike can lend their ears to recognizable tunes ranging from "Juliet's Waltz" to the "Brindisi."

"There is something magical about an evening of open-air opera," said BLO General & Artistic Director Esther Nelson. "Our last performance with the Orchestra at the Hatch Shell attracted one of the largest crowds of the concert series, demonstrating that the appetite for this art form is stronger than ever!"

The concert is a rare occasion for music-lovers of all types to experience opera in a relaxed setting. Guests are invited to bring a blanket or chairs and settle in for a real treat.

In the event of rain, the concert will be relocated to the Church of the Covenant, 67 Newbury Street, Boston.

For more information, as well as updates on Boston Lyric Opera's 2009-2010 Season, adult education programs and special events, visit www.blo.org.

Boston Lyric Opera is New England's largest opera company. Founded in 1976, BLO is recognized for its artistically excellent productions of a diverse repertoire that entertain and inspire audiences and feature emerging operatic talent.

BLO produces three mainstage productions at the Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre in Boston and a production of a fully staged, one-hour English version of a popular opera for school children and families throughout New England. BLO's programs are funded, in part, by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Dick's Last Resort to host "Elvis Memorial Night"

Elvis may have driven off in his big pink Cadillac for the last time some 32 years ago, but that won't stop Dick's Last Resort at Quincy Market in Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, from celebrating the life and musical times of The King with an "Elvis Memorial Night" on Sunday, August 16. The event is presented in partnership with Miller Lite.

To mark the "Blue Suede" anniversary of the day Mr. "Jail House Rock" passed on to that recording studio in the sky (August 16, 1977), Dick's will present Elvis Impersonator DANA Z and his Band in a "Musical Tribute To The King." The merriment starts at 8 p.m.

To keep things festive, there'll be an Audience Sing-A-Long, "Hound Dog" Trivia and Giveaways, plus a Jelly Donut Eating Contest with a prize of $100.

With everybody decked out in their best "Viva Las Vegas" duds, the featured Dish 'O The Night will be Chicky Fried Chicky with Mashed Taters, Jalapeno Gravy and your very own personal Jelly Donut. The featured Elvis Libation will be a Blue Hawaiian.

Dick's will also be serving' up its usual menu of tasty eats, from Bourbon-Glazed Salmon and Fried Shrimp to Ride'M Cowboy Rib Eye, King Crab Legs, Steak Salad, a succulent Seafood Platter, Brew-Battered Fish N' Chips, a temptin' Rib & Wing Combo, Dick's own Chowdah, and lots more.

There's no cover charge at Dick's plus there's discounted parking at the Garage at 75 State Street. Just bring your parking ticket to the front desk to be validated by one of Dick's staffers.

For reservations and more information, call 617-267-8080.

Enjoy!

In addition to events covered and reported by the columnist, "The Scene..." 
is compiled from various other sources such as news releases, PRNewswire services, etc.

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