Past students flew in from all over the world to help put together an opera gala to celebrate their former Chico State opera workshop director, Gwen Curatilo. Among the stars featured were Jeanette Blakeney and Zachary Gordin.

Funds raised from the concert will be used to offset costs of the department of music and theatre’s production of Benjamin Britten’s three-scene opera, “The Little Sweep,” which will be performed for 1,500 local elementary schools in January 2017. All proceeds benefit the Children’s Choir of Chico.

Carin Dorghalli can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_arts on Twitter.