Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice

The Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice is an annual festival of vocal music held in Phoenicia, New York during the first week of August. The Festival was founded in 2010 and includes a variety of vocal music performances including opera, gospel music, world music, and musical theatre. In 2012 the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce awarded the festival "Best Cultural Event of the year". Its Mission: Elevate the human spirit and enhance community through the power of voice and music. The Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice is a program of The Phoenicia Festival of The Voice Foundation.(

The festival grew out of a one-off concert in 2009, "Opera under the Stars", to raise money for a children's playground in Phoenicia, a small hamlet in the Catskills. The concert was organized and performed by opera singers who live in Phoenicia—mezzo-soprano Maria Todaro and baritone Louis Otey. The success of the concert led to the first official festival the following year, a three-day event featuring performances by Elizabeth Futral and the Native American flutist Joseph Firecrow.

The festival expanded to four days and offered 22 events attracting over 4,000 people to Phoenicia. Highlights included Mozart's Don Giovanni with a full orchestra conducted by Steven White, the Voices of Distinction Gala starring soprano Lauren Flanigan, and performances by gospel singer Rozz Morehead and Arabic oud master Simon Shaheen.

In 2012, the festival attracted over 5,000 people. Festival highlights included a performance of Madama Butterfly, starring Yunah Lee and Richard Troxell, and a gala titled "Voice of Distinction: Broadway", featuring established Broadway professionals as well as newcomers. The festival closed with a presentation of Peter Schickele's 12 Months, a concerto for piano and choir, narrated by the composer and featuring Justin Kolb and Barry Banks.

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