Being parents of a "beautiful, fast-rising star on the world opera stage is "thrilling, surreal," Cally and Tom Aldrich of Alna say in talking about their daughter, Kate. She has been performing in cities from Tokyo to San Francisco, New York, Montpellier (France), Milan and Prague, to name a few.

While not exactly a center of opera fervor yet, the Damariscotta region may yet become "opera-intense" after hearing Kate Aldrich perform at a benefit concert for Skidompha Library at 7 p.m., Thursday, December 20, at St. Patrick's Church in Newcastle. Generous sponsors of Kate's concert include Renys as an event sponsor, and Damariscotta Bank & Trust, and The First as program sponsors. Tickets are $25, and are available at Skidompha, and the Maine Coast Book Shop and Café.

Kate's rapid rise to stardom as an in-demand operatic mezzo-soprano and actress, has won her coveted prizes and enthusiastic critical media reviews across the globe.

Her interest in vocal performance developed at Lincoln Academy during the early 1990s. The Aldriches credit her music teacher, Betsy Lavway, with developing that interest. From Lincoln Academy, Kate found another vibrant young voice teacher, Amy Zorn, at Ithaca College, then to the graduate program at the Manhattan School of Music. Soon after her two years in the Pittsburgh young artist program, the world began to open up for her. In 2006 she was awarded two of the Czech Republic's top stage performance prizes, similar to the Tony awards, for best singer and best actress. Her schedule keeps her very busy and she is currently booking singing engagements into 2012. In 2011, she will sing the title role of Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera and in Barcelona.