The Loyola University Alumni Association will honor former voice and French diction teacher Mary Tortorich at a reunion celebration on Loyola’s main campus.
The celebration will begin at 1 p.m. on June 9 at Holy Name of Jesus Church, with a celebratory Mass featuring several of her former students singing in her honor. At 7 p.m. the celebration will continue in Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall, with a gala concert performed by some of her most accomplished singers.
There will be receptions before and after the performance.
A New Orleans native, Tortorich was born on Dec. 8, 1915. She studied voice at Loyola University with the late Elisabeth Wood, before moving to New York City in pursuit of a vocal career. She returned to Loyola in 1948 to teach voice and French diction at Loyola’s College of Music and Fine Arts, beginning a career that would last 55 years.
Rehearsals for the Mass and concert will take place on Friday, June 8 from 7 – 10 p.m. in Roussel Hall. Alumni interested in singing can register online. Copies of the music to be sung at the Mass will be sent to singers in advance.
Tickets for the concert are $20, and are also available online. Proceeds will be donated to Loyola’s Music Scholarship Fund in Tortorich’s honor.