Sunday, November 16, 2025 - 3:00pm

520 Royal Palm Blvd. ~ Vero Beach, FL 32960

Mary Kruger, soprano
Jacob Craig, piano

The most wonderful time of the year is approaching, and all over the world people begin to sing of the glories of Christmas! Many of the melodies that we have come to adore have come from far off lands, for the most beautiful melodies have transcended the globe.  We invite you to welcome the season with a FREE Christmas recital featuring soprano Mary Anne Kruger and pianist Jacob Craig performing  classic melodies, and sung in their original languages.  “O Holy Night” (“Cantique de Noel”) will be performed in French, and  “Silent night” (“Stille Nacht”) in German. England and America are also represented, and “I’ll be home for Christmas” is included, as it was written for soldiers at war in far off lands.  Whatever the language, the message has  always the same: peace on earth, good will toward men.

The concert is free of charge, with a suggested donation of $20. 

Artist Information

American soprano Mary Anne Kruger graduated with a Master of Music degree from Indiana University where she studied voice with world-renowned voice teacher Margaret Harshaw.  She then went to Germany where she established an impressive repertoire of over 40 major operatic and concert roles.  Her repertoire spans in vocal range from Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) to Salome, and in stylistic range from Poppea (L’Incornazione di Poppea) to Anne Trulove (The Rake’s Progress), as well as some world and German premieres. Among innumerable accolades, Opernwelt called her Contessa (“Le Nozze di Figaro”) “dazzling”, and Orfeus International declared her Salome to be “worthy of the greatest houses.” She built her repertoire primarily as a member of the Hessisches Staatstheater Darmstadt, but she has performed in over 20 European theaters including the Bayerische Staatsoper- Nationaltheater in Munich, Staatstheater Stuttgart, the Latvian National Opera and Theater Basel.

Her prizes include a nomination in the category “Best Singer” in the Opernwelt Jahrbuch for her portrayal of Alcina.  She was awarded the role of Donna Elvira in the Don Giovanni production  at the Athens Concert Hall directed by Ruggiero Raimondi and conducted by Gustav Kühn. The “Sonderpreis der Wiener Staats-und Volksoper” at the Belvedere Competition secured for her a performance as Hanna Glawari (Die Lustige Witwe) at the Wiener Volksoper.  She was also awarded a DAAD scholarship (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdient) to study at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich.  She currently lives in Satellite Beach with her husband and two dogs.

Dr. Jacob Craig is the Director of Music and Arts at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach. He received his Bachelor of Music Education and Piano Performance degree from Shorter University in Rome, GA before moving on to Tallahassee, FL to receive his M.M. in Choral Conducting and Literature under Dr. Andre Thomas at Florida State University. As of 2019, Jacob completed his Doctorate of Sacred Music in Performance at the Graduate Theological Foundation and Oxford University. He is the Director of the Vero Beach Choral Society, ACTS Choristers, Sea Oaks Chorus, John’s Island Singers, and Silver Tones community choirs. Jacob is also a competitive highland bagpipe player and Pipe Major for the Vero Beach Pipes and Drums.