People will be able to enjoy eating chocolate, drinking wine and traveling the world - all without leaving their homes - as part of a virtual fundraiser being presented by the Hershey Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, March 20, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

During the event, titled "Guilty Pleasures: A Night of Wine, Chocolate, and Opera," participants will learn about wine and chocolate pairings from sommelier Carrie Elliott Reese and then taste samples of wine and chocolates that they picked up earlier in the day.

The evening will also include operatic pieces performed by renowned opera singer and Palmyra resident Gwendolyn Bowers along with musicians from the Hershey Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Sandra Dackow. Music will include "Habanera" from "Carmen," "Dance of the Tumblers" from "Snow Maiden" and "Danse Bacchanale" from "Samson and Delilah." Dackow and Bowers will provide introductions to the musical selections.

After registering, participants will receive a link to the event and instructions for picking up the boxes of chocolate and wine. "There will be a live host, and the sommelier will be doing the wine and chocolate pairings live," explained Susan Cort, symphony development director. "Then we will go to a segment of (prerecorded) music."

The symphony decided to hold the virtual event after a similar fundraiser was held in April of 2021. The 2021 event, titled "Corks and Composers," paired wine and cheese and featured music from around the world. "The Hershey Symphony Orchestra traditionally has done a springtime fundraising event, which for 25-plus years was an in-person gala," explained Cort. "During the pandemic, we decided to host a wine and cheese virtual event because it wasn't safe for everyone to be gathering. Many people missed being together and enjoying the music. No one had been traveling, so we wanted to do a virtual trip."

"We had gone so long without seeing each other and hearing music, so there was real need to come together," Cort added. "That virtual event was a way for us to do that. This year, we wanted to build on that (success)."

During the program on March 20, attendees will not only be educated about how chocolate is paired with wine, but they will learn about the different countries of the world. "The wine will be matched with music from a (particular) country," said Cort. "(For) an Italian opera, the wine will be from Italy."

She noted that people may enjoy the virtual event on their own or invite a few friends to enjoy a viewing party. "Everyone can bring their wine and chocolate boxes with them. It could be a fun thing to do at home," Cort added.

For more information about the fundraiser and to purchase tickets, visit https://hersheysymphony.org/portfolio/guilty-pleasures. A link to purchase tickets is also available at http://www.facebook.com/HersheySymphony. The deadline to order tickets is Sunday, March 13.