The Rev. Jim Kurtz, the parochial vicar at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, left, poses in the church sanctuary with Marianne Cornetti, a world famous opera star who got her start singing at age 12 in the choir of St. Mary's. Cornetti will give a concert of her favorite hymns Feb. 9 to raise money for Butler County church food banks.

HERMAN — A health crisis last summer has led to a return to her roots for internationally renowned opera singer and Knoch High School graduate Marianne Cornetti.

Cornetti will perform “Then Sings My Soul: Celebrating 30 Years of an Operatic Career and a Lifetime of Song” in Butler. The concert of hymns starts at 4 p.m. Feb. 9 at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, located at 821 Herman Road.

Cornetti, a native of Cabot, was a member of St. Mary and began singing in its choir at age 12 before becoming widely acclaimed as one of the greatest Verdi mezzo-sopranos of her time.

Cornetti cites her Butler County upbringing for helping cement her success over the years.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that will appear in Friday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.