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Publisher: Lexington Opera Society BRAVOBRAVO!! Editor: Jacalyn Carfagno US Postage Copy editor: Sylvia Davis PAID Permit No. 1478 LEXINGTON OPERA SOCIETY NEWSLETTER VOL. 12 NO. 1 FALL 2012 P.O. Box 8463 Lexington, KY Lexington, KY 40533-8463
www.lexingtonopera.com
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p PHENOMENAL UK one of first universities to produce blockbuster show Serving Central Kentucky Since 1978. Since Serving Kentucky Central 2408 Merchant St • Lexington It’s the most successful entertainment event tion done in a major city will be here, including Phone: (859) 254-2339 • www.minutemanlex.com in history. It’s been seen by over 130 million (we are told) the signature crashing of the giant people in more than 145 cities and 27 coun- chandelier. (Incidentally, the chandelier prop, tries. It’s much more than just the longest which is required to be the same for all Phantom running musical ever on Broadway. (The productions, is made by a company in Louisville.) 10,000th Broadway performance was The story of Phantom of the Opera February 11, 2012.) It’s a phenom- Phantom strikes a familiar chord in most of enon! It’s Phantom of the Opera! tickets us. A mysterious, disfigured musi- Based on the French novel by Gaston Oct. 5-7, 11-14, cal genius, living in the bowels of the Leroux and developed into musical Opera House. Paris Opera House, becomes con- theater by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tickets at sumed with passion for the lovely http://www. Phantom made its Broadway debut lexingtonopera. young soprano singing on its stage. in 1986. In 1988 it won the Tony for com There are attacks, kidnappings, threats best musical. Now the University of of violence, and mistaken identi- Kentucky Opera Theatre is bringing it ties. All these, woven together with to the Lexington Opera House. This fully staged beautiful music and memorable songs, cre- version of the show, one of the first ever done by ate a totally engaging theater experience. a university company, will have 10 performances University productions of Phantom were not al- in early October. All of the magic of a produc- See Page 3 BRAVO! Page 2 Page 7 READY, SET, T¡ဠ£¡¡¡ SEW ¯¡¥ၝ£¤¡ထ¨¡£ၝ ¡¡£¡££¤§£ By Tedrin Blair Lindsay, PhD I have a rather eclectic mix of music to rec- Dr. Lindsay's Lecture Series for UKOT productions ommend to you this time, so hopefully there will be something for everyone’s taste! 10 a.m. – noon Saturdays at the Schmidt Lexington Stage Costumes (LSC) was created First, I have been studying Mozart’s early operas Vocal Arts Center, University of Kentucky. in 2004 when the Lexington Opera Society pur- just for fun, and many of them contain amaz- Cost: $20 per class session (Students $5) chased a large stock of costumes from a local ing music. Lucio Silla, written when Wolfgang Saturday, Sept. 29 -- special preview session costumer. The idea was to provide costumes for was 15 years old, demonstrates his astonish- The Phantom of the Opera and the UKOT productions and to bring in revenue for LOS L to R: Peggy van der Gaag, Georgiana Strick- ing understanding of human emotion and how Career of Andrew Lloyd Webber by renting the more than 2,500 costumes to lo- land and Sonja Mather wield their thimbles. to express it in music even then, Saturday, Oct. 6 cal and regional theatrical and opera companies. breathing real feeling and drama Falling in Love with Opera: How To Enjoy, Who better to help with repairing and altering era Outreach Program (SOOP) performed for into the stuffy, old-fashioned li- Appreciate, and Understand Opera the costumes as well as measuring and recording schools across the state in fall, 2010 to introduce bretto about a Roman emperor. Saturday, Oct. 13 information about each item for entry into the students to opera and healthy eating habits. Teldec’s 1989 recording of Sir Unlocking Your Inner Critic: What computerized LSC database than some talented The singers had to be dressed as vegetables, Nicholas Harnoncourt and the Con- To Listen For in Opera Singers members of LOS’ Bravo Guild! And so the so imagine the fun of creating broccoli centus Musicus Wien at the helm group of volunteers who continue to devote using not only needle and thread, but Dr. Lindsay of such wonderful singers as Edita Saturday, Oct. 20 Unlocking Your Inner Musicologist: What endless hours to costuming for UKOT came also pieces of drain pipe. Then there's Gruberova, Cecilia Bartoli, Dawn Makes a Great Opera Composer into being. Nameless for years, the group the carrot costume, happily mod- Upshaw and Peter Schreier is a superb rendition has recently been dubbed the Thimble eled here by Brigadier Mary Powell. of the teenage Mozart’s heartfelt attempt at a Saturday, Oct. 27 Brigade by Susan Dudley Wigglesworth, This fall The Brigade meets it biggest grown-up opera seria. (Teldec 2292-44928-2) Larger Than Life: Opera’s Most Colorful resident costume designer for UKOT. challenge yet: more than 200 costumes Everybody knows that Beverly Sills was not Scandals, Shockers, and Triumphs Wigglesworth, whose creative talents for UKOT’s production of The Phantom of just my favorite opera singer but also one of my Saturday, Nov. 3 seemingly have no limit, has said of the the Opera. (See article on page 1.) Draw- personal heroes. For a deep look at this great Does It Matter?: Opera’s Relevance group, “Ah, my Brigade volunteers! The ing upon UKOT’s deep bench of vocal American diva’s art, career and life, investigate in Culture Past and Present thimblers have been invaluable from my talent, each of the major roles has been the Deutsche Grammophon DVD documentary first show with UK opera. They do laundry, triple cast. This means three Carlottas (of Beverly Sills: Made in America, released in 2006 haul costumes to and from the cleaners, different sizes) x five costume changes (DG DVD B0007999-09). Also, her many complete a CD on which it is included, and I love the whole help backstage to get all things organized Mary Powell = 15 costumes for just one character! opera recordings and aria compilations (such as album! It’s called Chansons à Plaisir: Music from before curtain time. They build costumes Although the make up of the group has Bellini and Donizetti Heroines, Universal UMD the Time of Adrian Le Roy (Delphian DCD34063). from scratch, do detail work as well as emer- changed over time, there are a number 80468) have long been available, but recently A fresh-voiced soprano, Frances Cooper, and an gency repairs, and serve as subtle, kind cheer- of stalwarts who faithfully meet at the Victorian Angel EMI has released some of her old LP al- earthy baritone, Jonathan Hugh-Jones, sing spir- leaders for our young singers. And The Thimble Square home of LSC on Thursday afternoons bums on CD, and they are charming! Check out ited secular Renaissance selections accompanied Brigade is ever on the watch for suitable as well from about 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the weeks prior Welcome to Vienna (CDC-7 47524 2) with Julius by a consort of guitars, lutes, recorders, and per- as curious materials. Juliette’s ball gown (Roméo to a production. If you are interested in work- Rudel conducting the London Philharmonic, Mu- cussion. This vibrant performance has energy et Juliette, Fall, 2011), for example, began life as ing with the costumes, or just want to spend sic of Victor Herbert (CDC-7 47197 2) with André and immediacy, coming across more as strangely a Brigadier’s dining room drapery! The Brigadiers an enjoyable afternoon with other opera lov- Kostelanetz and the London Symphony Orches- familiar folk songs than as artifacts from the never complain, they only ask, ‘What’s next?’ ers, please contact Mary Powell (paleomary@ tra, and Beverly Sills Sings Verdi (CDC-7 47383 2) dawn of classical music. Highly recommended! When I feel stuck or discouraged, the Brigadiers insightbb.com, or 859. 255.6555). Profes- with several different conductors and orchestras. For the next newsletter, in conjunction with always have wisdom and laughter to share.” sional sewing skills are not required. If you can Finally, I had read about a titillating bit of explicit UKOT’s production of The Marriage of Figaro, I Perhaps the most exciting creations were wield a needle, you can join the Brigade. text-painting in the Renaissance motet Il bianco will compare and contrast several magnificent the vegetables for Get Stuffed, a Schmidt Op- — By Sylvia Davis and Mary Powell et dolce cigno by Jacques Arcadelt, so I purchased recordings of Mozart’s comic masterpiece. BRAVO! Fall 2012 Page 6 Page 3 ¡Śနနနန MET AUDITIONS PHANTOM Calendar ¡ထ£¤¡¢ªၝ££¤¡£ From Page 1 OCTOBER Coriell to tour in Titanic lowed until recently, but UKOT stayed in touch The Kentucky District Metropolitan Opera Audi- with the licensing company. “If there’s some- Phantom of the Opera Recent UKOT graduate Taylor Coriell was cast as tions will take place on Saturday, November 17 be- thing major happening in our business, I want Lexington Opera House Kate Murphey/Mme. Aubert in the second national ginning at 10 a.m. at Memorial Hall on the Univer- our program to be a part of it,” explained UKOT October 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 7:30 p.m. tour of the Broadway musical Titanic. Coriell is sity of Kentucky campus. Two of the three judges director Everett McCorvey. When Phantom was for the competition have been confirmed: Douglas October 7, 13, 14, 2 p.m. Ticketed event. also an understudy for the released for university performances, UKOT role of Kate McGowan. The Ahlstedt, Professor of Voice and Chairperson of applied for rights and was chosen over many Pinocchio tour will run throughout the Voice Department at Carnegie Mellon School other applicants thanks to its rank Schmidt Opera Outreach Program the fall during this 100th of Music; and Gayletha Nichols, Director of the as a top 20 collegiate opera com- Joseph-Beth Booksellers anniversary year of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. pany and strong reputation as a Lexington Green sinking of the Titanic. The John Greer, vocal coach at the University of Ken- training ground for young singers. tucky Opera Theatre, will be the official pianist for October 13, 11 a.m. Free. tour kicks off at the Center Musical theater, like Phantom, for Rural Development in the Auditions. During the judges’ deliberations, Dr. differs from opera in three ma- Tedrin Blair Lindsay will present a program fea- Benefit concert , Dr. Tedrin Lindsay Somerset, KY on Septem- Dr. McCorvey jor ways. First, while everything Smith home, 3105 Warrenwood Wynd. ber 22, so UKOT fans can turing Anthony Clark Evans, a winner of the 2012 in opera is sung, musical theater UKOT graduate Coriell Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. October 28, 4 p.m. $50. Ticket info TBA. cast in Titanic. take a drive and see one includes spoken dialogue. Also, the subject of our graduates as she The Kentucky District Auditions and the master matter has a somewhat lighter tone than clas- embarks on her professional career. Go to center- class November 18 by one of the distinguished sic opera. And, finally, the required singing NOVEMBER tech.com for schedule and ticket information. judges, also at Memorial Hall, are free and open tends to be a bit less rigorous. Still, Phantom Bravo Guild Fall Meeting to the public. Please visit www.kydistrictaudi- is one of the most operatic musicals out there, Schmidt Vocal Arts Center tions.org for the announcement of the third with dramatic action and powerful music. judge and the name of the judge who will con- University of Kentucky Campus UK's SCRIBE in Sarasota's Little Nemo The singers are very excited. “It’s very liberat- duct the master class and the time of the class. ing for a singer who likes to sing a little freer. November 10, 1 p.m. Like UK singers, UK technology is making — By Louise Shouse Classical music can be a little bit constraining its mark on the world of opera. The Sarasota Kentucky District Metropolitan Auditions at times, but this music allows you to be much Youth Opera will use SCRIBE (Self-Contained more expressive,” said Michael Preacely, who Memorial Hall, UK Campus Rapidly Integratable Background Environ- plays the Phantom in four of the performances. November 17, 10 a.m. Free. ment) technology for its world premier of Little ¤¡®¡¤¡ Auditions were opened to the entire univer- Nemo in Slumberland. SCRIBE, developed by Master Class sity, so there will be some faces new to UKOT UK engineers, was first used in the 2011 UKOT The tell-the-truth message of Pinocchio will reach fans on stage. Three casts and two orchestras November 18, time and location TBA. Free. production of Porgy and Bess as well as in the almost 50,000 Kentucky children operatically this fall will appear during the 10 performances. Atlanta Opera production that same year. through the Schmidt Opera Outreach Program. SOOP DECEMBER “The audience will see all the excitement of The opera, by Daron Aric Hagen with li- reaches students in grades K through 5 using familiar Alltech Celebration of Song a New York production, but also the incred- bretto by J.D. McClatchy, sounds per- stories set to operatic scores. Under booking coordina- ible talents of our awesome singers bringing December 9, 6 and 9 p.m. fectly suited to the technology. tor Courtney Turay fall 2012 will be the biggest season this to life,” McCorvey said. There will be a Downtown Lexington, location TBA. Free. Sarasota Opera describes it this way: Little Nemo so far, with about 100 bookings in 31 counties. Ashley few special and unique things in the UKOT “is a short ‘magic opera’ recounting the adventures Jackson sings the title role with Manuel Castillo as both production. McCorvey was reluctant to re- MARCH 2013 of a boy over the course of two nights. Family Gepetto and the Cat, Caleb Ashby doubling as Wolf veal any of the “secrets” which will be seen The Marriage of Figaro visitors and the neighbor's kid are transformed in and Dr. Dulcamara, Dannica Burson as Old Blue Lady on stage. He encourages everyone to come Lexington Opera House his dreams into fantastic characters, all of them and Olympia, and Martha Green as accompanist. at least three times to catch them all. March 1,2,3, 7:30 p.m. involved in Nemo's quest to save Slumberland.” SOOP provides a teacher’s guide and performances It’s your opportunity to experience UKOT will perform Little Nemo at some point in are followed by a question and answer session. March 2, 2 p.m. Ticketed event. the full drama and excitement of this the next couple of seasons. However, Kentucky There will also be a free public performance October worldwide phenomenon in a quality pro- For tickets call: opera lovers who want to get a preview can see 13 at 11 a.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, duction right here in Lexington. it in Sarasota on November 10 or 11. For more and the Bravo Guild will be entertained by Pinocchio at Opera House: 859.233.3535 --Anne Taul information, visit www.sarasotaopera.org. its fall meeting. (See the calendar on page six.) BRAVO! Fall 2012 Page 4 Page 5 HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE! ဖ¤¢Ŵ£¦¡¡£¡£
Where in the world were University of Ken- tucky opera students last summer? Try three continents, seven countries, at least 16 states, and the District of Columbia. From Rome to Moscow, New York to Brevard, and even Lexington, students performed in classics like Don Giovanni, La Bohème and Die Zauberflöte, and modern works including Little Women, Porgy and Bess, and Bye, Bye Birdie. They participated in a musical tribute to Julia Child and opera at a jazz club. They taught, they learned, they sang, Laura Salyer, fifth from left, singing in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at Operafestival di Roma. danced, and studied everything from wig mak- ing to the financial aspects of a singing career. liot Golson II, Karmesha Peake, Tai-Kristin Smedley, Some examples: Dannica Burson started in No- Wigs, jazz clubs, a chocolate Jondra Harmon, Sarah Klopfenstein and Ellen Gra- vafeltria, Italy, at La Musica Lirica where she sang ham, performed with the Cincinnati Opera in Porgy the title role in L'incoronazione di Poppea. “I stayed cake sweetened the summer and Bess (joined by Professor Everett McCorvey and there for five weeks, enjoying the language, cul- graduate Keith Dean), I Pagliacci, and/or La Traviata. From Page 4 ture, and food (which was amazing!)” Then it Klopfenstein described that opportunity and oth- was on to the Midwest Institute of Opera at Il- Lake, NY, Jacob Waid “spent the summer learning ers in Cincinnati. “To share the stage with so many linois State University where she covered Donna how to have successful auditions, figur- international names in singing is always a treat and a learning experience. I also participated Anna in the fully staged version of Don Giovanni Ronald Wilbur as Officer in Rossini's Il Barbiere di ing out the financial and business side in a concert of opera scenes at the Blue and sang the concert version. “The entire pro- Siviglia with the Janiec Opera Co. at Brevard Music of singing, and learning how an opera Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati. The con- gram was ten days from arrival to closing night, Center in Brevard, N.C.. theatre truly runs: from sweeping the stage and wig making to light design.” cert was organized by Ellen Graham and meaning the show went up in seven days!” time for a brisk walk back up the hill for rehearsals.... Oh, and he sang, too, “in the chorus of brings opera to a different audience. This Matt Turner returned to La Musica Lirica for the A well deserved break at 1:30 for riposo allows time Kiss Me Kate, Don Giovanni, and cover- year's Blue Wisp concert was sold out!” second summer, this time “to perform both Colline for a terrific Italian lunch (often including prosciutto e ing Sweeney in Sweeney Todd. I was also Graham joined Vital Opera, a young in Puccini's La Bohème and Don Basilio in Rossini's melone) .... The afternoon resumes with rehearsals at proud to portray the leading baritone company bridging the intersection be- Il Barbiere di Siviglia. … I coached both roles with 4 and continues till 8.” Also in Italy was Laura Salyer, role in Mark Adamo's Little Women.” Ellen Graham as tween life and musical drama, to col- legendary conductor Maestro Joseph Rescigno.” who studied and sang at Operafestival di Roma. Rebecca Farley “sang the role of Zerlina in Don At Brevard Music Center in North Caro- Julia Child at Sur la laborate with Sur La Table in New York UKOT voices were also heard in Germany. Markel Table in New York. lina, Nicholas Davis and Ronald Wilbur on An Edible and Musical Birthday Cel- Giovanni in Italy with Opera Orvieto followed Reed and Reginald Smith Jr. studied at Lyric Opera joined students from around the coun- ebration for Julia Child. "I performed ‘Bon by a choral tour through England, Wales, and Studio in Weimar. As Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, try and the world. Wilbur appreciated “having the Appétit’ by Lee Hoiby, which is a musical setting Ireland.” But her travels gave way to an obliga- Reed began his first aria as he was lowered to the opportunity to perform, network, and research” of an episode of The French Chef in which Julia tion back home. “The rest of the summer is be- stage from 60 feet in the air. Kellee Knox was in at the world-renowned summer institute. Child bakes a chocolate cake. Since the concert ing spent learning Christine in Phantom!" Berlin with a Fulbright “Discover Germany” award, Back home in Lexington, Evan Pulliam sang the took place in the demonstration kitchen at Sur La Joining Farley at Orvieto were Clay Thompson, and Natalie Tyson-Malthaup was at the Interna- title role in the Rep’s production of Bye, Bye Birdie. Table, I actually made the cake as I was singing Evan Johnson, and Savanna Sokolnicki, who sang tional Performing Arts Institute in Kiefersfelden. Other UKOT students in the cast were Isaac Jones, about it, resulting in an actual chocolate cake.” Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and shared UKOT students made their mark on this side of Wesley Hammond, Lisa Braswell, and Bri Carnahan. A more complete list of the students’ summer ac- this slice of life: “A typical day begins with a deli- the Atlantic, too. At Seagle Music Colony in Schroon cious cup of coffee and a cornetto picked up on the Several students, including Luther Lewis Jr., Mi- tivities with additional commentaries in their own way down the hill to Italian class. … After Italian, it's See Page 5 chael Preacely, La’Shelle Allen, Lisa Clark, Mark El- words is available at www.lexingtonopera.com. BRAVO! Fall 2012