Western Plains Arts Association - bringing fine music to Northwest Kansas WPAA NEWSLETTER “A KALEIDOSCOPE OF THE ARTS” Volume 20, Issue 1 February, 2014 SAMUEL RAMEY AT WICHITA STATE excerpts from Wichita PROGRAM DATE CHANGE NOTICE Eagle 2013-10-12 The date of the Stanleytones has been Samuel Ramey has performed in “Susannah” at the Metropoli- changed from February 2 to February 9 due to tan Opera, the San Diego Opera, New York City Opera, and Lyric the Super Bowl scheduled for that date. Opera of Chicago. Later this week, he will once again sing in this classic American tale at Wichita State University – but this time The group had been scheduled nearly a year ago with students. and at the time the Super Bowl was not thought of Ramey is helping WSU undergraduate and graduate opera stu- as a schedule conflict. The date change was sug- dents realize their potential as they perform side-by-side with gested by the group leader James Bertolin and Kansas’ very own opera legend. WPAA agreed. They will appear at the Sharon Ramey, a three-time Grammy winner, is a distinguished visiting Springs High School Auditorium February 9 at 2:00 artist at Wichita State University, his alma mater. He is performing pm MT, 3:00 CT. the role of Blitch in “Susannah” on Friday and Sunday. “It’s one of my favorite parts,” Ramey said. The recording of 2013-14 Season PROGRAM HIGHLIGHS “Susannah” that Ramey appeared in won a Grammy Award in January 21, Church Basement Ladies 1995. He is said to be the most recorded opera singer in history, February 9, Bertolin and the Stanleytones with more than 80 recordings and numerous television appear- February 16, Pippa White ances. Ramey’s voice teacher at WSU, Arthur Newman, was in the March 1, Sons of the Pioneers first professional production of “Susannah” at the New York City March 23, California Dreaming Opera in 1956. He played Elder McLean, baritone. April 6, Balyeats “I remember him (Newman) telling us about it,” Ramey said. “I April 27, Eddy and Robert Hiebert bought my original score in Wichita 45 years ago.” That original score has accompanied this opera legend world- BRING A STUDENT wide. But this time he is using the score as a teaching tool. Along with the score, the opera’s composer, Carlisle Floyd, will fly into In past seasons we have made available a coupon Wichita from Florida and speak to the opera students and the au- for ticket holders to “bring a student” to a WPAA dience about his award-winning opera that has become a part of concert. We are repeating that offer for the balance the standard repertoire. of the current season. At any time during the cur- “I think it’s a very ripe time for American opera and opera of all rent season the ticket holder is encouraged to bring kinds,” Floyd said. “I’m very encouraged in what I see in this gen- up to three students, either one at a time or up to eration.” the three, to a concert until the spaces on the cou- Floyd, the son of a Methodist minister, grew up in rural South pon are filled in. The coupon on page 3 can be Carolina. While teaching at Florida State University, he composed clipped and kept with your season tickets. his most famous opera – “Susannah.” The opera was first per- formed in 1955 by students at Florida State. The NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS has “Susannah” is based on the biblical tale of Susannah and her generously provided matching funding of $560,000 elders from the book of Daniel. Floyd set the piece in the moun- to the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission tains of Tennessee and used a combination of folk tunes, hymns for the federal fiscal year beginning on October 1. and classical music. The women in the small town are jealous of the beautiful Susannah. When they discover that she is bathing This is an important event for all Kansans, partic- naked in the creek, they ostracize her. The charismatic, traveling ularly after the negative attention Kansas received preacher Olin Blitch, played by Ramey in Friday and Sunday’s per- after Governor Brownback's efforts to completely formances, seduces Susannah. Overcome with guilt, Blitch tries eliminate state support and funding for the arts. unsuccessfully to change the community’s views toward the This good news is because of the hard work of young woman. arts advocates across the state. Your constant com- “This opera is an extraordinary piece,” said Marie Allyn King, munication with members of the Kansas Legislature - the director of this performance and of opera at WSU. “It’s very through email, phone calls and personal contact - accessible.” helped reinstate arts funding. http://kansasarts.org/ Ramey continued on page 2 Ramey continued classic bluegrass band reminiscent of those early bands of the 50’s and 60’s, with an added reper- King decided to produce “Susannah” because of Ramey’s toire of original compositions comprised of melod- willingness to share his expertise with her opera students in ic instrumentals and skillful vocal harmonies. They an annual residency. This is his second year as a distin- will perform a variety of musical selections Sun- guished visiting artist. day, February 9, 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time, 3:00 King said the students’ interpretation and delivery rises p.m. Central at the Sharon Springs High School due to Ramey’s presence. Auditorium. “He is the kindest, most gentle man,” King said. “He is such a wonderful artist.” THE STORY OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN Isabel Velazquez, a recent graduate and Texas native, How many were there? At least 200,000 but plays opposite Ramey. maybe as many as 500,000. Fending for them- “It’s such a privilege to be performing with someone of selves on the streets of New his caliber,” Velazquez, a soprano, said. “It’s surreal at York, homeless children were times.” given a chance for a new life Ramey grew up singing bass in the Methodist church choir in America’s heartland by rid- in Colby and later attended WSU. He graduated with a bach- ing the orphan train. Orphans elor’s degree in music performance in 1968 and made his who remember the experi- debut with the New York City Opera in 1973 at age 31. He is ence come to life and share a one of the top basses in the world and has sung lead roles at heartrending and forgotten the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, the Paris part of history. Opera and the Vienna Opera. In 1995, he was awarded Kan- Pippa White will present a san of the Year. Three years later, he was awarded a high history based program on the honor by the French Ministry of Culture. Orphan Train story on Sun- In January, Ramey appeared in a production of day, February 16, 3:00 p.m. “Turandot” at the Metropolitan Opera. Although this world- at the Atwood High School class bass continues to perform, he holds a special spot in his Auditorium. A school presentation will take place heart for up-and-coming stars. He wants to show them that on Monday the 17th at the Rawlins County with hard work, they can reach their dreams. Schools. In the 1990s, Ramey started an endowment at WSU to For over 75 years the SONS OF THE PIONEERS help music students. This year, Andrew Simpson, a bass, who have been proud to perform the music of the plays the part of Blitch on Thursday and Saturday evening, is American West celebrating the West, its awesome the recipient of the fellowship. landscape, its people, its culture and the American Ramey is so thrilled to be helping students at WSU that he Cowboy. Certainly, many of the songs they origi- said he is thinking of moving back to Wichita. Ramey’s wife nally introduced and which have been their signa- was brought up in South Dakota. ture, such as Tumbling Tumbleweed, Cool Water “It’s great to see how the program (WSU-opera) has de- and Ghost Riders in the Sky, have become forever veloped,” Ramey said. “I’m happy that I’m able to be a small entwined into the very fabric of the West. They part of the opera program here.” embrace that heritage and strive to honor it. "Country western" artists may sing about pickup trucks or their girlfriends. Their songs are una- FORTY FOURTH SEASON PROGRAMS bashed love songs to the West. That's one of the The STANLEYTONES Bluegrass Band was formed in 1999, things that makes them different. See the SONS when the original members met while attending local jam OF THE PIONEERS perform at the Oakley High sessions in the Boulder area. The band was named after the School Auditorium on Saturday, March 1, 7:30 p.m. Stanley Brothers, Ralph and Carter, who played throughout the 50’s until Carter’s HYPERION PRODUCTIONS will present a tribute death in 1964. Having to pop music of the 60’s at the CCC Cultural Arts recently finished re- Center Sunday, March 23 at 3:00 p.m. California cording a new album, Dreaming is a sun-kissed song and dance tribute to The Stanleytones’ pas- the pop music of a new generation. Songs like sion for traditional “Wouldn't It Be Nice,” “Turn,Turn,Turn,” “Teach bluegrass is evident in Your Children Well,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Our House,” the their sound, and has made them into what they are today---a 44th SEASON continued on page 3 44th SEASON continued STUDENT COUPON “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” “Catch a Wave,” “Good Vibra- tions” and This coupon entitles an adult member ticket “California holder to bring up to three non-member K-12 stu- Dreamin’” dents to any WPAA program during the 2013-14 make this the season.