Good morning, opera friends! Our young artists enjoyed an amazing panel discussion yesterday with Eric Owens and four of his colleagues. (A longer update to come when there’s time.) Unfortunately, Eric was feeling ill last night, and he’s doing a bit worse this morning and will not be able to sing on today’s Aria Jukebox concert. Just a
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Owens & the Jukebox
I’m happily at the piano this week, preparing for Sunday’s Aria Jukebox. My days are once again filled with Verdi, Rossini, Wagner, Puccini, Donizetti, Massenet, Mozart and more. Jukebox is always a wonderful time for both performers and audience, but this year it will be even more amazing thanks to the participation of Artist in Residence Eric Owens. Take
Read MoreStocking the Jukebox: Day 4
Final two rehearsals for Sunday’s Make-Your-Own-Concert: Mezzo-soprano Maggie Gawrysiak and I had our rehearsal in the theatre, to check balances. (We’re already building the Rake’s Progress set onstage, so the piano is on the house floor.) We prepped Joan of Arc’s aria from Tchaikovsky’s The Maid of Orleans, the Witch’s aria from Hansel and Gretel
Read MoreStocking the Jukebox: Day 3
Three more rehearsals today, dusting off aria and song favorites in preparation for Sunday’s aleatory musical event… (I may never go back to my desk again…) Mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote and I covered some amazing ground, from Rossini to Strauss. We started with the Habanera from Carmen, and moved on to the gorgeous Viljalied from Lehar’s
Read MoreStocking the Jukebox: Day 2
Tuesday’s rehearsals for Sunday’s wildly exciting make-your-own-concert: Bass-baritone Ryan Kuster and I made the rounds from the boy next door (Figaro) to the the testosterone-laden Toreador, and from the incurable optimist (Don Quixote) to the devil himself (Méphistophélès). We began with Mozart”s “Se vuol ballare” (The Marriage of Figaro) and moved into “Votre toast” from
Read MoreStocking the Jukebox: Day 1
I’m happily back at the piano this week, prepping music for this Sunday’s Aria Jukebox. Each singer is offering four arias/songs, and audience members will get to choose the playlists for the concert by stuffing the coin bins with quarters. (At left: quarters at the ready, to be distributed at the door!) Monday’s Rehearsals Bass
Read MoreAria Jukebox!
An audience of Wolf Trap donors, housing hosts, and frequent ticket-buyers made their own one-of-a-kind concert on Sunday. 52 songs were offered, 13 were chosen. (I was simultaneously stoked and terrified of playing Rachmaninoff’s “Spring Waters” in 5 flats, but I didn’t have to.) Curious about the playlist? Scroll down (past the picture of tenor
Read MoreBig Week
WTO had a big week last week, with the classical emphasis for the 50th Anniversary concert, Fifty Years Together: A Celebration of Wolf Trap and two performances of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert. The weather at the beginning of the week was oppressive: hot and humid, and hovering relentlessly
Read MoreHot Hot Hot!
The weather in the DMV is starting to trend towards familiar summer weather: warm and humid, with a strong chance of thunderstorms. Likewise, the calendar is starting to also trend towards the familiar , with a robust slate of performances at our Filene Center home later this week. We’ve got a slate of Filene Artists
Read MoreTurning the page
I’m writing this from the back of the Barns, listening to Joseph Li run the Sweeney Todd chorus through their lines, first on words, then on neutral syllables…shortly I’ll get the full effect, and I can’t wait! There are still tickets available for July 2 and 3, if you’re in the DMV. I have to
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