Guest artists Phyllis Curtin, Norman Treigle and John Fiorito led a Figaro cast that included Wolf Trap Company young artists in supporting roles for two performances in September 1972. It was the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship with Figaro – the first of nine productions during the Company’s first 40 years. (Figaro is
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WTC 1972: Treemonisha
Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha was composed in 1910 but didn’t receive its first production until January 1972 (in Atlanta, GA), shortly after the piano/vocal score was rediscovered. In July of that same year, Treemonisha came to the Filene Center, in an orchestration by William Bolcom. Guest artists included Simon Estes (as Ned), and the Wolf Trap
Read MoreWTC 1971: A Musical Theater Cavalcade
Welcome to August 1971, with the first performances of the Wolf Trap Company, at the original Filene Center. 1971: A Musical Theater Cavalcade Spanning the history of musical theatre from Beggar’s Opera through Hair A Musical Theater Cavalcade, by Robert Lewis & John Green, was a fitting vehicle for the inauguration of this ambitious undertaking
Read MoreWTOC Administrative Internship: The Real Story
So, Kim’s allowed me to hijack her blog! Wheeeee! Actually, this is likely only going to be interesting to a small subset of you, but hang in there if you’re looking for a summer that’s immersed in music but requires you to do absolutely NO practicing. (MY KIND OF SUMMER!) We have several opportunities each
Read MoreHappy 40th!
And so we enter our fifth decade. Wolf Trap Opera turns 40 this summer, and we’re getting ready to kick up our heels and have a wonderful midlife adventure. More details on the summer festivities as soon as I’m able to (February 7), but until then, come with me on another kind of journey. Starting
Read MoreLet’s Hear It for the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
This week’s New York Times speaks to the puzzler in all of us, and it explains how my addled brain* just may help me get from here to Christmas. “Tracing the Spark of Creative Problem-Solving” is just the medicine I needed. Now that I know a positive mood can be responsible for “lowering the brain’s
Read MoreFinal Aria Stats!
OK, we’re back on home turf, and the data geekery is done for a while. I’ve churned out the stats on which arias were offered as first choices in each vocal category during this fall’s audition tour. Start at the Aria Frequency page. Observations? Here they are, with the usual caveats. (Completely subjective, read at
Read MoreThe Final Leg: Chicago Edition
I would love to spend time in Chicago some day. Time, that is, that doesn’t include 78 auditions. (Many of which were marvelous, mind you. But still…) I understand that there’s an amazing architectural tour. There are beautiful neighborhoods I’d love to visit. And many friends to meet at amazing restaurants. But sadly, our Chicago
Read MoreTrappers in Houston
Fun evening at Brasil with WTOC alumni (and baby!) and the random “Guitar Center Trio.” (Perfect description. Thanks, NP:)) Houston auditions brought us performances of two terrific American arias: Bea’s aria from Heggie’s Three Decembers (soprano) and Tina’s aria (“Sixty Years Ago”) from Argento’s The Aspern Papers (mezzo). Meetings with colleagues, a startling good performance
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