During the 2015 season, the blog will feature interviews with our Filene Young Artists. Today, we hear from mezzo-soprano Abigail Levis, Cherubino in both Figaro and Ghosts of Versailles. Abi will also perform with Steven Blier in our August Rodgers Family concert. Which experience(s) most influenced your decision to become a professional singer? What’s the earliest point in your life that
Read MorePosts Categorized: 2015 Season
Day 6: Soprano Amy Owens in the Artist Spotlight
During the 2015 season, the blog will feature interviews with our Filene Young Artists. Today, we hear from soprano Amy Owens, our Barbarina in Figaro and Florestine in Ghosts of Versailles. Amy is familiar to WTO audiences because of her appearances on our stages in the summers of 2011 and 2012 as a Studio Artist. She’ll also be featured
Read MoreDay 5: Lessons from the Uninitiated
Last summer we ran a small pilot project called Opera Newbies, during which we invited several dozen brand new opera-goers to our 2014 performances. They participated in several rounds of surveys before and after their first opera performances, and WTO Volunteer Sandra Saydah recently helped us collate and interpret the data. Sandra visited our offices today to present her findings.
Read MoreDay 4: Still Innocent, But Not for Long
It’s still early days in the education of dear naive Figaro. Still the same sweet, enterprising, enthusiastic guy we knew from The Barber of Seville, he is over the moon about the fact that he and his adored Susanna will soon share a bedroom. But his excitement blinds him. Susanna is the realist in the relationship.
Read MoreDay 3: A New Chapter for Shouse House
If you’ve been to Wolf Trap, you might’ve seen the house on the hill next to the parking lot of The Barns. It was one of Mrs. Shouse’s (Wolf Trap’s Founder’s) residences, and she still lived there during the summers I was on WTO staff as a coach. She hosted picnics on its patio, and
Read MoreDay 2: Il Compleanno di Figaro
Yes, Figaro will get married in a few weeks. But today it’s his birthday! And we do birthdays right at Wolf Trap Opera… Thanks to bass-baritone Thomas Richards (a.k.a. Figaro) for being such a good sport and wearing the birthday ritual crown, glasses and boa. Check out his real photo and bio here. Stay tuned
Read MoreDay 1: The “First Day of School”
Figaro rehearsals begin. It’s the first day of school, the first day on a new job, and the first day in a new town. Artists arrive and barely get a chance to shake hands before being thrown into a full sing-through of the entire opera. None of this sit-around-a-table-with-coffee-and-read-the-script like our actor friends. Not for us
Read MorePodcast, Butterfly Edition
Here ’tis, a little something to whet your appetite for our August 7 Butterfly! I’m heading off for a week’s vacation to clear my head before the season ramps up. See you on the other side!
Read MoreAida: A Beautiful Bundle of Contradictions
Romance vs. family, public duty vs. private life. Dilemmas both ancient and modern, through Verdi’s inimitable lens. Four former Wolf Trappers return for an extraordinary night with the NSO.
Read MoreSinger Alert! Career Advice Crowdsourcing
UPDATE 3/13/15: The group referred to below is now restricted only to singers, and we are unable to add any more members. Tammy is still very interested in getting questions and topic suggestions for her YouTube channel, so don’t hesitate to go there and post a comment! WTO alumna Tammy Wilson is creating an amazing resource
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