A wonderful pairing with July’s production of Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate, Giannini’s version of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew took the Filene Center stage in August 1979. John DeMain conducted, Peter Mark Schifter directed, and guest artists included Anna Moffo and Spiro Malas.
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Observations from the Way-Back Machine
A month ago I started working my way through the WTOC’s 40-year history. (The 1970’s tag will show you the list of posts so far.) I was in search of a way to showcase this most unusual company that is in equal parts laboratory and real world – a place where it’s acknowledged that everyone
Read MoreBut Before the Summer…
Yes, we have a fabulous summer season on tap. But this spring has its own charms, in the form of the world premiere of The Inspector – a new comedy from John Musto & Mark Campbell – and a rare DC-area recital appearance by mezzo-soprano and Metropolitan opera artist Kate Lindsey (WTOC 2005, 2006). The
Read MoreCuriosity, Revenge, and Heartbreak: WTOC 2011
Announcing the 2011 Season of the Wolf Trap Opera Company! Featuring Wolf-Ferrari’s comedy The Curious Women, Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd with the National Symphony Orchestra, and Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann. Concerts include Couples: Getting Hitched & Getting Ditched with Steven Blier and Vocal Colors recitals in partnership with The Phillips Collection. Tickets go on sale Saturday,
Read More2011 Filene Young Artists
Announcing the 16 Filene Young Artists of the Wolf Trap Opera Company. 2011 season performance information will be available tomorrow! Lindsay Amman contralto Eric Barry tenor Margaret Gawrysiak mezzo-soprano Eve Gigliotti mezzo-soprano Jamie-Rose Guarrine soprano Craig Irvin bass-baritone Kenneth Kellogg bass Ryan Kuster bass Angela Mannino soprano Catherine McKay Martin mezzo-soprano Michael Anthony McGee baritone
Read More2011 Studio Artists
Announcing the 16 artists of the 2011 Wolf Trap Opera Studio! 2011 season performance information will be available on Monday, February 7. Jake Armstrong tenor Frederick Ballentine baritone Allegra De Vita mezzo-soprano Hunter Enoch baritone Calvin Griffin bass Jason Lee tenor Dustin Lucas tenor Amy Owens soprano Shea Owens baritone Stephen Pace baritone Jill Phillips
Read MoreWTOC 1979: Kiss Me Kate
My file on this show is pretty small, although it’s one of the 70’s-era productions that I’ve known about for a long time. The great soprano Evelyn Lear and the late great bass-baritone Thomas Stewart were (and Evelyn continues to be) friends and fans of the WTOC. They starred in this Kiss Me Kate in
Read MoreWTOC 1978: Duchess of Malfi
As we get ready for this spring’s premiere of The Inspector, it’s fascinating to look back at Wolf Trap’s first opera premiere – at the Filene Center in 1978. The file on this show is about three inches thick, largely with press clippings. It was quite the story, both onstage and off. It seems that
Read MoreWTOC 1978: The Gondoliers
This Gondoliers marked the third time that the Filene Center was graced by the presence of baritone Donald Gramm. Recent alumni of the WTOC training program (which was formally on hiatus in 1978) filled out the cast. Mr. Gramm returned for several more performances over the next few years, both with the WTOC on with
Read MoreWTOC 1978: The Hiatus
At a casual glance, Wolf Trap Opera seems to have continued its normal operations in 1978. There were two opera productions at the Filene Center: The Gondoliers and a world premiere of The Duchess of Malfi – a new opera by Stephen Douglas Burton. The 1970’s era general template was in place – guest artists
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