The Adventures of a 10 Year Old at the Opera

by Mark Calvert

My nephew, Jesse, came to visit me last weekend as we were in the thick of final rehearsals for Figaro. This creative and unique little boy lives in a tiny Kansas town (population 1,008) where opportunities to experience opera are non-existent. So, with some parental finagling so that Jesse could play hooky from school, we made arrangements for him to have a front row seat and see how we do it. I arranged to have him watch an orchestra stage rehearsal and - the next day - the piano dress rehearsal. Although I already knew he marches to his own drumbeat, I had no idea if he would like this process or find it boring. Kids do not hide their true feelings (years of performing for children tells me this), and I knew this little guy would be no exception.

He ate it all up! From the moment of the first downbeat of the first rehearsal, Jesse was entranced; not only by the beautiful, lush playing of the orchestra, but also by the singing, the language, and the intricate plot. In fact, Jesse really started to figure things out and began to bury his head in the music score, trying to untangle the new sounds of Italian in his ear. To his credit, by the end of the second day his Italian was shockingly good (kids are sponges for information).

I watched from the stage as Jesse walked through the theater (happily having the entire house to himself), listening and watching from different areas. I couldn’t believe that I ever thought that Le nozze di Figaro would ever be beyond the reach of a child. It is not: the music is complex, yet it leaves listeners of all ages humming the tunes; the story - from a literary masterpiece - has elements of humor, sadness, anger, and forgiveness; and the visual elements of staging, lights, costumes, and sets, only encourage kids to embrace their imaginations.

Jesse spent the second evening’s rehearsal “apprenticing” under the lighting designer, Jim Sale, and the director, Garnett Bruce. He freely offered his young, professional opinions, staked out his territory at the production table in the theater, and managed to stay awake, alert, and entertained through to the final curtain. (It should be noted, though, that the post-rehearsal production meeting immediately put him into deep sleep.)

I will go out on a limb and speak for myself and my fellow singers. When we are on stage in the middle of a performance, we love to hear the honest and spontaneous reactions from children (laughter, applause, booing the bad guy, etc.).

So, my suggestion is this: save the money on a baby sitter, spend five minutes to explain the plot of Le nozze di Figaro to your child, and treat your 10 year old to some Mozart.

Appearing before audiences of all ages at the Orpheum Theater, Mark Calvert will play the dual roles of Don Basilio and Don Curzio in Mozart's Comic Masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro.

American tenor Mark Calvert has performed to critical acclaim with numerous European opera companies, including productions with the Stadttheater Gieben, the Schlossfestspiele Heidelberg, the Theater der Stadt Heidelberg, and the Kammeroper Konstanz. Between 2006 and 2009, he was an ensemble member of the Landestheater Linz (Austria), where his repertoire ranged from baroque to contemporary operas. He made his Italian debut with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi in Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, and more recently, he sang Vašek in The Bartered Bride with the Aargauer Symphonie Orchester in Switzerland. A native of Wichita, Kansas, Calvert earned his degrees from Yale University School of Music and Lawrence University in Wisconsin. He received his early training with The Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Seattle Opera, Aspen Music Festival, and Pittsburgh Opera, where he was awarded the 2000 Richard F. Gold Career Grant from The Shoshana Foundation.

Tickets start at just $19.

Friday | February 26, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | February 28, 2010 | 2:00p

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On Being a Man

by Daniela Mack

“Be a man” is a very commonly-used phrase. Everyone has heard it thrown around at some point or other, and maybe someone has even said it to some of you (ouch!). But, as far as I can recall, nobody has ever said it to me, and with good reason: I’m a girl. But, this month, I’m a girl, portraying the role of a teenage boy (Cherubino) in The Marriage of Figaro.

Just a little background on this boy: cute and spirited as can be, he has the capacity to get himself into trouble just by breathing! He’s playfully mischievous, wildly hormonal, and a huge flirt. He’s a poet, full of innocent love and passion that he’s too young to understand, but certainly not too young to feel. He’s also the essence of youthful vigor and innocence that most of the older characters in the piece may have lost. And so, since he’s young and inexperienced, devoid of inhibitions, lacking any semblance of a reliable verbal filter, and sometimes, of any common sense, he is in perpetual trouble with someone! Picture him as one of those little sparkly, rubber bouncy-balls; he travels fast, knocks things over, and wreaks havoc, all while trying his luck at being charming and adorable. He just can’t help himself!

For the singer/actor, this translates into a lot of running and rolling around, hiding in corners, crawling under things, ducking frequent slaps, and acquiring many bumps and bruises along the way! (For those of you interested in the rehearsal process, knee-pads are lifesavers!!! Padding-up for the knees, and, in my case, padding-down for my not-so-boyish curves.) And, of course, the final step in my transformation from girl to boy: amazing costume and makeup! It’s the magic of the theater!

As for “being a man”, Cherubino looks to several models around the household for inspiration: the Count is a perfect example not only of physical posture and demeanor, but, perhaps more importantly for the young boy, of how to seduce women; he watches Figaro to learn ingenuity and resourcefulness; and from Basilio, he learns how to sneak around the house without being seen. And after combining all of his newly-acquired “expertise,” he tries his luck with any woman he can find: namely Barbarina, Susanna, and even that angel-on-earth, the Countess (even though she’s way out of his league).

This boy hopes you will join us for the ride this Friday and Sunday, and even though you know he’s a girl... don’t tell!

Daniela Mack will be making her (his?) Opera Omaha debut as Cherubino at the Orpheum Theater in Mozart's Comic Masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro.

In the 2009-2010 season, mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack, a native of Buenos Aires, will return to the San Francisco Opera for her second and final year in the Adler Fellowship Program, where she will participate in Suor Angelica and sing the role of Siebel in Faust. Previous performances in San Francisco include Idamante in Idomeneo, and Lucienne in Die Tote Stadt, which was her house debut. Additional engagements for the 2009-2010 season include a debut with the Deutsche Oper Berlin as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, as well as with Opera Omaha. In concert, she will make her Canadian debut with the Edmonton Symphony in performances of Messiah.

Recent notable engagements include her debuts with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Tamiri in Il Re Pastore, and with Opera Cleveland as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, both in 2009, as well as a recital sponsored by the Shoshana Foundation, and concerts with the EOS ensemble. In 2007, as a member of the Merola Opera Program, Ms. Mack performed the title role of Rossini's La Cenerentola.

Tickets start at just $19.

Friday | February 26, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | February 28, 2010 | 2:00p

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A tale of two political views

By Shannon Brogan

Last weekend marked the Star Dinner (a benefit of Council Level Membership with Opera Omaha), a function where the board and donors of Opera Omaha meet the cast of Figaro. I had the very fortunate experience of speaking with two attendees back to back, one being probably the most liberal person in the room and the other perhaps the most conservative. Both were outspoken, articulate and ardent in their beliefs and, while we spoke of social and political issues in fairly general ways with widely varying perspectives, what I heard in the conversations was the common ground they shared. Fundamentally both people and both ideologies wanted to create brighter futures for the individual and society and, at that very moment, both of those individuals were there to support music and the role that music played in creating moments of respite in the craziness of the world.

It was very interesting to superimpose the night's conversations on the work we are performing. The Beaumarchais play on which Figaro is based is laden with political commentary but concludes in a moment of singular human vulnerability-the need for forgiveness.

I find the older I get the more I search for that which unifies. Plurality of opinion leads to stronger truths and better solutions. The reflection of such beliefs in art gently teaches us how to live. In Figaro, the ability to forgive publicly and privately is the hope of a time past and the possibility of a brighter future.

Making her Opera Omaha debut as Marcellina, Shannon Brogan will be seen onstage at the Orpheum Theater in Mozart's Comic Masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro.

Ms. Brogan is pleased to return to the stage after taking a brief respite for the birth of her two daughters. Brogan started her performance career early as a pianist, violinist and actor transitioning to classical vocal music at Northwestern University where she gained a particular love for recital and concert work. Brogan has had the opportunity to sing a variety of operatic roles, recitals and concert engagements in the US and Europe.When not making music, she spends her time sculpting, writing and hamming around with her family. She is thrilled to be making her debut as Marcellina at Omaha Opera.

Tickets start at just $19.

Friday | February 26, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | February 28, 2010 | 2:00p

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"At Home"

by Kevin Short

One of the pleasures of my uncertain and sometimes lonely lifestyle is to return to companies such as Opera Omaha. Companies that balance a familial and supportive environment with professionalism and efficiency.

This production of The Marriage of Figaro will mark my 6th production here in Omaha since 1999. There have been 2 different productions of Aida, a Samson and Delilah, a Turandot, and the Abduction from the Seraglio.

Since my debut I've developed lasting friendships with my wonderful and gracious hosts Bill and Sandi Bruns, and the excellent staff and administration here.

So, in my peripatetic world I am once again "at home", and involved in yet another memorable musical experience with Opera Omaha.

I'm also stocking up on lots of Vic's popcorn.

Kevin Short makes his sixth appearance with Opera Omaha as Dr. Bartolo in Mozart's Comic Masterpiece The Marriage of Figaro.

Versatile bass-baritone Kevin Short is thrilling audiences around the globe in a vast amount of repertoire ranging from Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio and Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea to Verdi's Attila, Amonasro in Aida, and Escamillo in Carmen.

In North America Kevin has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington Opera, Canadian Opera, Vancouver Opera, and Edmonton Opera.

His European credits include performances with Paris' Opera Comique, Oper de Stadt Koeln, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Teatro di San Carlo, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and important festivals in Aix-en-Provence, Bregenz, Austria, Matsumoto, Japan (Saito Kinen) and Valencia, Granada, and Santiago di Compostela, Spain.

Kevin also enjoys an active concert schedule and has sung with the Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Czech Philharmonic, Holland Radio Philharmonisch Orkest, Swiss and Italian RAI Orchestra, Radio France Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, and Hiroshima Symphony.

Kevin received his training at Morgan State University, the Curtis Institute of Music, and the Juilliard School of Music

Tickets start at just $19.

Friday | February 26, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | February 28, 2010 | 2:00p

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Cell Phones

by Jason Hardy


I’m always amused by the rush to the cell phones with stage management announces “please take a 10-minute break” in rehearsal. Within moments, singers reach for their various devices and are whisked away to another part of the world. Some may laugh while exchanging text messages from friends while others make a quick call to see how their kids are doing. We check our email, give our regularly-scheduled status updates on our Facebook or Twitter page, or perhaps do a bit of web surfing. We can check the NBA scores from last night, get movie showtimes, find out how much snow has fallen back home, and find out what new life-altering technology is about to be released by Apple.
And we can do all of this from our cell phones!

Technology is so cool. Except when it isn’t.

I hate my cell phone. A few days ago, I had just finished a conversation with my kids when my “smartphone” became totally useless.
Let me tell you - nothing gets the brain more focused on logistics than figuring out when and where one can go to get a cell phone fixed or replaced. What a hassle!!!!

My phone is my constant companion, and it’s moments such as these that I realize just how much I rely on this little bit of technology. How else can I get a play-by-play about a family wedding I missed , find out how many girl scout cookies my daughter sold, or hear details of my son’s audition for the school play.

On the road we miss a lot of holidays and special events, taking comfort in that voice or those thumbs on the other end of our cell
phone. This weekend is Valentine’s Day, for instance. However, it
just so happens that this time, thanks to ANOTHER marvel of engineering and technology, my Valentine is flying here to see me this weekend. In fact, she arrives this afternoon!

So I’ve gotta run to rehearsal. During my first break, you can bet I’ll be checking the latest weather forecast, track the real-time status of her flight , and figure out showtimes for our movie date tonight.

I love my cell phone.

Jason Hardy appears with Opera Omaha as Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart's Comic Masterpiece.

Mr. Hardy was most recently seen in the title role in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Cleveland, Cadmus/Somnus in Semele with Florentine Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni with Connecticut Opera, Colline in La Bohème with Nashville Opera, and as the bass soloist in Stravinsky’s Les Noces with the New York City Ballet, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. 2009-2010 engagements include Leporello in Don Giovanni with Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro Opera Birmingham, and a return to Atlanta Opera as the Speaker in Die Zauberflöte. Concert engagements include Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with National Philharmonic, the Mozart Requiem with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the Richmond Symphony, and a recital under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation.

Tickets start at just $19.

Friday | February 26, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | February 28, 2010 | 2:00p

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Multi-tasking

by Maureen Francis

At home, I’ll study my score while working out on the eliptical. While walking to the train station for an audition I’ll go over the recitative with my imaginary Figaro, ignoring the curious glances of neighbors. While at my son’s wrestling tournament I had my Mozart on my lap in the bleachers, making sure I looked up in time to see his match! While folding laundry and emptying the dishwasher, I’ll test my knowledge of the Act 2 finale and see if the movement does not distract me from an entrance. Until finally my six year old yells, “Enough Mozart Mom!!”

Little does he realize that before he arrived, I was on a stage, that I was very pregnant with his older brother while singing Rosina (our Countess in her younger years – and quite a reach as she was a virginal teenager) and that he himself was a stowaway during a Carmina Burana in Washington DC. I practice at night because the music helps them to fall asleep, or in the quiet afternoon when they are in school. In any case, I felt my Susanna was ready for Omaha. I had done my homework and now I can focus on my music for one entire month - ah, life finally simplified. Or is it?

Susanna is a role I’ve wanted to do for some time and I am thrilled to finally have the opportunity, but I am discovering that her chaotic life is not so different from my own. Our fantastic director Garnett Bruce brings his great perspective to the table and then lets the singer contribute so that it really is a communal process of creation. And this woman is the mulit-tasker. She consoles, avoids, schemes, cleans, makes tea, plays dress-up with Cherubino, hides evidence, reveals evidence, oh, you get the idea. And beautiful artists with incredible stage instincts surround her!

At home, I rarely sit down. It’s a waste of time, because inevitably someone will need something as soon as I do. Susanna rarely sits. Perhaps for a minute until she realizes she needs to hide in a closet. I was beginning to wonder if my character shoes were too small, until I realized Ms. Susanna doesn’t really rest the tootsies. At the end of the day, I go back to my hotel, rest my feet and smile because it is the exact same feeling I have when I’m home. I am contributing to a wonderful masterpiece; I am in awe of Mr. Mozart and the divine within him. At the end of the day, my husband and I will take a deep breath after our little “master”pieces are finally tucked in bed. I am dying to put my feet up with Michael and my boys will call out, “Mom, are you gonna practice?” It is the only proven tactic to guarantee that they will fall asleep and not get out of bed 15 times. And it’s God’s little way of reminding me of the beauty in multi-tasking.

Maureen Francis, Soprano, appears as Susanna in Opera Omaha's production of Mozart's Comic Masterpiece The Marriage of Figaro.

Fondly remembered for her Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Maureen Francis returns this season as Susanna. Following Omaha, Francis travels to Italy where she takes on the role of Morgana in Handel’s Alcina followed by operetta concerts in Asheville, NC and concerts throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. As a frequent guest of Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, she recently added the role of Musetta in La Bohème. Other roles include Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera with Bergen Opera in Bergen, Norway, the title role in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Gilda in Rigoletto, Julie Jordan in Carousel, and Gretel in Hänsel and Gretel. She has debuted with Los Angeles Opera in the world premiere of Elliot Goldenthal’s opera Grendel singing the role of Dargonette directed by the world-renowned Julie Taymor. Her signature role, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, became the vehicle for her European debut at the Festival Lecco, Italy.

Tickets start at just $19.

Friday | February 26, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | February 28, 2010 | 2:00p

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Mozart in a Winter Wonderland!

by Kelly Markgraf

Since arriving in Omaha, I've been struck by -- or at least reminded of --two things. The midwestern snow, and the undeniable genius and beauty of Mozart. The former I knew well growing up, as a native of Wisconsin. The latter I've certainly been acquainted with for some time, but this is the persistently pleasant way in which Mozart surprises you: no matter how well you think you know the music (or your role; I've performed this one with three other companies), you are, without fail, caught up in the radiant beauty of a moment you've never quite noticed before. Creeping up on you, the power of the music in Le Nozze di Figaro is that it is at once so simple and multi-layered. It speaks directly to the heart of listeners, both newcomers and veterans, and we walk away from the performance feeling illuminated.

For me this last week of rehearsals has been like a warm blanket. Coming back to a role that l love dearly during a full year of living on the road out of suitcases is like coming home. The trials of this vagabondian experiment have left my wife and I longing for a place to hang our hats -- other than our storage unit in Manhattan. We thought, "Sure, let's do it! We're young, we'll save money on rent, and just live wherever the jobs are." Fast forward nine months and we're aching for just the psychological comfort of being able to picture Home.

Fortunately, I've found myself in the company of a stellar cast, led by a trailblazing stage director and an unflappably creative conductor. This is one show that won't have any of the characteristics that have been the bane of opera over the last few generations: poor acting, or "park 'n' bark" singing. You'll find attractive young singers that can move and act just as well as they sing. With a plot that centers around a lecherous upper-class guy attempting to sleep with his servant's fiance on the same day as their wedding, imagine something more along the lines of "Desperate Housewives" or "Nip and Tuck" -- yes, really. Populate an incredible comic drama with performers like this, and you've got one memorable night in the theatre. I hope you'll join us!

Kelly Markgraf, Baritone, is playing the adulterous Count Almaviva in Opera Omaha's production of Mozart's Comic Masterpiece The Marriage of Figaro.

Praised by the New York Times for his “charismatic” and “heart-stirring” singing, Baritone Kelly Markgraf makes his Opera Omaha debut with this season’s Nozze di Figaro. This past Fall brought his debut with New York City Opera as Masetto in their new production of Don Giovanni. Recent successes include Mamoud in a staged concert version of John Adams’ The Death of Klinghoffer, conducted by the composer, and Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff (Juilliard Opera Center), as well as his Carnegie Hall debut in the West Side Story portion of the all-Bernstein program that opened the 2008-09 season and was nationally televised, under Michael Tilson Thomas. Also in the 2008-09 season, Mr. Markgraf debuted with Pittsburgh Opera as Ragged Man in Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath (a role he created in the World Premiere at Minnesota Opera in 2007), and sang the role of the Bosun in Paul Curran’s production of Billy Budd at Santa Fe Opera, under the baton of Edo de Waart. A winner of numerous prestigious awards, including the top prizes in the Opera Index and Sullivan Foundation competitions, he maintains an active concert schedule, recently making his Carnegie Hall recital debut under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation. In March 2010 he returns to Pittsburgh Opera as Escamillo in Carmen, and will return to Opera Omaha in 2011 for the title role in Don Giovanni.


Tickets start at just $19.

Friday | February 26, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | February 28, 2010 | 2:00p

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Ode to Homewood Suites

by Monica Yunus

O! My

Omaha is a new city for me. In fact, this is my first time in Nebraska. I love coming to a new city: restaurants to explore, new sites and the new rhythm that characterizes every city. I haven't spent much time in the Midwest but I have a lot of friends who grew up here and the one thing I do know about Midwesterners is that they are polite and friendly- always. So it should come as no surprise that the hotel we are staying in, the downtown Homewood Suites, shares the same philosophy.

Homewood Suites is fantastic! When you are away from home for months at a time, you start to miss the little things. Maybe its your favorite fleece blanket, the gadgets in your kitchen, your pets. And there are always nerves the first night in a new hotel- will the bed be comfortable, is the tv from the next room over going to keep me up, and on and on.

Not at this location. The hotel is new and from the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed. And talk about perks: breakfast every morning (and its not that powdered egg stuff either- real eggs!!), dinner four nights a week (again, very homey meals that are very tasty), beer on tap at dinner, as well as wine, and a 24 hour shuttle that will take you on your errand run, or out to your new fave restaurant, or to the drug store! Did I mention that they will do your grocery shopping for you?? No, I am not kidding! Give them your grocery list and they will run out and pick up every item for you!

Then, let me tell you about the room: I have a very spacious 2 room suite complete with not one, but two flat screen tvs, a comfy sofa, king size bed which is really comfortable, pillows galore, a kitchen with a knife that can actually cut an onion, a two top stove and a dishwasher, plus a full size fridge.

All of that, plus there is a great gym, a pool and a jacuzzi for our use.

You may say," Why is she going on and on about the hotel??" Its because when you live in one so many months out of the year, you know what customer service can mean in your life- the difference between being happy on the road and able to perform well, or being an unhappy camper.

Here's to you Homewood Suites, from one extremely happy camper!

Monica Yunus will be appearing as Countess Almaviva in Opera Omaha's production of Mozart's Comic Masterpiece The Marriage of Figaro.

During the 2009 - 2010 season Monica Yunus returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Novice in Suor Angelica and Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, and joins the Montana Lyric Opera as Gilda in Rigoletto. Recent engagements include Poussette in Manon, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, and Yvette in La Rondine all at the Metropolitan Opera, Norina in Don Pasquale with Syracuse Opera, Zémire in Zémire et Azor with Arizona Opera, Lucia in the North American Premiere of Zandonai's La Farsa Amorosa with Teatro Grattacielo at Alice Tully Hall in New York, and Argentine in the American Premiere of Gluck’s L’ile de Merlin at the Spoleto Festival USA. Performances on the concert stage have taken her from the Tilles Center in New York, to the University of Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala City, to The Al Bustan International Festival of Music and Arts in Beirut, Lebanon, to The Jordan Festival where she performed with Placido Domingo, to countless recitals throughout the US and abroad.

Tickets start at just $19.

Friday | February 26, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | February 28, 2010 | 2:00p

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