Opera Omaha

2012-01-27T10:56:00.002-06:00

Opera Omaha

"Mad Men" Style Mixer at House of Loom

Young professionals everywhere are invited to a swanky mixer presented by Opera Omaha. Anyone who attends this event and one of the performances of The Marriage Contract (ticket included) is entered into a drawing for a diamond from Borsheims, valued at $2,390!

$20 per person includes:

Entry to event
Two classic cocktails in '50s style
Light hors d'oeuvres
Staged photo op
Ticket to Opera Omaha's The Marriage Contract

Facebook.

TicketOmaha.com

Giveaway Rules and Disclaimer:

Eligibility: Attendees of “The Mixer in Mad Style” event who then attend one of “The Marriage Contract” performances are eligible. Attendees must fill out the entry form provided at “The Mixer in Mad Style” event and return it to the Opera Omaha table in the lobby of the Scottish Rite Masonic Center during one of “The Marriage Contract” performances for valid entry. Employees of Opera Omaha, Step Group, House of Loom and Clark Creative Group as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. Only one entry per attendee. Multiple entries will disqualify the participant.
The winner of the Borsheims diamond will be randomly chosen after “The Marriage Contract” performances have taken place. The winner will be contacted on or around February 21, 2012 by Opera Omaha via the contact information provided on the entry form. Only the winner will be contacted personally. The winner will be required to retrieve the prize from Opera Omaha within ten (10) days of the date notice or attempted notice is sent. If the winner: (a) cannot be contacted within 48 hours of initial contact from Opera Omaha; (b) fails to retrieve the prize within the required time period (if applicable); (c) is not in compliance with these Official Rules; and/or (d) prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable; then such potential winner forfeits the prize. If a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, the prize may be awarded to a runner-up, if any, at Opera Omaha’s sole discretion.
Prize: ONE (1) GRAND PRIZE: One .52 carat diamond valued at $2,390.
The prize must be taken as stated and cannot be deferred.
There will be no cash alternatives.
Participants must comply with all rules to be eligible for the prize. No responsibility is accepted for ineligible entries or entries made fraudulently.
Opera Omaha’s decision is final in every situation including any not covered above and no correspondence will be entered into.
Opera Omaha reserves the right to cancel the giveaway at any stage, if deemed necessary in their opinion, and if circumstances arise outside of their control.
Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to agree to be bound by them when entering this competition.
This competition is promoted by Opera Omaha on behalf of Borsheims.
Disclaimer: We will not pass on your personal details to any other organization except for Opera Omaha who is sponsoring this giveaway

Opera Omaha Guild awards Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions scholarship

2012-01-16T15:43:00.000-06:00

Saturday, January 14 in the O’Donnell Auditorium of Nebraska WesleyanUniversity, fifteen young singers competed in the Nebraska District of theMetropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The singers were vying forscholarships and the opportunity to advance to the Council’s Upper Midwest RegionFinals in Minneapolis next month.

Opera Omaha Guild President Sheila McNeill was on hand to awardone talented singer, tenor Adam Fieldson, the Opera Omaha Guild’s MetropolitanOpera National Council Auditions scholarship. This $600 scholarship comeswith an invitation for the winner to perform at future Opera Omaha Guildevents. There was a strong showing from Opera Omaha at the event. JoiningGuild President Sheila McNeill was a past Guild President Gloria Dunbar, Guildmember Kate Morris, Board Chairman John Newman, Advisory Board member DonBurt, and General Director Roger Weitz.

This is an annual event that is free and open to the public – wehope to see you there next year!

Opera Omaha Guild President, Sheila McNeill congratulating scholarship winner Adam Fieldson.

(from left to right) Sheila McNeill, Roger Weitz, Gloria Dunbar,and Kate Morris enjoyed the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditionstogether last weekend.

Opera Omaha is Moving and Shaking on the Morning Blend

2012-01-09T14:49:00.002-06:00

Opera Omaha's General Director, Roger Weitz, and Resident Music Director, J. Gawf are on Omaha's Morning Blend talking about our recent move, upcoming productions and chorus auditions, and opportunities for young professionals to get involved with the organization. Watch the clip and then visit us in our new space at 1850 Farnam Street in beautiful downtown Omaha!

http://www.omahamorningblend.com/videos/136733703.html

Opera Omaha Guild Holiday Boutique

2011-11-11T09:41:00.001-06:00

From Sheila McNeill

President, Opera Omaha Guild

The Opera Omaha Guild has fourspectacular items that will be raffled off over the five performances of Hansel& Gretel. Pictures are shown of the Madame Alexander Hansel &Gretel dolls and of the gingerbread house that well known artist, Matt Jones,crafted for us. He did an amazing job – the house has polished oak floors,glass windows, the front door is oak and he even made the oven and wishing wellthat are featured in Opera Omaha’s production of Hansel & Gretel. One ofour favorite Guild members and donors, who requested to remain anonymous, provided furniture and even a beautiful rug for the floor. It is a thingof beauty. And we have a basket of all the items needed to make the mostwonderful gingerbread cookies, to store them in and an aroma house to add tothe ambiance while you are making them. Not to be outdone, Omaha Steakshas given us a $250.00 gift certificate. The tickets are selling for $10.00 forone, $25.00 for three.

The Holiday Boutique is sellinghandmade ornaments fashioned out of boiled wool, paper, felt, glass and alsoorigami. We have pre-decorated Christmas trees, handbags, mini tree skirts,wine paired with Opera Omaha Guild wine glasses, jewelry, and many other items.We have priced many of them so that children will be able to afford them.

The star of the Bake Sale willbe Hansel & Gretel gingerbread cookies made by Wheatfield’s. We also willsell biscotti, brownies, and dreidels.

We will be open for business onehour before each performance and after the performances.

National Opera Week

2011-10-25T15:02:00.002-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATERELEASE

Omaha, NE ∙ October 24, 2011

Opera Omaha Celebrates National OperaWeek
Friday, October 28 – Sunday, November 6

Opera Omaha is proud to join dozens of other operaorganizations nationwide to celebrate National Opera Week (October 28 –November 6), coordinated by OPERA America, the national serviceorganization for opera, with support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

National Opera Week celebrates the vibrancy of opera inAmerica today, and brings the inventiveness and excitement of opera to anational audience. The strength and diversity of established opera companies,community opera ensembles and opera training programs across the United Stateswill be shared through free, dynamic activities designed to engage novices, operalovers and everyone in between.

“From behind-the-scenes tours to enlightening performancetalks to Twitter contests and more, there is something for everyone duringNational Opera Week,” states Marc A. Scorca, president & CEO of OPERAAmerica. “National Opera Week draws attention to the creativity and dynamismthat propels our field today. We are proud to highlight this depth of opera activityacross the United States.”

During National Opera Week, Opera Omaha will host several eventsthat will provide all ages an opportunity to enjoy and learn about opera andOpera Omaha. In keeping with theirmission of Opera for Everyone each of the events will be free of charge.

The following events will take place throughout Omaha:

Hansel and Gretel atthe Omaha Children’s Museum

On Saturdays starting October 22^nd – November 5^thOpera Omaha will present free preview performances of Hansel and Gretel at the Omaha Children’s Museum (OCM)theater. The previews will feature a fewof the characters in the production including Hansel and Gretel. Performances dates and times are as follows:10/22 and 11/5 at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. 10/ 29 at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Local artist, Watie White and visitors to OCM we be buildinga recycled arts installation of a Gingerbread house. The house will move to the lobby of the RoseTheater on November 11 and be featured during the performances of Hansel & Gretel.

Art and Opera.

Opera Omaha and the Opera Omaha Bravo Club (Opera Omaha’sYoung Professional Club) will host an Art and Opera night on November 1^stfrom 7pm – 9pm at the House of Loom (1012 S 10TH St, Omaha). The Art and Opera night will feature localartists Jun Kaneko, Watie White, and Catherine Ferguson’s original artwork and scenicdesigns for Opera Omaha productions. Theartist will display their works from 7pm – 8pm during the Art and OperaCocktail Hour. Refreshments will be provided free of charge. From 8pm – 8:30pm Opera Omaha GeneralDirector, Roger Weitz will lead a discussion with the artist about theirinspiration and experiences working with Opera Omaha. Following the presentation Opera Omaha willhost an after party with a House of Loom DJ who will spin a music blend ofhouse/techno mixed and opera standards.

Opera in Omaha

Mayor Suttle has proclaimed October 30 – November 5OperaOmaha Week. Following the MET – LIVE in HDshowing of Mozart’s Don Giovanni atFilm Streams (1340 Mike Fahey St., Omaha), Opera Omaha will host a gatheringfor opera enthusias at Goodnights Pizza (1302 Mike Fahey St). Food will be provided with a cash bar. Mayor JimSuttle, Jim Eisenhart, former drama teacher at Omaha South High School; and Karla Ewert, VP of Brand and ImageManagement at the Omaha Chamber of Commerce will be among the special guests atthis event.

“We are so appreciative of the local support that the Omahagives to us. National Opera Week is theperfect way for us to say thank you to our community.” said Brad A. Watkins,Communications Director of Opera Omaha, “This is also a great lead up to oursecond show of the season, Hansel &Gretel, the classic opera for all ages.”

Launching National Opera Week will be the NEA Opera Honors award ceremony onThursday, October 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C. For the first time, thisevent will be available worldwide through a livewebcast that also will be archived after the event and accessible at neaoperahonors.org. The NEA OperaHonors is the nation’s highest award in opera and recognizes outstandingartists for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the excellence andperpetuation of opera in America. This year’s honorees are stage designer John Conklin, general director Speight Jenkins, mezzo-soprano Risë Stevens and composer Robert Ward. The October 27 awardceremony and live webcast will feature video tributes, guest performances fromartists such as tenor Lawrence Brownlee and mezzo-soprano Heather Johnson, andan onstage conversation with the honorees. For additional information, visit neaoperahonors.org.

For more information about National Opera Week events aroundthe country, please visit www.operaamerica.org/operaweek.Join the National Opera Week conversation on Twitter with #OperaWeek and thelocal conversation with #OperaOmahaWeek.

About OperaOmaha

Opera Omaha, the only professional opera company in Nebraska,began in 1958 as the Omaha Civic Opera Society, a volunteer association, andwith tremendous community support became fully professional by 1970. OperaOmaha produces a season of original mainstage productions, presented at thehistoric Orpheum Theater, and smaller productions and musical events throughoutthe community. Opera Omaha is internationally known for its productions ofeight world premieres and four American premieres of classical masterpieces, andis highly regarded regionally for an extensive education and outreach programthat annually reaches as many as 15,000 people from elementary school throughadulthood.

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Additional press contact:

ForOPERA America/National Opera Week: Patricia Kiernan Johnson, 212-796-8620,ext. 217, PKJohnson@operaamerica.org

It's More Than Just a Concert

2011-10-04T12:15:00.000-05:00

In a little more than one week, Opera Omaha kicks off its 54th Season with the glorious This is Opera! As we prepare for this season opening event, people are asking me, “But, isn’t this just a concert?” My answer is always, “Yes, but it’s so much more than that”.

We are proud to welcome James de Blasis back to Opera Omaha to direct a cast of all stars that are known and beloved by Omaha audiences. Mr. de Blasis has a long history not only with Opera Omaha, but with American opera in general. He served as General Director and Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera for many years. He directed across the country, bringing opera to life in places from El Paso to New York City. He has a special place in Opera Omaha history as an integral part of Opera Omaha’s evolution from the all-volunteer Omaha Civic Opera Society into the fully fledged professional opera company that it is today. Omaha audiences still speak of his Lucia di Lammermoor, starring famed soprano Beverly Sills, that opened the newly renovated Orpheum Theater in 1975. I am lucky to have been in many planning meetings with de Blasis and the production team as they sketch out This is Opera! and I can assure you that this will be no “park and bark” concert. De Blasis is bringing all of his skills together to entertain and impress an audience.

The fantastic cast will bring de Blasis' vision to life. Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, Arnold Rawls, Todd Thomas, and Stacey Rishoi join 48 members of the Opera Omaha Chorus and the Omaha Symphony to perform some of the best music in operatic history. You won’t want to miss Arnold Rawls performing “Nessun Dorma” from Puuccini’s Turandot. The Kansas City Star said this of Rawls’s recent triumphant performance at the Kansas City Lyric Opera, “…Any Calaf, I suppose, will be judged by the quality of his third-act aria, “Nessun dorma,” the most familiar melody in the score and tenor Arnold Rawls gives it a bravura reading. The intensity of his performance earned a spontaneous burst of applause.” Blancke-Biggs wowed Omaha audiences performing the title roles of Tosca and Aida. Thomas appeared just last spring in Madama Butterfly and Rishoi returns for the second time in company history after appearing in Little Women. These are some powerful voices and you won’t be disappointed in how they sound together on the gorgeous Orpheum Theater Stage. I often say that seeing the fantastic architecture of the Orpheum Theater is worth the price of admission. This historic theater is such an important part of this city and Omaha is proud to host such a great place for opera.

I invite you to participate in the silent auction taking place before This is Opera! in the lobby of the Orpheum Theater. A special toast with complimentary champagne launches the bidding at 6:00 pm. Several opera stars and important artists from Opera Omaha’s 54 year history donated items for your bidding pleasure. A plate signed by famed soprano Beverly Sills, a copy of soprano Renee Fleming’s autobiography signed by the artist, a Jun Kaneko print of the Madama Butterfly wedding, and a pastel painting by famed conductor, Joseph Rescigno are just a few of the unique objects featured. Many other items will be available including dinner parties, wine, and Chicago Opera Theater tickets. All proceeds from the auction go to the Opera Omaha Guild which helps fund the educational efforts of Opera Omaha.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear great performances of magnificent music in a beautiful venue. Join us for This is Opera! We look forward to seeing you on October 15!

Click here to buy your tickets today!

Brad Watkins
Opera Omaha Communications Director

Opera Omaha's "Hansel & Gretel" School Performances

2011-09-15T16:34:00.002-05:00

This November, Opera Omaha will offer all area elementary schools the opportunity to see the classic opera, Hansel & Gretel at the Rose Theater in Omaha, Nebraska.

Original Design of Opera Omaha's Hansel & Gretel by Jim Othuse

Opera Omaha has created a new one-hour version of the classic opera by Engelbert Humperdinck. Based on a 19th-c German fairy tale, Opera Omaha’s adaptation is less “grim” than the Brothers Grimm version. The spunky children of a poor broom-maker still get lost in the woods, where they encounter a magical cottage of sweets and its elderly occupant. But this “witch” is more comic than evil and the clever brother and sister soon turn danger into delights. This new version is true to Humperdinck’s music, but suitable for children 6 or older. The production will be performed in English, and feature English and Spanish translations projected above the stage. The artistic staff of this production include J. Gawf ,conductor; Henry McCarthy, stage director; and James Othuse, Production Designer.

The original opera premiered in December, 1893, and was called "a masterpiece of the highest quality." Combining Wagnerian techniques and traditional German folk songs, Hänsel und Gretel was an instant and overwhelming success.

Children and parents alike will recognize familiar characters and situations: older sister Gretel is annoyingly “good” and more than a bit bossy towards her younger brother Hansel. Hansel finds it hard to concentrate on one thing at a time and is totally focused on food – real and imaginary! Like many of today’s youngsters, they are left to amuse themselves at home, while their parents struggle to make a living for the family. Sent to the woods by their angry mother to find strawberries to replace the cream they have spilled, they soon lose track of the time as darkness falls and many fears, both imaginary and real, loom large in their dream lives.

Do they imagine the Sandman who replaces those fears with pleasant dreams? Are the angels they dream about real – or figments of their overactive imaginations? And what about the Witch – is she the “stranger” they’ve always been warned to avoid? Or a friendly rescuer who will provide the food and treats they have longed for?

The brother and sister must learn to support one another, to find clever solutions to their problems and to exercise good judgment. Their adventure makes them more mature and more appreciative of one another and their hard-working parents.

Performances will be held November 7 – 11, 2011 at 11am and 1pm each day. The performance will last approximately one hour. Thanks to generous donations, these performances are being offered FREE of charge to your school.

To receive the information packet and the order form contact Brad Watkins at bwatkins@operaomaha.org or 402.346.4398 x204.

Public performances of Hansel & Gretel are November 11-13, 2011.
Click here for ticket information.

Opera Omaha Guild's Cotillion

2011-08-11T15:26:00.002-05:00

The following narrative was written by Gloria Dunbar, a long time teacher at the Opera Omaha Guild's Cotillion.

From an article in a magazine regarding Cotillion classes of dance and etiquette in San Diego, Mary Ann Strasheim, a member of the Opera Omaha Guild board had the interest and the vision to learn more about it for an Opera Omaha activity. She contracted Mr. Benjamin, founder of the classes there. Then she had a meeting at her home of a newly formed committee for it and reported on her information.
    In the fall of 1985, 6th, 7th and 8th graders of the Omaha schools were sent invitations with approximately 100 responding and a meeting at the then Red Lion Hotel for instruction by Mr. Benjamin and his son Peter. The beginning of learning dancing and social graces had begun!
    One distinction for the Omaha Cotillion was the innovation of formal dinners to be taught for table manners and other etiquette. Knowing Gloria Dunbar was a teacher of etiquette and especially formal dining, she was asked about teaching dining manners for a four course formal dinner to the young people. She agreed it would be a great interesting idea! The addition to the classes has each young person having a formal dinner reservation planned and arranged for them once during the six week sessions.
    In 1978, John Young was appointed as the instructor to take the place of Mr. Benjamin. He was an elementary school teacher with a great deal of experience teaching. He focused on ballroom dancing and the art of conversation and communicating. Since his appointment, Young’s wife, Sarah, has been the liaison of the Cotillion to the Opera Guild Board and has been helping with advising each succeeding Chairman and Committee members as well as attending all events. Each year the Cotillion Chairman and Committee members have done a masterful job of handling invitations, registrations, choice of classes, dinner reservations, comings and goings, the graduation dinner dance and a myriad of details. They are to be congratulated for the superb growth throughout the years.
    With the continued growth Kent Day, also an excellent teacher, was added as a dance class instructor. This enabled two classes to be taught at once. Also the age of the attendees had now been limited to sixth graders only. In the 90’s reservations grew to 200 or more. In 2006 the attendance was 340.
    Gloria Dunbar continued with one dinner each week until two dinners were needed. These were taught one after another. From 1993, she had an assistant. Her granddaughter, Heather, had been a graduate in the first Cotillion class in 1985. It was a good choice for her to assist as with her background of UNL graduate with a major in French, and living a semester in France it was great fun and meaningful with her speaking of French phrases used during dining. The formal dinner presented to the young people is 4 courses each lasting 15 minutes. The first course is fruit cocktail followed by an entrée then a salad and finished with a scrumptious dessert. Each young person has a place card for seating it begins with the young gentlemen learning to seat the young ladies. From there use of napkins, silverware, plate placement, glasses, and passing food and condiments are all subjects taught during dinner.
    Melinda Merth, a teacher who has assisted Gloria during the summer classes of “White Gloves and Party Manners” at the Durham western Heritage Museum joined her as her assistant. During these 21 years the Cotillion has been held at the Red Lion Hotel, the Omaha Club, the UNO Thompson Alumni Center, and now the Omaha Marriott – Regency. Many acquaintances are renewed and many friends are made in the 6 weeks of the Cotillion Classes with the theme of “Manners do Matter”.

Reservations are now being taken for the 2011 Fall Cotillion.

For more information or to receive an invitation please send an email to cotillion2011@hotmail.com with the following information:

Student Name
School
Parents Name
Address
Phone
Cell Phone
Email Address

Introducing...Roger Weitz, part 1

2011-08-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

She Attacks Me Like a Leo

2011-06-09T11:29:00.002-05:00

When I tell my 20-something friends that I work at the Opera, I receive looks of total and utter confusion. First, they think I have mispronounced a word or am speaking in tongues regarding the industry I work in. To combat this, I usually provide an obnoxious audible pitch with gaudy vibrato to clarify. The majority of my friends don’t realize that opera is still a living art form, let alone a living art form in Omaha, NE. And I can’t lie, it has been a challenge to recruit even my closest friends to give opera a chance. But the thing is, they already like opera! You already like opera! If I were to tell you that there is opera in Twilight’s New Moon soundtrack, would you believe me?

The band Muse is blowing up the world with their catchy, indie rock. Yes, same lead singer that is expecting a baby with Kate Hudson. Muse is credited with their creative and glorious instrumentation of typical rock instruments coupled with traditional symphonic instruments. Can anyone say rocking bass clarinet solo? If you are familiar with Muse’s “I Belong to You”, shamefully featured in Twilight’s New Moon soundtrack, you know the cute part of the song where Matt Bellamy starts singing in French. Been there, sung that. You are listening to opera. And a pretty famous opera at that. “I Belong to You” quotes the melody of the aria “Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix” from Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila. This aria is featured in the second act, when Dalila cleverly attempts to butter up Samson into divulging the secret of his strength. And no, I don’t think Matt is trying to butter Kate Hudson up, but maybe. In “I Belong to You”, Matt chose to quote the last two lines of the aria, “Ah! Respond to my tenderness! Fill me with ecstasy!”, which is so Muse of him. Add a walking bass line, several “just kidding, it’s not the end of the song” moments, and karaoke worthy lyrics such as “She attacks me like a leo”, and you have a song even Mozart would be tapping his toe to.

There are moments in the song when you can almost feel Matt Bellamy’s voice on your cheek, and that’s a lot like the feeling of an opera. You feel the vibrato of the tenor’s voice in your chest, only it’s not due to being too close to the speakers. CDs and youtube videos don’t do opera justice. It’s real, live, unforgivable singing about the men that betrayed you and the ones that got away. Muse proves that classical music is just as relevant and fantastic in 2011 as it was in the 1700’s. I can no longer believe your “opera hating” tomfooleries. Muse rocks opera with the help of sound equipment, Opera Omaha rocks opera without microphones. Do the math.

Monica Marean

Opera Omaha Announces the 2011-2012 Season - Experience Greatness

2011-05-17T08:46:00.000-05:00

Opera Omaha Announces their 2011-2012 Season - Experience Greatness

Great Singers. Great Stories. Great Ways to Experience Them.

Our lives are filled with great moments. Let the joy of Opera be another. Join us this season as we experience a collection of favorite opera songs from the past 400 years, an unforgettable modern adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, a delightful evening of Venetian romance, and Gilbert & Sullivan’s forever-contemporary blend of wit, comedy and musical composition.

Season Opening Concert

This is Opera!
See It! Hear It! Love It!

A Great Collection of Opera Favorites.

Saturday, October 15, 7:30pm
Orpheum Theater

Hansel & Gretel
by Engelbert Humperdinck

A Great Show for Great Kids.

Friday, November 11, 7:30pm
Saturday, November 12, 1:00pm & 3:00pm
Sunday, November 13, 1:00pm & 3:00pm
The Rose Theatre

The Marriage Contract
by Gioacchino Rossini

Experience a Great Romantic Evening in Venice.

Friday, February 17, 7:30pm
Saturday, February 18, 7:30pm
Sunday, February 19, 2:00pm
The Jewel Box Theater at the Scottish Rite Center

The Mikado
by Gilbert & Sullivan

A Great Opera of Comic Opera

Friday, April 13, 7:30pm
Sunday, April 15, 2:00pm
Orpheum Theater

Four Great Operas. One Great Price.
All 4 Shows for as low as $71

Mozart 101 Classes Change Location

2010-11-03T10:35:00.003-05:00

NOTICE - LOCATION CHANGE FOR ALL MOZART 101 CLASSES!

All classes will now be held be held at the Opera Omaha Offices!

1625 Farnam Street
Suite 100
Omaha, NE 68102

View Larger Map

Mozart 101 Sweepstakes!

2010-10-22T08:25:00.007-05:00

Are you an Opera Omaha Facebook Fan? Do you follow us on Twitter?

Make sure you sign up for our sweepstakes that is going on right now!*

Opera Omaha is giving away two subscriptions to Mozart 101.

All New Classes for 2010-2011!

Learn more about one of the most enduringly popular classical composers – his life, relationships and inspirations from your favorite opera aficionados. Classes include performances and are perfect for anyone who wants to learn more and be entertained.

Class Schedule:

November 8, 2010 - $20
December 6, 2010 - $20
January 10, 2011 - $20
February 7, 2011 - $40 (includes reception)

All classes begin at 6:30pm
at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center
202 S. 20th Street
Omaha, NE 68102

To enter click below:

Facebook Fans

Twitter Followers

*If you don't follow or are not a fan, now's the time! What are you waiting for?

Sing for the Cure: a proclamation of hope

2010-10-15T10:05:00.003-05:00

One Voice
(Proclaiming Hope)

I am one voice. Just one voice. Can one voice make a difference? We have only to turn the pages of history for the answer. The winds of change have always been propelled by the breath of one action.

The individual voices in these battles are wrought with emotion and determination. We are brought full-circle by their stories. Who will speak? If one single voice in the cause can be heard, imagine the power of all our voices lifted together in chorus. For it will take all of us to carve out a cure from our concern.

Do you hear it? “Sing!” the voice is calling. “Sing about the sighs of apathy! Sing a future without fear for our daughters! Sing! Herald the hope of healing with your voice. Sing! Celebrate our sisters with the song of life! Sing the dream into reality! Sing! Sing! Sing!”

from Sing for the Cure. Copyright 2000 Shawnee Press, inc.

Collaboration

2010-10-05T14:31:00.001-05:00

As we quickly approach the opening of our 53^rd Season with Opera for the Cure, I am thinking about what collaboration means to Opera Omaha. You will see in all of our materials our tagline, “Opera for Everyone” and we truly believe that opera IS for everyone. Part of this belief fuels us in seeking out community partners that we can share our mission with. A few of the excellent relationships we have had over the years include Bloodlines with South High School, All the King’s Men with the Rose Theater, and last year’s amazing Brundibár, that was produced in association with the Institute for Holocaust Education.

Many of our alliances begin with our belief in education and Opera for the Cure is no different. Komen Nebraska’s mission is education for breast cancer awareness. Their belief that the world can be without breast cancer resonates throughout the United States. Opera Omaha had an opportunity to be at Sunday’s Race for the Cure and saw almost 20 thousand people come together for a single cause. It was truly an amazing site. When Kyle Albertson, one of our Valmont Voices in Residence sang the National Anthem before the start of the race, the hush across the crowd was something no one will soon forget.

Ten years ago, Nancy Brinker, Founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure decided that the marriage of music and message would result in a truly unique and powerful way to “get the word out” about their mission. That is how we feel about opera; the strength of the music has the ability to transform. Ms. Brinker went to Pamela Martin and charged her with creating this piece. Ms. Martin went to the survivors and asked for their stories. With these stories she approached ten different composers, from sacred choral composers to popular choral composers, and asked them to set these words to music.

What came out of this project is, Sing for the Cure: a proclamation of hope, the choral oratorio that Opera Omaha will be singing during the weekend of October 15. Sing for the Cure is a story of a journey of not just one person, but an entire community that comes together when faced with cancer. Weaving narrations from doctors, partners, children, and ultimately EVERYONE, the music ranges from swing to jazz to Broadway, and ultimately tells the tale of hope and courage.

Part of this entire project was Opera Omaha reaching out to local survivors looking for their stories. Out of this was born www.operaforthecure.org, a place to share, learn, and marvel at how someone can come out on the other side of cancer empowered, enlightened, and almost better than when they started. Take a moment to read these truly outstanding love letters to life.

While the journey that is Sing for the Cure is not an easy one, the pure joy at the end of the program celebrating life and what it can be is something you won’t soon forget. The Opera Omaha Chorus, The Omaha Symphony, the Valmont Voices in Residence, and the Salem Baptist Mass Choir will join their voices together on the stage at the Orpheum Theater and show the Omaha community what “One Voice” can accomplish.

I’ll close with these words from Sing for the Cure, “Do you hear it? ‘Sing!’ the voice is calling. ‘Sing avove the sighs of apathy! Sing a future without fear for our daughters! Sing! Herald the hope of healing with your voice. Sing! Celebrate our sisters with the song of life! Sing the dream into reality! Sing! Sing! Sing!’’

Brad Watkins,
Communications Director, Opera Omaha.

The “I Do’s” in Singing

2010-04-14T11:04:00.004-05:00

by Jennifer Berkebile

We were first asked to write a blog for Opera Omaha about four weeks ago. I was assigned the last date, but that didn’t stop me from immediately starting to brainstorm ideas. I’ve never written a blog before, frankly, it’s hard for me to imagine anyone really wanting to read my thoughts and opinions on random topics, but I accepted the task (obviously) and was determined to write something interesting, current, and pertaining to the music world. Well, that was four weeks ago….

Now I’m offering you something totally different than what I first had in mind. But it is personal, hopefully interesting, and kind of pertaining to the music world. There are four people in our house and every one of us is currently in various stages of a personal relationship. Two are married, the other two in serious relationships. Two are involved with singers (me being one of them), one with a writer, and one with a dancer turned sales genius. We’ve spent many a night first getting to hear the stories of how/when/where we each met our significant others and later stories of how we were all going to make it through the months spent apart. I am sure my blog today is tainted by the fact that I haven’t really seen my significant other in over two months, living on phone calls and video chats, and that I only have to wait 10 more days before we are reunited again. It’s hard not to get excited.

All relationships are hard. My parents did not have an incredibly easy marriage, but it has lasted and I am grateful to have witnessed both their struggles and reconciliations. Their relationship taught me a lot about what I wanted and saw for my own personal life. A normal relationship is hard work, but add in all the elements of a beginning career in opera and the odds really become stacked against you.

Everything that makes opera singing grand and exciting: the constant traveling to new places, the pride of working for yourself and being contracted for your talent, the thrill of performing and auditioning, the fulfillment of spending hours with a score learning every detail to better your art; can be murder to a personal life. How do you make it work then? I was talking to one of my housemates the other night about this very issue. He said that, right now, we’re doing what we absolutely love, what we were made to do. Our partners must do the same thing in their lives too, or we will never be happy together. I believe his statement. And if that’s the case, then I actually get off a little easy. My partner is a singer! What luck! We have the same passion; we were made to do the same thing; we get each other. I completely understand his want and need to pursue this dream, but does that mean that our relationship is doomed to take a back seat to our careers? Honestly, I cannot answer that now. I do not know. Yes, there have been sacrifices made already and we are just starting our lives together. It’s interesting to think about our future, because even though we know we will be together, our career paths are still very unknown and we are forced to take everything day by day. You never know when a company will call or a gig will come up, so you have to be ready to change plans, budget in visits, make compromises, and put forth the effort needed to sustain weeks away from each other. It is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. We as singers get to test that theory year-round.

I recently attended an intimate masterclass given by the great soprano Virginia Zeani, who was married to the well-known bass Nicola Rossi-Lemeni. She addressed her marriage during the class and told us why they were so successful in their relationship for so many years. She said you must love each other “too much” and that was the only way to survive together. I liked that statement very much and I think it is a good representation of the depth of commitment needed for such a demanding career. I have faith in my relationship; we are independent people but we are stronger together than apart and we will both work at keeping our lives fulfilled and happy. I am excited to see what the future has in store for the both of us, and I am certain that whatever happens our lives will be filled with “too much” love.

Jennifer Berkebile just completed touring Nebraska and Western Iowa with Opera Omaha's Voices in Residence, a series of engaging, interactive, multi-media classroom performances created for students in middle school, high school or college, the performances provide a framework for experiencing the interaction of word s and music – the essence of opera. She will appear in Opera Omaha's celebration of the great American musical So in Love with Broadway.

Lyric Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Berkebile is thrilled to be a part of the Voices in Residence Program with Opera Omaha this season! A MMus graduate from the Eastman School of Music, Jennifer studies under Ms. Rita Shane. Jennifer most recently was a member of the Gerdine Young Artist Program with Opera Theatre of St. Louis and will be returning this season to make her debut in the world premier of Peter Ash’s The Golden Ticket. Previous honors include winning the Jessie Kneisel German Lieder Competition as well as being chosen to participate in the Marilyn Horne Masterclass for the Foundation’s The Song Continues…2007 Festival. She has been a participant in the Resident Artist Program with the Berkshire Opera Company where she was in Hansel and Gretel and Madama Butterfly as well as participating in numerous song and aria concerts where she "unfurled a voluminous, opulent voice in a richly expressive performance of Respighi's gorgeous Il Tramonto" (Music&Vision, August 2006). A native of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, Jennifer received her BMus Degree at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music under Dr. Jonathan Retzlaff and currently resides in New York City.

Tickets for So in Love with Broadway start at just $19.

Friday | April 16, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | April 18, 2010 | 2:00p

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The Importance of Community

2010-04-01T13:42:00.003-05:00

by Ric Furman

Did you know that right now you are part of over 150 different communities? Seem like a lot? It did to me. So I started thinking about it.

My family. Okay, that’s one. My neighborhood, my city, my state and nation, even the world. How about this group of 3 other singers I’m here with? I guess that would count as another. And the company here in Omaha or even Omaha itself, for the time I’m here, anyway. Then there’s the “singers world,” and beyond that the “opera world.” Okay, now I can see how these could add up. So why would I care?

I came to Omaha on February 21st and I’ll leave on April 19th. That’s two full months! Have you ever spent a day around people who hate you? When you can feel them sour because you just came in the room. Their conversation just stops.

Flip side: Remember a day, a whole day, with people you love. People who love you back. People who are happy just because you’re there.

Another illustration is this: remember back to junior high or high school and being at a dance or even a class where no one knew you were there. Even worse, they didn’t care. You weren’t even important enough to say “hi.”

What if you had to spend two months is one of those situations? Not too difficult to deside which one to chose, is it?

I can’t tell you how what a difference there is in a company where I feel welcome versus one where I’m just tolerated. I want the people of Omaha to understand that they really have something special here! And to please keep it coming!

Within the first week here nearly everyone at the Opera Omaha office found me, as well as the other Voices in Residence members (VIR’s) and told me they were glad I was here and that they were looking forward to the next two months with me. We were invited to two performances of Le Nozze di Figaro, the cast party, and both the Artistic Advisor and the General Director invited our group to dinner or lunch. At these events many board members and guild members came up and introduced themselves just to say “hi.” Amazingly, the public seems to be following suit.

This type of thing continued beyond the week. We’ve been treated well by more people than I can remember, though I wish I could. My time here is more than half over now and we’re still being treated like family or at least treasured friends.

Last weekend we had the honor of singing at a dinner for Eve and Fred Simon. It was a wonderful evening with great singing, skits, roast-like comedy, and, of course, great food. At the end of the evening there was a dessert reception where all were invited to come and personally thank Fred and Eve. Amazingly, before I could tell them thank you, they both thanked me for my part in the evening and for coming to O/O! This is a rare kind of class. A rare kind of grace.

Thank you to all of you who have taken a moment to say “hello” or gone out of your way to make us feel welcome. There is a good community here in Omaha. This is one place that has gotten it right. My hope is that anyone reading this will take a moment the next time they are at an O/O event, find someone on the staff there, and thank them. This is the kind of community we all need.

Ric Furman is enjoying touring Nebraska and Western Iowa with Opera Omaha's Voices in Residence, a series of engaging, interactive, multi-media classroom performances created for students in middle school, high school or college, the performances provide a framework for experiencing the interaction of word s and music – the essence of opera. Ric Furman will appear in Opera Omaha's celebration of the great American musical So in Love with Broadway.

Ric Furman, tenor, studied at Western Illinois University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music for his Bachelors and Masters respectively. Mr. Furman won two State National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Competitions and one Regional NATS Competition, as well as winning the District Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions and placing third at the Regional level. Mr. Furman is rapidly becoming much sought after on both the concert and opera stage. His roles include Rodolfo in La Boheme, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Alfredo in La Traviata, the Duke in Rigoletto, both Roméo and Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette, Chevalier de Danceny in The Dangerous Liaisons, Detlef in The Student Prince, Beppe in I Pagliacci, and two world premiers: Adam in Eve’s Odds and Jay in A Stranger’s Tale, as well as notable roles in Aïda, Don Carlo, Ainadamar, Carmen, Salome, Samson et Daliah, Dead Man Walking, Il viaggio a Reims, The Marriage of Figaro, Gianni Schicchi, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Così fan tutte, The Tender Land, and Die Zauberflöte. Concert venues include Carnegie Hall, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Dayton Philharmonic.

Tickets for So in Love with Broadway start at just $19.

Friday | April 16, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | April 18, 2010 | 2:00p

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The Reason I am Singing Opera Today

2010-03-24T12:43:00.003-05:00

by Maria Lindsey

When we get to the part of introducing ourselves in our "Voices in Residence" program for the schools/community members of Nebraska and Iowa we always say the same bits of information about ourselves. Since we started our performances for the community I have said the same thing... "Hi, My name is Maria Lindsey, I'm the Soprano of the group. I am from Fort Collins, Colorado and I received my undergraduate degree at BYU-Idaho, and am currently working towards my master's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. When I was in high school you never would have told me I would end up singing opera!" I hope that by sharing that last bit of information about myself with people who are new to opera I can help them realize that everyone is new to something at some point in their life and the first step is giving it a chance. Finding opera and having the chance to be a part of it, even in a small way every day, is something that I hope I never take for granted! I am so happy that I have the chance to bring the message of opera to people everyday in many different ways and in many different communities around Omaha.
One woman made a comment after one of our programs and said she was so excited that young people were taking the message of opera around to the schools. She said something to the effect of "participating in a live-performance art form is such a magical experience because there is a unique exchange of energy and emotion that takes place between singer and audience member that only happens in that moment". This woman felt like youth today are missing out on this experience the more technology develops and that it is wonderful to perform at schools and teach them about an art form that they can participate in and enjoy, live, today. This woman really moved me and as hard as it is moving around the country and being away from loved ones to participate in whatever singing job comes next, I quickly remember that I am singing opera and that I have the chance to teach others about it too!
Disclaimer... I know I am still fairly new at this and that I have many years ahead of me that will include disappointment as well as success, I hope that I never lose track of why this art form is something I decided to dedicate my life to in the first place. As we bring the passionate, dramatic, comedic, uplifting, and inspiring aspects of opera to the communities around us I hope I am able to give back part of the joy that is the reason I am singing opera today.

Besides touring Nebraska and Western Iowa with Opera Omaha's Voices in Residence, a series of engaging, interactive, multi-media classroom performances created for students in middle school, high school or college, the performances provide a framework for experiencing the interaction of word s and music – the essence of opera, Maria Lindsey will appear in Opera Omaha's celebration of the great American musical So in Love with Broadway.

Maria Lindsey, soprano from Fort Collins, Colorado, received her BMA degree in Voice from Brigham Young University-Idaho and is currently working on her MM degree in Voice at the University of Colorado. For the BYU-Idaho opera, she sang Pamina in The Magic Flute and Yum Yum in The Mikado. She has participated in scenes from Roméo et Juliette, Rigoletto, and Die Fledermaus. Most recently she was Adina in the Loveland Opera Theatre’s The Elixir of Love, and Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring with CU Opera. This summer Maria was an apprentice with the prestigious Santa Fe Opera where she covered Coryphèe in their production of Alceste, as well as sang Juliette from Roméo et Juliette in the Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Opera Scenes.

Tickets for So in Love with Broadway start at just $19.

Friday | April 16, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | April 18, 2010 | 2:00p

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Opera in the 21st Century

2010-03-17T11:22:00.005-05:00

by Jonathan Stinson

From time to time, 'Britain's Got Talent' and 'American Idol' allow an operatic vocalist to sing on their international telecast. Without exception, these operatic performances receive a standing ovation by the sixth note, continuing through the end of the aria. This standing ovation is largely comprised of high school and college students. So why do you think a young audience of teens and twenties would react so positively to a classical singer when they bought tickets hoping to hear the next pop star? Perhaps it's merely a fascination of the unknown. But why do audiences attend performances of any kind? In the end, 'American Idol' audiences are no different than opera audiences. They want to be moved, to be entertained, to connect to the music, to connect to the lyrics, to give their lives over to the performer for an evening of alternate reality.

When I watched Paul Potts' performance of "Nessun Dorma" on 'Britain's Got Talent' (and the standing ovation that erupted within the second phrase), two things came to my mind. First, good for him! Now there is evidence that he had a small operatic career in the past, but as a current mobile-phone salesman, he handled the aria beautifully. But the most important thing for me was that I knew from that day that the future of opera is going to be just fine. The audience LOVED his aria. They could not get over how impressive his performance was. And all this from a mobile-phone salesman. If that London audience was so impressed with Mr. Potts, maybe they should take the tube to Covent Garden and see what they've been missing. The young people of today love opera, just don't know it yet.

We of the Voices in Residence at Opera Omaha represent an extremely small sliver of what will become the future of opera. It is our job not to tell them why they should like opera, but that they already do. We have toured our 45-minute opera gala to several high schools, and the kids are universally amazed at how engaging the art form can be. In short, they leave our concert with a deep appreciation of what we do. If we can reach the youth of Nebraska in the way that Paul Potts reached the youth of England, opera in Nebraska has a very bright future. The youth of America have a hidden passion for opera, and it is our obligation and responsibility to help them discover it.

Jonathan Stinson is touring Nebraska and Western Iowa with Opera Omaha's Voices in Residence, a series of engaging, interactive, multi-media classroom performances created for students in middle school, high school or college, the performances provide a framework for experiencing the interaction of word s and music – the essence of opera. Mr. Stinson will also appear in Opera Omaha's celebration of the great American musical So in Love with Broadway.

Jonathan Stinson is enjoying a busy '09-'10 season as Slim in Of Mice and Men and Peter in Hansel and Gretel for Kentucky Opera, a return to Cedar Rapids Opera for the Nazarene in Salome, and as both Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro and as baritone soloist in the upcoming So In Love With Broadway concert for Opera Omaha.

Mr. Stinson's ’08-’09 season included appearances in La bohème with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, La traviata with Opera New Jersey and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Rigoletto with Springfield Regional Opera, Cosi fan tutte with Cedar Rapids Opera, and The Marriage of Figaro for the Bay View Music Festival.

A Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2006, Mr. Stinson is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and Indiana University.

Tickets for So in Love with Broadway start at just $19.

Friday | April 16, 2010 | 7:30p
Sunday | April 18, 2010 | 2:00p

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The Adventures of a 10 Year Old at the Opera

2010-02-26T11:45:00.003-06:00

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

2010-02-23T12:21:00.003-06:00

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

2010-02-19T17:35:00.006-06:00

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"

2010-02-17T11:03:00.004-06:00

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

Click Here for Tickets

Cell Phones

2010-02-12T14:17:00.003-06:00

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

2010-02-10T11:54:00.002-06:00

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!

2010-02-08T08:22:00.001-06:00

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

2010-02-02T13:58:00.000-06:00

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

Click Here for Tickets

Mozart 101 with Sheri - Class #2

2010-01-15T14:06:00.000-06:00

I’ve been listening to Mozart for a month and I can safely say there’s been no increase in my IQ. I proved what scientists have known for years—there’s no real ‘Mozart Effect.’ Listening to music-any music-that transports you to a relaxed and peaceful state of mind will prepare the brain for mental challenge. Although, I would argue, hearing Ave Verum Corpus elevates even the most stoic listener to a higher emotional plane.

During the second class of Mozart 101, Dr. James Sorrell attempted to clarify what constitutes genius. One of the most fascinating aspects of Mozart’s genius was his ability to span various forms of music. From the bawdy Leck Mir den Arsch to the transcendent Ave Verum Corpus, he treats each composition with equal care and reverence. He wrote operas that appealed to kings and statesman as well as butchers and bakers.

My friend Tara would argue that whatever soothes a child to sleep is the result of pure genius. Even an infant is sensitive to the peaceful strains of String Quartet No. 14 in G Major versus the enthusiastic bowing of an adolescent cellist. Human beings are sensitive to music. I write fiction and I have a musical library to match the emotional mood I’m attempting to convey in the story. Weepy self-introspection calls for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 14 in C sharp Minor. When I need energy, only Mozart will suffice.

Dr. Sorrell points out that Mozart defied the common myths of genius: fading talent, the trap of unattainable standards, the shaky pedestal of a Boy Wonder and the insidious poison that is boredom. Mozart highlighted common themes in his operas that still resonate today: love, loss, anger, forgiveness, jealousy and abandonment. Mozart remained a prolific composer until his death.

I’m not a genius and I’m honest about my complete lack of musical knowledge. But over the few last months of immersing myself in classical music, I’ve become adept at identifying the composer. I still can’t name the symphonies, but I’ve learned the musical personalities of Beethoven, Bach and Mozart. And, hey, if I can learn—anybody can. Perhaps there is a Mozart Effect.

Mozart 101 with Sherri, Class #1

2009-11-17T11:23:00.001-06:00

In truth, I had orchestrated my own disaster. The memory of my eighth-grade field trip kept running through my head. A grumpy conductor had stopped the program in order to lecture our group on the proper etiquette of applause. I decided then and there never to pay good money to be chastised for spontaneous clapping. Twenty years later, I arrived late and frazzled to the small community theater hosting Mozart 101, sparing only a passing frown at the gentleman who had just beaten me to a prime parking space and added three minutes to my tardiness.

The program began with a few words from Opera Omaha General Director John Wehrle introducing a collaborative program between Omaha Conservatory of Music [http://www.omahacm.org] and Opera Omaha. To further this endeavor, two adolescents took the stage against a jumble of props from a recent play. A mannequin dressed in watch-cap and pea-coat watched benevolently as they prepared.

Jennifer and Jehong Ahn communicated with the nods, gestures and eye rolls exclusive to siblings before tucking their instruments under almost identical chins. And then they played. Like a cathartic release, the notes seemed to untangle the complexity of human emotion into pure, harmonic sound. Equally inspiring, Hannah Pinnt Music performed Mozart’s Concerto in D Major with accompanist Dr. Karen Sigers.

I carefully waited until everyone else in the theater began clapping before I joined in the applause.

Then poet Matt Mason[http://midverse.com/Masonpoems.html] entertained the audience with an historical perspective of 18th century poetry. Full of love and loss, tragedy and jealousy, poetry contains many of the same themes today as it did 200 years ago. Inspired by a play, Lorenzo Da Ponte wrote the libretto for The Marriage of Figaro, carefully removing any overt political humor that would alienate Emperor Joseph II, while exploiting current views of the day to entertain his audience.

Garnett Bruce ended the program with music from The Marriage of Figaro, reminding us that the human voice is one of the most beautiful instruments of all. For me, art should always inspire emotion. I wish that I had not been so intimidated all these years. I try to remember this: a true artist is passionate about their work, and a true intellect can converse at any level. Artists who love what they do want to share with you—not exclude you.

After all, art is not about what you wear to the theater, or whether or not the usher is rude to you, or feeling intimidated by a conductor. Opera is about the performance—people who have spent years refining their talent in order to share their passion with an audience. Mozart had a singular talent for creating music that was accessible to everyone. And the more you know, the less likely you are to be intimidated. I hope you’ll join me on December 7th for the next installment of Mozart 101. Performances by the likes of Jennifer, Jehong and Hannah should not be missed!

Mozart 101 with Sherri

2009-11-09T15:03:00.000-06:00

Everything I know about Mozart I learned from the movie, Amadeus. If memory serves, the Viennese made some rather naughty-looking chocolates named after a part of the female anatomy, and Mozart had a silly laugh. In my defense, when the movie premiered twenty-five years ago, I was busy putting the perfect slouch on my leg warmers and teasing my hair to heights that would have made a Georgian-era wigmaker proud.

In an effort to overcome my meager knowledge of classical music, I bought an album entitled, “ Mozart for Your Mind”. With iPod in hand and an earnest desire to boost my brainpower, I sat down to listen. Keep in mind, I can’t read music, I’m tone deaf, and my singing voice can only be described as horrific.

Imagine my surprise when the composition reverberating through my ear buds resonated on a perfect emotional pitch! I sent Amadeus right to the top of my Netflix Queue. I mean, can you imagine the killer soundtrack? Then I started looking for ways to improve on my new-found appreciation of all things Mozart.

On Monday, November 9th, I’ll be joining Opera Omaha in a four-part lecture and performance series to learn more about the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Please accompany me on the journey as we answer these burning questions: Can a person who once confused the word ‘opera’ with ‘Oprah’ be taught to appreciate classical music? And…In 150 years, will ‘rum balls’ be considered ‘naughty’?

PS: If there’s a good turnout, I might even be persuaded to reveal a picture of my 1980’s hairdo.
Sherri Shackelford | Mozart 101 student

Brundibar: Beth Seldin Dotan of the IHE

2009-11-06T11:39:00.000-06:00

Brundibár was a glimmer of an idea a number of years ago for the Institute for Holocaust Education. We wanted to optimize the number of students who would see the production and found a wonderful partner in Opera Omaha to accomplish our goal. After the first 4,000 students or so came through, we all looked at each other in a daze realizing the impact this story was to have on so many people. A few of the best comments I have received are the people who approached and asked if our cast was a professional touring company – and I proudly answered, “No! Except for our wonderful ‘Brundibar’ the cast were all Omaha and Lincoln students.” I also attended a community event this week with Ela where I heard a great buzz among the crowd about her and the upcoming public show on Saturday night! We hope to see you there!

Brundibar: The Two Aninkus

2009-11-04T20:50:00.000-06:00

Grace Bydalek and Aubrey Fleming are about halfway through the eleven performances of the children’s opera Brundibár. They share the lead role of Aninku, a young girl trying to care for a sick mother along with her brother Pepíček. Double cast due to the number of performances, when not Aninku, Grace’s has the alternate role of the Dog, while Aubrey plays the Sparrow. The Dog, Sparrow and a Cat help Aninku and Pepíček defeat the town bully, Brundibár.

If their names sound familiar, it’s because they both are veterans of numerous productions on the Opera Omaha, The Rose, and Omaha Community Playhouse circuit in addition to both have done voice work for the “Strawberry Shortcake” DVD series. During Opera Omaha’s 50th Anniversary season, they worked together in another children’s opera, All The King’s Men.

Grace and Aubrey have often auditions for the same roles, but experiences like Brundibár have allowed the two to form a true friendship. Don’t miss out on seeing these two amazing young artists in action at 6:30 pm on Saturday, November 7 at The Rose Theater.

Brundibar - David Ward in the title role

2009-11-01T18:35:00.000-06:00

I did not know the opera before but discovering it in this production has been a delight. As I hear the orchestra play its complex melodies and then hear the children sing so simply and lyrically, I am amazed that such an intricate composition can be so simple and straight-forward. And the tunes stay with me - I can't get some of them out of my head. Though thoroughly Eastern European (I keep hearing Janacek in the way the music twists and turns), I am reminded of the final children's chorus from Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Both Krása, the Brundibár composer, and Britten use a haunting melody in their final lullabies. The result is a very gentle, soothing and comforting effect. I can see how this brief opera would have been a comfort to the children in the concentration camp where it was performed.

It is also a powerful and accessible story. Two children just want to care for their sick Mom while their friends, both human and animal, come to their aid. In the process, they defeat the oppressive and unkind organ grinder, Brundibár. You can see the evil in Brundibár but I don't think it is scary. This story comes from such a tragic time but its purpose is to uplift and provide hope. I feel that very powerfully. And that feeling comes from the cast of children, all of whom are so committed, energetic (as kids will be), and full of the zeal that we expect from young people.

It is very gratifying to be the only adult in this cast. The children are so supportive of me and each other. I have spoken at several schools and I am so pleased at the energy and interest the cast kids and their school friends have shown about this show, about music, and about being part of something special. Because this experience is very unique, I am thrilled to be a part of it.

Brundibar - Hal France, Conductor

2009-11-01T18:26:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow we begin the student performances of Brundibár. The Rose is the absolutely perfect stage and best theater in Omaha for us to do Brundibár. Being part of the group that organized this excellent project, we were thrilled when Julie and James at Omaha's Theater Company for Young People found these great dates for our production. We are all very grateful for the help and support of the theater.

Brundibár is a project that I hoped the Omaha community would experience. Going back to the late 90's, I thought it would be a great thing for Opera Omaha to do at the Rose Theater. Our upcoming shows, 11 in all, are just a fantastic thing! Not easy to say how many people and organizations have helped make this happen.

I would start by mentioning the brainstorming and activism of Eunie and Debbie Denenberg and Fred Simon (they call him Freddy, but I don't dare). Through their efforts the Institute for Holocaust Education and the very resourceful Beth Seldin Dotan began to consider a run of performances of this opera for middle school audiences. The opera is of itself a marvelous children's fable about the importance of friends when dealing with great trouble. The trouble is Brundibár, the organ grinder, who monopolizes the performance of music in a small town. Sounds innocent, but the tactics of well organized bullies in a fable is intended to bring to mind governmental dictators. The history of Brundibár at Terezín in Czechoslovakia where thousands of Jews were held and eventually sent to Auschwitz during the Holocaust makes it impossible to not think of the Nazis and of Hitler when considering the plot of the opera.

I should mention, that last year, the Omaha Conservatory under the direction of Ruth Meints and Cindy Sloan, did a production of Brundibár using young instrumentalists as the cast. They did a nice performance at the JCC. As far as I know, it was the first time it was performed in Omaha.

One of the many good things that happened on the way to our performances this week was the joining of Opera Omaha's new General Director, John Wehrle to the team. Through then Board President Kim Simon and other communicators, John heard about our idea and embraced it. We never could have done this kind of show without the skill and talent of Opera Omaha's excellent staff: Mark, Brad, Blythe, Tara, Jen, Sarah, Joe, J., Kelly, Maggie, and Tom,... forgive me if I'm forgetting someone.

Beth along with Eunie and Debbie made contact with Ela Weissberger over a year ago and invited her to be a part of these presentations to Omaha Middle Schools. Ela is a remarkable woman who originally played the role of the Cat in Terezín. She has been present at many productions of Brundibár, adding her perspective to the experience for many who have just seen the opera. We are so fortunate that she will speak with our audiences about her experience of the Holocaust, Terezín, her family, her fellow cast members, etc. At the end of every presentation, the company will perform an encore of the Victory March with Ela and the entire cast.

Up high on the list of good things, also the marvelous audition turnout we had in the spring when many of our cast members were selected. They've been a fabulous group to work with.

Our orchestra was put together by J. Gawf who keeps on getting better in everything he does for opera in Omaha. We have an orchestra of 16 players, nine professionals and eight young players who study violin with Anne Nagosky. Anne is our concertmaster and we couldn't be luckier to have some of her many students playing with us.

Karen Spurck and her choir from Morton Middle School heard about the production and joined us in early September. They've added so much to the production and have been great to work with. We are grateful to Karen!

David Ward a splendid singer and actor from the national ranks of opera professionals is taking the role of Brundibár and bringing great humor and theatrical flair to it.

We were also amazed that the National Humanities Conference was coming to Omaha exactly the week of Brundibár. This subject and project is a perfect match for that group of national leaders in the humanities. We hope many will be present at our final show.

Finally, our stage director Helena Binder began shaping the production and the staging last week. Her energy, passion, spark and playfulness are perfect for this show! A former dancer, she's demonstrates the movements of the cat, the dog and the sparrow particularly well. All the performers and our whole show are in great hands.

Pagliacci - Notes from final dress by Garnett Bruce

2009-10-15T13:58:00.000-05:00

Last night was the final dress rehearsal for Pagliacci – we were able to run the acts without stopping for the most part. While we have gradually moved to running scenes and then bigger chunks of the piece - transition moments, entrances & exits often require adjustment from the work we did in the rehearsal room and our initial stage/piano rehearsals. Final dress is also one final chance to resolve the lighting cues. Ben Pearcy, our lighting designer, has focused the stage lighting with a variety of colors to both light the artists (especially their faces) and to shift the mood to mirror the emotional journey of the score. We made a number of notes at the last rehearsal, and now we need to review our work, edit our choices and see it again. We work a great deal balancing color temperature – something too bright and the life gets washed out of the picture, but something too dark or too saturated, and details are obscured. Some of the gentle gel color in the lights turned the actors’ skin and costumes the same color as some of the scenery, so that’s at the top of our list to remedy. It involves electricians on ladders crawling out to lights hung way overhead or on the balcony rail – often a time-consuming process – but it’s something you can’t really know until you put the whole picture together. Ben directs our eyes to the climax of the story in each scene – and it’s often amazing to see a set under “work-light” (normal overhead lights) and see it spring to life when the stage lights are turned on it (or in many cases, artfully turned off).

Monday was our first stage/orchestra which went quite well. But there are always those “ensemble” places between stage and orchestra that can be a challenge. A chorus (and cast) used to hearing the percussive piano has to adapt to the smoother lines of woodwinds and string instruments. Verismo opera is notorious for shifting beats and taking moments “out of time” – part of the evolution of the art form rearranging style and structure to engage the audience. Richard Buckley is a master of this style of music – so we look to him to guide our adjustments from the last rehearsal that will make a difference tonight.

At the end of rehearsal we went through our last set of notes - looking for those moments that we can improve: pointing up details to lend focus, encouraging strong moments to be a tad stronger to read to the back of the auditorium, and confirming cues with our stage manager. She’s the unsung hero of any production – the coordinator / den mother/ anticipator of problems / time keeper in all our rehearsals. You won’t see her take a bow onstage, but when the curtain goes up or the lanterns light up, she’s the one in control of all the elements and synchronizing them with the music. Opera is a great process – melding together so many talents, so many arts – and is at it’s best in a brilliant natural acoustic where the collective energy of so many becomes united behind one idea – the composer’s music. Now we look forward to adding the final element: the audience !

Pagliacci | Maestro Buckley

2009-10-14T13:41:00.000-05:00

The last day before the final dress. This has been a fast process having started rehearsals only one week ago. All the soloists are excellent and have come very prepared. Garnett has directed a very detailed vivid production and all on stage are energized. This is the first time I have worked with the Omaha Symphony. They are being very responsive and cooperative, and I look forward to making music with them in mode. Pagliacci is always a challenge due to its musical language and huge emotional palette, but, always extremely rewarding.

Pagliacci | Kelly Kaduce as Nedda

2009-10-13T11:34:00.001-05:00

I am at "home" now after the first orchestra dress. I put home in quotes for the obvious reason. It isn't really home, but we do our best to make it feel like our home. I even go so far as to pack and ship a box of things that I consider a bit luxurious. They are mostly kitchen items: a good set of CUTCO knives, a hot water pot that heats water super fast, spices, left over kitchen condiments from my last job...you get the idea. Then before the last performance, I will pack it all up and ship it off to my next gig.

It's always difficult to unwind after a high energy rehearsal like tonight. I was all geared up since this is my first Nedda. Before the rehearsal I "walked" through the whole show with all of my staging and double checked all of the spots I have a tendency to miss musically. I also make a game plan for the rehearsal. For example, I have a phrase that repeats itself in act 2, but with slight changes. So I resolve to commit the first version to my brain before the show and second version during the intermission so I don't confuse myself during act 1 and accidentally go into the second version.

I also make a game plan vocally. I decided that for this rehearsal I was going to focus on taking a good low prep breath for every phrase of singing. I do these little game plans because it can be very easy to get swept away with all of the other things going on around you and not do anything well. As for how I did in succeeding with my plans? Well, I wasn't able to get a good breath for every phrase, but I did much better that I would have if I had not planned for it. And yes, I DID get the two phrases correct for each act. A small victory.

Pagliacci | Todd Thomas as Tonio

2009-10-12T15:14:00.000-05:00

Well, tonight was the sitzprobe rehearsal; the first time the singers sing against, I mean with, the orchestra. We sang while 'sitzing' on stage while the orchestra played in the pit of the beautiful Orpheum Theater. Someone asked me this evening how many productions of this show I have sung. I think I have sung around 6 various productions. However, it was my introduction to the piece that I would like to share with you.

While living in Germany from 95-99, I was cast as Tonio for an 8 City European tour to celebrate an anniversary celebration of Utrecht University in Holland. The university cast the opera with young professional international soloists and pulled the orchestra, chorus and crew from students, alumni and folks from Utrecht. Now, what made this tour particularly special was that we performed the opera in a round blue and orange circus tent. While the orchestra was set up on one portion of the outer ring, bleachers were set up in an identical way that one would find when attending a circus. As the crowds would come into the tent with sodas and popcorn, etc., the orchestra played Fellini Film music scores while a host of clowns, acrobats, and jugglers created a unique atmosphere preparing the environment for this magnificent piece of music drama. The audience, the tent, the summer time, and outside air all joined together to create an incredible evening. The action took place inside the tent ring where you would expect to see animal acts and the like. Nedda's huge dress, which was hung atop the tent, looked like a net dropped and draped over the waiting sopranos head in the middle of her aria. Canio's vest flew in as he prepared for his aria. For the Commedia scenes as well as the opening chorus the extra acrobats and jugglers had wonderful tricks.

The single element which made this a particularly wonderful experience was that the entire company traveled and camped in each city much the same way that Canio, Nedda, Tonio and Canio do in the first act. Each city where we played: Cagnes su mer, Sarlat, Luxenbourg, Bologna, Fiesole, Pisa, Luzerne, and Utrecht, greeted us as we entered the city much the same way as Leoncavallo's characters are welcomed. We had a staff who cooked for us and the entire company of crew, orchestra and chorus camped in their own personal tents. While the principals were provided with pension or hotel stays, I chose to camp with the company. This experience of truly living Pagliacci was a tremendous gift. After the show closed the company needed to liquidate all objects and items associated with the tour. I acquired my Tonio costume which included very special shoes just made for me. I wear these shoes each time I sing this role and Rigoletto as well. Be sure to look at my shoes.

Omaha, get ready for a wonderful evening of music drama next weekend. This is another moment when I can sincerely say, "I love my job!"

Lee Gregory - Silvio in Pagliacci

2009-10-09T11:49:00.000-05:00

Day four of rehearsal and our first night on stage - It is always exciting to move from the rehearsal space to the theater. And what a beautiful theatre visually and acoustically - an ideal space for an opera. I think it is one of the best regional theaters I have ever been in. Also, our first night with the chorus - a warm and inviting group. They sound great!

The first rehearsal on stage is always fraught with problems - a new space, always bigger than you imagine, the great distance from the orchestra pit and the conductor, but also exhilarating, like your own personal playground. The set is stunning and enormous.

But most importantly, it is my dog's birthday today. Lulu is a seven year old Bichon Frise. She has been traveling since she was six months old and has been all over the country with us. No great celebration, but she did get a special bone from Whole Foods. We were also treated to a visit from my wife's best friend and previous High Priestess in Aida here at Opera Omaha, Jodi Frisbie. One of the great things about the vagabond life of an opera singer is being able to reconnect with friends who live around the world. And as we unwind after the rehearsal, drinking tea and snacking, the ladies are contributing to this very blog entry.

So how is it playing lovers onstage with my wife? I will let the audience decide if we are a convincing couple.

Mark Calvert - Beppe in Pagliacci

2009-10-08T16:53:00.000-05:00

As a native of Wichita, it is a real thrill to be back in the Midwest after years of living and singing in Europe. I am among old friends, new friends, and an ensemble of truly gifted world-class artists. This is also my first time performing the role of Beppe (the character who tries in vain – trust me on this – to keep the show going when Canio goes off the deep end and pulls the knife out). And while it may be my first time in this role, the cast is full of artists who have performed this piece a number of times, one of whom is our Canio, Tonio DiPaolo.

The singers who have done this opera before can pass on helpful tips like Tonio did for me today. At the end of Act 1, Beppe runs on to the stage to confront the knife-wielding Canio, who goes berserk after discovering that Nedda is cheating on him. Canio wants to cut Nedda to pieces, and Beppe wants to bring Canio back from the edge so that the show may go on. As Beppe temporarily calms Canio down, he must sing a particularly tricky passage that requires perfect coordination with the Maestro. One misstep and it is too late to regain musical footing.

For this entrance I had envisioned a super hero sprint across the stage, leaping down a few stairs, tackling Canio, and tossing off my tricky phrase all within five seconds. Some things work better in theory. We did it; I came in a beat late, and then realized it was not such a good idea. But you have to try things out, I believe. Tonio turned to me, made a simple and gracious staging suggestion to rectify the situation, and it worked. It is times like these when one appreciates good colleagues and a benevolent rehearsal atmosphere. Thankfully, we have an abundance of both.

Pagliacci | Tonio DiPaolo as Canio

2009-10-07T12:36:00.001-05:00

This is my first blog as Canio. Being on the road and getting to know new faces and reconnecting with familiar friends is very enjoyable and also similar to the story of Pagliacci. In the opera we are a traveling troupe of performers who get caught up in a very unfortunate dilemma. Following the plot and story line is a must. In the end I end up killing my wife and her lover. In real life we are the same troupe without the problems of the opera plot. We get to make up the story as we go along. That’s why being a performer is so much fun. No killing of colleagues or complex opera plots to worry about, at least for the most part. Just an enjoyable chapter of a performer’s life where we get to live as a troupe and make music and put on a good show. A few weeks together - where all we are concerned with is our troupe. Of course we all have another side, with our families and other responsibilities to think about. But bottom line it is so much fun! What an honor to make great music with wonderful colleagues and to have another opportunity to sing Canio with Opera Omaha. Here’s to a great show, in bocca al lupo, Tonio DiPaolo signing off.

Pagliacci | Stage Director Blog: Garnett Bruce

2009-10-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

It’s 4:30 in the morning and I can’t sleep. After a year of planning, we are now poised to start principal rehearsals this morning. It’s a chance to reunite with several colleagues from past productions and to meet some singers new to me who are mightily impressive. Our chorus has worked hard the past week to capture the letter and the spirit of Leoncavallo’s choral writing, and we had the first staging rehearsal with the Ragazzi (Italian for “kids”) yesterday emphasizing key words like “Evviva!” and “Indietro” and “Arrivano !” for dramatic and vocal effect.

What keeps a stage director up at night? The pieces can’t stage themselves - nor should they. We’ve brought an extremely creative cast together, and I want to see their best ideas, their responses and reactions to the characters and situations. But, just as the strongest writer craves an editor, the best opera wants guidance, balance, and a taut storyline. Essential to this is the score. I try and base my decisions on the music – honoring pauses, tempo changes, the small indications from the composer – so that the visual story mirrors and enhances the aural one. Perhaps that’s what keeps me up at night. Do I know the score well enough? We’re listening to a bunch of clowns – or so the title says. Pagliacci is the plural of one of the Italian words for clown. Which will we believe: the clown or the human? Are we expressing ourselves or performing for you? Part of the genius of this opera is this underlying paradox.

The music is in the hands of Richard Buckley, my trusted friend and colleague. We have collaborated on Tosca, Turandot and Pagliacci over the past several years. He knows how to make these pieces crackle with life, with vigor, and above all, with dramatic intent. While we all have cherished recordings, they are placeholders for the shared experience of 100 musicians focused on a central theme, a central goal in a theater full of engaged listeners. As Pagliacci unfolds, Richard is with me at every step with his attention to our blueprint (the score) and his instinctive pacing and leadership.

One moment we staged yesterday with chorus had no singing in it whatsoever. The townspeople return from church (or the tavern) and head home before the evening’s Commedia dell arte performance. Its background to the principal action of a fight between Canio and Nedda over her supposed infidelity which we have yet to stage. With the energy of 40 additional characters onstage, the dimensions of the story become exponential. Now each of these chorus “stories” are attached to a soundtrack and we have the Verismo (“slice of life”) world unfolding in front of us. Key moments in opera almost always happen in isolation, but when the powers (and sheer numbers) collide and combine; Opera shows its true force. The visual drama on the stage matches the energy of this score. But hopefully our audience will be too caught up in the opera to notice the solid construction behind it. Pagliacci can be a harrowing ride. That’s our challenge. As rehearsals to begin -- and maybe I can get the ideas out of my head, onto the stage and I can get some sleep!

It's LIVE

2009-09-28T17:51:00.000-05:00

Opera Omaha’s all-new website went live last week just in time for the first mainstage production, Pagliacci. Starting the week of October 5th, you’ll be able to follow the rehearsal process with Blog entries from our cast and artistic staff. Get ready and get your tickets; you don’t want to miss Pagliacci!

Pagliacci Fri | Oct 16 | 7:30 pm
[Buy tickets] Sun | Oct 18 | 2:00 pm

Barbecü to Burgers - the culinary side of Opera

2009-08-11T11:53:00.001-05:00

Das Barbecü was a blast! Our cast and band did a fabulous job!

If you missed the BBQ – you still have time to get to Burgers & Bordeaux. The Opera Omaha Guild’s Burgers & Bordeaux is the perfect end of the summer event. Five top area chefs compete in a Best Burger throw down and you get to taste samples of each entry. Appetizers and desserts are also included with adult tickets. Amazing wine selections from Hans Fahden Vineyard, Goosecross Cellars, and other wineries will be available for $5 per glass and includes a souvenir wine glass. Family activities will be available to entertain kids of all ages. Cast your vote for your favorite or just enjoy a delicious summer event with friends and family.

Tickets available by call the Opera Omaha Box Office at (402) 346-7372 or online

Burgers & Bordeaux - An Opera Omaha Guild Event

Sunday, August 30, 2009 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Location: Sunset Valley Country Club 93rd & Arbor Streets

Adults: $35 Adv, $40 at door

Selected Wines: $5

Kids (12 & under): $5 - hot dog & chips

Das Barbecu

2009-07-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

Hey You All!
You’re invited to attend Opera Omaha’s Das Barbecü on Friday, July 24. Part of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild About Omaha Weekend, this production and other events are free and open to the public. Performed on the Bow Truss outside The KANEKO [1111 Jones Street], the three performances begin at 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 pm.

Das Barbecü is based on the four epic operas written by Richard Wagner in the late 1800’s. These works, known as The Ring of the Nibelung, are considered by many to be the ultimate operatic saga and to experience the entire series you would need to devote over 17 hours of your time. Luckily, our story brilliantly sums it all up in a little over an hour.

You Put Country Western Music in My Opera – two great styles go together. Das Barbecü is a country western spoof of Wagner’s Ring Cycle showcasing the talent of six local actors playing more than 30 outrageous characters with music style ranging from Broadway to Texas swing and from jazz to country two-step.

BBQ, beer and dessert will be available for purchase with our Das Barbecü; complimentary bottled water will be provided. You won’t want to miss this irreverent, slightly risqué, old-fashioned musical that is fun for everyone.

Burgers & Bordeaux

2009-06-23T09:25:00.001-05:00

The Opera Omaha Guild adds more sizzle to the summer cook out tradition.

Get ready for a day of family fun, delicious grilled creations and fabulous wines at the Guild's Burgers & Bordeaux on Sunday, August 30, 2009. Five top area chefs compete in a gourmet burger throw down. Putting a new twist on a classic summer grilling tradition, samples of each of the gourmet creations will be served along with amazing wines. Special guest Karen Fahden will pour wines from Hans Fahden Vineyards. Wines selections also will come from Goosecross Cellars and other wineries. Celebrity judges will determine the “Best Grilled Burger in Omaha”. Family activities will be available to entertain kids of all ages.

Sunday, August 30, 2009 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Location: Sunset Valley Country Club 91st & Arbor Street

Adults: $35 Adv, $40 at door

Selected Wines: $5 (includes one souvenir wine glass)

Kids (12 & under): $5 - hot dogs & chips

For tickets or more information contact the Opera Omaha Box Office at opera@operaomaha.org or (402) 346-7372.

Opera for Kids Workshops

2009-06-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

Opera Omaha enters the world of summer workshops! Opera for Kids is a fun and interactive week-long camp aimed at upper elementary and middle school aged children (those entering 3rd -8th grade). The Opera for Kids workshops will run August 3-7, 2009 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Morning sessions center on acting, dancing and singing, while afternoon sessions touch on the history, poetry and musical interpretation of children’s operas such as this season’s Brundibar. Parents and family are invited to attend the “Friday Finale” – a free noontime presentation of classic opera scenes performed by the students. For more information or to register contact Opera Omaha at opera@operaomaha.org or at 402-346-7372.

Spring Time | Time to Subscribe

2009-05-05T17:10:00.000-05:00

Hello my Darlings, FL (aka the Fat Lady) here and loving spring time! Everything is blooming and I just received my Opera Omaha subscription information in the mail – So much OPERA, plus the bonus offerings! I hope to see you at Mozart 101. Follow my example and send back your subscription before 5/31 – I saved money and got my favorite seats.

I also want you to mark your calendar for the evening of July 24. Opera Omaha will present an open-air production of Das Barbecü, a country western spoof of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, outside of The KANEKO at 1111 Jones Street as part of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild About Omaha Weekend – June 24-25, 2009. Das Barbecü, based on the book and lyrics by Jim Luigs and music by Scott Warrender, showcases the talent of six local actors playing more than 30 outrageous characters at breakneck speed. The music style ranges from Broadway to Texas swing and from jazz to country two-step. Das Barbecü is an irreverent, slightly risqué, old-fashioned musical that is fun for everyone. It is going to be great fun, plus it FREE and open to the public.

Jim Sale - Lighting Desinger for La Boheme

2009-04-17T16:14:00.000-05:00

I have often found that good design decisions can always be dissected after the fact, but seldom before. Development of the act 2 fly cues is a case in point.

Act 2 of John Conklin’s La Boheme is unique. He designed 7 flying scrims and doors and 2 sets of hanging lamps. These flying pieces work with a large rolling unit up stage right (Café Momus) and 2 free standing posters. The total effect is a collage of Toulouse-Latrec posters plastered on a wall that matches the joy and diversity of the bohemians.

The scene can be set in many different ways. I was fortunate to be able to watch a piano tech of act 2 without lights. Garnett Bruce, our director, turned to me right before the rehearsal started and asked me if I would think about the fly cues. He turned around and we started the rehearsal. The tech started with just about all of the pieces in view, at their low trim. My first jolt was that I was not looking at a night scene, as written by Puccini, but at the Bohemian’s world of art, joy, and laughter, mixed in with a little jealousy and heartache. My next thought was that the Bohemians bring this world with them.

My scheme started with the Café Momus. The 2 free standing posters and the Paris street scene on the scrim backdrop alone, made for a beautiful night scene. As I watched the rehearsal I started to make notes about which scrim should fly in and when. All of these cueing moments were based on action on stage such as Schaunard’s entrance, Colline and the coat, Mimì and the hat. We found later that these moments were also spot on musical. Dispel the night and bring on the light!

Au vista fly cues have to be handled with exact timing and a skillful fly crew. My hat is off to Pat, our head flyman. We provided the timing. My hat is off to us, too, for that matter. We were finally completed by the time the Bohemians entered the Café. We were no longer in a Paris night, but in a world of light – the Bohemians world.

Magic time in the theater. We set the cues in a lighting rehearsal and then ran them while listening to a CD I asked that each of the fly cues be slow. It was better than I ever imagined, smiles all around. At one point while setting these cues we heard somebody practicing on a piano in the lobby. They were working on act 2, about 10 measures behind us. This situation could have been very confusing, but I suddenly understood that the cueing, slower than the music, could not quite catch up to the musical world of the Bohemians. Nothing could catch up to them that night.

I, like the Bohemians, had a blast!

Jeremy Kelly - Marcello in La Boheme

2009-04-10T17:45:00.000-05:00

It may sound strange, but I liken a theatre to a ship, and a performance to a voyage. Once the Maestro takes the podium the entire space sets sail. The watchers see the majesty of the journey – LIVE theatre happening before their eyes. Only a lucky few get to experience the excitement of the action backstage. So many people work, watch, and wait. They spring into action with precise timing, performers and stagehands working in perfect balance. Everything backstage is in low-light and shadows, giving all the actions an ethereal feel. The older the ship, the more special it is, and the Orpheum is one of those very special houses. How many shows have come and gone on this stage? How many performers have been nervous about stepping out of the curtains? How many tears have been shed, and laughs had? This coming week, I get to contribute to the history of this house, and it is my honor to do so with such a talented group of artists. I would not miss it for the world, and neither should anyone else. We have a special show for you... take my word for it!

Tom Corbeil - Colline in La Boheme

2009-04-09T13:44:00.001-05:00

So, we’ve been in Omaha for two weeks now, and with the show going up in less than a week, I think that perhaps it's time to share with you what I like to call my ‘Bohème Scorecard’ – a wee glimpse into the life of your standard-issue rehearsal process, work related and otherwise:

- Number of hours spent in staging rehearsals thus far: ~50

- Number of hours spent in the Milwaukee airport on the way to Omaha from New York: 6.5 (I missed my connection. Oops.)

- Number of times I cried while we rehearsed the last part of act 4: 2 (okay okay, 3)

- Number of times we somehow ended up in Iowa: 2 (Incidentally, Ross – our Schaunard - was driving on both occasions)

- Favorite prop in the show: Schaunard’s coins (after forgetting them in my pocket at nearly every rehearsal, I’ve managed to assemble quite a nice collection of them at home)

- Favorite sign in Omaha: ‘Gizzards Are Back!’ (at Popeye’s Chicken near our house)

- Number of glasses broken in rehearsal before we switched to plastic: 2 (pretty sure that was Ross’ fault too)

- Number of wonderful shows I saw in Omaha in the last week: 3 (a fantastic production of West Side Story at Creighton, an Omaha Symphony concert featuring the astounding Edgar Meyer, and a rockin' performance by Omaha's own folk/country/bluegrass band, The Black Squirrels!)

- Amount of wine I attempt to drink in the last minute of act 2: ~2 bottles

- Character trait that separates this Colline from other performances of La Bohème: Kleptomania (keep an eye out!)

All of us involved in Bohème greatly enjoyed our time here – we hope to see you at the opera next week!

Ross Benoliel, Schaunard in La Boheme

2009-04-07T19:27:00.001-05:00

This is my fifth production of La Bohème and I'm really excited to be here in Omaha working with such a great cast. For any opera novices out there, this is probably THE most accessible opera and you will have an amazing experience. Today we begin rehearsals at the Orpheum Theater. It's going to be great to see the house where we are performing and get on the stage for the first time.

The character I am playing is Schaunard, the musician. He is the bread winner in this group of struggling artists. When he makes his entrance in the first act he has a very interesting story to tell his friends.

A little side note: Schaunard can be a tricky role in terms of the stage "business". I make my entrance with bread, wine, cigars, gold coins, newspapers, and all types of food. In the period of 3 or 4 minutes, I explain how I came to get all of that stuff – and get rid of it so that I can also focus on singing in time with Maestro France and the orchestra!

Well, the story about how I got all this stuff is that I was hired by this rich old English man who wanted me to play my violin to kill his parrot!! Unbelievable, right? Well the violin playing didn't work...I had to do something else, but you are going to have to see the show to see how it all turned out.

You will be sorry if you miss this performance, because you will hear how great it was from everyone who comes! Get your tickets today before it's sold out!

David Ward, Benoit & Alcindoro in La Boheme

2009-04-07T19:22:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the character bass, or basso-buffo! I sing character bass roles, or funny, comic roles in so many different operas like the Sacristan in Tosca and Osmin in Abduction. They all of which have one thing in common – they are all funny men who resolve or capitulate via comedy. I usually have left the theater by the time people start dying in Bohème or Tosca. I am sort of like the Dick Van Dyke or Red Skelton of opera. In fact, I grew up watching Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore, Lucille Ball, Dick and Red, and I think they heavily influenced my sense of comedy and how one is funny. Comedy comes naturally to me, so it is a good fit.

I play the dual roles of Benoit and Alcindoro. Benoit is the cranky landlord in the first act who arrives demanding the overdue rent. Alcindoro is the wealthy sugar-daddy woo-ing Musetta with a night on the town in the second act, until her buddies, Rodolfo, Schaunard and Colline conspire with her to get Marcello and her back together again. I am left with nothing but the check!

It is my first time in Omaha and I am enjoying it greatly. I spent my day today schmoozing with stage management while my colleagues worked. Did you know that every opera has at least two stage managers to keep things running smoothly?

Kate Williams is our Stage Manager and her Assistant Stage Manager is RaShelle Bradley - both of Omaha. They give us our cues, make sure our props are ready to go on stage and answer questions about the production. They make sure the coffee pot is brewing, offer us advice on where to get a manicure or a good sandwich, and they become our friends. I worked with RaShelle at Opera New Jersey in February on a production of Die Fledermaus - she helped me do a costume change backstage and was always ready with a smile and a hug. In fact, I start each rehearsal day here with a hug from RaShelle. The stage management folks are our link to the outside world! Best of all, when they aren't busy, and you are bored in the wings, they are great sources of back stage gossip. Trust me on that one.

Stage managers keep lots of lists: props, costume pieces, entrance cues, and timings, which make our work so much easier. In Bohème, I have to deal with plates, bottles, glasses, flowers, packages, and the Stage Management team knows where every prop is, who has it now, who had it last and who gets it next. Life savers! Only the truly organized can be stage managers. And a good stage manager can make or break a show. This Bohème will definitely be MADE!

I hope you'll join us at the Orpheum - this production is just lovely and the singers are wonderful. At our first sing-through with Maestro France, Rodolfo's aria had me in tears because it was so beautiful and heart-felt. And I have heard this aria sung hundreds of times. I can say the rest of the cast makes the same impact on me. There won't be a dry eye in the house come the end of the opera.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Maureen McKay - Musetta in La Boheme

2009-04-03T15:43:00.000-05:00

I have already been charmed by the friendly hospitality of the Omaha-nians (coined after our La Bohème bohè-mians) and the "Old Market District", in particular. There are some fantastic “antique boutiques” in Omaha! I found a post-card from 1925 depicting the New York City skyline. I am going to have it enlarged for my apartment in Long Island. What a find!

We are in full-swing rehearsal mode at Opera Omaha. This week the cast began working with the talented adult and children opera chorus ensembles – the impressive music coming from these Omaha-nians is brilliant! What is in the water here, or should I say... steak?

This La bohème is special to me for several reasons. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to make my debut as Musetta under Garnett Bruce’s direction and Hal France’s baton – the sky is the limit for artistic possibilities and fulfilling music-making with this artistic team. They are enthusiastically guiding me through the process of exploring this role for the first time. Garnett cleverly directed my first Pamina in Die Zauberflöte last season at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. It is also a treat to work with old friends and meet new ones- the cast is stellar. Musetta’s love interest, Marcello, will be played by my friend Jeremy Kelly. Jeremy was my first Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro during our young artist days at Seattle Opera. We are going to have a blast creating another operatic dynamic duo. I am pleased to have the opportunity to sing my first Musetta in Italian - its original language - before I shift gears and perform it again in German this fall in my debut with the Komische Oper Berlin. Also, I am honored that I will have a dear aunt and uncle in the audience in two weeks along with some other family members!

Opera Omaha’s La Bohème promises to be a special event- it will warm your heart and stir your soul. I am looking forward to meeting and greeting our “Omaha-nian” audience in a few weeks when the curtain rises!

Talise Trevigne - Mimi in the upcoming La Boheme

2009-04-02T12:20:00.000-05:00

Yes, my “maninas are gelida”! True to my preferred form of method acting, I called in a few favors and asked for snow to help me get into character. As I walked to rehearsal on what should have been a spring day I got snow, and cold hands. I left my scarf and gloves at home in NYC!

It’s been a magical experience to create my first Mimì amongst new and old friends. It is times like these which remind me of how incredibly blessed I am to have such a wonderful job! I am still finding tears in my eyes as I sing Donde Lieta, although I have been singing it for quite some time now. Bring your tissue to the opera folks!

Yesterday was our first day off, and like true bohemians we spent the day at the wonderful Henry Doorly Zoo! It’s wonderful to have an opportunity to bond with the boys; we're truly like a little family. I even baked them my grandmother's chocolate chip cookies! Now that is amore!

Adam Diegel - Rodolfo in the upcoming La Boheme

2009-03-30T15:30:00.000-05:00

"Hello Omaha! What a great opportunity for we as artists and singers to perform one of the greatest operas ever composed. I hope that you all get a chance to experience this amazing musical and artistic event. Puccini's La Bohème is one of the MOST performed operas in the history of opera and there is a reason for it! You don't have to know about opera, music or singing; the music is so incredibly beautiful and moving that there won't be a dry eye in the house. This opera is one of the most accessible operas ever composed. Fellas, this is a great date opportunity! Seriously, come check out La Bohème; you won't be disappointed. See you at the opera!!"

Adam Diegel

La Boheme - Artist Blogs: Garnett Bruce

2009-03-26T17:05:00.000-05:00

Returning to a familiar score like La Bohème is one of the joys of our business. When I open the pages, almost like a journal, my small scribbles, cue indications, marginal comments are links back to memories, great and horrible. In 1996, I was involved in 3 different productions of this opera and all three were beset with trauma. I actually felt the show was cursed and put the score on a shelf for about five years.

Production A was a revival that I was staging for another director in a big theater. We had late arrivals, language barriers, and a slightly enlarged concept – all the neighbors of Rodolfo & friends were added, including the very nosy wife of the landlord Benoit. Extra figures in the piece like this are tricky – especially if the principal artists start to feel neglected or upstaged. That’s when the fur starts to fly! Or illness sets in, feigned or otherwise. I had a footstool hurled at me in rehearsal in anger (and I will never, ever, forget the Italian word for footstool again: SGABELLO!), a soprano storm out in a screaming fury, the original director rip me apart the day he arrived for (god forbid) adapting some bit of business for the new artist in the role, etc. No fun.

Production B was a very small vanity project for a certain soprano. Trying to be helpful ended up getting me roped into not only directing, but supernumerary recruiter, props master, rehearsal space negotiator, scheduler, etc. Somehow, a small donation of time overwhelmed my life for nearly 2 weeks (with very little compensation). I did have a chance to explore some of my own ideas about the piece, but more through the forced compromises of the situation than artistic principals. I suppose “damage control” would be the most apt description. Painful process.

Production C was a last minute replacement situation. It was high-profile revival that needed a good shepherd. However, I wasn’t hired to maintain the production after it opened. On the day of the final performance the scheduled Marcello and Rodolfo were ill. A flu bug was going around, but we had no idea how serious it would get. Schaunard was going to move up to Marcello, and a new Schaunard was located the day before. And I was asked to come back for the day and coordinate. By the end of the performance that evening we had been through 3 Rodolfos, 3 Marcellos, 2 Schaunards, and we were on the verge of losing the Colline to the same flu bug, but he managed to hold it together. I was re-staging scenes behind the curtain at the act changes; we went into 3 increments of overtime. We started Act IV; we had 4 bohemians who had never sung the piece with one another, 3 of whom had never seen the set before! Talk about your nail-biting experiences! Yet the audience was completely thrilled, knowing they were witnessing history! And, it was so earnest, so improvisational, and so emotional; it was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience! And hard enough that I decided to step away from Bohème for a while.

With a piece so familiar, everyone assumes ‘they know it’ and often fail to invest time or energy into re-creating it with new spirit. So, part of my preparation is to acknowledge my past with the piece (those old notes, those ghosts), and relegate it to “foundation” work as we re-animate the piece with our new cast.

I know many of these singers from previous engagements. Some of them are singing these roles for the very first time. Who knows what the conversations will be? Like a great recipe, you can make it again and again, and new ingredients spice things up and keep it fresh. You’ll be hearing from most of them in this blog over the next two weeks, and then seeing the results onstage. I hope the piece will be renewed for you, as we bring our knowledge and experience to focus on a masterpiece of the operatic literature.

Ooh La La - Gala Boheme

2009-03-05T12:29:00.000-06:00

FL (aka Fat Lady) here to invite all you darlings to

Gala Boheme at The Slowdown on Saturday March 14th. Inspired by Opera Omaha’s upcoming La Bohème, The Slowdown will be transformed into a high energy cabaret club.

Not your traditional 'Gala' - this party has pricing and party options. Join us at 6:15 pm for cocktails and a silent auction followed by dinner and live music by Seattle’s French cabaret styled ensemble group, Rouge. Tickets for the dinner and concert are $200 per person (Bon Vivant Ticket) or $175 per person for young professional 40 years or younger (Bohemian Ticket). For individuals wanting to add a private pre-party, Puccini’s Clique Tickets are $250 per person. The pre-party begins at 5:30 pm and features Rouge vocalist, Janet Rayor, showcasing her stilt walking entertainment.

Want to just check out Rouge? The doors open at 8:00 pm for a Concert Only option. Concert Only tickets are $10 per person.

Tickets and additional information are available by calling Opera Omaha at 346-4398 and online at operaomaha.org.

Valentine Greetings

2009-02-06T17:19:00.000-06:00

Tickets to La Bohème Make the perfect Valentine Gift

Give your Valentine the ultimate romantic evening out

without breaking the bank.

Receive 15% off the purchase of your tickets to the April production of La Bohème with our exclusive internet only special.

ORDER NOW - Offer expires 2/14/09 at 12 pm.

Go on operaomaha.org - buy tickets. Select the performance date and seating section you desire. Enter promotion code HEART to receive the 15% discount off your purchase.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-11T14:14:00.001-06:00

Ah, my dear Friends!

Your old friend The Fat Lady here, wishing all my Opera Omaha pals the absolute best holidays ever! I was sitting the other day, deciding about the number of zeros I would add to my annual gift to Opera Omaha and reflecting on this most eventful fall, and I decided to share some thoughts with all of you.

Deep in contemplation, in my warmest slippers and robe, and with ceramic heater blazing, I realized how proud I was of Opera Omaha. The Blizzard Voices was a wonderful moment for our community, made even richer by the clothing drive and special ticket offer for teachers. Harrowing though it was, my experience with the Pirates of Penzance was ultimately uplifting. For you darlings that love to reminisce like I do, you can read the full details of my adventure at operaomaha.org/fatlady. And then, there was Choral Collaborative! All of those bright, shining high school faces bursting forth in song. What better service for an arts organization than to get young people singing!

My friends at Opera Omaha and I are so grateful to you for your help in making all of this possible. Your purchase of tickets, gifts of money and time, and your advocacy for what we know is THE most beautiful and transforming entertainment around … all of these gifts made us think about giving you a present this holiday season.

So, sweeties, here goes. Many of you know that one of the Great People of Opera, our own Giacomo Puccini, turns 150 years young this month. We at Opera Omaha will celebrate with the help of our good friends at KVNO (90.7 Classical FM, Omaha’s home for the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts). Tune in on Monday, December 22nd throughout the day and hear Puccini’s music, tidbits about the man and for chances to win Opera Omaha tickets. Cap off the day by having your very own Perfect Puccini Party. We’ve added some wonderful recipes and listening suggestions to our website, operaomaha.org, so that you can add a little Puccini to your holidays.

From all of us at Opera Omaha come warm wishes to you as you celebrate this special season. Keep a song in your heart and some Puccini Punch in your glass, and we’ll see you next year at one of the wonderful events only Opera Omaha can bring!

Wishing you the Jolly Giacomo-est of Holidays!

XOXO,

2008-11-25T10:40:00.000-06:00

Who knew I'd like the Cod ? My first three events in Omaha were all marked by fantastic questions and conversations with loyal patrons and opera lovers. But the Wine Seller's Dinner was a unique and fantastic event. Four reasonably priced wines complemented by four courses designed specifically for the occasion by four local chefs ! And Le Voltaire came up with a "Black Cod on an Onion Medley Confit served over truffle Polenta" which was paired with a Bridalwood Viognier. I would never have ordered this at the restaurant because I am not a fish fan -- but I would rush to embrace this meal again ANYTIME !

But my fish also makes me think about some of our audience's aversion to Opera. Get it in front of them and they might actually love it at first bite, but the hard part is getting them over the threshold. So, it was really rewarding that so many folks attended the Dr Atomic lecture prior to the Filmstreams broadcast -- folks that wanted a leg up to understand the complex John Adams/Peter Sellars opera. Proof positive that Omaha is an adventurous and erudite society that is willing to take the risk on contemporary opera from a safe distance.

Likewise, the Puccini 101 class was filled to capacity. Such a well-known composer amongst those of us in the profession, but again, realizing the folks here wanted a bit more information to go with their experiences with these classic works. I was glad to introduce some music we don't hear very often and to help frame a context for who Puccini was as we head into this 150th Birthday year and ultimately La Boheme. Hopefully those patrons who attended these events can be ambassadors for the opera to the "newcomers" -- helping a few more local folks to try the cod !

GRB

Hello Friends

2008-11-13T14:36:00.000-06:00

FL here (aka the Fat Lady) - now that I’ve renewed my association with Opera Omaha, they’ve asked me to be a guest blogger. Such a lovely turn of events, following a few frightful weeks prior to The Pirates of Penzance performances. Don’t worry darlings – it was all just a misunderstanding. Plus, everyone was so supportive during my ordeal that I not only bonded with the Pirates, but I was able to renew my friendship with the folks at Opera Omaha. Read about when the Pirates kidnapped ME!

I was delighted when Opera Omaha asked me to come out of retirement and help keep everyone updated on all the exciting programming and events coming up. [My poor 401K needed some help too!] Already I have two exciting events to tell you about: Wine Seller Weekend and Puccini 101.

Wine Seller Weekend is this weekend Friday 11/14 and Saturday 11/15. You can still get tickets if you call now - 346-4398 and ask for Tom. Enjoy good wine, food and entertainment with your friends. Get your tickets and full information

Puccini 101 – I just adore this composer! Sign up today for our four classes and learn more about his work, life and inspirations. The first class is Monday, November 17th so you’ll want to sign up today! Click here for more details and to sign up

XOXO

From General Director, John Wehrle

2008-09-25T15:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Opera Omaha’s brand new blog. I’m a little new to this - Not ‘Ted Stevens’ new, but when first asked to write the first Opera Omaha Blog entry, I feared being sent on a new and improved snipe hunt. (“No, it’s over there, John, You can’t miss it!”) Fun for somebody, but I was dubious.

Imagine my relief when it turned out to be like typing an email.

Okay, if I understand this, you can check back as often as you like and see entries by cast members, Opera Omaha staff, and maybe even a few other people. I might even get into the act, especially if I can catch that snipe.

2008-08-10T14:53:00.000-05:00