Pacific Repertory Opera

Mikele's last day

2009-10-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

I've had a fabulous time with this amazing company, but it's time for me to move on.

Long-time PRO Board Member and advocate, Sharon Dobson, is joining PRO as Acting Managing Director. Sharon has not only been with PRO for many years as Board Member, but has also been teaching Marketing and Business at Cal Poly for many years. The breadth of her experience will be a great asset as PRO moves forward.

Welcome Sharon! And farewell, my PRO friends!

Best wishes - Mikele

Arr, me hearties! T'was a bodacious showin'

2009-10-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

What a night! Great crowd, great show! I was even surprised by flowers after my pre-show talk... my last opening night with PRO had it's bitter-sweet elements.

Tonight, as always, will be just that much better - hope to see you ALL there!

Opening Night!

2009-10-16T08:43:00.001-07:00

It's here! Tonight's the night, and we're all set to go! Hope to see you there, it's going to be a wonderful show!

More on the Major-General's song... WHO KNEW???

2009-10-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

I found the following article fascinating - explaining all the crazy references in the Major-General's song - there is SO much more to it than I would have expected!!

The lyrics to the song follow the article so you can reference back and forth...

Special notes on Major-General's song – from Wikipedia.

Notes:

Line four is a reference to The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World by Sir Edward Creasy. This classic military history describes the great battles of the world, from "Marathon to Waterloo". When the Major-General says "order categorical", he is saying that he will organise the information not merely in a simple order, such as chronological order, but by category – sea battles vs. land battles, etc.[1] In line eighteen, the Major-General says, "I know the croaking chorus from The Frogs of Aristophanes". But all the chorus says in The Frogs is "Brek-ek-ek-ek co-ax co-ax". In line nineteen, he claims to be able to hum a fugue, but that is impossible, since a fugue requires more than one voice. In line 22, he sings "And tell you ev'ry detail of Caractacus's uniform". In John H. Foley's 1859 sculpture, Caractacus is only wearing a loin cloth, and so knowing the details of his "uniform" is not a great achievement.[2][3]

In some versions of the libretto, "Mauser rifle" in line 26 is "Chassepot rifle" - the former is more common in performance. The Mauser rifle was based on the earlier Chassepot and had an improved rotating bolt system for breechloaders. First invented in 1867, the Mauser rifle was adapted by the German army in 1871, after the German victory in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71.[4] Subsequently, the Mauser became the more widely used rifle and the more familiar to audiences, and the lyric was changed.[5]

Lyrics
I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.
I'm very good at integral and differential calculus;
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous:
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
I know our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's;
I answer hard acrostics, I've a pretty taste for paradox,
I quote in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus,
In conics I can floor peculiarities parabolous;
I can tell undoubted Raphaels from Gerard Dows and Zoffanies,
I know the croaking chorus from The Frogs of Aristophanes!
Then I can hum a fugue of which I've heard the music's din afore,
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense Pinafore.
Then I can write a washing bill in Babylonic cuneiform,
And tell you ev'ry detail of Caractacus's uniform:
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
In fact, when I know what is meant by "mamelon" and "ravelin",
When I can tell at sight a Mauser rifle from a javelin,
When such affairs as sorties and surprises I'm more wary at,
And when I know precisely what is meant by "commissariat",
When I have learnt what progress has been made in modern gunnery,
When I know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery—
In short, when I've a smattering of elemental strategy—
You'll say a better Major-General has never sat a-gee.
For my military knowledge, though I'm plucky and adventury,
Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century;
But still, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

Dressin' fer Pirates... Arrr

2009-10-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

Updates on our costume contests!

We're had such a response that we've extended our pirate costume contest to include a raffle. Everyone in costume will be given a raffle ticket to be drawn toward a gift basket stuffed with goodies. There will be separate drawings for children and adults at all three performances!

A costume is defined at apparel that suggests a pirate costume -

The Major-General's song

2009-10-07T11:14:00.001-07:00

The Major-General's Song is a patter song from Gilbert and Sullivan's 1879 comic opera The Pirates of Penzance. It is perhaps the most famous song in Gilbert and Sullivan's operas. It is sung by Major-General Stanley at his first entrance, towards the end of Act I. The song satirises the idea of the "modern" educated British Army officer of the latter 19th century. It is one of the most difficult patter songs to perform, due to the fast pace and tongue-twisting nature of the lyrics.

The song is replete with historical and cultural references, satirically demonstrating the Major-General's impressive and well-rounded education that seems to come at the complete expense of any useful military knowledge. Some performing companies write their own lyrics satirizing current events. The stage directions in the libretto state that at the end of each verse the Major-General is "bothered for a rhyme." Interpolated business occurs here, and in each case he finds a rhyme and finishes the verse with a flourish.

Credit -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major-General's_Song

Wait until you hear the presentation of this song during the show!! A special surprise you’ll tell your friends about!

Pirates Approaching!

2009-10-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

OMG. I cannot believe how busy busy busy it's been around here! Ak! We lost both of our regular staff members in September, and while Carolyn (our Marketing Associate) has stepped in to help with the office stuff, it's still CRAZY.

Ok - I'm going to start with daily posts between now and Pirates, to get you ALL the scoop and some little known tidbits. Starting with:

Did you know….

After the sensational success of H.M.S. Pinafore, many American performing companies presented unauthorized versions of that opera. Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte decided to prevent that from happening again by presenting official versions of their next opera, The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty simultaneously in England and America. The opera premiered on December 31, 1879 at the Fifth Avenue Theater in New York with Sullivan conducting. To secure British copyright, there was a perfunctory performance the afternoon before the New York premiere, at the Royal Bijou Theatre Paignton, Devon, organised by Helen Lenoir (who would later marry Richard D'Oyly Carte). The cast, having performed Pinafore the night before, read from scripts carried onto the stage, making do with whatever costumes they had on hand.

Finally, the opera opened on April 3, 1880, at the Opéra Comique in London, where it ran for 363 performances, having already been playing successfully for over three months in New York.

Information gleaned from The Gilbert & Sullivan Archive and Wikipedia

Perfect Day in Paso

2009-10-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

Opera in the Vineyards was GREAT!

We had to add extra tables and chairs, which made the room a bit - uh - cozy. The music was, as usual, wonderful.

We did have some trouble with the wine pairing meals/hors d'oeuvres, for which we are sorry. As with every event at a new venue, there were definitely some kinks to work out. We are so grateful to our kind patrons who were so patient with us!!

Opera in the Scorching HOT Vineyards????

2009-09-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

Today, it was 111 degrees in Paso Robles. AaaK! So we're moving the concert indoors in the lovely Signature Room, air conditioned and comfy. Whew!

Last chance to order meals for Opera in the Vineyard!

2009-09-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Our Opera in the Vineyard concert menu is proving to be quite enticing! (See previous posts) We have only a few dinners and only TWO of the hors d'oeuvres left - so if you plan to order, please do so soon!

I've checked on the forecast, and while it's going to be warm mid-day, it should be cooling a bit by the time the concert starts. So wear some comfy clothes, bring a hat, and come have an awesome afternoon in the Vineyard!

See you at Vina Robles!
Sunday, September 27th
3:30 p.m. doors open
4:00 p.m. concert begins.

Seating is limited, but there will be some tickets available at the door...

Please bring no wine, but you are welcome to bring your own picnic foods.

Repertoire

2009-09-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

Here's your special access preview of our Opera in the Vineyard concert: (no duets included; you'll have to come to the concert to find out the rest!!)

Angela Cadelago, Soprano
“Caro nome” (RIGOLETTO, Giuseppe Verdi)
“Je veux vivre” (ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Charles Gounod)
“Quando m’en vo” (LA BOHÈME, Giacomo Puccini)

Nicole Takesono Flowers, Mezzo soprano
“A little bit in love” (WONDERFUL TOWN, Leonard Bernstein)
“Nobles seigneur” (LES HUGUENOTS, Giacomo Meyerbeer)
“Non più mesta” (LA CENERENTOLA, Gioacchino Rossini)

Adam Flowers, Tenor
“Ah, si ben mio – Di quella pira” (IL TROVATORE, Giuseppe Verdi)
“Vesti la giubba” (PAGLIACCI, Ruggero Leoncavallo)
“E lucevan le stelle” (TOSCA, Giacomo Puccini)

Steve Pence, Baritone
“O du mein holder Abendstern” (TANNHÄUSER, Richard Wagner)
“If ever I would leave you” (CAMELOT, Frederick Loewe)
“Aprite un po’quegli occhi” (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

PRO featured on KCOY's "Wine Region News"

2009-09-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Locally produced TV show Wine Region News with former KSBY TV anchor personality Lynn Diehl will feature PRO's Opera in the Vineyard this month!!
The show will air THIS Sunday, Sept. 20 at 5 pm on KCOY Channel 12 CBS station.
It will also air in the Salinas/Monterey area on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 5 pm on KION TV 46 CBS.
The show will repeat on Sunday, Sept. 27 (day of Opera in the Vineyard).
The show is available for viewing on the web in high resolution at www.wineregionnews.com

Wine Region News with Lynn Diehl will soon be featuring a short feature with two of our singers from the upcoming Opera in the Vineyard concert, Adam Flowers and Nicole Takesono-Flowers. Her website, http://www.wineregionnews.com/ will be featuring a short video of Maestro Robert Ashens at Vina Robles talking about our upcoming concert, and will also have clips of the singers performing.

Opera in the Vineyard singer bios

2009-09-14T16:22:00.001-07:00

Angela Cadelago, soprano, last sang with PRO as Susanna in our October 2008 production of Le nozze di Figaro. Angela's gifts for song, drama and comedy gave the audience a wonderful treat.

Adam Flowers, tenor, first sang with PRO at our May 2008 Organ at the Opera concert in Harmon Hall at the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo. Although he was a last minute fill-in for a sick singer, Adam's performance stunned the audience and whetted our appetite for more. Welcome back, Adam!

Nicole Takesono, mezzo soprano, is new to PRO, and we welcome her! Nicole hails from the San Francisco Bay Area, and has sung with a variety of companies ranging from Berkeley Opera to Opera San Jose.

Steven Pence, baritone, sang opposite Angela in Figaro in the title role. We're excited to have Steve back! If you didn't see Figaro, perhaps you say him in our "Figaro and Friends" concert last year at the Schneider home.

Vineyard concert Menu

2009-09-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the menus for the boxed dinner and the hors d'oeuvres. Remember to check Dining with Andre's website for more information about their services.

Menu
Sliced filet Mignon
Marinated Salmon Rosette with dill Sauce
Grilled Asparagus
Grilled and Marinated bell Peppers
Basil Spinach Polenta
Farmer's Market Salad with seasonal Cherry Tomatoes, feta cheese and Lemon Olive oil dressing
Lemon Meringue Tart
Strawberry dipped in Chocolate

Hors d'oeuvres

Fresh fig filled with blue cheese and wrapped with prosciutto
Pork Rillette (pork spread) on crositini
Date filled with chorizo wrapped in bacon

Up Next... Opera in the Vineyards (singer added!)

2009-09-02T12:48:00.001-07:00

After the sell-out success of our Broadway by the Sea concert, it's tough to come down to the reality of preparing for the next concert. But somehow we manage, and we're plugging away.

Our next concert, Opera in the Vineyards, continues to be a very popular one. Our vineyard host this year is season sponsor Vina Robles, in Paso Robles. We plan to hold the concert in the front courtyard, an absolutely stunning location.

Tickets: $45 for table seating, $35 for concert seating. Please be aware that the table seating for our Broadway concert sold out weeks in advance.

Our featured singers include soprano Angela Cadelago (Susanna in PRO's 2008 Le nozze di Figaro), baritone Steven Pence (Figaro in PRO's 2008 Le nozzi di Figaro), tenor Adam Flowers (Rudolpho in PRO's 2010 La bohème), and soprano Nicole Takesono. All four singers are from California, and full bios will come in a later post.

One thing this concert features that seems to be a favorite, is boxed meals from Dining with Andre catering of Paso Robles. Detailed menus will follow in a later post. This year, we're adding wine pairings with the boxed dinner OR hors d'oeuvres.

Wine pairing with dinner: $40
Wine pairing with hors d'oeuvres: $25.

Auction Items for Broadway by the Sea

2009-08-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

Broadway by the Sea is coming this weekend! All of us in the office are extremely excited, and we hope you are too!

It looks like the weather will be upwards of 80 degrees, so be sure to pack that floppy hat and sunscreen! PRO will be selling delicious (and cold!) homemade lemonade for $1.00 a glass.

We're going to have a nice selection of silent auction items for the concert.
Here's a quick look at what we've got in store!

San Luis Obispo Symphony presents
Pops by the Sea Family Pack!
Four adult lawn seating tickets
Sunday September 6th.
Value: $60

Cal Poly Arts presents
Glenn Miller Orchestra
Thursday September 10th, 2009
Christopher Cohan Center.
Value: $96

Shaklee Skin Care Package
Set of skin care products, anti-aging tonic Vivix,
suntan lotion, and skin care and
make up instruction by Celia Braun.
Value: $425

Dinner with the Maestro
Dinner for two at an upscale local restaurant.
Value: $400

Embassy Suites
One night stay
Value: $150

Walk-on roles:
Want to Yo-Ho-Ho with the pirates?
Here’s your chance! The Pirates of Penzance
Value $250
For the more restrained,
the poignant La bohème might fit the bill.
Value $250

Got the opera bug? This package includes:
La bohème backstage tour for four,
walk-on role for one,
and an invitation to attend opening night reception for four.
Value: $750

Sculpterra Winery Vertical Selection
Pack of three bottles.
Includes Estate 2005, 2006, and 2007 Cabernet Sauvignons.
Value: $90

Board Selected Wine
A wide array of wine selected by our
Board members from their very own collections!
Value: $400

Our fabulous new website launch!

2009-08-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

I'm as pleased as can be to announce the launch of our brand-new website, scheduled for tonight. It's been a lot of careful and thoughtful work put into what we want to say about how PRO is growing and changing, and hours of proofing and tweaking (KUDOS to Sharon, Yvonne and Carolyn for their awesome skills and dedication!!) We've contracted with Barnett-Cox Associates and could not have been happier with the results!

I think you will find that this beautiful website speaks volumes about the exciting future of Pacific Repertory Opera!

Follow this link to our new website! Remember, the launch is scheduled for later today (August 26th) so be patient if the link still sends you to the old website. Enjoy!

www.propera.org

Broadway by the Sea ideas...

2009-08-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

If you're planning on coming to Broadway by the sea, here are some ideas: 1. Make a day of it - bring a picnic and your friends! In my last email, I highlighted a couple of sites that had interesting picnic menus - so in case you're not on that email list, here they are again:

Suggested picnic dinner menu from entertaining.about.com
Cold Salads from busycooks.about.com
Recipes and Menus from busycooks.about.com

2. Here's another thought - Shell Beach in summer is one of those places that can be very warm and sunny (think beach-hot) or very cold and foggy. We don't provide umbrellas with our table seating, but we encourage floppy hats! So prepare for sun with your sunscreen and hats, and prepare for the fog with your sweaters. Last year's weather was lovely - but you never know till we get there!

3. We will also be having a small silent auction with some nice items that we hope you'll enjoy. So plan a few extra minutes to browse the tables. I'll be providing a list of the auction items in the next few weeks, so keep watching!

If you're not already a member of our email list, please email me at propera@sbcglobal.net with the words "Subscribe" in the subject line, and I will add you.

Fall approaches...

2009-07-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

End of summer is always an exciting time at PRO - so much going on! Our new season mailer is in the mail, and should start arriving within a few days, and our new website will be up within a few weeks. Wait until you see our new look! It's really exciting, what we have been able to do with Barnett Cox Associates (BCA), who we hired to help us through these next months.

Many of you know that we are approaching our 25th anniversary year - a truly exciting year for PRO, and one that will bring us much in the news in the coming months. Keep your eye on us!

Opera Camp performance on Friday

2009-07-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

The kids of this year's opera camp are getting ready for their final performance, which is this Friday, the 24th at Mt. Carmel. It is open to the public, but attendance first come first served only.

Robert tells me that this is a particularly talented group of youngsters, and he has had a wonderful time working with them. And considering the many years of experience that Robert has in doing these sorts of camps, that is high praise indeed!

Our camp this year is possible with grants from The Hind Foundation and Catholic Healthcare West at Marion Medical Center. Hooray for our Opera Camp Sponsors! We could NOT do this without you!!

Our camp this year has been held at SLO United Methodist Church, Thank you, thank you to SLO UMC! The church secretary told me she just loves hearing the kids singing to themselves as they walk from room to room at the church. "Sweet voices" are the words she used, if I remember correctly.

The performance will be at 7 p.m. at Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church, 1701 Fredericks St, San Luis Obispo. You should come! It will be very sweet. It always is.

Please define...

2009-07-22T14:12:00.001-07:00

Can anyone define "opera nerd" for me?

Opera Camp

2009-07-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

Opera Camp has started! This year, the kids are preparing "H.M.S. Pinafore" - kind of a Gilbert & Sullivan prelude to our main stage production in the fall.

We only had 8 children sign up, bad timing I think, as there's another childrens production happening in the North County this week. But Robert tells me that this is a particularly gifted group of children, and they are going to be able to put together a stellar show. Last I heard, he was thinking of either a concert version (with costumes!) or perhaps several pieces from G&S shows, depending on the voices of the children who signed up. More as this develops!

Maestro's Travels

2009-07-07T16:05:00.000-07:00

Most of our patrons know that Maestro Robert Ashens, PRO's Artistic Director, does not live locally, but comes to SLO many times per year for PRO functions. He will emcee AND accompany our upcoming Broadway concert - which in itself is a good reason to come! If you haven't heard him play - you are in for a rare treat.

What many of you may not know is that Robert travels incessantly, teaching, conducting and performing.

Currently he is in production for OKLAHOMA (Music Director/Conductor) at the Oregon Festival of American Music (OFAM) in Eugene, OR. But since he also has a position as Principal Guest Organist at St. Dominic's Catholic Church, San Francisco, he is constantly traveling between Eugene and San Francisco. He also does many concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area in addition to a regular Opera Dinner series in Tiburon (north of San Francisco). As Principal Guest Conductor of Salem Chamber Orchestra, Robert often also travels to Salem OR.

On top of all of these, Robert is a well known vocal coach, maintaining studios in San Francisco, Oakland and Eugene.

Broadway-by-the-Sea Singers

2009-07-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

Great news! We have the rest of our singers lined up!

Baritone Igor Vieira was a world finalist of the 1995 Luciano Pavarotti Voice Competition in Philadelphia, a recipient of the Margareth Tudor Award (Princeton) for two consecutive years and the Kaplan Foundation Award (Kansas City) for outstanding artistry, as well as Second Place on the East Bay Opera League Voice Competition in 2006 and a semi-finalist of the Competizione d'Opera in Dresden - Germany in 2008.

Igor Vieira made his professional debut in his native Rio de Janeiro at age 17 singing the role of "Le Dancaïre" in Bizet's Carmen. Subsequent roles have included "Dulcamara" in Donizetti's L'elisir d'Amore, "Eisenstein" in Straus's Die Fledermaus, the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Ford in Verdi's Falstaff, and Lescaut in Puccini's Manon Lescaut.

Mr. Vieira has sung 52 different operatic roles with such companies as the Teatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro, the Amazonian Opera Festival, The Belém Opera Festival, Opera du Villecroze (France), Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Opera Theater of Philadelphia, Teatro Barakaldo (Spain), West Bay Opera, Berkeley Opera, San Francisco Lyric Opera, Fremont Opera, Rimrock Opera, Festival Opera/Walnut Creek, Oakland Opera Theater, Teatro Sao Pedro (Brazil), Belcantanti Opera, Pocket Opera and Opera Santa Barbara.

Jamie Chamberlin, soprano

Greek-American soprano Jamie Chamberlin has been recognized as one of the premiere singing actresses of her generation. Recently, she was granted the Special Encouragement Award at the 2007 MONC Western Regional Finals. Earlier in 2007, she received Third Place in the Inaugural Jose Iturbi International Music Competition in Los Angeles, and in November of 2007 she participated in the Seoul International Music Competition in South Korea as one of 46 young singers from around the world. As an artist in the prestigious Merola Opera Program in San Francisco, she received critical praise for her portrayal of Anne Sexton in Susa's Transformations, and for her sparkling Merola Grand Finale performance on the stage of the War Memorial Opera House in 2006. Ms. Chamberlin made her professional debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2004 singing the soprano solo in the world premiere of Esa- Pekka Salonen's monumental orchestral work Wing on Wing. The following season, she made her solo debut with Los Angeles Opera as the High Priestess in Aida and the Cretan Woman in Idomeneo, with Plácido Domingo.

Christopher Reames, baritone

Mr. Reames is a native of Kansas City, MO. He was recently selected as a top-ten finalist in the Franco-American Vocal Academy 2009 Grand Concours de Chant vocal competition. In February of this year, Mr. Reames appeared as Tom/John in the Opera Las Vegas production of Mollicone's The Face on the Barroom Floor and in the title role of P.D.Q. Bach's Oedipus Tex. Other recent performances include: Simon in Handel's Judas Maccabaeus, Schaunard in Puccini's La Bohème; Sid in Britten's Albert Herring; Papageno in Mozart's The Magic Flute; Richard in Barab's Fortune's Favorites; Perchik in Bock and Harnick's The Fiddler on the Roof; and Snoopy in Gesner's You're a Good Man Charlie Brown; Soloist in Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem and Five Mystical Songs. Mr. Reames is a two-time winner in the Graduate division of the 2006 and 2007 N.A.T.S. Study Award competitions for the Southern Nevada N.A.T.S. chapter. He is a recent graduate of the Master of Music degree program at UNLV. In 2005, Mr. Reames completed a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in vocal performance at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO.

More info on Laurelle

2009-07-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

Here's the photograph and biography of Laurelle that I promised: and please note that I originally spelled her name incorrectly.

Ms. Barnett began her professional career with the national touring company of an American oratorio: John Brown’s Body, directed by John Houseman. She has appeared as the lead or featured roles in Sound of Music, A Funny Thing Happened…Forum, Fiddler on the Roof, Man of La Mancha, and The Mikado as well as classical fare such as Handel’s Messiah (both soprano and alto in various productions) and Pacific Repertory Opera’s La Traviata and Gianni Schicchi. Laurelle has also enjoyed creating a wide range of theatrical characters locally and throughout the U.S. (in Stage Door, Lion in Winter, Collected Stories and Light Up The Sky).

Broadway-by-the-Sea - singer #1 - Laurelle Barnett

2009-07-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to share that Laurelle Barnett, a local soprano, is returning to sing with PRO for the first time in several years. Laurelle previously sang at our Gilbert & Sullivan concert in '04, and our (first??) Broadway concert in '00. She also performed in our 1994 production of La Traviata. Welcome back, Laurelle!

I will add Laurelle's current bio and photo as soon as I have them!

Summer Concert Schedule

2009-06-23T13:49:00.001-07:00

We're bringing back two favorite concerts - Broadway by the Sea, and Opera in the Vineyard (this year at Vina Robles in Paso Robles). Tickets are on sale now, by phone (805) 541-5369, and at www.propera.org

Broadway by the Sea

Saturday, August 29, 2009,
Chapman House by the Sea, Shell Beach, CA.

Back by popular acclaim, this concert features the voices of some of Pacific Repertory Opera's best singers performing the wonderful music of Broadway (and more) at a gorgeous seaside home. The cliff side home is one of the most stunning and exclusive locations on the Central Coast. For a fun afternoon, bring a picnic and invite your friends!

Doors open 3 p.m.
Concert begins 4 p.m.
Table seating $45 (table of 8 for $325).
Concert seating $35 (chairs provided).
Seating is extremely limited so reserve early.

Opera in the Vineyard

Sunday, September 27, 2009
Vina Robles Winery, 3700 Mill Road, Paso Robles, CA.

Our end-of-summer favorite, this concert features the music of opera, operetta and musical theater, and showcases the talents of this season's mainstage performers. Enjoy a fabulous wine pairing during the event with hors d'oeuvres or boxed dinner ordered from PRO ahead of time!

Doors open at 3:30 p.m.
Concert begins at 4 p.m.
Table seating $45 (table of 8 for $325)
Concert seating $35.
Wine pairing with hors d'oeuvres $25, with dinner $40.

Coming in October to the Clark Center...

2009-06-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
I’ve information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I’m teeming with a lot o’ news –
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.

Excitement at PRO

2009-06-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

I won't give the whole thing away, but I will give broad hints...

A whole new look. A whole new season.

More coming soon!!

Two days to Spring in Cambria

2009-05-21T18:25:00.001-07:00

This is going to be a magical concert! Five amazing singers with Robert to accompany. If you haven't heard Robert Ashens play, you are in for the most amazing experience.

Several Cambria merchants are offering some nice discount to concert patrons who show their tickets. The fabulous Cambria Pines Lodge is offering a 10% discount - what great incentive to have a nice weekend away! As of yesterday, they still had 29 rooms left. www.cambriapineslodge.com/

At Matter of Taste, they will be serving pork barbecue sandwiches, and offering 20% off any purchases. If you haven't been there, you should really make the stop - it's such a fun shop! http://www.amatteroftastecambria.com/

Robin's Restaurant would be a great place to stop after the concert for a wonderful dinner! They have a GREAT reputation for good food. http://www.robinsrestaurant.com/

Lastly, Sweet Offerings (http://www.sweetofferings.net/) was SO much fun to wander around in. They had all kinds of great treats - old favorites, new favorites. Make sure to pick up one of their discount cards at the concert before you head over...

Concert repertoire

2009-05-04T12:24:00.000-07:00

Here's what I have so far - and of course it's subject to change (!):

Professional repertoire:

Torlef Borsting, Baritone
Count's Aria (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO) Mozart
Oh! Du mein holder Abendstern (TANNHAUSER) Wagner
Where is the life that late I led? (KISS ME, KATE) Cole Porter
Ja vas lyub lyu (PIQUE DAME) Tchaikovsky
Nedda-Silvio Duet (PAGLIACCI) Manzi, Borsting

Carol Ann Manzi, Soprano
Operetta favorites: Thine Alone, One Alone, All the things you are
Opera favorites: Donde lieta (LA BOHEME) Puccini and Song to the Moon (RUSALKA) Dvorak

Trio from COSI FAN TUTTE, Mozart Manzi, Dunn, Borsting

Young Artist repertoire:

Rory Fratkin
Vecchia, zimara senti, Puccini
Dimenticar, ben mio, Ponchielli

Kristen Choi
Non so piu? Mozart

Duets:
A Little Priest/Sweeney Todd Sondheim
La ci darem/Giovanni Mozart
Duetto Buffo de due Gatti Rossini
I'd Give it All For You/New World Brown

Spring in Cambra

2009-04-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Our next concert will be in less than a month - Spring in Cambria. It's the first time we've had a Cambria concert since I've been with PRO, so I'm really looking forward to it. We should be getting the postcard in the mail on Wednesday of this week, so if you're a North County person, keep an eye on your mailbox. We're also mailing to all of our donors, and any SLO or South County patron who have gone to other North County events like Opera in the Vineyard.

This concert is going to be strikingly good, I think. Featured singers include:

Carol Ann Manzi, soprano (Butterfly)
Torlef Borsting, baritone (Sharpless in Butterfly)
Karen Dunn, mezzo soprano (Marcellina in Figaro)

And two Young Cal Poly Artists, students of Jackie Kreitzer:

Kristen Choi (Barbarina in Figaro)
Rory Fratkin (new to PRO)

and the repertoire will be mixed opera, operetta and musical theater.

The Young Artist selections will include:

Rory: Vecchia, zimara senti; Dimenticar, ben mio
Kristen: Non so piu
Duet: A Little Priest/Sweeney Todd
Duet: La ci darem
Duet: Duetto Buffo de due Gatti
Duet: I'd Give it All For You/New World Brown

More info to come!

Wow!!

2009-04-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

It's so hard to believe it's been so long since Butterfly! I promised to get you some photos - well, I think I'm finally coming up for air, and here are some of my favorites.

First, Carol Ann Manzi as Butterfly, in one of her opening arias. Her voice stunned us all - I had even heard her in concert before, and I was still overwhelmed with the quality and passion she brought to the role.

Next is the faithless cad, Pinkerton. Vincent Chambers brought this role to life with his fabulous portrayal.

Then there's Ross Halper is the role of Goro - the silly drunkard marriage broker. He was great!

Do you remember the "Flower Duet" - oh, that was SO well done. I just loved it. Sally Mouzon was SO believable as the faithful servant, Suzuki.

And how could you not love the kind-hearted Sharpess? Torlef Borsting made us hurt with him, as he couldn't bring himself to give Butterfly the bad news about Pinkerton.

And of course, there was the heart-ripping aria where Butterfly says goodbye to her son.

Well, I hope this pictoral summary brought you some nice memories!

Opening Night!

2009-03-28T10:42:00.001-07:00

Oh. My. Word.

What an AMAZING performance. Everything seemed to go perfectly - and the performances - I was just overwhelmed.

I will post photos as soon as I am coherant!

Laurie Justus Pace, artist of 'Un bel di"

2009-03-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of Laurie from her website: http://ellepace.com/Laurie_Pace.html

Earlier this year, when James Stahlman (who filled in for me when I was out caring for my injured daughter) was soliciting artists to submit art work for our A Night in Monaco project, Laurie's work came to our attention. Artists were asked to submit something in line with our Fall Japanese theme for Madama Butterfly; Laurie went a step further, and created something especially for us. We were so excited by it that we asked if we could have the rights to use it in our marketing efforts, to which she very graciously agreed. Further, when the piece was auctioned off, the buyer also allowed us to keep it until we could get good photographs of it to use. That meant that the office staff was blessed for a couple month by having it in the office. It's such an amazing piece - the two dimensional rendering really doesn't do it justice.

Here's the story behind the piece: Laurie's grandfather used to play organ to accompany silent films. When she heard we were doing Madama Butterfly, she found his old score, and incorporated the actual pages as the background for the paint.

Here is one piece of it - you can see where the actual pages go, how the paint is layered on top. It's really quite something.

Puccini, from soup to nuts...

2009-03-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

This is the BEST Puccini bio I've found - and rather than re-write (which would have taken FOREVER!!), I've copied it in it's entirety from: http://www.geocities.com/airepuccini_english/BIOGRAPHY.html.

It's long, but worth it!! There is LOTS of information here that I've seen in bits and pieces elsewhere.

Here we go...

BIOGRAPHY OF GIACOMO PUCCINI (1858 - 1924)

Giacomo Puccini was born on December 22th, 1858 in Lucca, Toscana. He was Michele Puccini (1813-1864) and Albina Magi's (1831-1884) sixth child and was baptized with the name of Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo María Puccini. Giacomo belonged to the fifth generation of the remarkable Puccini dynasty which gave the Republic and the Church many composers and organists.

When Giacomo was six years old, his father died and left a widow and seven orphans in poverty. The local authorities of Lucca gave the organist’s job to his uncle Fortunato Magi on the condition that he cede it to Giacomo Puccini when he was prepared. Puccini began his music lessons with his uncle Fortunato, the director of the Instituto musicale Pacini, and then with his Uncle’s teacher, Carlo Angeloni. Since he was a child, Puccini sang in the choir of the Cathedral of San Matino and the church of San Michele, and then at 14 he was able to fill in as organist in the neighborhood.

In 1876, when he was 18 years old, he made an 18-kilometre journey on foot from Lucca to Pisa to see a performance of "Aida". On this occasion he discovered of the world of opera and his future was decided. That same year he composed "Prelude in e minor for orchestra" and in 1877 "Plaudite Populi" for baritone, chorus and orchestra, followed by "Credo" in 1878.

With a scholarship from Queen Margherita and the financial aid of a family, Puccini entered the Milan Conservatory in 1880. Although he was over the age limit for entrance — he was 22 years old — he received good enough marks in the entrance examination to be accepted into the senior composition class. The first year he studied with the famous composer and violinist Antonio Bazzini, one of the few Italian musicians with a European background. Puccini composed a string quartet for him in the style of Mendelssohn. The next year he began study with Ponchielli. Ponchielli, composer of the opera "La Gioconda", awakened Puccini's interest in the theatre and encouraged him to compose operas. He did all he could to develop and promote Puccini's career as an opera composer.

In addition to the lessons with his principal teacher Ponchielli, Puccini had the chance in Milan to rub elbows with illustrious interpreters of the time. The encounters and conversations with them were most interesting. His young intelligence was enriched considerably by the performances that he witnessed. In fact, his true passion for opera had already begun when he went to Pisa to see the performance of Verdi's Aida.

The fruits of his study at the Conservatory were Preludio Sinfonico and Capriccio Sinfonico, with which he graduated in 1883 with the degree "Maestro di Musica". Both works show rich orchestral imagination and his characteristic harmony and melody.

Franchetti, Mascagni and Puccini

Through Ponchielli, Puccini met his first librettist, Ferdinando Fontana. Their first collaboration was "Le Villi". Puccini wrote this opera while still a student to participate in a competition announced by Sonzogno in 1882. Although he failed to win, this opera attract the attention of Giulio Ricordi who not only published the score, but also arranged the première at Teatro del Verme in Milán. The première was so successful that the Teatro della Scala accepted it for the following season. With this production Ricordi established a lasting relationship with Puccini and commissioned him to compose his second opera, "Edgar".

At the age of 25, Puccini met Elvira, the wife of a rich merchant of Lucca, who decided to exchange her safe bourgeois existence for the freedom of an artist’s life. She left Lucca with her daughter to live together with Puccini at Monza. Puccini's only son, Antonio, was born on December 23rd 1886. Elvira, who was endowed with both beauty and a strong will, endured all kinds of criticism from a strict Catholic society and took upon herself the impoverished life she chose. Nevertheless, the relationship could not be legalized until 1904, after the death of her husband.

After almost 4 years of work, Puccini's second opera, "Edgar", was premiered in 1889. However it was not a success due to a weak libretto. Puccini had to revise the score several times. This failure was a hard blow for Puccini because he was 31 years old and another failure would mean the end of his career. His publisher, Giulio Ricordi, told him "Remember, Puccini, you are at the most difficult moment of your artist life.... I will not allow you to stagnate .... We must stop torturing ourselves, start working and attempt to find a good subject and a good librettist."

The composer wrote on April 3rd 1890 to his younger brother Michele, who was in Argentina: "If you could find a way for me to earn money, I would join you. Are there any possibilities? I'll give up all I have here. Write me frequently and tell me everything you are doing. .... I worked until 3 o'clock at the early morning yesterday and then ate a meal consisting of a few onions. The theaters here are stingy and the audiences are getting more and more difficult to please. May God help me. I'm prepared to go if you write me. However, I need money for the trip, I warn you." His brother's letter avoided the trip. Michele wrote: "Don't come here. You can not imagine what has happened to me. I have been working like a slave without being able to save any money because of the high cost of living..."

What Puccini did to change his life was to redouble his efforts, this time with "Manon Lescaut". In order to not repeat the mistake he made with "Edgar", Puccini worked with eight librettists (including Ricordi and himself). It was the first time that he picked his own subject, although Ricordi wanted him to change his mind because of fear of comparison with Massenet. , Puccini wanted to translate what Massenet expressed in a French way into Italian terms - with desperate passion. Its première was an immense success which spread outside of Italy. At this glorious moment, the composer told a friend, "I think I understand well the operatic language and the operatic stage. I'm sure I'll succeed in this art." "Manon Lescaut" made Puccini a well-known composer throughout the world. It was performed within a few years in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, St. Petersburg, Madrid and Hamburg, and then in London, Lisbon, Budapest, Prague, Philadelphia, etc. Puccini's financial circumstances were changed completely and allowed him to build his own villa in Torre del Lago.

After the immense successful première of "Manon Lescaut", Puccini wanted to take his brother back to Italy. However this intention was not to be fulfilled. Michele's death was a mystery; the details remain unknown and Puccini, at least in the public eye, never talked about it. On one occasion, Puccini confessed "I always feel melancholy and with a heavy heart. I have no reason for it, but this is how I feel." There are many reasons to suppose that this melancholy had its origin in the loss of his father. The death of his brother in a dramatic condition also left a scar in his heart.

Puccini produced his operas at great intervals because of his fastidiousness in choosing subjects. He was extremely fussy with the text, seldom satisfied, and paid close attention to small nuances so that the delivery of the words and the logical order of the sentences conformed with his wishes. Puccini also involved himself in many matters relating to the production of his operas, from selecting singers and conductors to supervising rehearsals. He did all he could to be present at all the rehearsals and performances. After "Manon Lescaut", the problem of librettists was solved by Ricordi. He secured for Puccini the team of Luigi Illica, who worked out the plot and drafted the dialogue, and Giuseppe Giacosa, who put the lines into verse. The first fruit of their collaboration was "La Bohème", based on Henry Murger's novel "Scènes de la vie de Bohème."

Puccini and Toscanini

At first, his colleague, Leoncavallo, offered him the libretto, but Puccini, probably thinking that it couldn't be good enough, declined it, and suggested that he set it to music himself. That was exactly what Leoncavallo did, and this led Puccini to decide to compose the opera after all. Although Puccini had a comfortable life at Torre del Lago, and enjoyed the companionship of his friends in the village - they founded the "Club la Bohème" - the composer worked as quickly as his librettists did. The opera was premiered before Leoncavallo's. Although Puccini preferred a more famous conductor, he accepted Ricordi's recommendation of a young musical director of the Teatro Regio, Arturo Toscanini. The premiere was a success, but not so great as "Manon Lescaut". The critics gave this opera a cool reception. Nevertheless, the public took to La Bohème more and more enthusiastically with each performance and finally the maestro triumphed with the production in Palermo. This opera was acclaimed in the biggest theatres of the world within two years, even if it took a few seasons longer to become established in Vienna. Gustav Mahler, who had just joined the Vienna Court Opera as conductor, was sent to Venice in May 1897 to hear the world premiere of Leoncavallo’s and a performance of Puccini’s Bohème. He reported back to the director of the opera that Puccini’s version was by far the better of the two works ("One measure of Puccini is worth more than all of Leoncavallo"), however director Jahn was on good terms with Leoncavallo and had already decided to produce Leoncavallo’s version. After Mahler took over as director of the Court Opera, he produced Puccini’s Bohème in 1903.

In 1889 Fontano, the librettist of "Le Villi" and Edgar", suggested "La Tosca" to Puccini as the subject of a new opera, but it took time for the publisher Ricordi to arrange for the rights to the play. While negotiations proceeded, Puccini worked on "Manon Lescaut" and "La Bohème". Since the author of "La Tosca", Victorien Sardou, didn't like Puccini's music — in fact, he only listened to fragments of "Le Villi" and "Edgar" — Ricordi acquired the play for Alberto Franchetti, Puccini's rival, and Luigi Illica. At first, Puccini was not so interested in "Tosca" because he still had qualms about the subject matter, but the interview of Franchetti and Illica with Sardou in Paris, and the assistance of Verdi there, awakened Puccini's interest, and he decided that he wanted to compose Tosca after all. This may have been what Ricordi had intended, believing that Puccini would have more success. At last, Ricordi diplomatically dissuaded Franchetti from setting it to music, which left Puccini free to compose the opera with Illica as librettist.

Although Puccini had to interrupt his work for trips abroad to supervise rehearsals and be present at performances of "Manon Lescaut" and "La Bohème", he continued the composition, including going to Rome to listen to the church bells in the early morning, talking to priests about details of the liturgy of the "Te Deum", and consulting Luigi Zanazzo, poet and librarian, for the lines of the shepherd's song. The premiere was successful, and like "Manon Lescaut" and "La Bohème", this piece became one of the best-known operas in the repertory of the major opera houses of the world.
David Belasco's play "Madama Butterfly" left a deep impression on Puccini when he saw it in London, 1900, although the composer didn't understand English. The following year Puccini sent an Italian translation of the story to Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa with whom he convinced Ricordi to undertake this project. The work was complicated by Giacosa's health problems in May 1901 and the automobile accident in which Puccini was involved on February 25, 1903. The maestro was confined to a wheel chair for 8 months and then he was diagnosed with diabetes, from which he would never completely recover. However, Puccini returned to composing as soon as he could. In the course of composition, he became more and more interested in all about Japan, including discussed with the wife of the Japanese ambassador about the authentic motives of Japanese folk songs, and consulted Japanese actresses on tour in Milan about the details of Butterfly's behavior.

Nevertheless, the première did not enjoy the success that Puccini expected. It was a fiasco. Puccini said: "It was a real lynching. Those cannibals didn't listen to one note. What a horrible orgy of madmen, drunk with hate! But my Butterfly will not die. It is the most deeply felt and imaginative opera I have yet conceived."

Immediately Puccini and his librettists started working and revising the whole opera. The second act was divided into two parts and some details were eliminated from the first one. The revised version was a great success.

When Puccini arrived in Argentina in 1905, he was not the struggling young artist with the foolish idea of emigrating to escape poverty, but rather a famous and successful maestro who would soon be present at performances of his five operas - "Edgar", "Manon Lescaut", La Bohème", "Madama Butterfly" and "Tosca" - under the musical direction of Leopoldo Mugnone and Arturo Toscanini.

One of the reasons for the silence of six years between the premières of "Madama Butterfly" and "La Fanciulla del West" was the death of a servant girl named Doria Manfredi. The friendship which developed between the composer and this girl led to rumors in the village and incited his wife's jealousy. At last, the maestro went away to Rome, supposedly for musical reasons. A short time after his departure, on January 28th 1909, Doria committed suicide by taking poison. The post mortem examination certified her virginity. Thereupon Elvira, Mrs. Puccini, was condemned to prison for several months for libel and the couple was fined a large sum for damages and injury.

Puccini, Toscanini, David Belasco, and Guilio Gatti Casazzo

When Puccini went to America in 1907 to attend the rehearsals and premières of his four operas at the Metropolitan Opera, he was looking for a new subject for his next opera and took the opportunity to see several plays while staying in New York, including three by David Belasco. One was "Madama Butterfly" and the other was "La Fancuilla del West". The history of the West impressed him, and after his friend Sybil Seligman had translated the play into Italian, he decided to use it as the basis for his new opera. At that time, one of his old librettists, Giuseppe Giacosa, had died, and conflicts with the other, Luigi Illica, led him to engage a new collaborator, Carlo Zangarini. Nevertheless, Zangarini completed only two acts and Puccini had to seek help from Guelfo Civinini, who wrote the third act according to the composer's suggestions and revised all that Zangarini had written. The orchestration was finished in July, 1910, and Puccini and his son, Tonio, sailed to New York for the première, which was a great success. The music of "La Fanciulla del West" is the most progressive and most modern that Puccini had written. Within a short time, the opera was premiered in Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, etc. and was performed at the Met in the following three seasons.

1912 was a sad year for Puccini. The publisher, Giulio Ricordi, who had encouraged and promoted his opera career, died. Puccini’s favorite sister, Ramelda, also died the same year.

Since Offenbach, all composers have tried, at least once, to summon the joyful muse and have attempted an operetta. In truth, Puccini didn't want to compose just an operetta, but a tragic operetta. He said in a letter "I still want to make the audience cry." In the autumn of 1913 Puccini accepted a commission for an operetta from the directors of the Vienna Karltheater. The result was "La Rondine", and it was called "Commedia Lirica", a light-hearted work, with a conversational tone and lyric mood. Some consider it the weakest of his operas because of the lack of the pure Puccinian lyrical melody. The entrance of Italy to the Alliance in the World War I prevented the première of "La Rondine" in Vienna. At last, it was premiered in Monte Carlo in 1917.

The idea of joining various works in an only one constitute an expression of originality. The beginnings belong to a slow process to abandon little by little the conservative world from which Puccini had arisen. "Il Tabarro", "Suor Angelica" and "Gianni Schicchi" remain, with all their harsh realism, sentiment and calmness, a fascinating theatrical idea. For the composer, who started work on "Il Tabarro" in his 50s and completed the project happily with "Gianni Schicchi" in his 60s, this opera represented an important expression of his art.

The première took place in New York because the majority of the artists in Italy were in military service, and operatic life suffered because of this. How he wished that his opera could have been premiered "at home"! He could not travel to the United States, since travel in Europe was dangerous because of mines, and it was also difficult to get a visa. In spite of the absence of the composer, the premiere of "Il Trittico" was a triumphant success, especially "Gianni Schicchi".

During the two years after "Il Trittico", Puccini could not find a subject for a new opera. Various projects were considered. He began setting to music "Christopher Sly" by Giovacchino Forzano, but then gave it up. This desperate situation changed when a conversation turned to "Turandot" during a lunch with Giuseppe Adami, the librettist of "La Rondine" and "Il Tabarro", and Renato Simoni, who had adapted it for the stage. Puccini started working with his librettists, created characters with humanity and deep psychology, and also retained the "Commedia dell'Arte" in the three masks: Ping, Pang, Pong.

The composer began the first act on January 1st 1921, and completed the orchestration in November 1922. While he was working on the orchestration of the second act at the end of 1923, pains in his throat and persistent coughs began to give him trouble. However, the maestro decided to ignore it. In February 1924 he completed the second act. During the following months he worked fast on the orchestration of the third act up to the death of Liù. When the pains were more and more intense, Puccini decided consulting doctors. At first the diagnosis was rheumatic inflammation of the throat. In the autumn of 1924, Puccini began working with Toscanini, who was to be the conductor of the première.
Nevertheless, the two scenes beyond Liù's death were not written, because Puccini wanted to await the definite text of the duet of Turandot and Calaf to compose the transformation of Turandot's personality. On October 8th 1924, two days before he was diagnosed as having throat cancer, the disease that killed him a few weeks laterPuccini accepted, at last, Adami's fourth version of the text of the duet. The composer was sent to a clinic in Brussels on November 4th. There, he continued to work on "Turandot". He was operated on the 24th of the same month, but five days later, he died of heart failure.

When the maestro died on November 29th 1924, he left many pages of drafts for duet and the last scenes of Turandot. Toscanini wanted Riccardo Zandonai to complete this opera, but Puccini's son Tonio objected because he thought Zandonai was too famous. Finally they entrusted it to Franco Alfano who completed the opera six months later.
On the night of the première, after Liù's death when the chorus sang, "Liù, bontà perdona! Liù, docezza, dormi! Oblia! Liù! Poesia!", Toscanini laid down his baton, while the curtain was lowered slowly, and faced the audience with the words "Here ends the opera, because at this point the Maestro died".

The version that Alfano completed was given at the second performance. After Puccini's death, the question of whether "Turandot" should be performed as an incomplete opera or in Alfano's version was still undecided.

Two years after his death, Puccini’s remains were moved to the village of Torre del Lago, where the Puccini museum now stands.

Staging rehearsals

2009-03-12T10:52:00.001-07:00

We are into our second week of staging rehearsals, which don't take place at the PAC, but at a local church. Our staging manager, Eugene Hutchins, measures out the rehearsal space and marks the equivalent stage space with masking tape. For the first two weeks, it's about who needs to be where, and when, and what they are singing & how they are singing it, when they get there. Did that make any sense at all? Maybe these photos will help...

Our first singer arrived Monday the 9th, and got to spend a warm March day exploring downtown SLO. Several more artists arrived Tuesday the 10th, and rehearsals began in earnest. Our rehearsal reports, care of Eugene, are always informative for me - telling me what's coming up the next day or so, and whether there are any glitches that the office can help with.

Eugene also gets the task of coordinating all the schedules - especially difficult when it comes to interviews and appearances for the cast, working around rehearsals. Just this morning, he had to work around a photo shoot with the Tribune photographer. You should see the results on that one this Thursday, when they have told us we'll be on the cover of Ticket! Yay, Tribune!!

Where to find our Butterflies...

2009-03-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

I've thought that perhaps some would like to know where and when we will be having public appearances where you can get more info, perhaps some in-depth material, about the opera.

San Luis Obispo County Public Access Channel (Channel 20) has a show created from Artistic Director Robert Ashens' recent talk at Opera Lovers Meet, with a private interview that followed. There will be several showings: The first is coming tonight at 7:30 p.m., I believe. Then Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

Maestro Ashens will appear on KCBX (90.1 FM) Wednesday, March 18 at 1 pm on a pledge break during their campaign. PRO has donated 5 pairs of tickets as premiums, so check out their pledge drive and support KCBX! The KCBX pledge drive runs from March 16 to 28. Additionally KCBX will be running many short sponsorship spots during the month, on Morning Edition, Afternoon Classics and All Things Considered.

The Tribune will be publishing a piece on Madama Butterfly on Thursday, March 19th, with exclusive interviews. Both Butterfly and Pinkerton! Have you seen our beautiful ads?

We'll also be at Farmer's Market on tomorrow, March 12. Our booth will be at 740 Higuera in front of the Gold Concept store, starting at 5:30 p.m. Stop by to lend your support!!

KCOY television plans to tape our school children's matinee on Wednesday March 26th. 900+ 4th, 5th and 6th graders attending the opera! It's going to be really special, as we're inviting a daiko drum group to perform while the children are getting off the bus!

KCPR (Cal Poly Radio, 91.3 FM) will interview Robert Ashens on March 19th at 11 a.m.

Join. Experience. Meet. Discover.... Opera

2009-03-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

Opera Companies all over the United States are finding their young professional patrons are needing a way to contact with other folks like them. So PRO is sponsoring several get-togethers to help start a local group - here is their message:

Young Opera and Classics Lovers:

The Young Professional's Group is a place where people can get together, discuss & demystify opera, and generally enjoy themselves.

Opera and Classical music are beautiful and incredibly intimidating at the same time. Most people stay away because they've never had a chance to encounter Opera and Classical music in a relaxed situation.

One thing that most people have never realized about opera is that most opera was not written for or about "gentle persons." Indeed, the most famous operas of all time were all written about the lower classes in very shady situations. The Marriage of Figaro and The Barber of Seville are both political satires about nobility and the foibles of the high and mighty. La Traviata and Tosca are tales of prostitutes, hedonism and rape.

Last, but not least, opera singers, choristers, and directors are as normal as everyone else. I know one singer who collects comic books. I know another who is a "surfer girl." There is another who teaches at the University level and is a semi-professional cook. For every "diva" and "opera purist" there are ten normal people who happen to love singing and performing in pure operatic style.

The young adult group meets four times a month. It's not necessary that you make all meetings. The point is that every week there is something to do, and people to talk with. Opera is fun to enjoy by yourself, but it's better with a group of friends. Once a month, we try to do something a bit fancy. Something to bring a date or friends to, or just a reason to get dressed up and drink wine.

The entire point of this group can be summed up in the following words: "Have fun, drink wine, enjoy opera."

Our first two events:

Friday, March 13 at The Black Sheep Bar and Grill on Marsh St in SLO. 7 p.m. A get-acquainted and launch meeting.

Saturday March 28, Backstage at the PAC: A post-show reception in the green-room - backstage at the PAC on closing night, just for our group. We are expecting visits by Maestro Robert Ashens, and perhaps a few of the singers. If you're interested in joining us, here are the requirements: You must be an adult under the age of 40. And be prepared to show your ID, as wine will be served, along with savories. As attendance is limited, please call the PRO office before March 27th to secure your invitation. No membership required.

If you're a Facebook member, check out our event page: Young Professional's Group Opening

The Orchestra

2009-03-05T17:36:00.000-08:00

Just as our chorus is an integral part of PRO, so is our orchestra. Many of our local musicians have performed with us over the years, some of them for many years. My database, which tracks musician participation back to 1991, finds at least one of our Butterfly musicians played with us in the 1991 production, The Abduction from the Seraglio. She must have been a teenager.

Our orchestra for Madama Butterfly will be 36 members. They will have quite a task, as the music for Madama Butterfly normally calls for an orchestra of 50 - but we will use a standard reduction, as is appropriate to our venue.

Jane Swanson, who plays horn with the SLO Symphony has been of great service (I can't use the word instrumental here, can I?) in putting together the orchestra for Butterfly, using her contacts in SLO County to pull together the best possible group. We couldn't have done this without her. We are still working on the last couple of positions - we're short two, possibly three violinists. But rehearsals start this week, so I'm not sure we're going to find them in time.

It never ceases to amaze me of the caliber of the musicians in our area. These players get together for just five rehearsals before opening night. Can you imagine that??? I can't. And then they create the amazing sound that, with our wonderful singers, brings us to tears.

This year we had an extra task - the music scores that Maestro Ashens owns, and were being stored in Eugene, his former residence - had disappeared, so we were force to scrounge for music. We ended up doing an exchange with Livermore Valley Opera (supertitles for music - thank you Raquel!) and a loan from San Francisco Lyric Opera. Thanks to those wonderful folks, we had our music (although just barely in time!) for our musicians to pick up.

I just love the excitement of the musicians about a particular piece - you can hear it in their voices (whether spoken or written) and when I get to see them, you get to see it in the faces. I have never had quite that experience in my own life, so it's really wonderful to see it in others.

Just one more piece in the puzzle that is opera.

Our advisors

2009-03-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

Some local folks are helping us to create as honest a depiction of Japan in the 1900's as is possible within our budget.

These are:

Kaoru Miyanouci, Production Advisor, will assist us with props, costumes. hair, movement, etc.. As Kaoru is also playing in the orchestra, her advice will be during staging rehearsals only, a critical time to make sure we get it right from the beginning.

Barbara Mori, Kimono Advisor, is not only loaning us many kimono for the production, but will also teach chorus members the rather complicated process of donning a kimono during their rehearsals. She has also volunteered as a dresser for the production itself. (Did you know that the plural of kimono is kimono?) Barbara is also a teacher of Chinese calligraphy, and loaned us several pieces for display at our Night of the Butterfly Gala in January.

Our Cio-Cio San

2009-02-26T19:53:00.000-08:00

Soprano Carol Ann Manzi will grace our stage with her performance as Butterfly. We heard Carol Ann at two of our concerts last summer, Opera on the Terrace and Opera in the Vineyards. If you were fortunate enough to hear the final aria at Opera in the Vineyards, you were lucky indeed. As Carol Ann, Sally Mouzon (Suzuki in Butterfly) and Christopher Bengochea wandered through the audience singing, I know that I, and those around me, felt swept up into the performances. It was really magical.

Most recently, she performed at our Night of the Butterfly Gala in a memorable preview of Butterfly's most famous aria, "Un bel di." More than one person was dabbing their eyes by the time she was done.

Carol Ann first performed the role with Abeline Opera, and has also sung with Connecticut Opera, Eugene Opera, Sarasota Opera and the Tanglewood Music Festival among others. Ms. Manzi is a cancer survivor who provides key-note speeches for organizations across the United States. I invite you to visit her website: carolannmanzi.com. There you can read some wonderful reviews as well as getting more information about her singing and speaking.

Ross Halper, man of many talents

2009-02-24T20:08:00.000-08:00

Director Ross Halper has worked with us for many years, as concert soloist, stage director and mainstage performer. This season we heard him sing some very funny pieces at our Broadway by the Sea concert - and we'll hear him again during Butterfly, in the role of Goro. Like many a great, Ross will both direct and sing in this production.

Ross has also directed quite a few shows with us - Don Giovanni 2005 and Hansel & Gretel 2006 to name a couple. His quiet humor and flair for comedy are just two of his talents. These are part of why he is so successful at putting together a task of disparate personalities, and creating a unified production, seamless in execution.

As the weeks go forward, I will be bringing you updates from rehearsals - maybe even a couple of rehearsal photos if I can get permission...

Expanding your knowledge...

2009-02-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Opera America has a wonderful resource: online learning - check it out!

http://www.operaamerica.org/Content/Archive/OnlineLearning/butterfly/index.html

The history of the story...

2009-02-21T18:02:00.000-08:00

From Tabloid to Opera: The Genesis of Butterfly’s Story. The road to the creation of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly begins with a reportedly true story, and continues through a series of re-tellings to become one of operas iconic works. The story began as a true account of the life of Tsuru Yamamura, a Japanese woman who had a son with an English merchant. Abandoned, she attempted suicide, and ultimately the child was taken not to America, but to Nagasaki. John Luther Long, an American lawyer, romanticized and inflated the story and published it as an article in Century Magazine in 1898. His story is very close to Madama Butterfly, save the fact that Butterfly’s suicide is not successful, and she disappears with the child rather than allow him to be taken by his father. His story was undoubtedly influenced by the 1887 faux memoir Madame Chysanthème by French naval officer Pierre Loti. Loti takes a far less kind view of his Japanese geisha, who is interested only in the riches she can extract from him, and the final scene shows Chrysanthème counting her money and waiting for her next “husband”. Felix Regamey, outraged at the tone of the novel, wrote the reactionary novel in 1894, Le cahier rose de Mme Chrysansthème, a sympathetic reaction told from geisha’s perspective. These stories, and many like them, were at the forefront of popular culture. David Belasco, an American playwright and producer, was inspired to write a one-act play in 1900 as a companion piece to a farce Naughty Anthony. In Belasco’s version, the play begins with the abandoned Butterfly of Act II, and three elements, Butterfly’s silent vigil, her ultimate suicide and Pinkerton’s delayed return were added by Belasco to build the dramatic thrust of the piece. Puccini, who saw the play performed in English and could scarcely understand the dialogue, was intensely moved by the arch of the story. In the hands of his librettists Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, the events of Act I were created, as well as text far more poetic than Belasco’s sensational drama. At one point during the exploration of libretto, Illica had created an additional act set in the consulate, but Puccini demanded its omission, insisting that “the drama must close without interruption – rapid, effective, horrible.” Ultimately, the story, realized in so many ways, found its most sensitive home in Puccini’s opera, imperfect in its Japanese references perhaps, but most certainly true to the tragic events that befell the original characters.

From: Orchestra London, 609 Wellington Street, London, ON, N6A 3R6 519-679-8778
http://www.orchestralondon.ca

Found at Wikipedia.org

From now to Butterfly...

2009-02-20T21:25:00.000-08:00

I'm having fun learning all kinds of things about Butterfly - so I'm going to share! For the next month, the blog will include a series of articles about the opera, the cast, and more.

Coming next: From Tabloid to Opera: The Genesis of Butterfly’s Story.

A Butterfly approaches

2009-02-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Now that the cast is all set, and we're homing in on the orchestra and chorus, it's getting pretty busy around the office! Housing, music, tracking paperwork, helping to make sure everyone gets the information they require --- there's always something to do.

Today we had the unexpected and most annoying experience of having a fax machine call into our office about 30 times. No exaggeration - it started first thing in the morning and went all day.

We're getting ready for the biggest media blitz we've ever done - well, it's a blitz by our modest standards anyway! Watch the papers! Watch the TV! Listen to the radio! Watch your email and your mailbox! Hopefully, you'll be seeing a lot of our beautiful "Un bel di" art in a lot of different places, and even more hopefully, it will encourage you to remember to encourage your friends to come!

Many, many thanks to artist Laurie Justus Pace for giving us permission to use her painting (entitled "Un bel di", and utilizing a score which belong to her late grandfather as the background collage to the painting), and for art owner Dr. James Longo for loaning "Butterfly" to us for so long.

Whew!

2009-02-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

I'm grateful that our Night of the Butterfly Gala is over - these fundraisers are always SO much work, and they just burn everyone out. It was an incredibly fun event, though.

Now it's back to getting ready for Madama Butterfly. We are so excited about early sales being so good, even in this most challenging of times. I know it's going to be a wonderful production. If you were at Night of the Butterfly, you got to see our Cio-Cio San, Carol Ann Manzi, perform two arias from Butterfly. I don't exaggerate when I say that no fewer than three people were brought to tears by her performance. And those are just the people on my side of the room.

We are in the midst of putting our paper storage items into plastic bins and then we're going to rearrange our storage unit to fit everything in better - so the office is full of bins. At least we're past the pre-gala stage where everyone was dropping their donations off at the office - it got so bad you could barely get around in there! Well, I guess with the bins and all, it's that way again. It will feel SO good to have everything finally organized.

Night of the Butterfly Gala

2009-01-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

Coming in January is our Night of the Butterfly Gala, a Japanese-themed event which promises to be a slightly different, and really special event. The Hayashi Family, a third generation family involved in San Luis Obispo county in the fields of agriculture, law and medicine, are our honorary hosts for the evening.

I am always excited about the creativity that goes into planning our January events - whether they be balls or galas, and this year we've really taken it to a new level.

In planning this year's event, we've tried to really listen to our patrons, so we've simplified the event so that it will give you a lot more time to socialize with your friends and enjoy the evening with less interruption. We are including performances from this year's two Vocal Scholarship Competition winners, of course, and will have a couple of stunning live-auction packages, but we've left off our "Sing for your Supper" this year to give more time for our patrons to visit, or perhaps enjoy some of the other things we're preparing.

These include a beautiful display of kimono, including very special antique kimono as well as simply stunning contemporary ones. You'll also be given the opportunity to try your hand at calligraphy and origami, learn about the raising of the lovely orchids from a master. There will be orchids at each table in an Ikebana centerpiece which you can enjoy - these will be available after the event as part of our fundraising efforts. Our own Board Member Sharon Harris Schneider has arranged for an art project that's hard to describe accurately - let's just say we've provided the laquered boxes to several area artists, and they've done the rest. I'm including the photos Sharon recently sent me of her own (rather stunning!) box to give you an idea of what I mean.

I'll be posting more information as it becomes available, but in the meantime, Happy New Year!

Back in the saddle

2008-12-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

I promised some photos from Figaro, and here they are! Sorry it took so long!

Between the opera and end of year stuff, the office has been crazy!

We're coming up on our 2009 year - with exciting operas like Madama Butterfly in March 2009 and La bohème in October - and this coming January, a very fun and unique Gala - Night of the Butterfly.

I have to admit that I am a lover of Japanese arts - calligraphy (a recent convert), origami (since I was a kid), kimono and more. So that's what we've incorporated into our January 24th event. More to come!

Post-opera letdown

2008-11-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

The high is over - the stress is released - and the details are finishing up. It's always a bittersweet ending when the artists have left and just the clean-up left to do.

Figaro was wonderful to see, hear and experience from backstage. While we found Friday to be less than smooth, since we had a very small crowd due to Halloween, we weren't too upset by it. Saturday, however, seemed to be just perfect to me. I loved the singers! Not only were they fabulous onstage, but I found the entire cast to be kind and authentic people backstage. What a cast! Kudos to Jill Anderson for the casting, kudos to Ross Halper for his amazing staging!

I will be posting more info, and a few photos, when I return from my nice, long vacation to Florida.

Almost there...

2008-10-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

These last weeks have been so much fun! I've never been so involved with the creative aspects of the opera, and it has been SUCH a gas! Yesterday I got to watch an Act I run-through - this is going to be SUCH a funny opera! Ross (Halper, Stage Director) has been doing some amazing things with his staging. I won't give it away, but you really should come see it.

Understand, I don't actually DO anything on the creative side - but I am helping administer, and being kept apprised of everything that is going on.

I love to listen to early rehearsals - and know that the great things we're hearing are just a fraction of the final performance. When dress rehearsals come and the singers really sing full voice - oh my, what a treat.

The artists arrive...

2008-10-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the day most of our artists arrived - getting settled, meeting their homestay hosts, getting acquainted. Our Meet 'n Greet was last evening, very convivial! I really enjoyed the opportunity to chat in a relaxed way with everyone, get reacquainted with those I know, meet those I don't. There are so many stories behind each person here - a roomful of stories - so I'm asking the cast if they are interested in posting here. What does my audience think of the idea?

Ramping up for Figaro

2008-10-04T09:29:00.001-07:00

It's always SO exciting when we're getting to the countdown for our next opera. In this case, it's especially fun because I have such a learning curve when it comes to production questions - although I am not involved in the actual production, I just love learning about the process, and I am lucky enough to be able to be a 'fly on the wall' in production meetings and copied on emails. You'd be amazed at the level of commitment and excitement that I feel from these emails. And the myriad of details - oh my!

And then there's MY part of preparing for the production - the unenviable tasks of asking for underwriting in a time when the stock market has everyone very worried about the near future. I do love the fact that our patrons are all willing to help where they can - almost none have said no, and many who have never given or not for several years are deciding to support us this year. I am really grateful! We still have quite a ways to go, and not much time to get there, so wish me luck!

Back to the daily grind

2008-09-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

Now that our Summer Series is over, it's back to business - grant writing, preparing for Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro for those of us who don't read Italian!) and fundraising. Last Thursday evening was the last of the two phone-a-thons we had scheduled. It really isn't my favorite thing to do, but I try to remember that the people we're calling are opera patrons - friends of opera as it were - and while I do have to do that awful ask-for-money thing, I also love the opportunity to renew acquaintances and make new friends.

I'm really excited about the early sales reports we've had for Nozze - very promising. If you have favorite seats, I'd recommend getting them early. Most of our San Luis Obispo patrons tend to wait till the last minute to get their tickets, and I have a funny feeling that they'll be disappointed to find the best seats are already taken...

On another topic, I'm having so much fun being involved (as a bystander, of course) with the whole production process of opera. I'd have to say I've learned more about the process of making opera this last two months as I have in the last two years or more. So much detail work to be accomplished before anyone even arrives! And here's something I love - we're able to do more and more using our computers (being the techie I am) in support of other aspects of production than before.

Opera in the Vineyards

2008-09-22T14:33:00.001-07:00

What an amazing concert! I do hope other attenders will share their comments about this one in the comments section of the blog, because it is definitely a concert experience that needs to be shared.

Where to begin??? The venue: Robert Hall Winery is a truly beautiful facility, and the Meritage Room provided the perfect place for this concert. The acoustics were just lovely, there is this amazing chandelier, and the ceiling had the most amazing coloring.

The singers: Oh yes, the singers. All I can say is that if you missed this one, your really missed out. Christopher Bengochea (a new father with a one-month old son) gave an outstanding performance, both vocally and dramatically. Carol Ann Manzi, who will play Butterfly in our March 2009 production of Madama Butterfly, gave us a wonderful preview of the fabulous show that's in store for us next year. And Sally Mouzon, who was new to PRO, showed us exactly why San Francisco Opera has chosen her for so many productions. All in all, I would have to say this was a truly remarkable performance all the way around.

So for this amazing concert, I have so many people to thank! Robert Hall, for the kind donation of his facility for our concert, and his staff for their amazing facilitation - not one hitch!! My staff; Julia Longo, Carolyn Mason and Brighton Hushing-Kline, and Board Member Melissa Mertogul for going above and beyond in every way during set-up, welcoming our patrons and clean-up. Our volunteers: Tim Mertogul, Remzi Mertogul, Kylie Mason and Bob Hushing-Kline, for their fabulous work in parking, set-up and take-down.

And lastly, to Robert Ashens, for his outstanding artistic leadership in not only putting this concert together, but also his deft and humorous narration. And as always, his wonderful accompaniment that left me in awe of his skills.

And, irritatingly enough, yes I forgot my camera. Again.

A powerful moment in cinema and opera

2008-09-09T14:21:00.001-07:00

We came across this little video clip on youtube. You should check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSzatzy8WvM

The piece you will hear is "Sual'aria, Che soave zeffiretto," sung by Anna Moffo as Susanna and Elizabeth Schwarzkopf as the Countess.

A sellout concert!

2008-09-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

Figaro and Friends was just fabulous! Our Figaro & Susanna (Steve Pence & Angela Cadelago) did one really cute scene from Le nozze di Figaro (Cinque, dieci, venti, trenta) that we all enjoyed very much. Marcellina (Karen Dunn) & Susanna performed Via, resti servita, madama brillante - Meow! - made me really look forward to our October production.

I had this moment early in the evening while I was listening to the singers warm up - kind of hard to describe - when I said to myself "I get to work for a company this does this!

Our next concert is Opera in the Vineyards, October 21st Sunday, at Robert Hall Winery. A really gorgeous facility, if you haven't been there before. What a great way for an end-of-summer day!

And here's a real treat - we just found out that Christopher Bengochea will be performing! Chris, former resident artist at Opera San Jose, 2005-2008 (and new father!), did the role of Cavarodossi in PRO's 2005 Tosca, and is a fabulous tenor. Carol Ann Manzi, the wonderful soprano we recently heard at Opera in the Terrace, will join him. Keep watching the blog for the new news.

More Figaro & Friends - insider tidbits

2008-09-02T18:32:00.001-07:00

I found out today that not only are Dennis & Sharon going to be serving champagne, but Megan Loring is doing the catering... YUM!

But if you're going to order tickets, you need to do it soon!

And here's one more insider bit - it looks like our singers may be in costume!

Our other featured singers are Angela Cadelago (Susanna) and Karen Dunn (Marcellina).

Figaro & Friends on the horizon

2008-08-31T10:03:00.001-07:00

I'm really looking forward to our next concert, Figaro & Friends. Not only is it going to be at the amazing home of some wonderful folks, Dennis & Sharon Schneider, but it will be featuring 3 of our leads from Octobers production of "Le Nozze di Figaro" (The Marriage of Figaro). I remember hearing Steve Pence (Figaro) since in one of our prior productions, and I remember thinking how striking his voice was. He sang Baron Douphol in our Spring 2007 production of La Traviata. I think those of you who were there will remember!

Broadway by the Sea recap

2008-08-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

Oh, my, what a great day! The weather was just lovely - sunny but not too hot - and the music - well, it was one of the most memorable concerts I've attended with PRO. Of course the Chapman House grounds were just perfect - the begonias were in full bloom and the gardens were groomed to a 'T'. Even the pelicans cooperated by flying by from time-to-time.

Sarah Kleeman's humorous rendition of "Taylor, the Latte Boy" was definitely a favorite! Paul Sahuc's wonderful baritone graced us with such favorites as "Impossible dream", and Ross Halper's musical antics had us in stitches. Robert Ashens' talented accompaniment was just the perfect foil to the day - even before the concert, we got to enjoy his wonderful gifts.

Last Minute Excitement!

2008-08-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

Robert (Ashens, our Artistic Director) notified me that our soprano for the Broadway concert this weekend has laryngitis, and for just a few minutes, we had a problem. Then we quickly remembered a happy circumstance ... mezzo soprano Sarah Kleeman, a SLO native, is in town and was available for this weekend! She graciously agreed to step in. Sarah is currently scheduled for our Le Nozzi di Figaro next October, in the role of Cherubino, so this is a wonderful opportunity for people to not only enjoy a great afternoon in Shell Beach, but also to get to hear our Cherubino!

Saturday's Broadway by the Sea

2008-08-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

The forecast calls for good weather - neither too hot nor too cold. But as always at Chapman House, be prepared! The sun may be bright, and it can really chill down after the fog rolls in. Especially since this is a mid-afternoon concert.

Oh, and the begonias are in full bloom! Exquisite!

The concert should be fabulous. We've added tenor Ross Halper, who PRO fans will know as a fine director, to our singers - his comic abilities will really add something to our day.

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Broadway by the Sea

2008-08-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

First a recap - An Evening in Monaco was lovely. I was so surprised at how much fun everyone was having at the gaming tables! The cabaret music in the background (GREAT singing!), and the noisy excitement from the winners (and losers!) - it just set a great tone for the evening. Very fun.

Broadway by the Sea is coming up in just a little more than a week - August 23rd. Our singers are soprano Carol Ann Manzi, baritone Paul Sahuc and tenor Ross Halper. Repertoire will include the popular greats of Broadway and operetta; light spirits will float on the sea breezes at Chapman House!

Some selections include:

Some Enchanted Evening (SOUTH PACIFIC)
Make Believe (SHOWBOAT)
I'll see you again (BITTERSWEET, Noel Coward)

The early table seating has sold out, but we've made arrangements for a few more tables at a slightly higher price. I can't wait! If you've never been to Chapman House, you're really in for a treat.

An Evening in Monaco

2008-08-09T10:39:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to tonight's event for several reasons - one: it's the last event in what has been a very loooong week, and two: I can't wait to see all that great art & jewelry that I've only been getting glimpses of in the past weeks.

I think it's going to be really nice - kind of a great way to have fun after a busy week. There's one piece of art in particular that has been in my office this week that I'm really going to miss. We already have an early bidder who can't be there tonight - I'm glad for them, as it is one of those stunning pieces that deserves a home that will appreciate it. I'm sure that just as that piece is for me, there are others for you... come and see! Our tickets are $50 in advance (call the office - I'm not there, but I'll be checking in several times today) to make an advance reservation, or $75 at the door.

I hope to see you there!

Tonight's Opera Camp performance

2008-08-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the big night for the 2008 Opera Camp students. For the first time, these students have actually created their own opera from scratch. There is no fee, and the performance at Grace Church will begin at 7 p.m.

Here's what Robert has to say about the 'construction' process.
[Wednesday's preview at The Gardens]

"About PRO’s Summer Opera Camp 2008…..

"Since its start in 1997, the Summer Opera Camp has always featured established works, either adaptations, (such as Magic Flute, The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, Pirates of Penzance), or works for youths (e.g. The Piper of Hamelin, Cinderella, Brundibar). This is the first summer that the work, The Criminal, an opera in two parts, was written by the participants themselves.

"The original plan for Summer 08 was to use Ned Rorem’s Fables, Five Short Operas, as a teaching tool and point of departure, then to have the campers write their own work. We quickly realized that Rorem’s piece was not sufficient for the current talents of the campers, so a more direct approach was employed, one which will now remain as a part of the teaching program.

"Future plans for the Summer Opera Camp will include a two-part program that enables the youngest members to “learn about opera through doing” (particularly appropriate for those who do not have experience in opera production; open to ages 7 and up) and an advanced program for more experienced singers, general age range 12-18 (entrance by audition). It is hoped that the nationally-recognized program Music, Words, Opera, created by Opera America, will become a teaching component as we “grow” PRO’s program.

"This summer’s ten-day program featured master classes that are traditionally used in colleges across the country: acting & line-reading coaching, pantomime, personalized vocal instruction, basic stage movement, improvisation, stage makeup craft, flyer design (ads), props construction, and beginning resumé & headshot instruction. The main attention, however, was given to teaching the construction of (and individual components of) an opera, using a mix of contemporary music sources and traditional, classic opera melodies.

"A special note: it is always a joy to have a graduate return as a teacher. One such person is Katelyn Holliday, who was very valuable to our team this year and we are proud of her! As the two-level program grows, the artists in the advanced program will have the opportunity to teach the beginning-level singers, which will help the younger ones and strengthen the skills of the older ones."

Major fun!

2008-08-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

Today's concert "Opera on the Terrace" was just about the most fun I've had doing a concert yet! Great venue! Open, just a little bit of a breeze, not too hot. Nice crowd, too! Just about filled every chair (since some people sat on benches, in effect it was a sell-out!), and people seemed to really enjoy themselves. The music was just perfect - opera pops - with Robert at the keyboard... wish you all could have been there.

Our reception after the concert (at "taste" downstairs) was really great - everyone got a chance to visit with their friends, the singers, Robert... Just a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

And I got a little bonus. Lunch with the gang! The singers, Robert, Julia & I went over to a Firestone Grill for linner. dunch. Whatever that meal was - it was fun and relaxing and good food.

A new kind of Opera Camp

2008-08-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

This year's opera camp has been such an interesting "discovery" experience for both staff and kids! Robert reports that it's coming together really nicely, with the kids really beginning to understand what it takes to create an opera from scratch. I can't wait to see it!

Tomorrow is our Opera on the Terrace concert - downtown SLO across from First Bank on Higuera. Our singers will be presenting a sort of "Best of Opera" program with pieces ranging from well-known to non-opera folks to the well-known to opera folks! From the Carmen to Pearlfishers. We still have a few seats left, so if you want a chair, you'd best come by 12:30. The concert starts at 1 p.m., and is following by a private reception at "taste". It will include a wine tasting and nibbles. If you're late, have no fear - you're still welcome to sit on the stairs and enjoy the music.

Hope to see you there!!

Opera Camp, songs on the Terrace, and a very special kind of Event

2008-07-25T18:36:00.001-07:00

Next week, we start our annual opera camp. And I'm pleased to say that we have a good sized camp, with a good range of ages. We're doing some things that are very new to PRO - teaching the kids how to create their own opera! Oh my word, if I could just describe how excited the children are when we mention this! It's going to be an excellent project. Our own Robert Ashens will lead the camp with his wonderful style, and we've added a new factor that I think will just bowl the kids over - trained singers, from high school and college through adult, who will be right in there with them, helping them to understand the process even better. I think that their final performance on the last Friday of camp is going to be something we don't want to miss!

In addition to running this camp, Robert is putting together a nice concert for our Opera on the Terrace outdoor concert in downtown SLO at the Court Street Shopping center. You really should come check it out if you can - it's a very public venue, and we're selling tickets just to cover our costs -$10 - basically it gets you a seat so you can rest your feet - just so that people who are new to opera can see that opera is NOT all about the lady in the horns... Oh, and there's a nice reception after the concert, downstairs at the "taste" - wine and nibbles - for another $5. I'm very much looking forward to it.

And then (WOW, are we busy this month, or what??) on Saturday, August 9th we've having a very special kind of fundraiser at Embassy Suites in SLO. I would love to invite you to check out our webpage which has all the details at: http://www.propera.org/html/monaco.html

I hope to see you soon!

Onward!

2008-07-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

Our first concert of the season was just lovely. The young singers were quite enjoyable to listen to, and our audience seemed really appreciative. It was especially nice to see Peggy Peterson there, as she has underwritten the Young Artist Program. This concert is the inaugural effort in that program.

Next in our Summer Series is Opera on the Terrace, featuring professional singers Karen Dunn (local!), Carol Ann Manzi, Paul Sahuc (last seen here in Tosca, as Scarpia) and Danny Singarella. Ms. Manzi & Mr. Singarelli are both new to PRO, but we know you'll enjoy them.

How time flies!

2008-07-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

Amazing - I haven't even blogged since June... Where does the time go?

We're ramping up for the first concert in our series:

Young Artist Showcase

featuring several up-and-coming young singers. It's next Thursday, July 17, at 7 p.m. The location is Grace Church, 1350 Osos Street, San Luis Obispo. Tickets are $20 adults, $10 students and children. And we're offering a 50% web discount on your first ticket, if you call the office and mention the discount.

Now: the singers!

I've known soprano Katelyn Holliday since my very first day with PRO, back in 2002, when I was but a lowly Opera Camp Director. She was a pretty little girl with the voice of an angel, and now she's a beautiful young lady with smarts, skills and a great future ahead of her. Her brother Brian got into singing later than she did, but his lovely baritone has graced the stage of our mainstage operas more than once in our chorus (as has Katelyn's).
Other singers include our own James Stahlman (go James!), whose award-winning tenor gave real support to the chorus in Carmen last April (whose office skills have kept me sane these last months!). Marissa Bloom, who was first place in our 2008 Vocal Scholarship competition - and coincidentally this year's Opera Camp Director - will also share her beautiful soprano with us.
All four of these singers are locals. We are also welcoming soprano Georgia Duan, whose opera experience is both impressive and extensive. Check out her myspace page for details. You can even hear a sample of her voice!
http://www.myspace.com/georgiaduan

I do hope to see you there!

Website

2008-06-23T17:32:00.001-07:00

The new website is up! Come check out our new season! www.propera.org.

From Opera America

2008-06-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

It's beautiful here in Denver - warm and sunny; just what you'd like a Rocky Mountain Spring to be. The Opera America conference is on its second to last day - it's been go-go-go since Tuesday. This conference is a joint conference with several other performing arts disciplines - orchestras, ballet, chorus and theater. 3,500 people! We've taken over nearly the entire Denver Convention Center, which is the largest building I've EVER been in. It can take 15 minutes - inside the building - to walk from one classroom to another. Not kidding.

It's been a wonderful experience - it's my third OA conference, but I seem to be seeing everything with a fresh set of eyes.

Another hint of upcoming program...

2008-06-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

Well, as the SLO staff are working madly finding venues and themes, Robert works from where ever to help us put together a cohesive program, and then has to find the singers and the right pieces for each program. Busy! But I promised a hint - so here it is. This summer is going to be a busy one for PRO. And you're going to have a lot of choices - venue, music, part of the county. Yup. It's gonna be so fun!

A big day...

2008-05-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked a pretty big day for PRO. Jill came and cleaned out her desk... gave me the key and a hug, and she was off. It made me sad in some ways, but I know she's happy - giddy is a word she used - about her new direction. And of course, it's exciting for me too; with the new season shaping up really nicely.

I've been working like a maniac this last week trying to get ready for the new season. Securing venues, working with the team to come up with themes for the concerts... of course, our new Artistic Director, Robert Ashens, will be working just as hard coming up with singers to fill all these concerts! Robert is up in San Francisco this week at the West Coast Opera Auditions seeing lots and LOTS of singers to find just the right artists to fill the roles for next Spring's opera.

Our season brochure is coming along pretty well, too. A fresh new look that I really love, and I hope you will too. It's going to be a year of challenges (but what's new there???) for us, but I'm blessed to have James Stahlman through the end of July, and Julia Longo, our after-school part-timer, will be coming on - maybe even full time - for the summer. Carolyn Mason is writing like a manic this week, preparing for our summer PR releases. How exciting is that?! All kinds of great things happening, and so much fun. I love this job. Something new every day. And with a staff like this, I have such confidence. What a great feeling, as we prepare to launch a new season...

And of course, there's the fact that James, Julia, Carolyn & I spent most of yesterday cleaning and re-arranging the office. I finally have my computer NOT facing a window! No more screen glare for me. Yea! And there's the fact that we moved file cabinets and got to vacuum in places that haven't seen the light of day for years - at least since I got here. Since Carolyn & I both have allergies, that was ... um ... interesting. Lots of Kleenex. James helped me move SO many boxes. We even have a storage unit now - had to bite the bullet on that one, with both Jo Ellen bringing all the PRO glassware & dinnerware to the office, and Jill preparing to clean out her garage of PRO stuff.

And then there's the fact that the Annual Opera America conference is coming up in just two weeks, and I'll be taking a vacation right after that - since my brother lives in the next town over. Last year the conference was in Florida, where my dad lives, and this year in Colorado, where my brother lives! I love it!

So come by the office in early July and see what we're up to. And if you know anybody who has a nice looking oak bookshelf they're getting rid of, it would be so neat if the bookshelf matched those beautiful desks that PRO has...

Best to all -

Mikele

Hints of upcoming events

2008-05-24T07:25:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, Jill (Anderson, PRO's founding Director) is stepping down June 1st. Robert Ashens will be "accepting the baton", and stepping into an exciting 2008-9 season. We're planning our upcoming season with much excitement! While we're keeping our PRO traditions, we'll also be expanding our reach just a little, including more concerts with more varied venues than in recent years.

We hope to announce our season very soon - a great line-up with choices for everyone. We're really quite pleased at how well everything is coming together. Watch this blog for announcements! I expect you'll hear it here first~

May update

2008-05-14T20:01:00.002-07:00

Well, I've decided that this blog needs to have a decidedly less formal flavor. I think I'll start using it for updates on just how things are going at the opera... starting with today!

We had the marvelous opportunity to visit Hearst Castle with the SLO Visitor and Conference Bureau today. Our trip included a quick tour of the gardens at Cambria Pines Lodge (which has a marvelous potential venue for a small concert!) as well as the Hearst Castle tour. Our tour wasn't a public one - we saw some of the public rooms & gardens, but also got to visit the vaults and see the sheds where the restoration materials are created for outdoor restorations - tiles, mouldings and the like. We also made some good contacts for the future, which was, of course, the whole point of the event.

I also had the interesting (yet all too common, I'm afraid) experience of meeting an opera lover from our area who has season tickets elsewhere and yet had never heard of Pacific Repertory Opera. Yikes! What do we have to do??? I'm open for suggestions here - although one of them is to publish a bookmark that we can distribute to every single hotel and inn on the Central Coast... Now to find a printer who can do it for a price we can afford!

Lastly, I thought I'd mention that we are a very short two weeks from our "changing of the guard", when Jill steps down as General Director, and Robert Ashens joins our team as Artistic Director. I'm so excited about the coming months - a new vision, new challenges. We're beginning to plan the season brochure for our 2008-2009 season, which is always such a fun process. As soon as we're ready to give you the news, you'll see it posted here!

Best wishes for some lovely spring days -

Mikele... Mikele Hushing-Kline, Managing Director, Pacific Repertory Opera

Carmen reviewed

2008-04-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

For the first time in many years, one of our operas was finally reviewed by the local paper! See The Tribune's review at http://www.sanluisobispo.com/151/story/324876.html.
Many of you will know that I am a real newcomer to opera, and so I am still amazed at every performance at the depth and clarity of our singer's voices. I can finally say that I "get it!" It was just last year at our La Traviata - during the amazing death scene, I found myself so wrapped up in the glorious singing and music that I just couldn't wait for our next opera!

Our next event is coming up quickly- A Gourmet Soiree - our annual dinner concert at the Monday Club. A great singing line up, and an incredible menu, all with a French twist. This event typically sells out, so make sure to get your tickets early. For more details, check our website!
www.propera.org

Opening night

2008-04-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

Last night's opening of Carmen went without a hitch, thanks to the efforts of all involved. What a wonderful production! Visually stark (in my opinion) and musically lavish - amazing.

We would love to hear your opinions!

Children's Matinee

2008-04-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we opened the PAC doors to approximately 900 children and 200 adults for a matinee for area 5th & 6th graders. Thanks to the generous support from the Avalon Foundation and Bert & Candee Forbes, we were able to not only offer the tickets at a reduced price, but also offer free busing to and from the event. The children were first visited in their schools by Judith Dunlore, who provided background and storyline. When Judith went on stage before the opera began to welcome them, the children welcomed her very enthusiastically - then quieted down for the performance. The first two acts were presented - both in the interest of time and due to the somewhat violent nature of the closing act. Teachers were provided with the last act storyline, and given the opportunity to brief their students as they wanted to.

Has it really been so long???

2008-03-31T07:34:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it's been since last November that we posted on this blog! What a crazy couple of months it's been. Since the last post, we spent the end of the year gearing up for our big Opera Ball in Janaury - only to have the worst of last minute calamities when Mikele's (Managing Director of PRO) daughter was hit by a drunk driver the Friday before. The good news is that Mikele's daughter is recovering better than anticipated, despite receiving a major head injury. Kudos have to go to Carolyn Mason (Marketing Associate), who took over the ball, with great success. Since then, James Stahlman (second place scholarship recipient in the college division, and one of Jill's singing students, who coincidentally has an arts administrative background!) has been running the office amazingly well.

Now for upcoming stuff! We've assembled an amazing cast of singers for Carmen, which opens this Friday! And I'm pleased to say that tickets are selling fast, so if you want a good seat, you'd best move quickly! Our Carmen, Edith Dowd, has several years experience singing with New York City Opera - unquestionably the best experienced singer we've had the pleasure to bring to the PAC. Our stage director, Tanya Kane-Parry, comes to us from LA Opera - the first time we've had a stage director of this stature. I believe that this production will be a first in many ways - come and see!

Pacific Repertory Opera Announces Leadership Changes

2007-11-28T16:18:00.000-08:00

Dr. Jill Anderson, founder of Pacific Repertory Opera, announced she has decided to step down as General Director of the company as of June 1, 2008. She made the announcement at a private dinner party for top donors held Sunday, November 18 at the home of Bob and Duejean Garrett.
“It’s been a fulfilling and challenging role to establish an opera company here on the Central Coast, and to have produced so many wonderful operas over the past two decades,” said Dr. Anderson. “But when I step down next June, I will have been at the helm for twenty-three years. It’s time for me to take a break, and time for the company to have fresh vision.” She added that she will continue her active teaching career, both at Cuesta College and privately.
Anderson added that she was especially pleased to leave PRO in such sound financial condition. “Thanks to our 20-20 Vision campaign, launched in honor of our 20th anniversary, PRO now has an endowment of nearly $200,000, which helps insure the future of the organization,” she said.
The company will continue to operate with strong day-to-day leadership under Mikele Hushing-Kline, who will be staying on as Managing Director. Hushing-Kline was Administrative Director for Pacific Repertory Opera during her first three years with the company, and in the past year has taken on more management responsibilities.
Anderson announced that the PRO Board of Directors has identified a new Artistic Director for the organization. Robert Ashens, formerly General Director of the Eugene Opera in Oregon, will assume full artistic control over all aspects of opera productions, beginning in June 2008. Ashens is an accomplished conductor, pianist and vocal coach. He will be introduced to PRO supporters at the annual Opera Ball on January 20, 2008 at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo.
Two future PRO productions have already been planned and cast by Anderson. These include Carmen, which Anderson will conduct at the PAC, April 4 and 5, 2008, and The Marriage of Figaro, which Ashens will direct at the PAC, October 31 and November 1, 2008. Ashens’ first complete production, which has yet been selected, will be the spring opera in March of 2009.
“I’m thrilled to leave PRO in the hands of such a distinguished colleague,” said Dr. Anderson. “I’ve known Robert for the past five years through auditions in San Francisco, and have great respect for him. I know our audiences and artists will be impressed with his work and that he will help take PRO to the next level.”
Pacific Repertory Opera was founded by Jill Anderson and the late Jean Cook in 1985 and began producing fully-staged operas in 1987. PRO has offered more than forty productions to local audiences over the past twenty years.

A note from Dr. Craig Russell, CalPoly

2007-11-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

From: Craig Russell
Date: October 26, 2007 2:19:30 PM PDT
To: operajill@sbcglobal.net
Subject: Wow and wow again!

Dear Jill,

I just wanted to pass along my congratulations and kudos to you and PRO for an amazing performance last weekend. I went expecting to enjoy it, but I had no idea that it was going to be so fabulously strong and wonderful in every aspect. Really, you and all involved can be proud of a stupendous artistic success.
Renato was as good a performer as I've heard; fantastic voice, commanding stage presence, a musician in the deepest sense. That is Met quality. Wow. And he is not the only great performer that night; the entire cast was first-rate. Any major metropolitan center would be proud to have a production of that quality. Again, first rate.

Your conductor was stellar. The acting and staging was quite convincing. Goodness, if I start the list of things that were notable and aesthetically on the mark, I will spend my weekend writing my praises. (I don't have that much time. Sorry.)

I'll just have to summarize. The Verdi was a wonderful evening and, in opinion, has raised the bar yet again for the professional accomplishment(s) of PRO. We are luck to have the opportunity to hear that quality in our town. Wow.

Oh. One last thing. It was affordable! I really pushed this opera with my students, both in Music Appreciation and in Music of the Late Classic and Romantic Eras. I saw MANY of my students in the audience. They actually came. That is indeed important. Many concerts let the ticket price ascend to the "market" level, and as a result, the concert is attended by people with the median age of 50. Your opera performance, however, had a good number of students in the audience, all dressed up in tuxedos, fine suites, and elegant dresses. It was a delight to see my students all in their noble attire, attending a fabulous event. They could afford it. And they came. Again, that deserves enormous praise--and let the generous donors know that their support made it possible for our your adults at Cal Poly to become "infected" with that wonderful illness that we get when we fall in love with opera. I deeply appreciate that you made the ticket price affordable to students. THANK YOU.

And of course, thank you for a glorious triumph of a performance. I was lucky to have been there to witness it. Thanks.

Thanks to all at PRO, from top to bottom, from left to right, and through and through. Thanks.

your fan,

Craig Russell

A Masked Ball success!

2007-10-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who participated, whether singing, playing, volunteering or working in production! We are receiving wonderful feedback via telephone and email from those who attended, and we'd like to hear from you! Please post your ideas here - we would love to be able to let our artists know how you feel - this is a great way to let them know.

~ Mikele

Insider news ~

2007-09-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

Wasn't Roberto Gomez wonderful at Opera in the Vineyards? Guess why he won't be attending PRO's Opera Ball next January 20?

... It's rumored he'll be Chou EnLai in the Italian premiere of Nixon in China at Verona's Teatro Filarmonico.

Best of luck, Roberto!

October news!

2007-09-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

We have two great events coming up in October. On October 13, Ballowe'en, a fun and fundraising party, with great food and a musical preview to our October 19 & 20 opera, A Masked Ball by Verdi.

Our September concert, Opera in the Vineyards, was great fun & great music - well, until the gale force winds came up! The blending of the singers voices was just magical - even when the winds blew their hardest. Several of our patrons - mostly those on the windy South side of the bowl -- chose to leave early, and missed the beautiful closing piece. Still, many patrons shivered and huddled through the end of the concert, and we applaud you!

Welcome to PRO!

2007-08-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

We welcome you to the Pacific Repertory Opera blog. This is our first time experimenting with this, so please be patient.

We're looking for your input on your favorite experiences with PRO, your favorite operas, and yes, suggestions on ways we can better serve our patrons!

We will also be providing updates and news from time to time via this blog.

~ Mikele Hushing-Kline, Administrative Director, PRO