Another Weill Winner By POWERS PETERSON

Transcription

1 September 2018 INSIDE The Editor s Notes 2 Chairman s Corner 3 Virginia Opera Guild --- Why? Guild Night 4 3 A WINTERS TALE Weill s Street Scene in 2018 America By GLENN WINTERS Don t throw the past away; You might need it some rainy day. Dreams can come true again When everything old is new again. (Peter Allen) The mercurial composer Kurt Weill was a musical chameleon, capable of every kind of style from dissonant abstract modernism to popular tunes. His career can be divided into two large sections: a European period consisting of somewhat avant-garde works and the final American period following his emigration to the United States in This period was marked by greater attention to mass commercial appeal. Yet throughout his life he was attracted to socially relevant material. Nothing can seem more dated than a socially relevant drama seen after the passage of many decades. The remarkable aspect of Weill s Street Scene, which premiered in 1947 and is based on Elmer Rice s 1929 play, is that every single social/ political theme advanced in the opera remains a vital part of our national dialogue in These include: The character of Abe Kaplan, the aging Socialist revolutionary, foreshadows the positions held by politicians like Senator Bernie Sanders on the contemporary political stage. Like Sen. Sanders, Kaplan is prone to repeated calls for revolution to end the economic disparity between upper and lower classes. Continued on page 2 Behind the Scenes 5 Special Contributor 6 Board of Directors 6 Contact Information 6 Sunset on the River 7 Artists Dinners 7 Open Your Home to an Opera Star! VOG Calendar 8 The Met Live in HD 8 7 MEET THE ARTIST Another Weill Winner By POWERS PETERSON Zachary James Photo by Matt Madison-Clark Bass Zachary James never imagined that it would take ten years for one of his dreams to come to fruition. Having won second prize in the 2009 Lotte Lenya competition, he d been anticipating performing in a Weill opera relatively soon. Sponsored annually by the Kurt Weill Foundation, the Lotte Lenya Competition recognizes talented singers/ actors who are dramatically and musically convincing in repertoire ranging from opera/ operetta to contemporary Broadway scores, including the works of Weill. That dream becomes reality when Zach sings the role of the villain Frank Maurrant in Weill s Street Scene at Virginia Opera. And it teams Zach with the winner of the inaugural Julius Rudel/Kurt Weill Conducting Fellowship, Maestro Adam Turner. It s a role he s wanted to do forever. Street Scene is a masterpiece and Maurrant offers me an opportunity to get into the character from an actor s viewpoint. Zach Continued on page 4

2 September From the Cover The #MeToo movement currently prominent in news headlines has been created by the phenomenon of male privilege asserting itself in chronic sexual aggression towards women, and the resultant repudiation of such aggression. All this is depicted throughout Street Scene, not only in the attempts of Harry Easter and Vincent Jones to take advantage of Rose Maurrant, but also in Dick McGann s persistence in hounding Mae for sex. One may also cite Frank s abusive treatment of his wife Anna. The perennial American preoccupation with immigration also arises in the opera. Just as contemporary debate features those who welcome immigrants as key to America s greatness versus those who wish to exclude foreigners, the same debate takes place in Act 1. Two lines of dialogue for Frank Maurrant neatly sum up the attitude of many present-day Americans toward immigrants: If you don t like the way things is run here, why in hell don t you go back " where you came from? and, later, We don t want no foreigners comin in, tellin us how to run things. Frank s calls for a return to law and order foreshadow another common talking point for modern politicians and large segments of the populace at large. Even America s current struggle with gun violence is a prominent element of the opera s plotline, as gun violence results in two deaths and certain execution for Frank. It is also notable that these gunshot deaths are linked to domestic abuse, which accurately reflects a large percentage of gun violence in America. No one can argue that American society has not made great strides in working to resolve societal problems of violence and inequality. But Elmer Rice s 1928 play Street Scene, nearly a century old, offers a stunning reminder that there are perennial challenges still waiting to be surmounted. Weill s music has lost none of its power to bring the struggles of these characters to vivid life. Glenn Winters Photo by DRA The Editor s Notes By POWERS PETERSON September. Is it really already September? And is this really the fourth year for Coloratura? Virginia Opera marks the 100 th anniversary of the birth of the Harlem Renaissance with Street Scene, an opera whose lyricist was Langston Hughes. A Winters Tale examines this particular opera with penetrating parallels to contemporary culture and history. The parallels are both rampant and unsettling. In some ways -- though in a greater scope it s similar to Leonard Bernstein s West Side Story. The Meet the Artist columns this year will introduce you to singers with connections to The Metropolitan Opera. The three opera singers I ll interview exemplify the caliber of talent Virginia Opera recruits. This issue features a singer who will make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in He is literally someone you ll look up to! This season Behind the Scenes examines the subject of classical voices, specifically opera voices. Opera couldn t be opera without those vocal theatrics. Learn more in the overview article on page 5. Of course, we ll continue to highlight Guild events, both fun and fundraising. We ll keep you informed about our Virginia Opera. The Met Live in HD calendar will advise you of more opportunities to see and hear stunning performances of great operas. And I guarantee Coloratura will have a few surprises this season, but you ll have to wait and see. Keep reading! Coloratura wouldn t be what it is without the support of some very special people. In addition to the usual suspects -- Russell Allen, Adam Turner, and Dr. Glenn Winters, of course, there are those behind-the-scenes people who help with Coloratura in ways unknown to the readers. I am indebted to, among many others, Lana Sadowski and Harriet and Allan Reynolds. I look forward to every collaboration that advances Virginia Opera. Photo by SMN

3 September Chairman s Corner By MARK E. BOARD I m really energized about this coming season and looking forward to another successful year for both the Opera Company and our Guild. The Guild s fiscal year runs from July 1 st to June 30 th. This coincides with a Guild membership. At the end of May the Guild stood at 185 members strong and we are dedicated to increasing that number by the end of this season. We can do that with your help! Membership Committee co-chairs Gwendolyn Brown and Rick Shepard stand ready to assist in renewing your membership and to assist your friends and neighbors in becoming Guild members. The membership fees remain $50.00 for individual and $75.00 for dual. Along with membership cultivation, I d like to encourage you to get involved with one of our committees: Artists Hospitality/Dinners Committee: Coordinate donations of food for artists dinners during rehearsals. Artist Transport Committee: Transport artists between Norfolk International Airport and Harrison Opera House. Communications Committee: Prepare and mail invitations. Maintain mailing list. Conduct other outreach activities. Participate in our quarterly newsletter Coloratura by writing articles, taking photographs, assisting with distributing the newsletter during performances. Events Committee: Plan and execute events: Guild Nights, the beginning- and end-of year parties, the annual Holiday Luncheon. Prepare invitations. Coordinate with venue/hosts and caterer. Fundraising Committee: Plan and execute fundraising opportunities such as our annual spring fundraising event. Participate in Norfolk Festevents activities. Gift Shop Committee: Staff the gift shop before and during opera performances. Market and sell items and assist in product selection. Membership Committee: Recruit new members and help retain memberships. Maintain the membership list and the electronic directory. Another way for you to support Virginia Opera is to purchase or renew a season ticket. Our goal is for 75% or more of the Guild s members to be season subscribers. Season tickets starts at just $71.00 for the four productions. I encourage you to visit VAOPERA.org or call the box office at today! We opened the season with the annual Sunset on the River kick-off party on August 25 th. On Saturday, September 8 th and Sunday the 9th we were rained out of a hospitality tent at Opera in the Park. Everyone enjoyed the company of fellow Guild members and the superb entertainment at Sunset. Members brought friends and encouraged them to join the Guild and to buy a season ticket. Our quest is to keep Virginia Opera part of the Commonwealth s rich artistic heritage. Let s introduce opera to the next generation of Virginia Opera enthusiasts! For more information, contact me at or virginia.opera.guild@gmail.com. Thank you and I hope to see you later this month at Street Scene. SPECIAL ARTICLE Virginia Opera Guild -- Why? By RICK SHEPARD Hampton Roads entertainment and arts offer something for everyone. There are art and military museums, concert halls, theaters, botanical gardens, and sports stadiums. There is no shortage of Broadway performances; Grand Opera; comedy clubs; thrill rides; jazz; contemporary visual, theatrical, and musical arts; and historical sites. In aggregate these places and events are a positive force that creates jobs and improves quality of life. Jennie Calhoun and I recently moved to Norfolk after 33 years in Spokane and Seattle. Some friendly Virginia Opera Guild members persuaded us to attend a Virginia Opera production. We were somewhat new to opera, but it was wonderful! We ve since purchased season tickets. We joined the Guild for a modest membership fee to support the arts. The Guild s mission is to promote attendance at and interest in Virginia Opera productions and to help opera here thrive. The Guild is led by a board and Guild members may volunteer to support Virginia Opera activities. We provide artist dinners during dress rehearsal; we pick-up arriving artists from Norfolk airport; we participate in Virginia Opera s (artist) housing program; we staff local fund raising events; and we operate the Gift Shop at Harrison Opera House. We sponsor Guild Night, an educational experience at the opera house; and we publish Coloratura, the Guild newsletter targeted to each performance. In 2018/2019, to expand opera s audience, we will create a Virginia Opera Junior Guild for high school students in Norfolk. This exciting and innovative program is already underway. During the 2017/2018 season the Guild s contribution to Virginia Opera Association was $20,500 from memberships, fundraising events, and in-kind contributions. This doesn t take into account the hours volunteers generously donated. Consider joining the Guild and purchasing a season subscription to Virginia Opera to advance opera and the arts in Hampton Roads. I invite you to join us at the opera and in the Guild. At Sunset on the River Photo by DRA

4 September From the Cover enjoys becoming a villain on stage, in part because villains challenge him to explore his darker side. A singer can hide behind a character on stage or a singer can create the character from his own emotional makeup, as I try to do. The latter is more difficult, but it often results in a more enriching experience, both for the singer and for the audience. Creating the warped John Claggart, the Master at Arms in Billy Budd (Des Moines Metro Opera, 2017), was Zach s most challenging role to date. He describes that role as Wagnerian in scope. The emotional journey requires the singer to go to uncomfortable places within. It s a deeply personal experience into the character, both physically and spiritually. Then he adds the music, which tells you what it wants you to do emotionally. For example, in singing Vodník, the water goblin in Rusalka, Zach relied on the emotional world Dvořák created with the music and the break in the father-daughter relationship from the text. In addition to Vodník, Zach has played English reprobates (Judge Turpin, Sweeney Todd, Opera Roanoke, 2015) and German scoundrels (Osmin, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Opera Roanoke, 2014; Opera Ithaca, 2016). Zach doesn t always perform bleak roles, and he applies the same approach to the less evil roles. Two examples: the Scribe in Phillip Glass Akhnaten (English National Opera, 2016 and 2019, and Los Angeles Opera, 2016) and the mournful Colline in La Bohème (Symphony of the Mountains, Kingsport, TN, 2006). Zach created the role of Lincoln in The Perfect American (Teatro Real, 2013) and has reprised it twice (English National Opera, 2013; Opera Queensland, 2014). Smitten with musical theater when he saw Nathan Lane perform at the Kennedy Center Honors Celebration, Zach abandoned his major in music and moved to New York City, eventually obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College. He went to graduate school for opera at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He sang in South Pacific in the Lincoln Center revival ( ) and then was asked to audition for a role he may never reprise -- the lovable Lurch in the Broadway musical The Addams Family ( ). Zachary James Photo by Matt Madison-Clark As exciting as Broadway can be, opera won t play second fiddle in Zach s career. He makes his debut at The Metropolitan Opera in the season. Because the season hasn t been announced yet, he cannot reveal which opera and the character. No matter. With his vocal and acting talents, he ll stand out. Zach James as John Calgary in Billy Budd Photo by Matt Madison-Clark to become that vulnerable in front of any audience. Having already made his Wagnerian debut as the giant Fafner in Das Rheingold (Arizona Opera, 2018), Zach hopes one day to portray the ruler of the gods, Wotan, in Wagner s Ring Cycle. Zach s role model for Wotan is the redoubtable James Morris. Zach draws a parallel to another formidable bass, Samuel Ramey. Those two extraordinary basses consistently create a piercing vulnerability on stage. How does Zach approach becoming a credible villain? First, he examines the text or other source material for insight GUILD ACTIVITIES Guild Night Join Events Chair Amber Taylor Reeves and her committee for a fantastic Guild Night. The event will begin at 6 on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, in the Grand Lobby of The Harrison Opera House. We invite every Guild member to bring friends and family to a onehour reception that precedes our watching a full-dress rehearsal. There will be a brief presentation to introduce us to this Virginia Opera audience favorite. Light refreshments and beverages will be served. The event is free to Guild members. The fee for guests is $15.00 per person. Guild Night with Dr. Glenn Winters Photo by DRA

5 September BEHIND THE SCENES The Phenomenal Voice By KATHERINE LAKOSKI & POWERS PETERSON The human voice is an instrument we all utilize and play. As each person is built differently, so is each voice. The timbre (tone quality and color) and strength of one's voice is unique to each individual. Grand Opera requires a highly trained classical voice. There are also many other types of voices that may be more familiar. Some voices are best suited to popular music such as rockn-roll (The Beatles), folk (James Taylor), soul (Aretha Franklin), jazz (Ella Fitzgerald), country western (Reba MacIntire), Broadway (Idina Menzel), sacred contemporary (Sandi Patti) and choral (Mormon Tabernacle Choir). There are generally three categories of the classical voice: choral, oratorio and the more dramatic and often powerful, opera voice. The opera voice is distinguished from the other classical voices by its vocal range, timbre and often, a requirement for sustained power. To achieve a beautiful vocal sound requires sustained breath and the development of a reliable healthy technique. Such a technique will balance resonance and tonal acoustics. The resonating and acoustic space is created by the use of the lungs, trachea, larynx, oral and nasal cavities, and lips. The size of a singer's head, chest, larynx, and neck all contribute to the type and color of the voice. An opera voice can be defined by its color and vocal range, which must be determined in order to select the roles best suited for that voice. A singer's ideal vocal range is known as tessitura which is the most comfortable range for the singer and is where the best sound can be produced and sustained. When a singer is younger, he/she may sing roles from a lighter weight vocal category. As the voice and the singer mature, the singer will settle into his/her most comfortable vocal Fach. (Briefly, the German Fach is a classification system based on the range, weight, and color of a voice.) For example, Placido Domingo was a world famous tenor; as he has aged, he has sung more baritone roles. There are only so many years that the body can sustain the compression of air and required vocal strength. This applies all the more to the most taxing opera roles -- Verdi's Otello, Puccini's Calaf in Turandot, Brünnhilde in Wagner's the Ring Cycle. I began as a mezzo-soprano and developed into a dramatic soprano after years of acquiring a solid vocal technique. There are several voice classification systems. The German Fach is a common one and shares with other systems its basis of range, weight, and color of a voice. We ll make it simple. The major female voices are soprano, mezzosoprano, and contralto. (See table.) The soprano is the highest female voice and the category with the greatest number of subtypes, not all of which are listed. The mezzo-soprano voice is slightly lower than the soprano s. The contralto voice is the lowest classical female voice and is seldom heard today as it is a very Continued on page 5 Type Subtype Character / Opera Singer Soprano Lyric coloratura Lucia, Lucia di Lammermoor Beverly Sills Lyric spinto Tosca, Tosca Maria Callas Dramatic Turandot, Turandot Birgit Nilsson Mezzo-soprano Coloratura Angelina, La Cenerentola Joyce DiDonato Lyric Carmen, Carmen Marilyn Horne Dramatic Amneris, Aida Dolora Zajick Contralto Lyric Mama Lucia, Cavalleria rusticana Maureen Forrester Countertenor --- Oberon, A Midsummer Night s Dream David Daniels Tenor Lyric Rodolfo, La Bohème Luciano Pavarotti Dramatic Samson, Samson et Dalila Placido Domingo Baritone Lyric Don Giovanni, Don Giovanni Thomas Hampson Bass-baritone Méphistophélès, Faust Samuel Ramey Bass Basso profondo Sarastro, Die Zauberflöte Jerome Hines

6 From page 5 September rare voice (i.e., Maureen Forrester, Marion Anderson). A contralto would sing such roles as Ulrica in Verdi's Ballo in Maschera and Erda in Wagner's Das Rheingold. And then there are the coloratura subtypes in the soprano and mezzo-soprano categories. Most trouser roles are sung by lyric mezzo-sopranos. The major male voices are countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass. (See table.) The countertenor voice is roughly the equivalent of a mezzo-soprano. Male singers use a head voice or falsetto to achieve this vocal range. The tenor voice is the highest of the true male voices. The more famous tenors are those who achieve the famed high C s in arias such as Ah! Mes amis (Luciano Pavarotti in La Fille du Regiment) or Di quella pira (Placido Domingo in Il Trovatore). The intermediate male voice is the baritone and the lowest is the bass. Of course there s the crossover voice known as the bass-baritone. There is plenty more to be written about the classical voices. We ll explore them and how they re honed in more depth in upcoming issues. SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR Katherine Lakoski Photo by DRA Ms. Lakoski is originally from Chesapeake, VA. She earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Greensboro College in North Carolina and her Master of Music Degree from The Juilliard School in New York City as a scholarship student. She has performed as soprano soloist in the Verdi Requiem in Syracuse and Oswego, New York. She has performed in Strauss' Elektra at Charleston's Spoleto Festival and as Leonora in Beethoven's Fidelio with the Surry Opera Company of Maine, which performed in the former Soviet Union. In addition, she has sung Wagnerian roles including Sieglinde in Die Walküre (The Juilliard Orchestra); Ortlinde in the Ring Cycle (Seattle Opera Company), Brünnhilde in Die Walküre (New York), and Isolde in Tristan und Isolde in a drama/music version with New York University. Ms. Lakoski has also sung in many concerts in New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia. She has extensive experience performing in many styles of music including sacred, pop, blues, Broadway, gospel and country western. She sang the role of the Phoenix Bird in the award-winning movie Big Bird in China. An Adjunct Vocal Professor at Old Dominion University, she teaches in the ODU Community Music Division course Opera for Everyone ( ) or odu.edu.cepd/music. Ms. Lakoski also maintains a private vocal studio in Norfolk (LakoskiVocalStudio.com). VIRGINIA OPERA GUIILD Board of Directors & Officers GUILD Officers Mark Board, Chair Amber Taylor Reeves, First Vice Chair Jim Graham, Vice Chair Valerie Neff, Vice Chair Marianne Nicholson, Vice Chair Powers Peterson, Secretary Bob Kuhlo, Treasurer Tom Horsch, Historian Directors Allen Anderson Barbara Boslego Gwendolyn Brown Barbara Buchmann Jim Deming Cy Grandy Janita Burgess Hess Pamela Hyatt Joanne Rentner Ruth Schepper Martha Lee Shaw Rick Shepard Elena Stevens Dora Lee Taylor Holly Tracy Contact Information Are you intrigued about the Guild? Do you want to join us to support the Virginia Opera Association? Perhaps you would enjoy volunteering for a committee or for one of our activities. And don t forget to check us out on the Virginia Opera website. Here s how to contact us: Write us Virginia Opera Guild P.O. Box 11572, Norfolk VA Call us RSVP: , ext us vaopera.guild@vaopera.org Like us on Facebook: Virginia Opera Guild

7 September 2018 GUILD ACTIVITIES Sunset on the River By AMBER TAYLOR REEVES The Virginia Opera Guild opened its season with Sunset on the River on August 25th at the riverside home of Jim Deming. There were 85 members and guests in attendance. While enjoying the perfect weather and the delicious hot and cold hors d oeuvres, attendees caught up with friends from the Guild and made new acquaintances. Mark Board, Chair of the Virginia Opera Guild, was the master of ceremonies for the brief presentations. Russell Allen, President and CEO of Virginia Opera, addressed the vital role the Guild plays in boosting attendance at the opera. Artistic Director Adam Turner spoke of the coming season and introduced the soprano vocalist, Anna Feucht. She offered three songs. The first was Ah, fuggi il traditor from 7 Mozart s Don Giovanni, followed by Sempre Libera from Verdi s La Traviata. Miss Feucht concluded with Vanilla Ice Cream from the musical She Loves Me. Virginia Opera Principal Coach & Director of Emerging Artists Shelby Rhoades accompanied her on piano. Mark Board then auctioned off an original Salvador Dali etching of Don Quixote, the gift of Guild members Cy and Edith Grandy. Despite intense bidding, Paul and Kim Winslow were successful with their bid of $ Gwendolyn Brown and Amber Taylor Reeves presented an overview of the newly launched Virginia Opera Junior Guild. Aimed initially at high school students in the Norfolk area, the Junior Guild is a volunteer community service organization dedicated to stimulating interest in and service to opera. What a lovely evening! For those who couldn t attend, we hope to see you soon at one of our next events. Jim Deming, Amber Taylor Reeves, Mark Board The buffet table Lourdes and George Lopez with guest and Dr. Glenn Winters Guild Chair Mark Board with Kim and Paul Wilnslow Soprano Anna Feucht, Principal Coach Shelby Rhoades Photos by PP GUILD ACTIVITIES Artists Dinners By MARIANNE NICHOLSON The Virginia Opera Guild has a storied tradition of feeding hungry cast and crewmembers on the Sunday evening prior to opening night of each new production. The long rehearsal hours during the week preceding an opening are quite grueling, so it is with pleasure that we can provide sustenance! While we may not have menus fully planned yet, we are gearing up for the upcoming season. The first dinner this season will be on Sunday, September 23rd. (In order to accommodate rehearsal schedules this year, some of the subsequent dinners will be on Saturday evenings instead of Sunday evenings.) You don t have to be a gourmet cook to participate. Everyone s welcome. And think of the interesting people you ll meet -- and not just fellow Guild members. Join Marianne Nicholson, Amber Reeves, and the other committee members in whipping up something delicious for the artists and the crews. You can also donate purchased food, including desserts, and/or needed supplies to round out our meals! Contact Marianne at or mnicholson900@gmail.com or Amber at or amberlaru@gmail.com for more information. VO HOUSING PROGRAM Open Your Home to an Opera Star! Looking for a novel way to support Virginia Opera? If so, consider opening your home to one of our many talented artists as part of the Virginia Opera Family Housing Program. Participation in the Housing Program is a significant financial help to Virginia Opera, but more importantly, our hosts help our out-oftown guests feel welcome in the community. You provide the artist with a private bedroom and bathroom and access to the kitchen. In thanks for your gracious hospitality, we offer you two complimentary tickets to your artist s production. Their stay also qualifies for a tax deduction. For more information, contact Katie Ritter at katie.ritter@vaopera.org or ext

8 September GUILD ACTIVITIES The Gift Shop Wares Dr. Glenn Winters at a Guild Night The Chefs at an Artists Dinner Members at the End of Season Meeting Photos by DRA The Met Live in HD Virginia Opera Guild Calendar Date Time Event Sep 23 5:30 Artists Dinner for Street Scene Sep 28 8:00 Street Scene Sep 30 2:30 Street Scene Oct 2 7:30 Street Scene Oct 3 4:30 Board Meeting Oct 27 5:30 Artists Dinner for Don Giovanni Oct 30 6:00 Guild Night Nov 2 8:00 Don Giovanni Nov 4 2:30 Don Giovanni Nov 6 7:30 Don Giovanni Nov 28 4:30 Board Meeting Date Time Opera / Composer Conductor / Singers Oct 6 Aida / Verdi Luisotti / Netrebko, Rachvelishvili, Antonenko, SpeedoGreen Oct 20 Samson et Dalila / SaintSaëns Elder / Garanča, Alagna, Naouri, Azivov Oct 27 La Fanciulla del West / Puccini Armiliato / Westbroek, Kaufmann, Bosi, Lučic, Todd, Rose, Gradus Nov 10 Marnie / Muhly Spano / Leonard, Kelly, Graves, Davies, Maltman Dec 15 La Traviata / Verdi Yannick Nézet-Séguin / Damrau, Flórez, Kelsey Jan 12 Adriana Lecouvreur / Cilea Noseda / Netrebko, Rachvelishvili, Beczala, Bosi, Maestri