The Druid City Opera Workshop at The University of Alabama School of Music, Moody Music Building Sponsored by the UA Opera Theatre, Paul Houghtaling, director May 17 25, 2017 FINAL PERFORMANCE May 25, 2017 7:00 pm Bryant-Jordan Hall
The Druid City Opera Workshop has come a long way in eight short years. Founded in 2010, the program began with eight young singers from across the United States augmented by four UA students to fill out the roster. In 2017, over 100 young artists applied for 22 slots in the program. This year s young artists come from 15 states, Jamaica, Canada, and Taiwan. Druid City has gained recognition from the National Opera Association by awarding the program with two stage directing interns. The program has also received attention from Opera America and Classical Singer Magazine, since it has become a model for the successful establishment and growth of summer programs in the United States. For this, we are very grateful. Thank you all for your continued support! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to Skip Snead, Director of the School of Music; Dr. Susan Fleming, area coordinator of voice; the School of Music office staff, Pamela Woodard and Ben Woolf; Michelle Rosenberg and Trevor Pruitt in Music Services; Francine Marasco, President, and all of our friends on the Opera Guild @ UA; Andrew Livingston and Christopher Withrow; the voice teachers, coaches, opera directors, and industry professionals who continue to recommend this training program to their students; and all who gave supplies, time, and talent to make the 2017 Druid City Opera Workshop a success.
DRUID CITY 2017 FACULTY ARTISTS Prof. Stacy Alley choreographer and dance instructor (UA Department of Theatre and Dance) http://theatre.ua.edu/profiles/stacy-alley/ Ms. Lauren Carlton stage directing intern (MFA Candidate; Texas Tech University) http://laurenccarlton.weebly.com/ Dr. Kevin T. Chance pianist and vocal coach, Collaborative Pianist Intern Program (UA) www.music.ua.edu/faculty-staff/kevin-t-chance Mr. André Chiang baritone, audition panelist (University of South Alabama) https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/music/faculty/chiang.html Ms. Fang-Yi Chu collaborative pianist intern (DMA Candidate University of North Texas) http://www.sonderous.com/faculty.html Dr. Susan Fleming mezzo-soprano, master classes in diction and repertoire; mezzo class (UA) www.music.ua.edu/faculty-staff/susan-fleming Prof. Eric Gibson stage director, acting for singers, Stage Directing Intern program (University of Northern Arizona) https://nau.edu/cal/music/faculty/gibson/ Dr. Paul Houghtaling program director, bass-baritone, stage director, the business of opera (UA) www.paulhoughtaling.com Prof. Amanda Johnston pianist and vocal coach, Collaborative Pianist Intern Program (University of Mississippi) www.amandajohnston.ca Dr. Linda Lister soprano, stage director, Yoga for Singers, Stage Directing Intern Program (University of Nevada Las Vegas) www.lindalister.com Mr. Andrew Livingston baritone, stage combat assistant (UA) Dr. Richard Masters pianist and vocal coach, Collaborative Pianist Intern Program (Virginia Tech) www.richard-masters.com
Prof. Eileen Moremen stage directing intern (Kennesaw State University) http://facultyweb.kennesaw.edu/emoremen/ Dr. Dawn Neely stage director, acting for singers, Stage Directing Intern program (University of West Georgia) https://www.westga.edu/academics/coah/music/profile.php?emp_id=90323 Ms. Mary Ruth Pruitt stage combat assistant (Emory and Henry College, Virginia) Dr. Blake Richardson conductor, discussion on Conductor/director/singer relationships (UA) https://music.ua.edu/profiles/blake-richardson/ Mr. John Rogers baritone, guest artist on Russian diction (UA) Dr. David Tayloe tenor, tenor class, audition panelist (UA) http://music.ua.edu/profiles/davidtayloe/ Mr. Andrew Voelker collaborative pianist intern (Illinois Wesleyan) http://opera.music.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2015/10/biography-andrew-voelker.pdf Mr. Matthew von Redlich stage combat instructor, Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) (Tuscaloosa Academy) Dr. Susan Williams soprano, soprano class, master classes (UA) http://music.ua.edu/profiles/susan-williams/ Mr. Keith Wolfe conductor, General Director, Opera Birmingham, audition panelist http://www.operabirmingham.org/about-us/ ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS AND STAGE MANAGERS Mr. Andrew Livingston (UA) Mr. Christopher Withrow (UA)
DRUID CITY 2017 YOUNG ARTISTS SOPRANOS Marlise Ahuna, University of South Dakota Ashlyn Carter, Louisiana State University Melanie Culhane, University of Mississippi Isabel Dondero, University of Southern Mississippi Lauren Honea, Louisiana State University Bree Nichols, University of Georgia Kayla Shadlow, University of South Dakota Teresa Tucci, Sheridan College, Toronto, Canada Cassie Warthen, Georgia Southern University Danielle Watson, Alcorn State University MEZZO SOPRANOS Ashley Ashmore, University of Mississippi * Jessica Vance, Virginia Tech University Calebria Webb, Wayne State University Abby Weinstein, Mississippi State University TENORS Daveon Bolden, University of Nevada Las Vegas Samuelle Reese, University of Oklahoma * Seth Stemple, Georgia Southern University Samuel Wilson, Kansas State University BARITONES Isaiah Garcia, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Hayden Keefer, Virginia Tech University Samuel Morrison, Waldorf University, Iowa Sergio Vergara, University of Mississippi *denotes returning artist
PROGRAM PART ONE Yoga for Singers: Freeing Your Voice and Spirit Through Yoga Demonstration performed by young artists under the supervision of Dr. Lister Carmen, Bizet, Act II Recitative and Quintet Frasquita Ashlyn Carter Mercedes Ashley Ashmore Carmen Abby Weinstein Assistant Remendado Samuel Wilson Dancaïro Hayden Keefer Dr. Masters Prof. Gibson Prof. Moremen Stage Combat scenes Created and performed by the young artists under the supervision of Mr. Matthew von Redlich, Mary Ruth Pruitt, and Andrew Livingston. Presented by Mr. Livingston and Dr. Houghtaling. Bengay Opera, Samuelle and Jessica Don t Sing at the Bus Stop, Kayla and Teresa Le nozze di Figaro, Mozart, Recitative and Duettino: Cosa mi narri...sull aria Countess Kayla Shadlow Susanna Teresa Tucci Fang-Yi Chu Prof. Gibson Little Women, Adamo, Act II, Scene v., Aria and Quartet Jo Abby Weinstein Beth Isabel Dondero Meg Ashley Ashmore Amy Bree Nichols Andrew Voelker Prof. Gibson Appomattox, Philip Glass, Prologue Julia Grant Melanie Culhane Agnes Lee Cassie Warthen Elizabeth Keckley Jessica Vance Mary Custis Lee Lauren Honea Mary Lincoln Ashlyn Carter Dr. Chance Lauren Carlton
Così fan tutte, Mozart, Act I Quintet Guglielmo Sergio Vergara Fiordiligi Kayla Shadlow Don Alfonso Samuel Morrison Ferrando Daveon Bolden Dorabella Calebria Webb Assistant Fang-Yi Chu Dr. Lister Lauren Carlton Der Rosenkavalier, Richard Strauss, Final trio: Marie Theres!...Hab mir s gelobt Marschallin Danielle Watson Sophie Bree Nichols Octavian Jessica Vance Prof. Johnston Dr. Lister - INTERMISSION - PART TWO Don Giovanni, Mozart, Sextet: Sola, sola in buio loco Donna Elvira Danielle Watson Zerlina Lauren Honea Masetto Hayden Keefer Donna Anna Marlise Ahuna Leporello Samuel Morrison Don Ottavio Samuelle Reese Andrew Voelker Prof. Moremen Scene Work: Improv Your Opera Created and performed by the young artists under the supervision of Dr. Neely. Sergio and Calebria Die Zauberflöte, Mozart, Act I Quintet: Hm hm hm Papageno Isaiah Garcia First Lady Kayla Shadlow Third Lady Calebria Webb Assistant Tamino Seth Stemple Second Lady Melanie Culhane Prof. Johnston Dr. Neely Lauren Carlton
Acting Scene Work: It s all about! Subtext demonstration created and performed by the young artists under the supervision of Prof. Gibson Teresa and Hayden Bree and Sam The Consul, Menotti, Act I Duet, Scene, and Quintet Secretary Abby Weinstein The Magician Samuel Wilson Anna Gomez Isabel Dondero Foreign Woman Teresa Tucci Magda Marlise Ahuna Vera Boronel Jessica Vance Mr. Kofner Sergio Vergara Assistant Dr. Masters Dr. Neely Prof. Moremen More Stage Combat scenes A Tenor from Las Vegas, Ashlyn, Daveon, Lauren, and Melanie The Road to Tuscaloosa, Ashley, Danielle, Hayden, and Isaiah The Merry Wives of Windsor, Nicolai, Act II Duet: Fenton! My sweetheart Anne Cassie Warthen Fenton Daveon Bolden Fang-Yi Chu Prof. Moremen Aladdin, Menken, Trio: High Adventure Babkak Samuelle Reese Omar Seth Stemple Kassim Isaiah Garcia Andrew Voelker Lauren Carlton 2017 Druid City Dance Finale: Back to School Again The Full Company under the supervision of Prof. Stacy Alley THANK YOU!!! Please greet the artists in the theatre immediately after the performance.
DRUID CITY OPERA WORKSHOP 2016
Thank you for coming. Watch for news coming very soon about the 2017-2018 season of the UA Opera Theatre. Of course, that includes Druid City, May 2018!!