BRAVO! Lexington Opera Society Newsletter Vol.10 No. 2 Winter 2010-2011

Soaring Voices, Technical MagicSingers draped in scarves

and winter coats in the heart of Kentucky’s winter seemed a long way from hurricane

season in Charleston, S.C. -- until they began to sing.An early visit to rehearsals for the University of Ken-tucky Opera Theatre’s production, with the Atlanta Opera, of Porgy and Bess promised a thrilling evening for Lexington audiences.

However, there will be more than vibrant voices to transport audiences when Porgy and Bess opens January 28 at UK’s Singletary Center Concert Hall.Among the several “firsts” in this show will be the use of SCRIBE (Self-Contained Rapidly Integratable Background Environment), an innova-tive high-definition projection system recently developed at UK’s Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments (VIS Center).Atlanta Opera General Director Dennis Hanthorn said his company had been investigating this type of technol-ogy but, until SCRIBE it had been too expensive. Although not developed for theatrical use, Hanthorn said SCRIBE “is easily applicable to a stage envi-

ronment.”SCRIBE will make it possible for

the audience to see high-defini-tion filmed images of sites in and around Charleston, the location of Porgy and Bess, including Cat-fish Row and the nearby barrier islands. Actual hurricane footage from the Weather Channel will also appear to threaten Catfish Row thanks to the VIS Center.

SCRIBE employs a huge multi-tier scaffold at-tached to two large moveable fabric screen units holding multiple small projectors, with the images controlled by an elaborate computerized network. The system makes it possible to re-create realis-tic renderings of three-dimensional scenes using less than five feet of stage space, freeing space for innovative lighting effects and the singers.

Those singers will include many members of the American Spiritual Ensemble who will perform theatri-cally for the first time in Lexington.

George Gershwin conceived Porgy and Bess as a ‘jazz opera’ but the beautiful, complex music re-quires expertly trained singers to do justice to its soaring melodies and thrilling choral passages.

Those who have heard the Spiritual Ensemble’s con-certs and recordings know their marvelously rich and agile vocal skills, but these professional musicians are also superb actors, and many of them have appeared

in Porgy and Bess in produc-tions around the world.

George and Ira Gershwin, who wrote the music and lyrics, stipulated that Afri-can-American singers be employed throughout in the cast, except for the few minor white characters. In UKOT’s production all of the major roles are double cast. Spiritual Ensemble singers Michael Preacely and Kenneth Overton sing Porgy; Angelique Clay

At left, Kenneth Overton (Porgy) and Angelique Clay (Bess) take a break from rehearsals. They are

double-cast with Michael Preacely and Christine Jobson, above.

Preacely, above, and

Jobson.

Porgy and Bess7:30 pm: Jan. 28 and 29, Feb. 3,

4, and 5; 2:00 pm Feb. 6. Singletary Center Concert Hall. Tickets, call: (859) 257-4929.

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BRAVO!

UK Students Shone, Graves Starred, at WEG

Opera star Denyce Graves sang at the WEG opening ceremonies. Courtesy Lexington Herald-Leader

Opera legend Denyce Graves (right) was the star but University of Kentucky music students played important supporting roles in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Students sang, played in the orchestra, and learned the rigors of stage managing. The youngest singers were the members of Haitian Harmonies, the choir taught by UK singers Eric Brown and Manuel Castillo, who travelled to Haiti to work with them.

Lexington’s best party is growing up but not old!Prelude to a Grand Night for Singing became a hit when it was introduced in the spring of 2001. A combination of live and silent auctions, extensive wine tasting, great food and entertainment, it has taken its place as Lexington’s most entertaining fundraiser. For this special anniversary, the LOS board is planning a unique auction event new to Prelude as well as many other special recognitions to recognize and celebrate this anniver-sary.Save the date -- May 21 at UK’s Singletary Center. It will be a wonderful opportunity to raise a glass (or two or three) in honor of Lexington’s great operatic celebration.

Prelude Celebrates a Decade!

If you are reading this newsletter, then the Lexington Opera Society has your address. But we may not have your e-mail address. LOS will

not fill up your inbox, but would like to let you know about special events such as opera schedules, workshops, free musical events, and alerts about

changes in venues, schedules or times. Please send a message to:

becky.eblen@lexingtonopera.com.

Help us stay in touch

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Winter 2010-2011

We asked some of the new members who have recently joined the board of the Lexington Opera Society to tell us about themselves. Here’s what they shared.

Courtney TurayBusy mom to Benjamin 9, Ethan 6 and Madeline 4; teacher with the U.K. A.C.E. Children’s Program, frequent children’s chorus director for UKOT.I received my undergraduate degree in Music Education and my master’s in Voice Perfor-mance at UK, mostly studying with Everett McCorvey and Cliff Jackson. I performed in many operas and musicals while at UK—starting in 1990 as a ‘ciga-rette girl’ in Carmen--and went on to New York to perform professionally. Favorite local opera moment: Professionally: Open-ing night of UKOT’s Street Scene (2001), which was the first time I’d directed a children’s chorus for an opera. Personally: Opening night of UKOT’s La Bohème (2010) watching my husband, Gregory. Why you’re willing to serve on the board: I am honored to serve on the LOS Board as a liaison between LOS and the newly formed group, The Bohemians (see page 7). It is so exciting to be a tiny part of all the ‘behind the scenes’ work that plays such an enormous role in making UKOT such a success—first on a local level, but now, also on a national level.

Bill FortuneUK College of Law faculty member, who began at-tending UK opera about four years ago.

Why you’re willing to serve on the board: The School of Music, in which Everett McCorvey and the opera program play a major part, is a true Center of Excellence at the University of Kentucky. I’m proud of the opera program’s national

prominence and want to do what I can to help.

Madeleine Taylor BaughAttorney in solo practice, specializing in estate planning and administration, life planning, real property issues and the organization and advising of small business.A lifelong singer, I love vocal music and theatre. Although new to opera, I’m enchanted when it combines beautiful singing with solid acting.Favorite local opera moment: Last spring’s under-graduate production of The Magic Flute when my daughter, Taylor Coriell, sang Papagena. I’m look-ing forward to the undergraduate production of “The Pirates of Penzance” this spring with Taylor cast as Mabel.Why you’re willing to serve on the board: As acting president of Bravo Guild, I’m delighted to be one of four Bravo representatives on the LOS Board. I en-joy volunteering my time and organizational abili-ties to such a worthy cause and the opportunity it gives me to meet other like-minded individuals.

Carl N. FrazierAttorney at Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLCMy interest in opera began when a teacher at the rural high school I attended led a group of stu-

dents to free dress rehearsals of Il Trovatore and La Bohème at the Knox-ville Opera Company.Favorite local opera moment: A recent favorite moment has been witnessing the formation and early successes of The Lexington Bohe-mians.Why you’re willing to serve on the

board: Opera is essential to a thriving arts commu-nity. The value and quality of life that the fine arts add to our community is immeasurable. UK Opera Theatre is doing exceptional work. I wanted to help support UKOT and help expand our community’s familiarity with opera.

LOS Board Welcomes New Members

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BRAVO!

Januaryn Porgy and Bess (Ticketed Event) Jan. 28, 29, Feb. 3, 4, 5, 7:30 pm; Feb. 6, 2 pm UK Single-tary Center

February n Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition (Free) Feb. 5, 2 pm Singletary Center

Marchn Brundibár (Ticketed Event) March 11, 13, 11 am, and 1 pm Singletary Center. (Note: Sold out March 11)

Mayn Prelude to It’s A Grand Night for Singing (Ticketed Event) UK Singletary Center, May 21. (Note: Prelude Celebrates its 10th Anni-versary in 2010! See page 2)

Junen It’s A Grand Night for Singing (Ticketed Event) June 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 7:30 pm; June 19, 2 pm. UK Singletary Center

Recitals(Free, open to the public, in the Singletary Recital Hall)n Julie LaDouceur, MMA recital – Jan. 18, 7:30 pmn Joanna Schunuemont and Nicolas Davis joint recital – Feb. 11, 7:30 pm

Metropolitan Opera HD BroadcastsNixon in China: Feb. 12, March 2Iphigénie en Tauride: Feb. 26, March 16Lucia di Lammermoor: March 19, April 6Le Comte Ory: April 9, 27

Lexington Opera Society Calendar

Bravo Guild, the volunteer arm of the Lex-ington Opera Society, has pledged $6,000 in three yearly installments of $2,000 toward the renovation of the Schmidt Vocal Arts Center.

The donation will be used to furnish the kitchen to be installed during the renovation, and a plaque will acknowledge the donation.

An integral part of the Lexington Opera So-ciety, Bravo Guild members’ monetary dona-tions are an important and substantial part of the funds raised for the LOS each year.

Many thanks to Bravo Guild members who are generous with their time and their treasure.

A SPECIAL THANKS: Bravo Guild wants to take this opportunity to thank its president, Catherine Staib, for her time, her talent and her dedication to the work of the Bravo Guild. Catherine was vice president of Bravo Guild from July, 2008 through June, 2010 and began her two year term as president July 1, 2010. Sudden back surgery has forced Catherine into a long period of re-cuperation, and she has submitted her resigna-tion as president effective immediately. Bravo Guild and the Lexington Opera Society accepted her resignation with regret and understanding. Catherine, we look forward to your swift recov-ery and return to our midst. —Madeleine Baugh

Bravo Guild Notes

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Winter 2010-2011

Distinguished MET Judges Choose Four for MemphisTwenty-five students competed at the Ken-

tucky District Auditions of the Metropoli-tan Opera National Council November 20th, hosted by the Lexington Opera Society.

The contestants, ranging in age from 20 to 30, sang arias in English, French, German and Italian.

The four winners included two from the Uni-versity of Kentucky, Holly Flack, soprano, a master’s student, and baritone Reginald Smith, Jr., a bachelor’s student; Ursula Kuhar, mezzo-soprano, a doctoral student at Indiana University; and Andrea Trusty, soprano, a master’s student at Rice University. The four shared equally the $7,500 winners’ prize money and will advance to the Mid-South Regional Auditions in Mem-phis in February. Mary-Hollis Hundley, soprano, pursuing her Bachelor’s degree at U.K., received the $500 Encouragement Award. Flack won the encouragement award at last year’s auditions.

The judges, Danielle Orlando, William Pow-ers and Samuel Ramey, based their decisions on confidential criteria set forth by the Metropolitan Opera National Council in New York and did not know until after the announcement of the awards where the 25 contestants are studying. After the

auditions, the judges discussed their observations and recommendations with each contestant. The MONC accomplishes its mission of discovering exceptional young talent, providing a venue for young opera singers to be heard, assisting those with the greatest potential, and searching for new talent through auditions held in 41 districts in 14 regions of the United States and Canada.

In addition to the judges, we were honored by the presence of Clint Singley, Associate Director of the Metropolitan Opera National Council at Lincoln Center and Mark Ensley, Associate Profes-sor of Music at the University of Memphis and Co-Director of the Mid-South Region. A small del-egation from the The New York Times, interested in the audition process, also attended the auditions.

The Lexington Opera Society, which proudly hosts the auditions each fall, thanks our spon-sors and volunteers for their contributions of funding, in-kind services, and food. The applause from the large audience at Memorial Hall and the gracious hospitality extended to the com-petitors, guests and visiting dignitaries demon-strated the love of opera in our community.

— Louise Shouse, Kentucky District Co-Director

UK Opera Theatre, a Center of Excellence at UK, is growing in quantity and quality of students --- and running out of space.

The Schmidt Vocal Arts Centre on Rose St. no longer meets the needs of the program, so a campaign is under way to complete the renova-tion started by Bill and Casiana Schmidt, and build a lasting endowment for opera programs.

The goal is $10 million over the next five years. A first-stage goal of $1.6 million by December 2011 has been set to complete renovations at the Cen-tre, where much of the second floor is a shell. It

will be finished for vocal studios, rehearsal space, a music library (named in memory of Gail Robin-son), a student lounge, and offices for UKOT staff.

The other focus of the campaign is an $8.4 mil-lion endowment to support UKOT productions, a longtime dream of director Dr. Everett McCorvey.

UKOT supporter Warren Rosenthal is chair-ing the campaign committee. LOS has raised $881,250 for the building, with UK adding $250,000, for a total of $1,131,250. The Schmidts, who continue to be extraordinarily generous to UKOT, pledged $600,000 in matching funds.

Rosenthal has pledged $300,000 toward the endowment for opera programs, So we are well on the way toward the next phase. Bravo to all our contributors -past and future! — Pam Miller

Capital Campaign Off to a Strong Start

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BRAVO!

UK Opera Theatre will present Brundibár, an opera for children written in the dark days of the Holocaust of World War II, in March. The opera had its premiere in the winter of 1942 in Prague at an orphanage for Jewish children.

By that time, its Jewish composer, Hans Krása, and set designer, Frantisek Zelenka, had been interned by the Nazi SS in the Jewish ghetto in Terezin, a transit camp for Jews en route to the extermination camp at Auschwitz. By July 1943, most of the children in the origi-nal orphanage cast of Brundibár, had also been transported to Terezin. Krása managed to re-construct the full orchestral score from memory, making use of the few musical instruments available at the camp. Brundibár, premiered in Terezin in Sep-tember, 1943. It was performed 55 times the following year.

The opera’s finale became an anthem of hope for those held at Terezin, a hope that was cru-elly denied. In 1944, Terezin was superficially transformed into a ‘model ghetto’ in preparation for a visit by representatives of the International Red Cross. A special performance of Brundibár was staged for the visitors, who were suitably impressed with the ersatz amenities. Later that year the opera was featured in a Nazi propaganda film. Two days after the film was completed, Krása and the children in Brundibár were moved to Aus-chwitz, where most of them were executed.

Brundibár is a simple fairy tale about a young brother (Pepíček, or Little Joe) and sister (Aninka, or Annette) who sing in the marketplace to raise money for milk for their ailing mother. With the help of a cat, a dog, a bird and the other children

of the village, they defeat an evil organ grinder named Brundibár (a Czech folk name for ‘bumble-bee’) who tries to steal their money. The parallels to the Nazis’ robbery of Jews are clear, but there were no obvious references to the circumstances of the opera’s creation (begun initially in 1938) or

performance venue. Terezin was an ‘arts

showplace’ of the Nazi regime, and many ac-complished Jewish musicians, compos-ers, and visual artists passed through the camp. Because Brundibár lasts about 30 minutes, UKOT Visiting Director Richard Kagey decided the second part of the performance should feature music by sev-eral of those compos-ers, played by members of the University of Kentucky Orchestra. The very large cast was recruited princi-pally from students in UKOT’s musical theatre

programs for young singers from elementary school (ACE), middle school (Broadway Bound), and high school (Kentucky Classical Theatre Con-servatory). The 30-member chorus will sing in all four performances in Lexington, but each one of the 20 named roles is double-cast. -- Mary Powell

An opera of hope from the Holocaust: UK Opera theatre presents Brundibár

She Sang, She Survived

Very few of the young singers in the original concentration camp production of Brundibár survived the

war. One of them, Ela Weissberger, who played the Cat, will travel from her home in Florida to take part in the UKOT production, joining the cast

onstage to sing the Finale with them in her native Czech language. After the performance, she will discuss her life in Terezin and talk about her new book, The Cat and the Star.

Brundibár: Ghosts of the HolocaustMarch 13, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm;

Singletary Center Concert Hall. Two performances on March 11 are sold out.

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Winter 2010-2011

The mayhem continues, and so does the music.The Bohemians, a group of young profes-

sionals whose mission is to make opera a pas-sion for a new generation, launched last year with -- no surprise -- a lot of energy.

Appropriately enough, the Bohemians’ first pre-view night at the opera was for La Bohème. They attended the dress re-hearsal after a reception at Institute 193, a visual arts space at 193 N. Lime-stone. During intermission director Richard Kagey answered questions and talked about what he might want to “tweak” before opening night.

On July 21, prior to the opening night of Rent (itself inspired by La Bo-hème) at Summerfest, members enjoyed a Bohe-mian Bash sponsored by Langdon Shoop of Frank Shoop, Inc.The Bash included front row seats, wine from Lover’s Leap Vineyards & Winery, food from Slone’s Signature Market and Sunrise Bakery. Bry-ant’s Rent-All provided a canopy and table.

Singers from UKOT’s La Bohème performed selections from the opera after Dr. Tedrin Blair Lindsay talked about the connection between Rent and La Bohème.

Membership is only $15/year and our members will have the opportunity to attend “Bohemian Night” at

the final dress rehearsal of UK Opera Theatre pro-ductions for only $5.

The Bohemians launched at Prelude to A Grand Night for Singing in June and now counts over 100 members.The Bohemians are plan-ning an exciting evening around UKOT’s Porgy and Bess later in January (for details on this innovative production, see the story on Page 1) but details

weren’t final at the publica-tion deadline.

To learn about the mayhem planned for Porgy and Bess or to get more information about the Bo-hemians, email LexingtonBohemians@gmail.com, check out “Lexington Bohemians” on Facebook, on Twitter @LexBohemians, or call 257-9331.

Opera is a bash for the Bohemians

Bohemians enjoyed a pre-Rent bash at Summerfest

and Christine Jobson will share the role of Bess. The large cast also includes many UKOT student sing-ers in named roles, and members of the Kentucky State University Choir appear as the opera’s chorus.

This American opera was first peformed in 1935 but didn’t gain acceptance as a legiti-mate work until 1976 when it was performed by the Houston Grand Opera. It first appeared at the Metropolitan Opera nine years later. It tells the story of Porgy, a disabled beggar on Catfish Row, and Bess,a woman trying to escape her violent and possessive lover.

UKOT Executive Director, Dr. Everett McCor-vey, who founded and directs the Spiritual En-semble, has long wanted to stage this remark-able work, but the challenges were daunting.

So, when Atlanta Opera called last year about the possibility of collaborating on a new produc-tion of Porgy and Bess, McCorvey was “elated.”

Richard Kagey of Atlanta, a Visiting Artist at UKOT this season, created the design for this production that will be used in both Lexington and Atlanta.

The joint venture continues UKOT’s record of collaborations with professional compa-nies from San Francisco to New York.

“The chance for our students to work with es-tablished singers, directors, choreographers, and musicians in professional companies across the country is an unparalleled opportunity for them, definitely worth all of the hard work neces-sary to bring these collaborations to the stage,” McCorvey said. -Mary Powell

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Publisher: Lexington Opera SocietyEditor: Jacalyn CarfagnoCopy editor: Sylvia Davis

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