Opera in Memphis

Sorry I haven't blogged lately. It's been a wild, wonderful new year and I've spent most of it down in Memphis Tennessee directing their production of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice -- or as they are billing it "Orpheus". It is being sung in a new translation by Michael Ching (the conductor, orchestrator and General/Artistic Director of Opera Memphis) and Hugh Moffatt (google him and be amazed!) Opera Memphis' website is: http://www.operamemphis.org/

One of the twists to this production is that we are presenting it with a counter tenor (Nicholas Tamagna), mezzo soprano (Kathryn Cowdrick) and tenor (Marc Schreiner) in a new adaptation that works for all three. It's mostly the Vienna premiere version, with Parisian arias thrown in and keys changed to accommodate the difference between the treble voices and the tenor voice.

I'll post pics soon. Tonight is the final dress and tomorrow I'm off to Wichita Grand Opera to direct their L'elisir d'amore! Although I'm missing my family up in Montreal (and my friends, students and colleagues), I'm enjoying the warm Spring weather here. We'll see how Kansas treats me.

Opera McGill is in the final rehearsal stages for its production of The Rake's Progress. Julian Wachner conducts, and David Lefkowich directs. I've only heard fantastic things from the team and the students, so I'm looking forward to seeing the performances at the end of January.

Winter is a busy time for opera all over -- go out and see one!