I've been meaning to write this blog for awhile. It's about my wife, Elizabeth Koch. Many know her as "Beth" (friends and family from Burlington, IA) while most students call her "Liz". She's a voice teacher - but really I think she's a Voice Whisperer. More on that later.
She's the "talented" member of the family, as in our family, because she actually is -- plus that's how I refer to her when I describe her to my colleagues, friends, strangers, and students. I mean it, with deepest sincerity! I've also arrived at this description from a rather objective place (those who know me, understand that my judgement about talent has nothing to do with whether I like, dislike, love, or hate a person!), that being from our first meeting in 1983 until now - 27 years later.
Most of my early career was spent being her pianist. I got most of my gigs by virtue of playing for her and getting some notice, which would lead to more gigs. When I was at Juilliard, I was the boyfriend of the soprano singing "Vanessa" while Richard Bradshaw conducted. When I was playing at Lyric Opera of Chicago, and we'd go to opening night parties for operas she was singing in, I was her husband ("and what do YOU do?" the patrons would ask me...) Back in our undergraduate degree, she sang Antonia, Gretel, Drusilla, and Mimi, plus won 4 NATS in a row, got a full-ride to MSM, etc. She was the big deal there (along with a number of other great singers!) and I was happy to play for her. I learned a great deal of rep - to this day I still hear her voice in certain arias like "Dove sono" and "Donde lieta". The level at which she made music, operatically speaking, was way beyond my abilities. A rather large number of people would cry when she sang, because the colors and sounds of her voice, plus her ability to turn a phrase into a living experience, was so intense. In a word, beautiful.
I'll stop gushing now. The interesting turn of events, which led me into conducting at places like Memphis and Tulsa, then later running the Glimmerglass young artist program, also led to a turning in how people (both insiders and outsiders) viewed the two of us. No longer were patrons asking me what I did, they were turning to Elizabeth and coyly asking her "what do YOU do dear?"! She became the wife of the Director of this, or the wife of the Director of that. She did it with grace and always a smile - even after we'd had kids and the real answer was "I'm a really tired Mommy who's up late tonight after watching an opera and now eating a meal at midnight with rich people who don't really want to know what I do?"!
During this time, she stopped singing. One of her last performances was also one of my last professional conducting experiences: she sang the Mother in Dallapiccola's "Il prigioniero" in a double-bill with Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle. She got great reviews in little papers like the NYTimes and such. That was also the summer we got pregnant with our youngest son. One kid works, but two kids is really hard to make work and still sing (unless you're famous and have loads of nanny's!) However, she started teaching - and THAT is what she's extremely talented at.
I'm a good coach - better than many if I may be so bold - but her ear is amazing! Whether it's developing an understanding of how to teach a technique that works for Belting (as in musical theatre) as well as Opera (yet a different kind of belting!), she's evolved into a voice teacher who enables singers to craft a technique that works within them and works for them. After seeing some amazing changes happen - after a few lessons - with so many singers now, it's clear to me that she's the one that should be out there teaching full time.
I think this because I hear such wonderful singing coming from so many of her current and former students. Sara Milonovich comes to mind. Buy her CD of folk/bluegrass music and you'll be rather impressed. Download Aaron Tveit singing "There's a World" from Next to Normal and you'll hear someone who has total technical control over his voix mix. Go hear Veronique Coutu sing with Frederica von Stade on June 25th in Brevard and you'll hear someone who sounds so much like Elizabeth when she was 29 years old it's frightening! These are just a small number of former students who blossomed with her.
About the Voice Whisperer thing. If you've seen the Dog Whisperer in action, then just transfer that to a voice teacher and imagine Elizabeth with a student. With a sense of calmness and ease - and initially just a few exercises and suggestions - she moves a singer's voice into a more flexible, freer place which allows them to breathe and sing with less tension and more expressiveness. I've played the lessons, heard them from the other room, and seen the results - some of which are so shocking and transformative I can't believe it's the same voice! She does it all with humility, a sense of humor, and an earnestness that the work is important, but not brain surgery.
I write this, as a bit of a public display of affection, but also as a warning. If and when the time arrives and she decides to teach full-time, I'll be the first to pack up our bags and follow her. I played for Marlena for two years and LOVED it. I can do the same for Liz!
My Top Ten Posts!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Red Hair, Planning, Imeneo, and The Bohemian Rhapsody
Red Hair:
So, I'm seeing lots of dye jobs running around Montreal. I have to say, they kinda remind me of the circus clowns I saw as a child in Omaha! Perhaps the penchant for loving clowns, which runs a bit amok here, is the subconscious reason for these ladies (of ALL ages mind you) to move to so unnatural a color? Forgive me, colour? Just a random thought for the beginning of June...
Planning:
I've got the detailed La Boheme staging schedule done (I can tell you what we're doing at 4:30 the first Wednesday of January!), the Black Box festival schedule done (even though I'm not sure exactly what we're doing...), the Imeneo schedule done (that one's tricky and will be a huge challenge.), and the classes for opera all scheduled.
Imeneo:
The only time I've seen it and worked on it was at Glimmerglass. It had a GREAT cast: Michael Maniaci, John Tessier, Amanda Pabyan, Meghan Monaghan, and Craig Philips. They sang it brilliantly, but the production was, how shall I say, less than Glimmer's best. Alden chose to do his distorted world view - as in physical distortion = emotional pain - and it failed, for me, almost as much as the horrid double-bill where the natives attacked the clown... I'm hoping to return to the story and see what it brings. The characters are interesting, but really -- the music is just sublime; some of the best Handel wrote. As far as what I'll do with it as a director, I'm not in the groove yet - no big ideas, just local ones. I've got a few months before anything has to be decided.
The Bohemian Rhapsody:
However, there ARE big ideas running around this head where La Boheme is concerned! Opera McGill produces it this January - full production, big chorus, full orchestration - and we're setting down to design it next week. By "we're" I mean Vincent Lefevre (sets), Ginette Grenier (costumes), and me. Ginette's thinking 1830s. I'll see what she shows and go from there. The other exciting news is the documentary we're going to make surrounding this production - from next week's design meeting to the fall auditions, to the coachings, fittings, stagings, and stage rehearsals. It'll all be put up on Opera McGill's new website - which is being designed over the summer. Look for even more surprises to happen around Montreal before AND after the production!
So, I'm seeing lots of dye jobs running around Montreal. I have to say, they kinda remind me of the circus clowns I saw as a child in Omaha! Perhaps the penchant for loving clowns, which runs a bit amok here, is the subconscious reason for these ladies (of ALL ages mind you) to move to so unnatural a color? Forgive me, colour? Just a random thought for the beginning of June...
Planning:
I've got the detailed La Boheme staging schedule done (I can tell you what we're doing at 4:30 the first Wednesday of January!), the Black Box festival schedule done (even though I'm not sure exactly what we're doing...), the Imeneo schedule done (that one's tricky and will be a huge challenge.), and the classes for opera all scheduled.
Imeneo:
The only time I've seen it and worked on it was at Glimmerglass. It had a GREAT cast: Michael Maniaci, John Tessier, Amanda Pabyan, Meghan Monaghan, and Craig Philips. They sang it brilliantly, but the production was, how shall I say, less than Glimmer's best. Alden chose to do his distorted world view - as in physical distortion = emotional pain - and it failed, for me, almost as much as the horrid double-bill where the natives attacked the clown... I'm hoping to return to the story and see what it brings. The characters are interesting, but really -- the music is just sublime; some of the best Handel wrote. As far as what I'll do with it as a director, I'm not in the groove yet - no big ideas, just local ones. I've got a few months before anything has to be decided.
The Bohemian Rhapsody:
However, there ARE big ideas running around this head where La Boheme is concerned! Opera McGill produces it this January - full production, big chorus, full orchestration - and we're setting down to design it next week. By "we're" I mean Vincent Lefevre (sets), Ginette Grenier (costumes), and me. Ginette's thinking 1830s. I'll see what she shows and go from there. The other exciting news is the documentary we're going to make surrounding this production - from next week's design meeting to the fall auditions, to the coachings, fittings, stagings, and stage rehearsals. It'll all be put up on Opera McGill's new website - which is being designed over the summer. Look for even more surprises to happen around Montreal before AND after the production!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Learn your music!
Late May is crunch time for singers heading off to summer programs all around the world - Chautauqua, AIMS, Central City, Banff, Brevard, Aspen, Santa Fe, DMMO, Ash Lawn, Merola, etc.
"Crunch time?" Yes - because it's all about showing up with music learned. If the music is learned (especially the CHORUS music!), there'll be a great first impression made. That first impression can make or break a singer's reputation and it is a rather lasting impression because of the intensity and short duration of many of these summer programs.
In fact, I believe strongly that one of THE factors to success in the business (particularly if one is moving through the ranks of the various young artist programs) is whether or not a singer shows up with their chorus assignments learned and memorized. This basic, simple notion - to be prepared as requested - shows so much about a singer: their level of professionalism, their work ethic, their musicianship skills, their seriousness about pursuing an opera career, and their time management. I'm not talking about scenes, small roles, or cover assignments - it's the ones who show up with the CHORUS music learned that have, in my experience, gone on to secure management and start their careers.
Lots of great voices, tons of talented aspiring singers, loads of great actors, dozens of six-pack baritones, two actual basses, and a few potential Verdi sopranos are out there right now preparing for their exciting summer programs. Many will be thinking "is it really cold up in New Mexico at night? Do I pack all of my belts? Do I need my suit? What about audition dresses in the summer? Will they like me? Will I meet a soulmate? Will I like the other singers? Will the director be organic or organized? etc." However, the real question should be "have I learned my music - all of it?" or at least "have I learned my chorus part?"
Seriously, this is a HUGE HINT ABOUT SUCCESS. Please don't ignore it. Get off the internet right now and Hie Thee To A PRACTICE ROOM!!
Speaking of, I need to learn how Pirates of Penzance ends... Conducting G&S is not like conducting Bluebeard's Castle -- it's harder!
"Crunch time?" Yes - because it's all about showing up with music learned. If the music is learned (especially the CHORUS music!), there'll be a great first impression made. That first impression can make or break a singer's reputation and it is a rather lasting impression because of the intensity and short duration of many of these summer programs.
In fact, I believe strongly that one of THE factors to success in the business (particularly if one is moving through the ranks of the various young artist programs) is whether or not a singer shows up with their chorus assignments learned and memorized. This basic, simple notion - to be prepared as requested - shows so much about a singer: their level of professionalism, their work ethic, their musicianship skills, their seriousness about pursuing an opera career, and their time management. I'm not talking about scenes, small roles, or cover assignments - it's the ones who show up with the CHORUS music learned that have, in my experience, gone on to secure management and start their careers.
Lots of great voices, tons of talented aspiring singers, loads of great actors, dozens of six-pack baritones, two actual basses, and a few potential Verdi sopranos are out there right now preparing for their exciting summer programs. Many will be thinking "is it really cold up in New Mexico at night? Do I pack all of my belts? Do I need my suit? What about audition dresses in the summer? Will they like me? Will I meet a soulmate? Will I like the other singers? Will the director be organic or organized? etc." However, the real question should be "have I learned my music - all of it?" or at least "have I learned my chorus part?"
Seriously, this is a HUGE HINT ABOUT SUCCESS. Please don't ignore it. Get off the internet right now and Hie Thee To A PRACTICE ROOM!!
Speaking of, I need to learn how Pirates of Penzance ends... Conducting G&S is not like conducting Bluebeard's Castle -- it's harder!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Short bits
Lots of meetings this week and next, lots of planning to do: budgets, schedules, research, design thoughts. It's a fun time, frankly.
There'll be a big announcement next month, on this blog, so stay tuned. I will tell you that Opera McGill will be EVERYWHERE next year - on campus, off campus, on the web. A huge and exciting project is coming together and I'm excited!
Otherwise, next season at McGill looks to be our Wirth Black Box Festival in early November -- evenings of one acts that I will choose after listening to the fall auditions. January of 2011 will bring the wonderful La Boheme, followed by our Baroque opera, Handel's Imeneo (last heard at Glimmerglass in 2002 maybe?). I think that'll be a Canadian premiere -- have to check on that one!
My personal gig list is filling up as well: two Kennedy Center semi-staged concerts (Verdi, then Mahler -- yes, staging Mahler!), a trip to Rome to present a paper titled "Spatial Leitmotifs" for an International Conference on Design (as in industrial, technical, architectural, etc. design), and another gig that has no contract yet so I won't write that one down (it's a superstition.)
This summer I'll be blogging, once again, from Brevard and hope to keep everyone up to date on what's going on DAILY. So look for quick updates and some photos from rehearsals and trips into the mountains. Brevard students - spread the word!
The snow has melted, the sun is out and I'm heading into a McGill graduate student sub-committee.
There'll be a big announcement next month, on this blog, so stay tuned. I will tell you that Opera McGill will be EVERYWHERE next year - on campus, off campus, on the web. A huge and exciting project is coming together and I'm excited!
Otherwise, next season at McGill looks to be our Wirth Black Box Festival in early November -- evenings of one acts that I will choose after listening to the fall auditions. January of 2011 will bring the wonderful La Boheme, followed by our Baroque opera, Handel's Imeneo (last heard at Glimmerglass in 2002 maybe?). I think that'll be a Canadian premiere -- have to check on that one!
My personal gig list is filling up as well: two Kennedy Center semi-staged concerts (Verdi, then Mahler -- yes, staging Mahler!), a trip to Rome to present a paper titled "Spatial Leitmotifs" for an International Conference on Design (as in industrial, technical, architectural, etc. design), and another gig that has no contract yet so I won't write that one down (it's a superstition.)
This summer I'll be blogging, once again, from Brevard and hope to keep everyone up to date on what's going on DAILY. So look for quick updates and some photos from rehearsals and trips into the mountains. Brevard students - spread the word!
The snow has melted, the sun is out and I'm heading into a McGill graduate student sub-committee.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Three Top Ten Lists
My family and I have lived in Montreal, Quebec since mid-August of 2007. There are many things we love about living here, and living in Canada. Of course, like anyplace, there are a number of things we don't like, there are many things we'd like to ignore, and a few things we can't get our heads around!
It's a crude list, but it was on my mind so here it goes:
Top Ten Things I Love about Montreal:
10) Montreal Botanical Gardens (stunningly beautiful)
9) The Metro: cheap and convenient
8) Art Java and the fast food chains for Indian, Thai and Korean cuisine (YUM!)
7) The Seasons: My boys ice skating outdoors in the Winter on Mount Royal, The best Fall anywhere, and Spring's quick burst
6) McGill University: its campus and students
5) My artistic collaborators Vincent and Ginette
4)The sense that Culture matters to one and all
3) My fellow Expats
2) Marché Atwater: it's bread, butchers, produce, and its proximity to the Canal where we can kayak
1) The Fromage at the Fromagerie at the Marché Atwater (no words can express the joy at the smell !!)
Top Ten Things I do not like about Montreal:
10) The low level of kinesthetic and spatial awareness in the pedestrians of Montreal
9) The monopoly on wine distribution here (and the lack of good Californian wine!)
8) The grocery stores -- too many lines and not enough choice
7)The Breyer's Ice Cream and The Heinz Ketchup -- the recipes are different, the ice cream is tasteless, the ketchup too sweet
6) The No Turn On Red policy on the island of Montreal (imagine how much gas is wasted idling around!)
5) We can't find a pediatrician and the boys haven't been to a real doctor's office in almost three years
4) The fact that everyone wants to correct my pronunciation of "pasta", "been", "against", "Mazda", "project", and "get"
3) Nobody takes responsibility for shoveling the snow off of their sidewalks! (businesses or private citizens)
2) The smokers here -- I can't walk around outside without smelling cigarette smoke (and it smells different than the US cigs.)
1) The drivers in Montreal: simply the worst I've encountered anywhere (and that includes Miami!!!!)
I also believe that one of the oddest things about walking around downtown, is the lack of smiling and acknowledging that I am a human being in the presence of another human being. It's almost like everyone's scared to smile or speak. Maybe the speaking thing has to do with the fear of what language to use -- offense can be made by saying "Hello" instead of "Bonjour". But a smile is UNIVERSAL and rather easy...
Now, since this is an Opera Blog I'll include a Top Ten List about Singing...
Top Ten Things I've noticed about Young Singers in North America during the past few years:
10) Too much attention on being Correct instead of Effective
9) Little curiosity and/or knowledge about symphonic and piano literature from the 19th century
8) Singing Vertically instead of Horizontally
7) Not enough knowledge about specific technical issues regarding Breath Support
6) Way too judgmental about GREAT singers like Sutherland, Fleming, Ramey, Corelli, Domingo, von Stade (Stop this now!)
5) Way too judgmental about their own singing (give yourselves a break!)
4) "Taking" a coaching instead of bringing something to the studio...
3) Not enough time is being spent in a practice room; instead it's spent on YouTube surfing the drunk Carmen video
2) Taking themselves too seriously, instead of taking the Art seriously
1) The Habits of Recent Singers Who've Moved To The Next Level of Success: They work harder, have a non-generic sound, are really good actors, learn their music quickly and efficiently, and THEY WORK WELL WITH OTHERS!
About Working Well With Others: This means treating everyone around you with respect. The ASMs, the assistant conductors, the rehearsal pianists, the choristers, everyone! It's the most notable trend I'm seeing recently. Negativity is destroying young singers' chances of ever beginning a career, let alone having one. Who wants to recommend or rehire someone who either has a dark cloud over their head or someone who talks badly about their colleagues, their conductors, their teachers, their coaches, etc.?
Done now -- have to start purging things in our Victoria place so that we can move to our Montreal West place!
It's a crude list, but it was on my mind so here it goes:
Top Ten Things I Love about Montreal:
10) Montreal Botanical Gardens (stunningly beautiful)
9) The Metro: cheap and convenient
8) Art Java and the fast food chains for Indian, Thai and Korean cuisine (YUM!)
7) The Seasons: My boys ice skating outdoors in the Winter on Mount Royal, The best Fall anywhere, and Spring's quick burst
6) McGill University: its campus and students
5) My artistic collaborators Vincent and Ginette
4)The sense that Culture matters to one and all
3) My fellow Expats
2) Marché Atwater: it's bread, butchers, produce, and its proximity to the Canal where we can kayak
1) The Fromage at the Fromagerie at the Marché Atwater (no words can express the joy at the smell !!)
Top Ten Things I do not like about Montreal:
10) The low level of kinesthetic and spatial awareness in the pedestrians of Montreal
9) The monopoly on wine distribution here (and the lack of good Californian wine!)
8) The grocery stores -- too many lines and not enough choice
7)The Breyer's Ice Cream and The Heinz Ketchup -- the recipes are different, the ice cream is tasteless, the ketchup too sweet
6) The No Turn On Red policy on the island of Montreal (imagine how much gas is wasted idling around!)
5) We can't find a pediatrician and the boys haven't been to a real doctor's office in almost three years
4) The fact that everyone wants to correct my pronunciation of "pasta", "been", "against", "Mazda", "project", and "get"
3) Nobody takes responsibility for shoveling the snow off of their sidewalks! (businesses or private citizens)
2) The smokers here -- I can't walk around outside without smelling cigarette smoke (and it smells different than the US cigs.)
1) The drivers in Montreal: simply the worst I've encountered anywhere (and that includes Miami!!!!)
I also believe that one of the oddest things about walking around downtown, is the lack of smiling and acknowledging that I am a human being in the presence of another human being. It's almost like everyone's scared to smile or speak. Maybe the speaking thing has to do with the fear of what language to use -- offense can be made by saying "Hello" instead of "Bonjour". But a smile is UNIVERSAL and rather easy...
Now, since this is an Opera Blog I'll include a Top Ten List about Singing...
Top Ten Things I've noticed about Young Singers in North America during the past few years:
10) Too much attention on being Correct instead of Effective
9) Little curiosity and/or knowledge about symphonic and piano literature from the 19th century
8) Singing Vertically instead of Horizontally
7) Not enough knowledge about specific technical issues regarding Breath Support
6) Way too judgmental about GREAT singers like Sutherland, Fleming, Ramey, Corelli, Domingo, von Stade (Stop this now!)
5) Way too judgmental about their own singing (give yourselves a break!)
4) "Taking" a coaching instead of bringing something to the studio...
3) Not enough time is being spent in a practice room; instead it's spent on YouTube surfing the drunk Carmen video
2) Taking themselves too seriously, instead of taking the Art seriously
1) The Habits of Recent Singers Who've Moved To The Next Level of Success: They work harder, have a non-generic sound, are really good actors, learn their music quickly and efficiently, and THEY WORK WELL WITH OTHERS!
About Working Well With Others: This means treating everyone around you with respect. The ASMs, the assistant conductors, the rehearsal pianists, the choristers, everyone! It's the most notable trend I'm seeing recently. Negativity is destroying young singers' chances of ever beginning a career, let alone having one. Who wants to recommend or rehire someone who either has a dark cloud over their head or someone who talks badly about their colleagues, their conductors, their teachers, their coaches, etc.?
Done now -- have to start purging things in our Victoria place so that we can move to our Montreal West place!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wanting Success
Recently I've been so pleased to see so very many students' names and former students' names appear in press releases, on internet sites, in job searches, and in casting decisions. I have to say how extremely happy it makes me!
Why? Do I live my life vicariously through their successes? Not at all. Frankly, I only really care that my students are happy and living a life that has some connection with music or theatre. I certainly don't think less of a former student if they end up raising a family, or teaching, or enjoying the local arts community -- isn't that what we all want: a life?!
However, I do want success for my students. I work REALLY hard at it, not only writing letters of recommendation, but actively seeking employment for as many of them as I can.
Many of you may not know, but I'm rather proud that there are former students of mine now in positions of being able to hire me: Mr Chugg, for one. "Hello, is this Virginia Opera? I'd like to speak to Mr. Chugg. Yes, please, tell him it's Patrick. Um, Patrick HANSEN. [wait] Yes, Andy, uh, Mr. Chugg? Yes, this is Patrick Hansen. Um, Patrick HANSEN, you know, your old professor from Ithaca..."
Okay, so that conversation has never happened, but I must admit to thinking that at some point it might with one of my very many students out there in the world: Megan at Opera America, Beth now at Penn State, Brian who replaced me at Ithaca (probably even making more... irksome!), Brian and Jon - both earning the big bucks on Broadway, Alan (OK, so he's not a former student, but he's a former young artist!) who will be running the operatic world any day now. The list is rather long.
The list is extremely long when it comes time to mention the recent successes of many Ithaca and McGill former students as well. Today, Lara C was announced as Musetta in the Montreal Opera production of "La Bohème" next winter and Aidan F was announced to sing the role of the Secretary (a role that I consider one of my best!) in Menotti's "The Consul" in 2011. Caitlin M sang the secretary in the Ithaca College production and last summer she appeared as Despina in the Merola Opera production of "Cosi fan tutte" (she had sung her first Dorabella at Ithaca, which I think might have been her first role ever!). Who was the Fiordiligi in that Merola production? Lara - who was an amazing Fiordiligi here at McGill during my first year teaching. Who was the Adler pianist that summer? Allan P, who was the rehearsal pianist for that Ithaca College "Consul". I think Merola should call me...
Then there are the students who've gone onto big fame and fortune. I'll mention them by their full name because they're out there in the world as celebrities with hundreds of thousands of hits on youtube: Aaron Tveit and Zach James. Both appeared today in separate listings on playbill.com. Aaron, after his recent run on Broadway in "Next to Normal" and guest spots on "Ugly Betty" and "Gossip Girl", is set to open a show on Broadway next spring "Catch Me If You Can" (after the Leonardo movie of the same name - Aaron plays the Leonardo character.) Zach is opening "Addams Family Musical" tonight on Broadway - he plays Lurch. You can't miss him in any of the publicity because next to Nathan Lane, he looks 8 feet tall! I also had the pleasure of seeing Zach on Letterman a few nights ago - on the eve of McGill's "Dido and Aeneas". The last time I worked on Dido - at Ithaca - Zach was singing a role in it. He was also in "The Consul" at Ithaca, as well as a number of musicals.
Both Aaron and Zach were students in the B.F.A. program at Ithaca College. Both have REALLY exceptional voices - Aaron, a tenor and Zach, a bass. I'll never forget the day that my wife Elizabeth came into my studio after an initial lesson with Aaron. It went something like "I've just heard the next big star". Both Aaron and Zach had some difficulties to surmount with the theatre faculty. Because both of them sang so well, they were dismissed by a few of the acting teachers as "just singers". Because both of them were EXCEPTIONAL, and not the norm, many teachers had a difficult time assessing their talent. It seems odd, but many times I've found that some of my colleagues (academic and professional) are more comfortable with voices and talent that are what I would call mediocre: nothing wrong with them, but nothing special about them. Zach and Aaron were both special. I've kept in a bit of contact with both of them, and I must say each are extremely humble about their successes. Although, being introduced to the guy who plays Simba in "Lion King" as "one of my old professors from Ithaca" backstage at "Next to Normal", was a piece of humble pie for me!
Do I think I had something to do with their recent successes? No. Do I think I had something to do with their success? Yes. Do I wish that all of my students were as open-minded and hard-working as Aaron, Zach, Andy, Lara, Beth, the Brians, etc.? Absolutely.
Keep an open mind when you're learning, studying, teaching.
Work hard.
Success is something many want, but few get. Those that do, earn it!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Update from sunny Montreal
A bigger update:
Memphis’ ORPHEUS: great cast, great company (staff, chorus, production teams), great food, great weather – aside from a few snowflakes. Loved doing it and think that the three versions in one (counter-tenor, tenor, and mezzo) would be a great thing for other companies or programs to do (particularly young artists programs looking for a flexible opera, casting-wise.)
Wichita’s ELIXIR OF LOVE: turned out great – which was a bit of a surprise. Considering I didn’t know I was doing it until a few days before Christmas and I had only a few days to plan things. The small chorus was really eager to do a great job; even my soldier’s trio (don’t ask) turned out looking okay. The cast was charming and I made a number of new friends: a shout out to Emily and Jorge along with the young artists! I saw a flaming Indian – really: a big 30 foot statue on the Arkansas River surrounded every night by huge flaming pots. Don’t know what that’s about… The nice thing about the experience is that I remembered what it was like to work on a great 19th century opera. Loved it, and loved working there, even with all of the eccentricities. It was so nice to work with Otakar Klein – the Nemorino – who really knew the role having sung it all over Europe in Vienna, Bratislava, etc.
McGill’s THE RAKE’S PROGRESS: directed by David Lefkowich and conducted by Julian Wachner was something quite special. It was a terrific production. The cast and chorus did wonders with the score and the design by Vincent, Ginette, and Serge worked well with David’s conception. It’s nice when things work out great without you!
MusiMars: This is a week-long contemporary music festival that takes place at McGill the first week of March. Night after night, huge programs of music by everyone from Stockhausen and Schoenberg to world premiere pieces are performed by students, faculty, and guests. I restaged some AGRIPPINA, staged a conductor’s death in the middle of conducting Kagel’s “Finale”, lit 117 light cues for a bassoon concerto premiere, coordinated a crazy Aperghis piece, and then experienced my first “Pierrot Lunaire”.
The “Pierrot” was the most stimulating experience I’ve had yet as a director. The singer was Ingrid Schmithüsen, who sang it MEMORIZED (!!!) and threw herself into the work. The players were faculty and students from McGill who gave a pretty much note-perfect rendition. Many who’ve heard a number of Pierrots thought that this was close to definitive. I was amazed by the performers and by the piece. Freed to finally stage something based entirely on the subtext and the images created by the text in one’s emotions and imaginations, I became a new director. It was thrilling and I’m still glowing about it!
Right now (literally as I write this) I’m the rehearsal pianist for Opera McGill’s production of Brook’s adaptation of Bizet’s Carmen titled “La Tragedie de Carmen”. Basically all of the tunes, no chorus, and Carmen never shuts up once she starts singing! It’s a great one hour of music and really intense. I’m playing the rehearsals and the performances. François Racine is directing and doing a really cool concept: it’s all done from Jose’s prison cell. Carmen’s dead already and Micaela is a bit out of her mind. Escamillo’s aria is totally a drunken sing along with Pastia. The other half of the double-bill is Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, that I’m stage directing and a student here, Jordan de Souza, is the pianist on. Rehearsals have been a hoot – I haven’t worked on it since I was in high school back in the 80s! My first professional job as a music director, at Omaha’s Center Stage, was on this piece. I remember I thought it odd that this musical didn’t have any dialogue – later I learned it was considered an opera! I’m taking a very 50s approach (a bit “Mad Men”), but trying to create a number of fantasy sequences. It’ll be a really entertaining evening!
My next big project is Brevard! I’ve never conducted Pirates before, so that’ll be fun. The casts for Brevard are looking FIERCE, and I think it’s going to be our best summer ever! Elizabeth returns to do her incredible work with the students (she's a Voice Whisperer if ever there was one!) and our boys are certainly looking forward to their third summer in the forests of North Carolina. Lots of new, exciting, stuff happening there the summer after next, so look for more news down-the-road.
That’s the update! Next up is planning Opera McGill 10-11: Puccini / Mozart / Handel
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