Rave Reviews of Oh Freedom!

Don't miss the last public opportunity to see the OH FREEDOM concert live,  tonight (Thursday 2/11/10) the Frazier History Museum (9th & Main).  Come at 5pm and share a refreshment and experience a concert that has been met with outstanding success at 5:30pm.  The event is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of The Fund for the Arts. 

Metro TV (insight channel 25) will air the concert in its entirety on Sunday March 7 at 9pm.  Classical 90.5 FM WUOL has the 2/10/10 concert from their performance studio available online now.  

The Studio Artists Program is sponsored by GE Appliances. 

School performances sponsored by Yum Brands and PNC Bank.

Phillip Morgan and Erica Cochran Zimmer perform "A Chorus of Hope" at the Celebrate Your Dream Concert 1/17/10.  Photo by Frankie Steele.

What the schools are saying: 

From Kristine Larson at Whitney Young Elementary:

I (and the kids) were enthralled! It was so wonderfully written, and an amazing retrospective of our American history all inside 45 minutes!
I didn't know how the Gullah culture had influenced Porgy and Bess- I knew about the fabulous talent of Paul Robeson so was intrigued to hear him mentioned;  all the details in the performance were so relevant to fifth grade topics, as well as what any informed American should know.
The performers were so talented and engaging, I loved how they answered the kids' questions so deftly and were able to do what we call "code switching" to meet the kids at their level of cognition (a talent not every adult has).  I have had lots of feedback from the kids, they loved the instruments that were featured and one child told me he loved the "call and response" (from Swing Low,,,,,)  Hats off to Kentucky Opera and its energetic and talented performers!  Fabulous! We are in your debt at Whitney Young.  Thanks for fitting us into your schedule!  As a long time season ticket holder to KY OPERA, I say "BRAVO!"

From Tammi Metcalf at Fort Knox military base:

I want you to know they were wonderful! I enjoyed it and so did the soldiers!

From Susan Johnston at Holy Spirit School:

Just to touch base and let you know how much I enjoyed the O Freedom performance. It went right along with what I am teaching and the performers were excellent. Thank you so much for this opportunity!!

From Julie Stith at Layne Elementary:

The performance was wonderful! I have heard many positive things from teachers and students about Oh Freedom!

From Gaylinn Mix-Foley at Ten Broeck Dupont:

40 students attended our performance here at The Brook Dupont.  The performance was incredible!  Definitely the best program we have seen this year by far!  The students were mesmerized, which, for the kids here at the hospital, is a small miracle!  Thank you so very much! 

From Tim King, Director of Performing Arts at JCPS commenting on Lincoln Elementary performance:

Your artists this morning did a fine job of presenting “Oh, Freedom!”  The artists were collegial and engaged our students from the outset.  The material was relevant and timely with Black History Month upon us.   The principal and teachers all commented on what a wonderful program it was.  Well, congratulations!  You have a winner on your hands.

From Mary Lasley at Hancock County Schools (middle and high school performances):

“Oh Freedom” performed here this morning and I have heard nothing but good things.  Please let the performers know that they did a beautiful job and we really appreciate all that you did in bringing this performance to our school.

From Eleanor Hawkins at Engelhard Elementary:

Students had a marvelous time today with the KY Opera Program!   They were making LOTS of connections to music, culture, social studies and reading.  Thank you!

From Paula Little, Supervisor of Instruction for the Clinton County School District:

I heard the performance went very well.  The G/T teacher said that many of the students were amazed.  Thanks again for working with us to set up this performance and the dress rehearsal this year.  They were both outstanding!

Post your own review by leaving a comment here.  

Are you ready for Hansel & Gretel?

Hansel & Gretel is next week!!
If you haven't boned up on Humperdink, here are a few ways to get more out of your operatic experience.

Watch METRO TV:
Kentucky Opera's Lunch & Listen will be aired on Insight chanel 25
Wednesday, 11/11 at 2pm
Thursday, 11/12 at 9:30am
and Sunday 11/15 at 9pm

You can listen to the podcast at WUOL.org

Here is a portion of the Lunch & Listen where our conductor, Steven White talks about the music, the conductor and the Brown Theatre.

Of Mice and Men Extras!

Rod Nelman as George Milton and Michael Hendrick as Lennie Small in Carlisle Floyd's OF MICE AND MEN which Kentucky Opera will present at the Brown Theatre on Friday, October 30 and Sunday, November 1. Photo by J. David Levy.

Kentucky Opera has been very busy with "Of Mice and Men" and the excitement is mounting! Composer, Carlisle Floyd was able to join us last night for the student dress rehearsal. See samples from the opera meet the composer.

Today, Mr. Floyd was in the WUOL studio with Daniel Gilliam chatting with fellow composer Jake Heggie (who was in Louisville for last year's composer workshop). Listen to the entire conversation here.

Also, if you haven't picked up this weeks LEO, do so. Bill Doolittle wrote a great article!

Composer comes to town!!

He is considered the Father of American Opera. Contemporary composers across the country and the globe admire him for his contributions to the craft. His works combine penetrating social commentary with acute psychological insight. In 2008 he became the first composer to receive the National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honor award. And he's coming to Louisville.


Composer and librettist, Carlisle Floyd, will sit amongst the students of Louisville high schools and colleges on Wednesday night at the Brown Theater to watch the final dress rehearsal of one of his most successful operas, Of Mice and Men.


He has quite a busy schedule for the short time in town. Thursday morning he will chat with Jake Heggie (who came to town for the Kentucky Opera Composer Workshop last year) and Classical 90.5 FM's Daniel Gilliam. The entire conversation will be available later that afternoon online at WUOL.org.


He will also conduct master classes with Kentucky Opera studio artists and students from the University of Louisville School of Music. Very special patrons will be able to dine with him at the President's Council Dinner before he attends the Of Mice and Men opening night performance on Friday, October 30 at the Brown Theatre.


Join the composer for the performance on Friday at 8pm. Call 502.584.7777 for tickets.


If you missed it:
See the Lunch & Listen recorded at the WUOL performance studios on METRO TV (Insight channel 25).

Thursday, October 22 4:30 pm
Friday, October 23 12:00 pm & 11:00 pm
Saturday, October 24 4:00 am
Sunday, October 25 – 9:00 pm

The weekly Metro TV schedule is available on line here.

Composer Workshop with Ben Moore

Ben Moore working with Kentucky Opera Studio Artist, Sarah Klopfenstein with the role of Tamara in Enemies, a Love Story at UofL's Comstock Hall

Ben Moore arrived in our fair city on Saturday (between La Traviata performances) and started working immediately. Only being here for a week, he has a lot of ground to cover in a little bit of time. He will be working with students from the University of Louisville School of Music, the Academy of Music at St. Francis in the Fields along with Kentucky Opera Studio Artists to refine elements of a new opera he is working on, Enemies, a Love Story.

He was able to share a bit of time for WUOL's Daniel Gilliam, listen to the entire conversation here.

This Saturday, October 3,2009 at 8pm, the workshop will present their efforts at UofL School of Music Comstock Hall. Mr. Moore will narrate through the story line of Enemies, a Love Story, while the workshop participants will perform excerpts from the opera. The event is FREE and open to the public.

Iolanta

Today Kentucky Opera had the Lunch and Listen for Iolanta. For those who may not know about this significant program, it's a one-hour preview of whatever opera is coming up. It takes place on Wednesday usually two weeks prior to the production at Louisville Public Media's performance studio hosted by one of the wonderful WUOL hosts such as Scott Dowd, Alan Brandt or Carol Larson. (I would be remiss not to mention Daniel Gilliam who has done many wonderful interviews with Kentucky Opera staff and artists, but has not hosted a Lunch and Listen). The programs are aired live on Classical 90.5 WUOL at lunch time and the small but appreciative live audience can bring their lunch or order a City Cafe box lunch through the opera or the station. The shows are re-broadcast on Classical 90.5 on the following weekend; they are on WUOL’s audio archives and usually broadcast on Metro TV many times. (Unfortunately this particular program was not taped by Metro TV).

David Roth goes over the story and highlights of the operas and introduces the cast, the conductor and director. The main stage artists will perform arias and ensembles to illustrate the plot. It is a unique opportunity for the public to hear the music of the opera and get an in depth description of the libretto. (Look here for a short synopsis and history of Iolanta)

This particular Lunch and Listen was unique in two ways. First, because Iolanta will be performed in concert rather than the full production, the main stage artists are not in town yet. Although the chorus is in rehearsal (David Roth is in the chorus!!) and getting Russian coaching, Anna Shafajinskia and her counter parts will not be in Louisville until a week before the production. Kentucky Opera’s Studio Artists, Heather Phillips and Benjamin Robinson sang for the Lunch and Listen and did a great job.

Another distinctive difference in this Lunch & Listen, the Louisville Orchestra had an ensemble in the studio to perform an excerpt and Rob Birman, the LO’s C.O.O. was introduced as well. The addition of the orchestra was just astounding. This Iolanta concert is collaboration between the two organizations, and this entertaining and educational program exemplified this ideal fusion.

Iolanta will be in concert at Whitney Hall on Saturday, March 21 at 8pm and tickets are available by calling 502.584.7777 or by visiting KYOpera.org.

Composer Workshop with Jake Heggie

FREE CONCERT OF JAKE HEGGIE WORKS

Friday February 20 at 8pm
Comstock Hall, UofL School of Music

UofL junior, Jen Thomas is one of the lucky singers able to participate in the Composer Workshop with Jake Heggie. On Sunday, February 15 was the first of the week-long workshops. Here is her impression of the evening:

Jake Heggie does not presume to teach singers how to sing: instead, he uses his expertise to help the singer connect to the text and emotion of each piece, and create a true emotional reaction, instead of acting as a character. Because of this, often Mr. Heggie was dragging singers out of their comfort zone. Many of us were asked to recite the poetry of our songs dramatically, in an over-the-top way, or consider different ways to interpret our texts. I myself had to channel a seductress for my song, which I originally approached as innocent and lilting song. The change to both my voice, and my performance of the song, was drastically different, but far superior, to my original interpretation.
Others were asked to consider the context of their song, especially when their selection came from an opera. He refocused traditional acting techniques to better apply to a singer’s experience. By doing so, each song became a story, or an emotional ride. His deep, emotive music so easily lends itself to an emotional interpretation, and Mr. Heggie’s ability to express himself enhanced both a consideration of his music, as well as the music of others.
He is soft-spoken and passionate, and allows himself to easily connect to every person in the room. In that way, he is captivating. One of the most interesting moments during the master classes to this point was when he himself played the piano for one of the singers. He hardly looked at the music.

Last night (Monday 2/16) Heggie had an incredible interview with Scott Dowd at WUOL. The evening started by introducing the members responsible for making this program possible, Edith Tidwell, Nancy Albrink and David Roth. Jake talked about his process and how he loves distilling something down th to the basic elements. He spoke about how the expenseive and elabroate nature of opera makes it difficult for composers to workshop thier pieces. Usually the first time you get to see if all the pieces work is opening night, (when you have the world watching). So the concept of a workshop process that Kentucky Opera is starting will be a valuable resource for composers. To be able to have singers to go through the vocals would be an incredible asset to the entire process. We were entertained by Megan Deiter, Phillip Morgan and Kelly Ballou each singing Heggie compositions.

WUOL will put it in their audio archives soon and Metro TV was there recording as well. SO after the fact, you can tune in. I will let you know when.

Photo: Jake Heggie works with Kentucky Opera Studio Artist, Heather Phillips, through an aria from The End of the Affair.

Giving Thanks for Werther

It seems as though just yesterday we were having a fun romp with Don Quixote in the Brown Theatre. Amid the holiday festivities, Kentucky Opera will present Werther at the Kentucky Center. It's not the candy, it's pronounced Vair- tair.

Our photographer J.David Levy slipped me a few images from the piano dress rehearsal on Sunday, just to share with our blog readers.


Garrett Sorenson sings the role of our tragic hero, Werther. A poet so in love with Charlotte, that all he can do is compose poems for her beauty and grace. Sorenson has an easy task with this as the object of his affection on stage is his wife in real life, Elizabeth Batton. The couple will be on WHAS 11 in the noon hour on Wednesday, November 26. Be sure to tune in.


If you just can't wait until Wednesday, listen to a podcast interview on Classical 90.5 between the couple and Scott Dowd.

Be aware that it doesn't end well for our romantic poet. He does himself in, and we at Kentucky Opera are in no way condoning the violence of suicide.


Tickets are available by calling 502.584.7777 or by clicking here.