Meet the Happy Couple!

Along with his  Mo.Joe's Corner webisodes, Maestro Joseph Mechavich has interviewed the cast of Marriage of Figaro so you can get to know the amazing artists who will perform in the second production in the Brown-Forman 2011/12 Kentucky Opera season. Tickets are going fast, so you had better get them now if you haven't yet. Call us at 502.584.7777 or just click here. (The Kentucky Center now has a neat feature on their website where you can actualy select the seats you want.  VERY cool.)

Meet the happy couple, Carlos Monzon will sing the role of Figaro, and Anya Matanovic will play his soon to be bride Susanna.

From the Classical 90.5FM WUOL Lunch and Listen 

Want to see more? Our friends at MetroTV have the entire hour long program available online now. Click here to check it out!

Carlos Monzon

Where do you call home? New York, NY, where my wife and baby are (or if this a more technical question then Guadalajara, where I was born and raised)

Who has had the biggest influence in your career and why? My parents, they built our family from the bottom up. They are still working and they are very present in my life as the inspiration that motivates me to be a better person and a better singer every day.

What is your process when preparing a role? Psychology first, I need to know the story, who I am, where I come from, where I’m going, why some characters interact with me and why some don’t. I read the libretto throughout and translate it completely and do research on it. Then I can start working on the music, and, the composer, through the music, usually answers questions that were left unanswered by my research on the piece.

What aspects of your character do you find the most rewarding? Being the “hero” of a story is always rewarding, but mainly Figaro is a very open and transparent person and that’s very refreshing since, with my type of voice, I get to play the villain a lot.

What are the most challenging aspects of your character? Honesty, the simple fact of having to ‘act honest’ is an oxymoron; and considering honesty is possibly one of the strongest attributes Figaro possesses, I believe this to be the biggest challenge along with the wittiness required to outsmart the Count.

What is your one guilty pleasure? Gadgets! I’m very passionate about technology.

What music is on your iPod or MP3 player (or music you like besides opera)? Anything from Metallica to Mariachi music, from Radiohead to Cesária Évora, I really like most music when I consider it has been well made and conceived.

What is your dream role and why? I’d love to play the Four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann; because they represent more than just an actual evil person or a nemesis. They represent those profound and destructive fears deep inside our subconscious, our split personality… when we become our worst enemy. To me this is one of the most powerful roles to play vocally and histrionically.


Anya Matanovic

Where do you call home? Ah...home. I grew up in the Seattle area and still feel most at home there, but at the moment I am based in NYC. The wonderful thing about traveling to new cities to sing is that each one becomes your home for the duration of the rehearsals and performances. As I was starting this career and working through the challenges of traveling often and being home less and less - my family would quote the beginning of the Emily Dickenson poem - "Where thou art - that - is home".


Who has had the biggest influence in your career and why? There are far too many to name, but it all started with Maria Callas. One listen to the La Divina album at sixteen and I was a changed person. I promised myself that if I could make even one other person in this world feel the way I felt listening to her - then I had to do this. But truly - if I hadn't had the support of my parents every step of the way, I never would have stuck through this.


What is your process when preparing a role? I try to approach each role freshly and to be forgiving with myself. The voice takes time to adjust between different roles and, for me, each new role must settle in my voice over a few months. So I try to start as early as I can with the music and text. I think of it in layers- the line I sing, the text, the rhythm, the harmonies I create and the harmonies around me, the style of the composer, the emotion behind what I am saying, the emotion of the orchestra under me. The way my brain works is that I must work on each of these separately and then start putting them together. Because once you get to the rehearsal process you don't have time to be thinking of any of those things - they should just be there by that point. And that is when the fun really starts....

What aspects of your character do you find the most rewarding? I get to have a blast on stage and sing some of the most beautiful ensembles every written.

What are the most challenging aspects of your character? Keeping track of everything around me and who needs what and which prop goes where - I would be an awful maid! I would have sticky notes everywhere....

What is your one guilty pleasure? BBC period dramas

What music is on your ipod or MP3 player (or music you like besides opera)? Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life Album, The Beatles, Tori Amos, Glenn Gould, Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, Bach, Mozart, good mixes from my sister and brother-in-law (though I doubt I could name the bands…but they keep me up to speed on current music coming out), Sondheim and R&H musicals.

What is your dream role and why? Musetta. Luckily, I have already been able to sing it - and in the gorgeous Zeffirelli production in Tel Aviv - where I entered the stage in Act II in a carriage pulled by a horse! She just has fantastic music! She gets to be feisty, but you also see the compassionate side of her in Act IV. And the whole show doesn't ride on her shoulders!

*************

A very special exclusive offer for Kentucky Opera Subscribers!

In honor of The Marriage of Figaro November 18 and 20.

Thomson Smillie, former general director of Kentucky Opera and an internationally acclaimed speaker and writer on opera, has written a user-friendly introduction for the opera newcomer, full of facts and entertaining stories and opinion for the seasoned opera-lover. 

….. hits exactly the right balance between fact, commentary and anecdote. And it reads SO well.”  John Duffus, arts impresario, Bangkok.

Order on-line [see below] PICK UP YOUR COPY(ies) AT A FIGARO PERFORMANCE and save $4.50! on each copy plus the publisher will DONATE an additional $3 per copy to the Honorary Council’s 2012 Campaign!

Thomson will be at the Marketing Desk in the Brown Lobby to autograph copies if desired.

AN INSERTED FLIER WILL TELL YOU ABOUT OUR CHRISTMAS OFFER: discount + personalized dedication and signature + special mailer TO TAKE THE HASSLE OUT OF HOLIDAY SHOPPING and contribute to Kentucky Opera.

it’s very simple:

go to www.thomsonsmillie.com, click on Ky Opera Figaro at the top of the page, complete the order form, enter KY Opera Subscriber Exclusive code: “Figaro”.  Order and pay online – save $2.00 off $16 published price PLUS save $.12 tax ALSO SAVE $2:63 postage and packing = Total SAVINGS of $4.75 PER COPY.

Loving the Elixir

If you haven't heard that Kentucky Opera is doing the Elixir of Love, you must be living under a rock.  Tickets are still available by calling 502.584.7777 or click here.

Emily Albrink as Adina and Victor Ryan Robertson as Nemorino in Elixir of Love. Photo by J. David Levy.

Jeffery Lee Pucket takes a stab at writing on opera for the Courier Journal.

Bill Doolittle chatted with Louisville native Emily Albrink in this weeks LEO Weekly

Selena Frye talked to University of Louisville School of Music Graduate on Louisville.com.

You can still catch the Lunch & Listen we recorded at WUOL on MetroTV this week. 
10/20 at 8pm; 10/21 at 1am & 10am; 10/22 at 1am; 1023 at 4:30pm and 8pm; 10/24 at 1am.
See the entire MetroTV schedule here.

Maestro Joe Mechavich sat down with us last week to talk about The Elixir of Love, the Louisville Orchestra and the wonderful cast perfroming this weekend. 

Elixir teaser

Victor Ryan Robertson will play the coutnry bumpkin, Nemorino, in Kentucky Opera's upcoming production of The Elixir of Love. Some lucky listeners heard him sing "Una furtiva lagrima" at Lunch & Listen on Wednesday, October 6 either live at the WUOL performance studio or on Classical 90.5FM. Others will get to see (a much better video of) the entire program on MetroTV in the coming weeks.




During the Q&A portion of the program, we learned that Robinson hasn't performed Nemorino since his studio artist days. You would never know that he hasn't been singing this piece for years.

Nedda & Silvio duet

This past Wednesday, Kentucky Opera had their Lunch & Listen at Classical 90.5 FM WUOL. The hour-long program is hosted by David Roth who explores the stories of upcomming operas, introduces the cast with musical excerpts to whet the appitite of the studio audience and radio listeners.

This is one of my very favorite enrichment programs offered by KYO. This particular program featured the cast of I Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana, all of whom showed heir vocal prowress.

In this excerpt Pagliacci's beautiful love duet is performed by Michael Mayes as Silvio and Elizabeth Caballero as Nedda.



If you want to hear the entire program, WUOL will be rebroadcasting on Wednesday, September 15 at 12pm on Classical 90.5FM or you can stream it live at www.woul.org. Metro TV (insight channel 25) will air the entire program many times through the rest of the month, and trust me, their video quality is much better than this. Be sure to check out their schedule here.

If you haven't gotten your opera tickets yet, you had better do so soon. Opening night is selling very well! WWW.KYOPERA.ORG

Daron Hagen: father - composer - blogger.

The season is upon us.

The Studio Artists have arrived and are often heard warming up in the various rooms in the building - which makes for lovely adventures in music while wandering the second floor of ArtSpace. You can meet them here.  You will see them on stage for each of the Opera peformances, they may take the mic at the Lunch & Listen on September 9 at the WUOL performance studio, and they will perform ecerpts at the Sights & Sounds at the Speed Museum on September 12. 

One of the more significant projects these young singers will enjoy while in Louisville is an intimate, week-long intensive workshop with Daron Hagen. They will learn and perform his work and develop very important connections with a living composer.

In his most recent blog post, Hagen exposes his truest and deepest self when he premiered Ameila with Seattle Opera. If his music is as sober and honest as his blogs, we are in for a magnificent opportunity.

"I had come to Seattle to attend rehearsals, revise as necessary, to learn as I always did, by observing the process of discovery, and staging. Wife and son in New York, I had returned to a quasi-feral state during the past six weeks: the debilitating insomnia, the depression, the dizzying mood swings—all had roared back. I had felt lost, alone, and agonizingly overexposed."

The Studio Artists will share the results of the Daron Hagen Composer Workshop at the Final Concert on October 31 at 3pm at Comstock Hall. The concert is free but reservations are required by calling 502-584-4500.

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.

Dearest Opera Lovers,

Another season is upon us! It is such a delight to be involved in a vibrant community of Opera enthusiasts waiting patiently for the curtain to rise once more and reveal passion, artistry, mastery in the art of great singing (thank you Fadel!!), dramatic plots, breathtaking music, drama, comedy and my list can go on and on…because Opera is a golden junction, a whirlwind of fusion where fine arts from singing to dancing, from costume design to stage design, from theatre to intricate lighting come together to create a spectacle, an art form, a divine intervention in the hearts of an audience that can do nothing less but weep uncontrollably when such a stimulant for the senses appears before them in flesh and blood.

Some of you reading this piece are probably already in tears laughing at my over-the-top, extremely emotional, maybe even ridiculous rumblings. My intent, however, is not to be eloquent or dazzle you with my use of the English language; I will leave that to English scholars and respected art critics in our community who make a living from their writings. In my poor writing form, I merely try to convey my inner exuberance, utterly frantic emotional state and deep love for our Kentucky Opera and the upcoming Brown-Forman 2009 Fall Season. Isn’t after all love supposedly a state of emotional distress, one of madness, lunacy if you would like? I would not be true to my feelings if I provided you with a well polished piece while trying to express how much love and anticipation I harbor inside me (to the point of madness) as we move day after day, hour after hour towards the opening night gala…it would not be a true Opera lover’s piece; it would just be another page among the many that get published every minute of every day.

Thus, my dearest Opera loving consumers, I will keep this short! I do not even need to go into detail about the phenomenal performers that are going to parade through our elegant, vibrant Brown Theater stage providing us with sensations beyond our wildest dreams or even try to persuade you of the amazing scores and productions that have been chosen for this season. You have your own notions and appreciation of this company’s superhuman efforts to provide us with the best Opera in the region. Your heart and ears will solidify what you already know about this company; whatever it does, it does it right, to the maximum, with elegance, style, knowledge and with US, the Opera audience always in mind. Never lose sight of this because then you will lose sight of how much toil and tears go into the grandeur and beauty the rest of us enjoy. Our Kentucky Opera is a beacon of artistic excellence, uprising star promotion and constantly pushing its audience to new pathways, to new roads of operatic discovery (DO NOT MISS “OF MICE AND MEN”; you will miss more than just an Opera).

So, join me, Christos “The Wagnerian” Dimitriadis in another season of emotional, musical, and vocal growth through the nostalgically beautiful walls of the Brown Theater as we celebrate our own Kentucky Opera. I would also like to invite you to our Guild of Kentucky Opera events and membership. Be among Opera lovers who enjoy more than a performance at the theater; be among Opera lovers who without Opera will breathe no more. To all of you VIVA VOCE!! VIVA BROWN THEATER!! VIVA BROWN-FORMAN 2009 FALL SEASON!! VIVA KENTUCKY OPERA!!

Christos “The Wagnerian” Dimitriadis

Did you miss it??

In case you have missed any of the auxiliary events surrounding Kentucky Opera's LA TRAVIATA there is still time!!! Don't miss any of these great opportunities to learn about the talented cast, the gorgeous production and the amazing spectacle that is grand opera!

Sights & Sounds at the Speed:
Speed Museum Auditorium, 2035 South Third Street
Sunday, September 13 at 1:30pm
The Bad Girls of Art and Opera

Lunch & Listen:
Metro TV (Insight Channel 25)
Sunday, September 13 at 9pm

Lunchtime Arias
Vincenzo's Italian Restaraunt, 150 South Fifth Street
Tuesday, September 15 at 12pm
$20 RSVP by calling Tracy Terry at 502.561.7935

Art of Great Singing
Classical 90.5 FM WUOL
Sunday, September 20 & 27 at 8pm

If you haven't gotten your tickets for the Brown-Forman 2009 Fall Season Opening Night Gala on Friday, September 25... first, shame... second, you had better do so soon, as I just overheard we may sell out! 502.584.7777 or KYOpera.org.

The Art Of Great Singing

On Labor Day, while many were out grilling or running down 3rd Street with the Mayor, Kentucky Opera had the great pleasure to co-host a special in studio interview for the Art Of Great Singing with Elizabeth Futral. The show's host, Fadel Friedlander, came in from Oberlin Ohio to conduct the interview at the WUOL Studios.

Here is a segment of the interview in video, where Elizabeth discusses how she started with the role of Violetta and how she interprets this heroine.

Cast Staff Lunch

Traviata artists have arrived!! Friday afternoon everyone came together (cast, staff, production...) and had lunch. It is a casual easy way for the cast to meet or be reunitied.

David Roth makes introductions.

Old friends hugged and chatted, those new to the company shook hands and met who will become old friends by the month's end.

One such new comer, is Sébastien Guèze who is making his US Debut as Alfredo. We were concerned he would need a translator, but his English is good. Hear it for yourself by listening to Lunch & Listen on WUOL on Wednesday, September 9 at 12 pm.

The cast/staff lunch is also an opportunity to highlight elements of the production that may be of interest. James Marvel, the stage director gave a little background on the set and costumes. He was at ease and able to get everyone comfortable with his wit and relaxed manner.

(I'm just learning how to edit these videos, so I will add more when I figure it all out)

Things are getting excited around the opera. Be sure to you our email list for all the updates so you don't miss a thing. Join Our Mailing List!

King Rene

Wednesday afternoon two of our Iolanta singers were at WUOL for an interview with Daniel Gilliam. Ukrainian by birth, and Canadian by love, Anna Shafajinskaia will be our Iolanta and was so gracious to give her time after one rehearsal and before another. Mikhail Svetlov, who will sing King Rene, was there as well. You can listen to the entire podcast here.

In the interview, I learned that this was Anna's firs time singing this role, and she is very excited to add it to her rep. Mikhail on the other hand has been singing King Rene f,rom the beginning noting this was the first opera he performed in professionally.
Below is a video of one King Rene performance by Svetlov to give you a sample of what we will hear this Saturday, March 21 at 8pm at Whitney Hall. Get your tickets here.



FYI - There are $10 Arts Rush tickets available at the Kentucky Center Box office two hours before the show (6pm).