Of Mice and Men cast is starting to arrive. Alise has been back and forth to the airport ALL DAY. She still manages to get her work done!

Not sure how I feel about Ping yet. I will let you know.

Studio Artist Update

Studio Artist Music Director, Lisa Hasson; Madama Butterfly Stage Director, Thomson Smillie ; and Clark Sturdevant as Goro

Kentucky Opera's Studio Artists are hard working "kids."

They spent all of September working on La Traviata. Last week they worked on Ben Moore's new opera, Enemies, a Love Story. (Photographer Jan Abbott took pictures of the Enemies program Saturday, October 3 at Comstock Hall. Check out the work here.)

Now these very industrious singers have Madama Butterfly AND Of Mice and Men for the rest of this month!

Right now they are in the rehearsal space downstairs busy working on Butterfly which will be presented with the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra on November 6 & 7. More details on this performance to come.

Sarah Klopfenstein as Suzuki and Clark Sturdevant as Goro

Dear Opera Lovers,

Ahead of me stands tall once more the most impossible of all tasks…expression of a divine performance through the limitations of written word. I have spent hours and hours contemplating if such a feat can be accomplished and hour after hour I have come to the same conclusion…simply impossible!! Yes indeed, many literary scholars, critics, poets and writers will captivate you, enchant you or illuminate your imagination with their abilities to transform your surroundings and provide you with images that transcend your human limitations. If I will be allowed to say, however, (to the point of being dragged out in the city square and be stoned to death as a blasphemer) none has been or ever will be able to come even close to describe as grand of a production as the premiere of LA TRAVIATA by Kentucky Opera.

What a phenomenal spectacle, a performance so absolutely captivating and deeply rooted in the depths of our own human existence that it is impossible to conceivably describe if one failed to be present inside the Brown Theatre. I will declare this for years to come that this performance was a feat of determination, perseverance and hard work by the dedicated staff and board of directors of this amazing Kentucky Opera company (major congratulations should be given to David Roth and his illustrious staff for their impeccable ability to be visionaries and get the JOB DONE!!). The principal artists that Kentucky Opera was able to attract for this performance left no room for doubters. A cast that could deliver with such force and grace, not only in their operatic vocal crescendos, but also with their abilities to act out beyond a static, paperback, cliché reproduction of what Verdi intended. Elizabeth Futral is a star that needs no introduction but inside the Brown Theater proved in all her grandeur why she is one of the most notable Violetta’s in the operatic scene today. Her voice soared in the theater and her acting captivated even the most hard to move patrons. We felt her passion reach out to the audience as she gasped for air and begged for another day to see the ray of light alongside her beloved. Her singing can move even a siren!! She is truly a performer who “lives” her role to the fullest. Sebastien Gueze is a real find and has a brilliant career ahead of him. He could deliver his singing with incredible force and gusto while mesmerizing the audience with his very convincing acting… when he was happy, one could feel happiness, when he was angry, anger and when sorrowful, sorrow. Donnie R. Albert was once more a baritone who knows how to deliver to his audience with considerable technical ability, just like he delivered in last year’s production of OTELLO. KY Opera could challenge any other company with such cast and definitely WIN!

The congratulations, however, do not end here. Just pick up the program and you will realize the entire bill is indeed worthy of major Bravo and Brava!! Our Kentucky Opera Studio Artists were brilliant and I have to admit this year the Studio Artist Program has some of the strongest residents I have ever experienced. They deserve our warmest applause and support since their hard work colors in such an elegant way every performance. Conductor Kelly Kuo did great justice to Verdi’s score and provided a full bodied and nostalgic performance with the Louisville Orchestra. Everything, from the costumes, to the set, to the lighting design was impeccable, imaginable, and lush which provided a time capsule where the audience could travel from the comfort of its seat back to 1850’s Paris. And to make things even better, the Brown Theatre proved the perfect venue for Kentucky Opera with its beautiful renovations, expanded pit, close, intimate setting and formidable acoustics. The new motto seems to be “there is not a bad seat at the BROWN”. So, with $78 for a season subscription I am stunned you are still reading the rumblings of an insanely emotional operagoer and you have not reached for the phone to call for your seats for the next 15 seasons to come…I am still not able to hold back my tears as I weep uncontrollably listening to my recording of LA TRAVIATA and remembering the night at the BROWN. I am sure Giuseppe was looking down upon us from his throne in operatic heaven, also weeping from deep exuberance knowing this production was exactly what he had in mind when he first conceived his brilliant masterpiece.

Christos “The Wagnerian” Dimitriadis

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.

Thanks for the Comments

We have had many great responses to the La Traviata weekend. People have been posting on the Kentucky Opera Facebook Fan Page, on my page, on twitter... No one has really commented on the blog, so I thought I would share some comments from the other social media sites here:

The Kentucky Opera's, La Triviata, was spectacular! It looked as if every seat was filled at the Brown Theatre. Perfect event!
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I have always enjoyed broadway but this was my first opera and it was truly an amazing experience. The ambience at the Brown theater is breathtaking and the setting intimate, just the way I had envisioned opera to be! Bravo

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It was fabulous! I really like the new venue. there's so much more emotion when you're close enough to read the expressions on the performer's faces. So many people focus on the music alone, forgetting that opera is truly a visual art as well. Elizabeth Frutal was flawless and Sébastien Guèze is asexpressive with his face as he is with his voice. Donnie Ray Albert owned the stage when he was on it, too. It was lovely seeing some familiar faces from the UK Opera Theatre as well. I look forward to seeing more of Sarah Klopfenstein and Eric Brown this season.

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everyone should see it !!!!

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Wasn't she great? The whole production was to die for!

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What a thoroughly delightful evening!!! Everyone involved with this production should be very proud.

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Bleeping spectacular production. Four stars on all fronts--singing, sets, costumes...and what's not to love about Traviata?

Commented on YOUTUBE (Sebastian's performance at the Patron’s Circle party)

Raythespian I was there for Sebastien's American debut!! Never before have I seen all of Alfredo's requirements fulfilled by one tenor...youthful good looks, lustrous voice, dramatic intelligence, and the acting ability to convey every nuance with clarity and impact. Next, Rodolfo in Austin!!

Twitter responses

· Had a wonderful night at the opera! Verdi certainly knew what he was doing when he wrote "La Traviata"11:35 PM Sep 25th from TweetDeck

· It was fantastic! Everything about it was wonderful! Violetta was AMAZING! Her name is Elizabeth Futral11:34 PM Sep 25th from TweetDeck

· I'm heading to the KOA (Kentucky Opera Association) production of La Traviata tonight!3:42 PM Sep 25th from TweetDeck

_SanDiegoOpera Soprano Elizabeth Futral is hooked on La traviata. She better be! Sings it with us in 2010. http://bit.ly/a7vG2

Brannon rocked today in La Traviata! Oh, I do love the opera! about 17 hours ago from Twit

continuing our unintentional sampling of the arts, just saw the opera La Traviata performed at the brown theatre.

Watching La Traviata! #fb

It's "La Traviata" time at Kentucky Opera, with no less than Elizabeth Futral singing Violetta.

Another "Traviata" is history. And Violetta is still dead.

Will you be at La Traviata?

Tonight is @kentuckyopera's first performance of the season. We hope to see you at La Traviata! http://bit.ly/qbOhB

What did you think?

Were you amoung our full house last night for Kentucky Opera's grand gala opening of the 2009 Brown-Forman Fall Season of La Traviata?

Tell us what you thought? Did you enjoy the Gala atmosphere?
Did you enjoy the intimacy and opulance of the Brown Theatre?
Were you mesmirized by the new sound of the expanded orchestra pit?
Did you fall in love with the voice of Metropolitan Opera star, Elizabeth Futral?
Did you get to meet Sébastien Guèze at the cast party following the show?

Tell us everything, we want to hear your review! Post your reviews in the comment area and thanks for joining us!