Thursday, June 24, 2010

Musings from the Music Director

Greetings from the rolling hills and green fields of south central Iowa where I am currently rehearsing Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah for Des Moines Metro Opera. We began rehearsing this amazing American opera on June 4 and have our opening on July 3 (Le nozze di Figaro and Macbeth are also featured this summer). Personally, I am humbled in the fact that in less than one year I was fortunate to be a part of Kentucky Opera’s acclaimed production of Floyd’s Of Mice and Men and now the opportunity to pace Floyd’s earlier composition Susannah. Floyd has the supreme gift of capturing the dramatic pulse and underscoring it with such innovative orchestrations- much like Puccini. The cast here at Des Moines Metro Opera is superb and is headlined by the gifted singer-actor Beverley O’Regan Thiele. If you happen to be around the performances are July 3, 7, 11 (Floyd will be in attendance) and 16.

Having grown up just west of Minneapolis, being in Iowa is like coming home. The people, the pace and more importantly the butcher shop filled with Iowan-feed beef and pork. I broke down and bought a Weber grill!  YUM!!! Once we open I will drop another note. Otherwise happy summer to all!


Joseph Mechavich
Kentucky Opera’s Principal Conductor and Music Director

Monday, April 5, 2010

Get well wishes to Mo. Levine!

James Levine has announced he will not be able to complete the remainder of the season for both the Metropolitan Opera and the Boston Symphony as he will be undergoing his second back surgery.  Fabio Luisi will replace him in New York, while Boston is using several conductors to stand in for Levine including Jayce Ogren and Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos.  


Find out more here
and here 
and here


We wish the Maestro well, and hope for a speedy recovery!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Remember these??

I knew about this commercial that popularized the I Pagliacci aria:




But I had no idea it was a big campaign... Imagine. Using opera to give strength to your product...


Thursday, March 4, 2010

Fun!!

Check this out. I have seen this with dancers, but not opera...

Thursday, February 11, 2010

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.  



Wednesday, February 3, 2010

A call to action!

   This is an opportunity to hear what the candidates say about the future of arts funding.  Let them know our community demands stability for the arts!! 


The Kentucky School of Art Presents......

A Conversation with the 2010 Louisville Mayoral Candidates
               about the Future of the Arts in Louisville

Hosted by The Kentucky Center for Performing Arts
 moderated by David Cupps, Executive Director, Arts Kentucky

 Monday, February 8, 2010 Time: 6-8 p.m.

ALL 13 CANDIDATES ARE COMMITTED TO ATTENDING THE FORUM!!

Tyler Allen, Nimbus Couzin, Burrel Charles Farnsley, Greg Fischer, Jackie Green, Hal Heiner, Jim King, Connie Marshall, Lisa Moxley, Jonathan Robertson, David Tandy, Chris Thieneman, and Shannon White

Followed by a Meet and Greet in the East Room, Cash Bar  8-9:00 p.m.

 Location: The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Bomhard Theatre 502 W. Main St., Louisville

 Free and open to the public  Open seating, tickets are not available

 for more information call (502) 618-4600



E

Friday, January 29, 2010

Oh Freedom! from Deanna Hoying


Naoko Suga, Erica Cochran and Phillip Morgan perform Oh Freedom! for Foster Elementary.

Halfway through the tour!

We’re halfway through the OH FREEDOM! tour! Our intrepid performers Erica Cochran, Phillip Morgan and Naoko Suga have traveled more than 600 miles and have performed for more than 3,500 kids! They started the tour in Clinton County, Kentucky (near the border of Tennessee), traveled to Hancock County near Owensboro, KY and throughout greater Louisville. They also performed at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrate Your Dream Concert at St. Stephen for more than 1,000 people.

And every Thursday evening at 5:30, they are performing at the Frazier International Museum as a partnership with the museum, the Fund for the Arts and Kentucky Opera. So far, they’ve performed for more than 200 at these events with the final two on February 4th and 11th.

It’s been a whirlwind with two more weeks to go!

Some comments from the teachers:

Hey Ms. Deanna! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The performance & performers were fantastic!!!! If our kids are bored or not interested in something, you can tell very quickly, because they move around, won’t sit still and talk. Well, they were as quiet as could be, no moving and thoroughly into the program and participated whenever possible. Several of the kids have made thank you cards and it is very apparent that they listened. I will be sending them to Mary Dossett & Laura Barnum at Yum since they sponsored the show, but I am going to ask them to forward them to you. I think you will truly enjoy them. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks, again



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!


There were 75 students, plus or minus a few, plus 5 teachers.
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, heh heh.)
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 "BRAVE!"


Posted for Deanna Hoying, Director of Education