A Message From David Roth

With the announcement of the Louisville Orchesta’s cancelation of their September and October concerts, Kentucky Opera has been notified as well by management that the organization is not able to perform services for Kentucky Opera during those months. In spite of this setback in the negotiations between management and musicians of the Louisville Orchestra, Kentucky Opera would like to assure all patrons that there will be a live orchestra for the upcoming performances of Carmen, which opens the Brown-Forman 2011/12 Season on September 23 & 25.

General Director David Roth says. “Kentucky Opera is reaching out directly to officials of the American Federation of Musicians Local 11-637. We hope to quickly secure an agreement with them for contracting local members of the union to perform Carmen in September. While we regret the very difficult situation with the Louisville Orchestra, we have an absolute commitment to our patrons who passionately believe in the power of the live performance.” To fulfill the promise Kentucky Opera has made to these patrons during this period, it will work with the AFM Local 11-637 to secure the necessary musicians for each opera until a resolution is found and the Louisville Orchestra can resume its season.

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Entering its 59th season of production, Kentucky Opera was founded in 1952 and designated the State Opera of Kentucky in 1982. The mission of Kentucky Opera is to entertain and educate a broad, diverse audience by producing opera of the highest quality.

The Brown-Forman 2011/12 Kentucky Opera Season
CARMEN
September 23, 25 & 30, 2011
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
November 18 & 20, 2011
THE MERRY WIDOW
February 17 & 19, 2012

Interview with Heather Phillips

Heather Phillips was a Kentucky Opera studio artist in 2008 & 2009.  In our Brown-Forman 2011/12 Kentucky Opera Season, Heather Phillips will be one of the mainstage artists - Micaëla in CARMEN.   
Recently Shane Shapps of 520 East Brands had a chat with Heather about Opera, Louisville and everything inbetween.

When did you know Opera was your future?

“Probably when I first saw my first opera at the age of about 13. My Mother and I went to see Puccini's Madame Butterfly at Cleveland Opera and I was blown away. Even though our seats were in the "nose-bleed" section of the balcony of the theatre and I couldn't really see a lot of detail of what was going on onstage...I was so deeply affected by the power of the voices, the orchestra and the music. From then on, I was instantly hooked on Opera and had to find out more about it.”

How long have you been studying/practicing Opera?

“A little over 10 years now. I started private voice lessons when I was about 15 or 16 years old and after high school studied for 6 years at the Conservatory in Cincinnati, where I earned my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Vocal Performance. After that, I apprenticed with the Cincinnati Opera, Kentucky Opera, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City as well as other summer programs in between. I still however, and always will, consider myself a student of opera...it’s an art form with a rich history that is over 400 years old. There is always something new to learn. That's what makes it so intriguing to me.”

What's the greatest city you've been to? 

“Well in my travels thus far, I have visited a fair amount of the bigger or what you might call ‘grand’ cities. I lived in NYC for little while, and I recently visited Paris, which I loved, just last year. However the best city I've been to has to be Lucca, Italy. It’s a wonderful "little" city in Tuscany just an hour or so away from Pisa. It’s the birthplace of the famous opera composer Giacomo Puccini, and I spent a summer there studying Italian and singing in an opera production. To me, from the food and wine, to the history and culture and atmosphere of the town...it was heaven on earth.” 

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Heather Phillips with Jake Heggie in
Kentucky Opera's Composer Workshop 2009

 Wow. Those are some amazing cities. You are a very lucky person. What makes you look forward to returning to Louisville? 

“Definitely the people at Kentucky Opera - they were a real support system for me while I was a studio artist, right out of college. But I'm not only looking forward to seeing the people that work for the company, but the audience members and supporters of the Opera that are a part of the community of Louisville - a very social and fun-loving group.
What's your favorite part of the city? 

I really enjoyed the Riverfront and the park near the river and near the "Belle of Louisville.” That area is great for an afternoon run. But I also liked the restaurants and shops on Bardstown road.

What's your favorite local restaurant in Louisville? 

“Proof on Main was a great place for its atmosphere and great food. The other artists from the company and I would go there a lot after performances.”

Watch these videos to hear Heather sing Poulenc

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 and Mozart 

And on this very blog where she is Learning to fly for Kentucky Opera's Hansel & Gretel.

Here she is as one of the daugthers in Kentucky Opera's Pirates of Penzance. (green dress with the orange feather)

We are always glad to see our Studio Artists succeed, watch this shining star soar!

Mo.Joe interviews Michael Mayes

In our OVATIONS! Magazine, Maestro Joseph Mechavich interviews Michael Mayes who will be returning to Kentucky Opera to perform the role of Escamillo in the opening production CARMEN (September 23 & 25). Mayes was here last season to play Silvio in I PAGLIACCI.

The OVATIONS! Magazine is sent to subscribers to prepare them for the upcoming opera. It includes information on the composer, the opera, the characters, the setting - basically any information that we can get. In our CARMEN issue, not only does the Maestro interview cast members the stage director, Kristine McIntyre has her "Director's Corner" to discuss her side of the stage.

The OVATIONS! will be hitting mailboxes next week! (If you don't get one, think about subscribing. 502-584-4500 www.kyopera.org)

Here is a bit of the Mo.Joe's interview with Michael Mayes.

MO.JOE: Where do you call home?

M.Mayes: Ft. Worth, Texas, aka The Panther City

MO.JOE: Who has had the biggest influence in your career and why?

M.Mayes: It's hard to really pick one person~ so I'll have to spread the love around a little bit. My agent, Ana de Archuleta has been an incredible friend, promoter, and advisor to me for my entire professional life... Ana took a chance on me back when I was a virtual nobody~ she saw in me something that I couldn't see myself, and over the years, together we've developed a career that hasn't followed the traditional track to notoriety~ but one borne of hard-scrabble determination, fierce loyalty, and an unwillingness to abandon course when things got lean. Ana is a true American success story and my admiration for her increases with every passing year.  (More here in the CARMEN issue of OVATIONS!) 

MO.JOE: What is your one guilty pleasure?

M.Mayes: Sour Patch Kids candy; I can't walk into a movie theatre without loading up~ it's a childhood habit that has never truly been quashed.

MO.JOE: What music is on your ipod or MP3 player?

M.Mayes: Right now I am listening to a band called the Fleet Foxes based in Seattle. They're a kind of baroque folky band that's super mellow. My staples are Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, George Jones, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings, Metallica, Iron and Wine, Hank Williams, Amber Digby and Midnight Flyer, Loretta Lynn etc... I think I was born in the wrong decade.

Stay tuned for more interviews from Mo.Joe here on the blog. Check out Mo.Joe's latest video on what's so special about CARMEN here.

News, Reviews and lots of to dos...

Our dear friend, Charles Parsons from Opera News wrote a review of Madame Butterfly which closed Kentucky Opera's Brown-Forman 2010 Fall Season. The review made Opera News' online version and you can read it here.

Perhaps some of you who joined us at Kentucky Opera's black-tie fundraiser on January 11, Carnevale noticed a "news crew" in the early part of the evening. That was Becca White and Chris Caswell from the CW Louisville with Laura Snyder from NFocus Magazine who chatted with David Roth and Kara Shay Thomson. Carnevale was the first on-location event for NFocus and they have posted the video online.

You can pick up a copy today (Wednesday, February 2) at the NFocus February launch party at the Peterson-Dumesnil House at 301 S. Peterson Ave from 5:30 - 7:30pm.

If you can't make it tonight, the issue will be available on newstands throughout the city. Pick one up!

Tomorrow (Thursday, February 3) is a big day for Kentucky Opera, with one of the last public performances of OH FREEDOM! at 5:30 at the Frazier International History Museum AND the opening night for our co-production with the The Burning Fiery Furnace at St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church, 6710 Wolf Pen Branch Road. Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 for seniors and $10 for students. For more information, call (502) 228-1176.

Congratulations to the Fund for the Arts for another successful campaign kick off lunch. It was a great presentaiton of the great arts our city shares! When the Fund comes knocking on the door of your business, remember they are our largest individual donors and we appreciate all they do for us.

Two more chances for OH FREEDOM!

I may be bias, but the OH FREEDOM! performance at the Frazier International History Museum was truly inspiring last week. Our artists, Courtney Cleveland and Eric McKeever have really brought themselves into the work and made it their own.

There are two more opportunities to see this beautiful tribute to African American history. The Fund for the Arts is sponsoring two more happy hours at the Frazier Thursday, February 3 & 10 from 5 - 7pm.

Here is a clip from last week to whet your appetite. Courtney and Eric perform pieces from Porgy & Bess. (Eric just finished a national tour as Jake in Porgy & Bess for the PAB Theater Inc. and has performed the role for Dayton Opera and covered it with Virginia Opera.)

The singers will continue to perform the entire OH FREEDOM! program for schools through the middle of February.

Fund for the Arts Happy Hours

In the arts, we love a party.  We think sharing some music with a glass of wine is one of the best things in life.  The Fund for the Arts will be hosting such events at the Frazier International History Museum every Thursday starting tomorrow through February 10.

This is the second year the Fund has sponsored these Happy Hours to honor Black History Month. 
Kentucky Opera Studio Artists will perform excerpts from the school tour, OH FREEDOM!
Here is a short video that the Frazier posted from last year's event featuring last year's artists, Phillip Morgan and Erica Cochran.



We hope you will make it to the Fraizer for one of these festive Thursday celebrations!

Kentucky Opera in PRINT!

Lookie lookie who made the cover of Opera America's "Year in Review"

Yes folks, you got it right! That's Elizabeth Futral and Sebastian Gueze in the opening production of Kentucky Opera's 2009 Brown-Forman Fall Season, La Traviata! This beautiful photo was taken by O'Neil Arnold.

You may also recognize the handsome Adam Diegel (under the Traviata image) performing in Florida Grand Opera's Carmen with Kendall Galden (photo by Gaston De Cardenas). Adam closed our 2010 Brown Forman Fall Season as B.F. Pinkerton in our two sold-out performances of Madame Butterfly.

Also on this cover: Roberth Orth and Sally Dibblee in Vancouver Opera's 2010 Production of Nixon in China (photo by Tim Matheson) and Katherine Whyte with David Daniels in Orfeo and Euridice for Atlanta Opera (photo by Tim Wilkerson).

What a great gift to be recognized by the industry leader in this way. It's a great image, and O'Neil has done great work for us.

Kentucky Opera also has images in The Daily Book of Classical Music where O'Neil's Traviata image is featured along with John Fitzgerald's Cenerentola, Pearl Fishers and Salome images and J. David Levy's Otello and Hansel & Gretel images. These still shots are a testament to the high quality performances for which Kentucky Opera is becoming known.