Social events at LGO

Somehow the Lake George Opera managed to do a company picnic and an opera ball while rehearing three operas in rep. The company picnic was at a Rod and Gun club, and the Opera Ball was at the Gideon Putnam hotel near the theatre.

Shaw Sings at Encompass

This weekend I got to see a double bill of operas by Philip Hagemann. Both operas were based on plays by George Bernard Shaw--The Dark Lady of the Sonnets, and Passion, Poison, and Putrefaction. Encompass Music Theatre gave the shows a sprightly production, well directed, well designed, and very well sung. Philip is a kind of outsider artist--he came to composing after having been a junior high choral director. In addition to being an accomplished theatre composer, he has written a lot of choral music, including a big hit--a holiday piece called Fruitcake.

Buoso's Ghost rehearsing

Buoso's Ghost has moved to the theatre building at Skidmore College for a few days. We actually finished the blocking today. Because we are rehearsing in repertory the cast is feeling a little behind, but we still have plenty of time. This picture has Chris Temporelli (Betto), David Neal (Simone), Emily Newton (Nella), Katie Cowdrick (Zita), and Robert Orth (Schicchi) in it.

Opera at Tenkara Karate

You may have noticed the unusual room in earlier rehearsal photos. We are rehearsing in a karate studio.

Riversongs at Opera Memphis

Tomorrow night at Clark Opera Memphis Center, our kids camp will premiere a new version of Sid Selvidge's opera RIVERSONGS. The show is about the flood on the Mississippi in 1927. Alas, it has become a propos.

Staging Rehearsal

David Neal (on right) has come in at the last minute to learn Simone, the oldest relative in the Donati family. He has done a great job learning two operas quickly.

Nelson Sheeley (seated) is the director. He is also directing Pirates of Penzance at the same time. He looks like he's straight out of central casting for "Theatre Director."

Bob Orth

Our Schicchi, Bob Orth, has arrived, fresh from performing Nixon in John Adam's NIXON IN CHINA.

Here he is pondering a fine point of staging with our director, Nelson Sheeley.

Set model

Perhaps because of growing up with some model trains, I love set models. Here is Garett Wilson's model for the double bill. It is a traditional setting. Apparently the TRAVIATA they are doing here is set in 50s Rat Pack Vegas, so I guess this balances things off.

Narco corridos

A sad article in the Telegraph about how musicians in Mexico are being killed because of their connections to the drug trade. Having a narco corrido, or drug ballads, written about you is apparently a mark of prestige for a drug lord. Music is being taken deadly serious there. And we complain about our budgets and audiences.

Porgy in Paris

One of my colleagues is in a production of the Gershwin's PORGY AND BESS in Paris at the opera comique. He sent this postcard which is one of the more unusual ways I've ever seen to market the opera, which as far as I recall, has no small furry animals in it, except for Porgy's goat.

"Porky(pine), I'se your woman now..."

Inconvenient Truth, the Opera

We are all going to have to go to LA SCALA in 2011 and see the new opera being created based on Al Gore's INCONVENIENT TRUTH. I think it's really important for opera to be relevant, so I am going to try to stifle my giggles and...