New Ballet Ensemble's Production

If you are in Memphis, go see New Ballet Ensemble's SPRINGLOADED June 5-7 at Buckman. They are doing the FAUST ballet sequence if you'd like to see it again.

Tunes at Trezevant Manor

Last night, Artistic Administrator Sarah Squire and I did a program at a beautiful retirement community, Trezevant Manor. Sarah sang lots of Gershwin and Porter and I did a few Johnny Mercer songs. It was nice to run into several subscribers in the crowd.

Human Shield, Memphis Style

"Memphis police are on the hunt for a woman they say used a baby as a weapon to fight off security guards during a shoplifting attempt Wednesday.

Police said the unidentified woman was attempting to escape from a Wal-Mart after being caught stealing when she hurled her 2-month-old nephew at a guard, WMC-TV reported.

The baby, who was seated in a carrier, fell onto the concrete floor and was promptly picked up by his aunt, who threw him again — this time at a Good Samaritan who was trying to tend to the infant, police told the station." more

Ugh!

Marguerite's Apotheosis

At the end of FAUST, Marguerite elects to be put to death rather than escape with Faust. This ending is a redemption and Marguerite (in our production) walks toward the guillotine with the knowledge that her soul will be saved and rise up to the heavens. "Christ is risen" sings the chorus from offstage.

One of our patrons came to the show on Saturday night and thought she saw a cross at this moment. She loved the production and came back on Tuesday, but didn't see the cross and actually wrote in to inquire why we changed the staging. Well we didn't change the staging, there never was a cross, but she imagined one. Kind of a powerful thing--opera charged imagination.

Opera Memphis Faust photos

Photographer Sean Davis has a lovely set of images from FAUST dress rehearsal. This picture of three members of our ensemble will give you an idea of the "steampunk" look.

FAUST favorite--poll results

It looks as though Marguerite (Caroline Worra) was the favorite of the Opera Memphis audience, with Valentin (Mark Walters) coming in second. Congratulations!