La Boheme

 

Well hello there! Long time no… read?  Admittedly, I've been quite absent from the blogosphere (that's a thing, right?) lately and will do my best to rectify the situation over the course of the Summer.  To be honest, though, I imagine only about five of you have really noticed, so no harm no foul in the grand scheme of things.  Chronologically, posts are going to move a bit circuitously until I catch up with the backlog from these past couple of months so hang in there with me if you haven't completely let go already.

Many of you may remember I spent the Summer of 2010 and 2011 touring with the Blue Lake International Youth Symphony Orchestra and Choir singing solos in Mendelssohn's Elijah and Brahms's Requiem, respectively.  This year they are embarking on their European tour performing Verdi's Requiem and, while I was very grateful for the invitation to be a soloist, it is not a role that I am exactly capable of singing.  Fear not, Blue Lake lovers, because it happily worked out that I am back at BLFAC singing in their production of Puccini's La Boheme!  As opposed to going on a tour, we will put on two shows each session, amassing to eight performances over two months for a total of 5,000+ attendees over the duration of the Summer.

During the second year of my master's degree at the University of Michigan (this would be pre-blog, for those of you who are wondering why I've never posted about it before) I was lucky enough to perform the role of Schaunard in the same opera.  It remains one of my favorite times on stage because there really was a synchronicity in the production: from our fabulous director, Kay Walker Castaldo; the undeniable genius of Martin Katz leading from the pit (as well as Clinton Smith assisting and even conducting one of our performances); hair and make-up by Erin Kennedy-Lunsford; and a roster of singers who seemed to be nothing but appropriately cast in their respective roles.  I think out of the whole of the operatic canon, Schaunard is the closest to my actual personality—I know him, I love him, and I could play him for the rest of my life… but what would be the fun in that?! (In fact, I'm not playing him in the production this Summer, which threw me for a bit of a loop when first learning it again).

But enough silly words… you came here for pictures, right?  Following are a sampling of photos from our production. Enjoy!

Obvs we did an updated version… don't think they had electric guitars back in the day!

 

 

Roomies: Andrew Harris (Colline), Steven Tompkins (Rodolfo), Wes Mason (Marcello)

 

 

Rhea Olivacce (Mimi) / Amanda Ramos (Musetta)

 

We were all fortunate enough to be joined on stage by the ridiculously talented George Shirley (in the role of Alcindoro and Benoit), a professor of voice at U of M who can count among his litany of accolades as being a Grammy award winner, the first African-American tenor to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, and all around bad-ass performer.  To have shared the stage with him is an honor I will carry with me through the rest of my career.

 

Professor Shirley, giving his absolute BEST Karl Lagerfeld!

 

Additionally, I was thrilled to have a whole cadre of Texans in the audience for the show! My parents, brother and sister-in-law, uncle Sid and cousin Hannah, and close close friend from Baylor made the trek up to Michigan to see the performances.  I'm still so grateful for each and every one of them!

Steven, Dad, Matt, Joanie, Me, Mom, Drew!

 

Stay tuned… more to come!!

Artist: Charles Aznavour / Album: Greatest Hits

My Love, If I Die and You Don’t

 

Last night I had the pleasure of going to see my friend, Paul, perform the title role in Daniel Catan’s opera, Il postino, based on the film of the same name.  It was also a bittersweet moment… this past weekend the composer passed away in Austin, Texas at the age of 62. 

That’s my friend!!!!!

 

I was only marginally aware of his work (a scene from another of his operas, Florencia en el Amazonas, was performed at U of M) but Houston and the opera world will suffer greatly from his loss.  The score to Il postino was lush and gorgeous in a Puccini/Debussy kind of way and it was such a treat to hear the first production mounted since its premier at L.A. Opera last year.

The cast, crew and orchestra appearing before the show to announce the performance would be given in memory of Daniel Catan

 

As the opera centers around the friendship between famed Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and an illiterate postman, I thought it would be fitting to post one of my favorite Neruda poems:

Amor mio si muero tu no mueres

My love, should I die and you don’t,
let us give grief no more ground:
my love, should you die and I don’t,
there is no piece of land like this on which we've lived.

Dust in the wheat, sand in the desert sands,
time, errant water, the wandering wind
carried us away like a navigator seed.
In such times, we may well not have met.

The meadow in which we did meet,
oh tiny infinity, we give back.
But this love, Love, has had no end,

and so, as it had no birth,
it has no death. It is like a long river
that changes only its shores and its banks.

(Translation: Terence Clarke)

 

Artist: Peter Lieberson, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson/ Album: Neruda Songs

Where the Music Comes From

 

Upon waking up this morning I was saddened to hear that composer Lee Hoiby passed away yesterday.  I have only sung one of his pieces (an aria from his operatic adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ Summer and Smoke) but have always enjoyed his writing.  After a bit of YouTube trolling, I came across some highlights from his operatic “monologue” Bon Appetit! based on, and including text by, Julia Child.

 

OMG I just had the best idea!  Someone should totally make a movie version of this opera!! If only I could think of someone who could pull of playing this role.  Hmmm… … …

 

In all seriousness, though, his contribution to the realm of music is undeniable and luckily for us his music will continue to live on for years and years to come.

“Singers, you can’t fool them,” he said. “When they hear a song, they can tell right away if it’s going to make them sound good. And mine do.”  Lee Hoiby [via The New York Times]

 

Artist: Peter Stewart/ Album: Continual Conversations with a Silent Man, Songs of Lee Hoiby

Have a Drink on Me

 

This week my dear dear friend and former roommate from Michigan, Lembit, is in the citay for the premier of his opera And Then I Remember with Houston’s very own OperaVista (read more about it and BUY TICKETS here).

We were able to go out for drinks last night before the festival reception and not really knowing a large number of places to go I decided to take him to the Anvil Bar.  Remember?

Right outta Hog’s Head

 

“Is that butter beer!?!?!” you might be asking yourself.  Well… close.  Take a moment to browse the menu and tell me which drink I most likely ordered.

IT’S GENERAL SHERMAN!!!!! (And no… I didn’t order the Witchy Woman)

 

 

“Um, that’s a cinnamon stick, Joseph, not a straw…”

The aforementioned reception for the festival took place at the Laura Rathe Gallery, which is about 100 feet away from the John Cleary Gallery where I work!  In fact, it’s the same gallery where I ended up on the roof during the last round of exhibit openings.  Oh world, you are so small!  This time I remembered to snap at least one picture, too.

You bettah sang, girl

 

Artist: AC/DC / Album: Back in Black

Albert!

 

Last night I was supposed to go see my friend, Molly, sing in the U of H’s production of Albert Herring, Britten’s comic opera which is also known as “Is that the one where that boy get’s away with it?” by my mother, who saw the production I was in at U of M. (The title character squanders money and prizes given to him by the town on alcohol and when caught he basically snubs his nose at them and the opera ends with all the adults waiting for a redemption that never comes, and if that isn’t Britten in a nut shell then I don’t know what is!)  Needless to say it was too much for my Southern Baptist mother… maybe if she were a German-Jewish-Presbytarian-Southern Baptist like Jan’s mom it would have made a better impression?  When I told her Baylor was doing it recently she just said: “WHAAAAT!??!!??”

My favorite quote was a response to a question from my friend, Kelley, who sat next to her for the show, and I think it perfectly encompasses a certain southern charm needed to navigate thorny situations:

Kelley: So, Mrs. Roberts, what did you think?!  I knew nothing about it but I’m pretty sure it’s my new favorite opera.

Mom: WELL, it certainly seems like they did put a lot of hard work into it, doesn’t it!” 

 

The runner up would have to be a conversation with my roommate, Lembit.  For a little backstory, I played the role of the town Vicar.

Lembit: (Knowing that mom’s experience of opera didn’t involve the more chromatic, less “sweeping” melodies of Britten’s style.) Wasn’t it nice that Joseph had a lot of the pretty music in the show to mirror the music of hymns and church litergy?

Mom: Oh… that was the pretty music??

 

Now to be com.plete.ly fair my parents are amazingly supportive and have seen me in many many productions, from Puccini to Mozart to Smetana.  If you know Britten, then you know that it is a different animal than its predecessors and isn’t the most easily accessible for the casual opera goer.  I totally get that it’s probably not the easiest thing to sit through. These are more just anecdotal episodes I remember and think are funny.

ANYWAY… that being said, I didn’t actually get to go to the production last night, which really bummed me out because: A. I have been excited for months since I found out they were doing it and B. my friend Molly was in it and I absolutely love her voice and I imagine she was a fantastic Ms. Wordsworth.  I got a text from Mallory, who was to join Jennifer and I:

Mallory: Hey, so I woke up feeling really clammy and I think I have a fever.  I don’t think I’ll be able to make it tonight.

Me: Ugh, I was literally just thinking I might have a fever.

Mallory: Looks like we got sick together when you stayed over the other night :(

 

Sadly I wasn’t able to make it, but this is probably the only time for a while that I can retroactively post some pictures from our U of M production!

PREACH IT!!

 

The Town Council: [L-R] Elizabeth Stoner, Miss Wordsworth; Brian Tanner, Mayor; Jonathan Christopher, Superintendant Bud; Jody Doktor, Lady Billows; Joseph, Vicar Gedge; Monique Holmes, Florence Pike

 

SISTERS!!

 

Artist: Benjamin Britten/ Album: Albert Herring

Turning Japanese

 

I had a weekend full of things out of the Land of the Rising Sun, so it’s time for a theme post!

Friday evening I went to a preview of the new exhibit at the John Cleary Gallery of Takeshi Shikama’s Silent Respirations of Forests.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to go to the full opening like I did last time, but knowing the person running the show doesn’t hurt.  Or as Catherine put it: “Yeah, I’ve changed his diapers.  You know… when he was younger, not recently.”

 

Mt. Chyokai 23, 2004: platinum and palladium print

 

         

      Mt. Ushigata 4, 2005: platinum and palladium print         Mt. chyokai 39, 2005: platinum and palladium print

 

Toyosawa Lake 1, 2009: platinum and palladium print on gampi

 

Sunday, my friend Jennifer and I added to the western centered weekend two fold: Sushi and the Houston Grand  Opera’s production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly!!!

Saucy Sushi (as opposed to Sexy Strawberry).  Saucy of course referring to the soy and not Jennifer’s “come hither" glance

 

… and of course I was hungry by intermission!

 

For those non-operaphiles amongst the group, the story of Madama Butterfly revolves around an American naval officer who is stationed in Japan and marries a geisha, who dismisses all of her culture in order to become a “true” American bride.  The officer leaves to go back to the States and eventually re-marries; meanwhile, Cio-Cio San waits faithfully for his return.  Three years pass and he does return (with his new wife), completely unaware that Cio-Cio San has a child from their marriage and, heartbroken, she kills herself so that her son can go back to America and have a better life.  So… you know, a regular Tuesday night in the opera world.  If the plot sounds somewhat familiar, the musical Miss Saigon is based on the same story. THE MORE YOU KNOW *shooting star*.  Madama Butterfly ranks as number one in Opera America’s list of 20 most performed operas in America.

Patricia Racette singing “Un bel di vedremo,” probably the most recognizable piece from the opera

 

Besides the fact that the opera itself is fantastic, the thing I was looking forward to most seeing was the lead soprano, Ana Maria Martinez.  I saw her first sing Liu in Turandot with Jennifer several several years ago at HGO as well as more recently as Nedda in Pagliacci at Chicago Lyric Opera.  Basically I’ve been in love with her for years and to see her sing her first Butterfly was so thrilling.

The first thing I ever saw/heard her sing.  Gotta love the high note… and Domingo conducting.

Artist: The Vapors/ Album: One Clear Day