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Mikado Comes to Opera Camp;
OperaSlo Launches Carmen Project
by Kathryn Bumpass
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Opera Camp
Central coast children attending Opera Camp this year will produce and perform The Mikado, Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular operetta.
Each summer Opera San Luis Obispo sponsors a 2-week camp for youngsters 8-16 years of age interested in the musical stage. The campers will meet from 9am until 3pm daily, July 22 – August 2, concluding with a full performance on Friday, August 2, at the United Methodist Church.
In the course of two weeks the children will learn correct vocal techniques, drama and stage movement, ear training and musicianship, part singing, and choral techniques and use of props, costumes, and makeup. The preparation is quite complete.
Camp Director Marissa Bloom is excited about doing The Mikado. In previous years the students have done some selections from Gilbert and Sullivan, and Bloom says they "loved the whimsical nature of the text and the playful melodies. The music and text are very kid-friendly and easily accessible and the stories mimic fairy tales and fables."
The camp experience creates strong bonds among the campers. Bloom notes, "Many strong friendships have been made amongst the opera camp kids over the years. Often times the kids have kept in touch with one another during the ‘off-season' and then rekindle their friendships at the next summer's opera camp."
Don't miss the chance the register your budding musical actor or actress in opera camp. Details and registration materials are available by calling 805-541-5369 or going to OperaSLO's website.
The Carmen Project
Opera San Luis Obispo has launched a multi-faceted project centered on Bizet's much-loved opera Carmen, to be performed this coming October. In a major collaborative effort OperaSLO will collaborate with the San Luis Obispo Symphony, the Central Coast Children's Choir, Cuesta College Concert Choir, and the Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo.
In addition, Wedell Winery, based in SLO, has donated a significant amount of premium Pinot Noir wine. Local artist David Kreitzer has contributed the primary publicity image of the project, which will be used on posters and the wine label, says Maestro Brian Asher Alhadeff, Artistic and General Director of OperaSLO.
In a recent interview with Alhadeff I asked, "How does collaboration fit into your artistic vision generally and your vision for OperaSLO specifically?"
He replied, "I believe large scale collaboration is a vital key to the success of opera in San Luis Obispo, and, from a broader perspective, for the classical arts as a whole. It is my hope to galvanize a large slice of SLO's classical arts scene in one massive production as a demonstration to the community just how amazing and vital that scene is. If all goes as planned, it will be yet one more demonstration of why SLO is "the happiest town in America."
Alhadeff emphasized the multiple roles artistic groups play in our local arts life. "San Luis Obispo is home to a dense, bubbling classical arts culture. Our small but rich population of instrumentalists, singers, dancers, and visual artists cross-populate several important other arts groups. For example, musicians who play in the San Luis Obispo Symphony also play for the Symphony of the Vines, Cuesta College Master Chorale, and the Opera San Luis Obispo Orchestra". Altogether, "This large scale project will generate approximately 150 jobs for musicians and other artists living on the Central Coast."
When I asked, "What do you see as the main benefits of the Carmen project to the community," he paused thoughtfully. "That's a difficult question. There are several goals of equal importance that I've targeted for this project to achieve."
Maestro Alhadeff stated, "I want to establish the Performing Arts Center as an opera house. The PAC, specifically Harmon Hall, is well suited to the production of large operas, comparable to venues as are found only in major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego." Not only is its size important but also its "cutting edge technology, abundant dressing rooms, and especially its orchestra pit that can comfortably accommodate orchestras exceeding 100 players. With resources like this, anything is possible at the PAC, even full scale productions of operas like Aida or Turandot."
Another goal is to raise the profile of opera in the community by demonstrating that opera is the genre that binds together many major arts organizations. "Each partnership carries with it the sharing of publicity among the various classical arts groups, and that gets the word about opera out to the community. Ballet supporters attend in support of that art and see the importance of dance in opera; similarly the experience is duplicated in choruses and orchestra."
"Potential new donors, corporations, and foundations see OperaSLO as a place where their support serves multiple purposes. When you contribute to OperaSLO you give to all the classical arts."
Finally Maestro Alhadeff observes, "By running an opera company that is tightly woven into other community arts organizations, we show donors that they can trust that their support goes right back into the community. When OperaSLO combines with the Civic Ballet, the funds raised support our orchestra musicians, our dancers, our set builders, our backstage crews. When OperaSLO engages in Co-Opera, the funds raised support Cal Poly's music program and Cuesta College, in addition to all the above. And when OperaSLO does a main stage opera like Carmen, those effects expand even further."
The Carmen project reaches fruition with performances October 12-13. Tickets go on sale in July. Watch this space for updates. |
