For this Friday Musical Moment we are pleased to share with you "Ah, je respire!" from our recording of Monsigny's Le Déserteur featuring William Sharp and The Opera Lafayette Orchestra. In this aria, William's character Alexis, sings about being able to breathe freely again and is overcome with joy imagining his reunion with his love.
Friday Musical Moment: Premiere Spotlight Zélindor, roi des Sylphes
For this Friday Musical Moment we are pleased to share with you "Que dans les airs vos chants harmonieux" from our recording of Rebel and Francoeur's Zélindor, roi des Sylphes featuring Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, The Opera Lafayette Chorus and The Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
Want to learn more about this music and its modern premiere? Join us for our final salon series of the season, From Score to Modern Premiere, Thursday, May 6, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
Friday Musical Moment: Œdipe à Colone
Our Friday Musical Moment is moving to a different schedule. While we will continue share musical excerpts on Friday's, they will no longer be on a weekly basis. Please stay tuned for updates about our Friday Musical Moment and exciting upcoming events.
In anticipation of our final Salon Series of the season, From Score to Modern Premiere, we are pleased to share with you 'Divinités d'Athenes protectrices' from Sacchini's Œdipe à Colone, Opera Lafayette's first modern premiere from 2005.
From Score to Modern Premiere begins on Thursday, May 6, 2021, 5:30 p.m. EDT. For our first session, Ryan Brown and musicologist Nizam Kettaneh will review their long-standing collaboration bringing modern premieres of French opera to the stage, including Sacchini's Œdipe à Colone.
Friday Musical Moment: Production Spotlight - La Susanna
For this Friday Musical Moment we are pleased to share with you an excerpt from our 2019 co-production with Heartbeat Opera of Stradella's La Susanna featuring soprano Lucía Martín-Cartón, and our chamber ensemble. This month our family program, Opera starts with Oh! will focus on this story through song with soprano Ariana Douglas; dramaturgy with Peregrine Heard; set design with Reid Thompson; and musicianship with Jacob Ashworth.
Friday Musical Moment: French Airs, Chansons and Chamber Music from Rameau to Roussel
For this Friday Musical Moment we are pleased to share with you a trailer for our upcoming Sunday Serenade, which will feature soprano Laetitia Grimaldi, and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Houtzeel with pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz, and flutist Charles Brink. Our March Sunday Serenade program, In Search of Lost time: French Airs, Chansons and Chamber Music from Rameau to Roussel premieres on Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m. The performance will be followed by a live talk back with the artists, facilitated by founder and artistic director Ryan Brown. After the 28th, it will be available on demand here.
Friday Musical Moment: Stephanie Houtzeel and Charles Brink
For this Friday Musical Moment we are pleased to share with you audio from mezzo-soprano Stephanie Houtzeel and flutist Charles Brink's CD, Italian love cantatas and chamber music. The piece is "Ho tanti affanni in petto" from Handel's cantata Mi palpita il cor.
Stephanie and Charles will be joined by soprano Laetitia Grimaldi and pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz for our March Sunday Serenade program, In Search of Lost time: French Chamber Works from Rameau to Roussel which premieres on Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m.
Friday Musical Moment: Geminiani's La forêt enchantée
For this Friday Musical Moment we are pleased to share with you never before seen video footage from our 2018 production of Geminiani's La forêt enchantéefeaturing Kalanidhi Dance and The Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
Want to see more? Our Opera and Dance Salon Series hosted by Seán Currancontinues on Thursday, March 11, 2021, 5:30 p.m. EST. Anuradha Nehru, founder and artistic director of Kalanidhi Dance, joins Seán for our second session to discuss the Kuchipudi art form, and how its story-based style of dance brings Opera Lafayette’s productions of David’s Lalla Roukh and Geminiani's La forêt enchantée to life.
Geminiani's La forêt enchantée
Friday Musical Moment: Lamentation to Liberation
Lamentation to Liberation: Songs of Despair and Hope from 17th-century Italy opens this Sunday February 28, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST. The program will feature solos, duets, and ensembles recorded from a distance; 17th-century Italian repertoire coupled with an original composition by bass-baritone, Jonathan Woody, with text compiled by countertenor, Reginald Mobley; and a showcase of Opera Lafayettealums and debuts.
For this Friday Musical Moment we are pleased to give you an amuse-bouche from the concert in the form of a trailer.
Please enjoy the video below as this week's Friday Musical Moment.
Lamentation to Liberation: Songs of Despair and Hope from 17th-century Italy
Friday Musical Moment: Artist Spotlight: Aaron Sheehan
February's Sunday Serenades, which opens on Sunday February 28, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST represents the meeting of multiple elements, artistic and technical. The program will feature solos, duets, and ensembles recorded from a distance; 17th-century Italian repertoire coupled with an original composition by bass-baritone,Jonathan Woody, with text by countertenor, Reginald Mobley; and a showcase Opera Lafayette alums and debuts.
For this Friday Musical Moment we are pleased to highlight Opera Lafayette alum, Aaron Sheehan in this 2015 performance of "Nigra Sum" from Monteverdi's Vespro della Beata Vergine, 1610 for TENET Vocal Arts as part of their Green Mountain Project. You might recognize Aaron from our 2014 production of Rameau's Les Fêtes de l'Hymen et de l'Amour.
Please enjoy the video below as this week's Friday Musical Moment.
Monteverdi Vespers 1610: "Nigra Sum"
Friday Musical Moment: Artist Spotlight: Reginald Mobley
February's Sunday Serenades concert is Opera Lafayette's most ambitious technological feat this season. This program includes solos, duets, and ensembles, all of which were recorded separately then engineered together. The program includes 17th-century Italian repertoire, and features an original composition by bass-baritone, Jonathan Woody, with text by countertenor, Reginald Mobleyon Sunday February 28, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST.
We are pleased to highlight a video shared with us by Reginald, who will make his debut with Opera Lafayette in this program. This week's Friday Musical Moment is of Reginald's 2020 performance of Henry Purcell's "Here the Deities Approve" accompanied by Stephen Stubbs on the lute for Pacific MusicWorks.
Please enjoy the video below as this week's Friday Musical Moment.
Henry Purcell: "Here the Deities Approve"
Friday Musical Moment: Handel: Theodora
Opera Lafayette's commitment to providing online programming for all audiences continues in February with the conclusion of our Overtures series; the continuation of our acclaimed family program, Opera starts with Oh! ; and an exciting Sunday Serenades concert. This program includes solos, duets, and ensembles from the 17th-century Italian repertoire, and features an original composition by bass-baritone, Jonathan Woody, with text by countertenor, Reginald Mobley on Sunday February 28, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST.
We are pleased to highlight a video shared with us by Jonathan Woody, who performed with Opera Lafayette most recently in the opening production of our 25th anniversary season. This week's Friday Musical Moment is of Jonathan's 2018 performance of "Racks, gibbets, sword and fire" from Handel's oratorio Theodora with the Britten–Pears Baroque Orchestra, directed by Christian Curnyn at Snape Maltings Concert Hall.
Please enjoy the video below as this week's Friday Musical Moment.
Handel: Theodora "Racks, gibbets, sword and fire"
Friday Musical Moment: From the Archives: An Evening of Monteverdi
In anticipation of our Sunday Serenades program this Sunday January 31, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST., we are pleased to share another video from our archives. This excerpt is taken from our 2018 program, "An Evening of Monteverdi," and is performed by Lea Desandre, Liv Redpath, Thomas Dunford, Jean Rondeau, Doug Baillett and Beiliang Zhu.
Sunday's recital will feature mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and lutenist Thomas Dunford from Paris, France; and mezzo-soprano Caitlin Hulcup and pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz from Leipzig, Germany. They will perform in a program devoted to Henry Purcell, featuring Benjamin Britten’s arrangements of Henry Purcell, and music by John Dowland.
Please enjoy the video below as this week's Friday Musical Moment.
Ohimé dov'è il mio ben | Lea Desandre and Liv Redpath
Friday Musical Moment: From the Archives: Lea Desandre and Thomas Dunford
Today we share from our archives John Dowland's “Sorrow stay” from the Opening Night of Opera Lafayette's 25th Anniversary season, which featured John Blow's Venus and Adonis, and songs by Purcell and Dowland performed by mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and lutenist Thomas Dunford. Lea and Thomas return to Opera Lafayette online January 31, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST for a Sunday Serenade featuring music by Purcell.
Please enjoy an audio excerpt below as this week's musical moment.
© Julien Benhamou
Mezzo-soprano Caitlin Hulcup and pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz also performing Purcell, will join Lea and Thomas for our Sunday Serenade on January 31, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST.
Friday Musical Moment: From the Archives: Caitlin Hulcup in Handel's Radamisto
Today we share from our archives “Cara sposa, amato bene” performed by mezzo-soprano Caitlin Hulcup as the title role in our 2019 production of Handel’s Radamisto. Caitlin returns to Opera Lafayette online January 31, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST for a Sunday Serenade. Based in Berlin, she is currently rehearsing with pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz music by Henry Purcell, arranged by Benjamin Britten, which you can hear on the last day in January.
Mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and lutenist Thomas Dunford, also performing Purcell, will join Caitlin and Ammiel for our Sunday Serenade on January 31, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST.
Friday Musical Moment: Leonore DVD & Blu-Ray Release!
Today marks the global release of Opera Lafayette’s production of Leonore (1805) by Beethoven on the Naxos label on DVD and Blu-ray. The centerpiece of our 25th-anniversary season, Leonore is the composer’s first version of his opera Fidelio. The recording features a reimagining of Florestan’s third-act aria – not heard since this version’s premiere, recreated by Will Crutchfield for Opera Lafayette.
Please enjoy the trailer below and purchase your very own copy at the buttons below.
REVIEWS
“Ryan Brown, always attentive to each and everyone, lives the tragedy. He imbues his orchestra with vigor, transparency and balance with his flexible and tense direction. All of this lives, breathes and moves us.”
“The appeal of Leonore” | Read Full Article (English) | Opéra Forum | Yvan Beuvard, March 29, 2021
“Beethoven in Film, Fernsehen und auk DVD” | Read Full Article (German) | Read Full Article (English) | Frankfurter Allgemeine | Von Anja-Rosa-Thoming, December 17, 2020
Friday Musical Moment: Happy Holidays from Opera Lafayette!
For this week’s Friday Musical Moment, we are sharing a fun clip from our video of The Blacksmith below. In this trio, Claudie (Pascale Beaudin) enters the blacksmith’s shop unexpectedly and meets Eustis (Joshua Conyers) and Banjo (Frank Kelley), who were seeking help with their sick donkey and limping horse.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours Happy Holidays. Thank you for spending your Fridays listening to some of our favorite moments from our 25-year history.
Looking for an activity for the entire family over the holidays?
Our 2020 production of Philidor’s The Blacksmith is available to stream now on Vimeo for only $20 / device. https://operalafayette.org/the-blacksmith
Friday Musical Moment: A Sneak Peek at 2021
For this week’s Friday Musical Moment, we are sharing a fun clip from our video of The Blacksmith below. In this trio, Claudie (Pascale Beaudin) enters the blacksmith’s shop unexpectedly and meets Eustis (Joshua Conyers) and Banjo (Frank Kelley), who were seeking help with their sick donkey and limping horse.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours Happy Holidays. Thank you for spending your Fridays listening to some of our favorite moments from our 25-year history.
Looking for an activity for the entire family over the holidays?
Our 2020 production of Philidor’s The Blacksmith is available to stream now on Vimeo for only $20 / device. https://operalafayette.org/the-blacksmith
Friday Musical Moment: Catone in Utica
Dear Friends,
As we continue to explore the story of Catone in Utica this month in Opera starts with Oh!, we would like to share a video from our archives with you of our Fall 2015 production of Catone in Utica. It was produced in partnership with the Glimmerglass Festival, and featured countertenor John Holiday, and the Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
Interested in seeing more of John Holiday? Catch him on NBC’s The Voice.
Is there a child in your life you would like to introduce to opera? It’s not too late to join our December and January sessions.
Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST
All sessions are pay-what you can to ensure equity.
Enjoy!
“It would be sweet to sigh for love, but love
brings only tears, heartbreak and suffering.
The lover who thinks he can avoid suffering is either mistaken…
…or he loves only to deceive himself.
It would be sweet to sigh for love,
but love brings only tears.”
Friday Musical Moment: Sneak Peek from The Blacksmith
Dear Friends,
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment. In anticipation of this weekend’s virtual streaming event of Philidor's The Blacksmith, which was recorded at Reddert Ranch in Mancos, CO this October, we would like to share an excerpt from the show with you.
In this excerpt, Marcel/ The Blacksmith (Dominique Côté) puts his and Claudie’s plan, to have Slim MacBride (Frank Kelley) marry his daughter Jeannie, into action. He hopes to make a profit from this union and plies MacBride with alcohol (while not drinking any himself), reminding him of all the money owed for services rendered.
Enjoy!
Friday Musical Moment: Jack Swanson, This Sunday!
Dear Friends,
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment. In the lead up to this weekend’s virtual recital, we wanted to give you another example of Jack Swanson performing, “Ah! mes amis” from Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment.
You can watch this Sunday’s recital, Songs of Love and Loss, at 2:00 p.m. (EST). This free, virtual recital features Jack with pianist Roderick Phipps-Kettlewell performing songs by Schumann, Grieg, Puccini, Quilter, Rossini, and several others. It was recorded at the historic Triune Masonic Temple in St. Paul, Minnesota and audio recorded by Steve Kaul of Wild Sound Studio. The cinematography was shot by Flight Creative Media. You will have an online opportunity to ask Jack questions following the hour-long recital.
This online performance is a special free pre-season introduction to our 2020/2021 season, which includes a recital series.
You can watch Sunday’s recital at this link.. If you can’t make Sunday, you can tune in for a rebroadcast the next day, on Monday, October 26 at 8pm at this link.