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Friday Musical Moment: Handel: Theodora

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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"

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Friday Musical Moment: From the Archives: An Evening of Monteverdi

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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

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Friday Musical Moment: From the Archives: Lea Desandre and Thomas Dunford

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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

© 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.

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Friday Musical Moment: From the Archives: Caitlin Hulcup in Handel's Radamisto

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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.

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Friday Musical Moment: Leonore DVD & Blu-Ray Release!

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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.”
— Opera Forum Review

“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.

Register for December here.

Register for January here.

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.

Friday Musical Moment: Meet Tenor Jack Swanson in Opera Lafayette's First Virtual Recital

Dear Friends,
 
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment - a video trailer of tenor Jack Swanson's recital “Songs of Love and Loss,” which Opera Lafayette will present online on Sunday, October 25, 2020, 2:00 p.m. (EST). You may recall Jack from Opera Lafayette's trailer for The Blacksmith. 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.
 
Jack, who takes the role of Cody in one of Opera Lafayette’s casts of The Blacksmith, is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after young tenors in the opera world. His distinctive high lyric voice is known for singing the acrobatic arias of Rossini and the legato melodies of Donizetti. 

This online performance is a special free pre-season introduction to our 2021/2022 season, which includes a recital series. 

We look forward to seeing you online Sunday, October 25, 2020, 2:00 p.m. (EST).

A Note from Mancos Opera House Company

This note was written by Linda and Philip Waters, owners of the Mancos Opera House Company. They write to Opera Lafayette’s team and wider community to thank us for resurrecting the production of The Blacksmith despite the pandemic. Read this touching note below and feel free to leave your own comments below should be mood strike you.

To all of our friends with Opera Lafayette,

Linda and I want you to know it has been pure joy to have you here in Mancos, and to be able to be your host for your residency and rehearsals.

This has been a difficult year for all of us. For Linda and me the rollercoaster of doing major work on the Mancos Opera House, looking forward to the original plan for a spring production of The Blacksmith, then the lows of pandemic onset and personal health problems, unexpected construction issues, the anticipation of a rescheduled residency, the highs of passing inspections, the lows of new COVID-19 rules changing the revised game plan, the frustrations of last minute change orders from the State Fire suppression inspector just as some of you were beginning to arrive. All of which pales in the face of the turmoil we are all seeing as our society faces new and old unresolved pain.

When you began to arrive in Mancos, and come into the Mancos Opera House for the first time, we likely did not offer much welcome, being two rather exhausted and likely dirty humans who were scurrying around the edges taking care of last minute forgotten things.

Then we began to hear music in the building again. And laughter. And the Mancos Opera House grew warm in her bones again.

We cannot begin to find the words to express how much good you all have done for our souls. You have reaffirmed for us the fundamental greatness of this building, and the importance of this project, and we are delighted beyond description that you have come to rechristen the space, to bring it your blessings. We are delighted to have you use it as one of your musical homes in the Mancos Valley, and we hope you receive as many blessings as we are receiving from all of you. We wish you a lovely Rocky Mountain Fall.

With heartfelt love,

Linda and Philip Walters

Mancos Opera House Company

The original note below was created from aspen leaves Linda and Philip collected…

MOH thanks you Opera Lafayette.jpg

Friday Musical Moment: Fun in Rehearsals with The Blacksmith!

We would like to share a moment with you from our second week of rehearsals featuring our cast members as we prepare to perform The Blacksmith at the Mancos Opera House in Mancos Colorado. We hope you enjoy!

Song featured: “Careless Love”

Performers:

Emilie Faiella: Jeannie (cover)

Arnold Livingston Geis: Cody

Dominique Cote: Marcel (The Blacksmith)

Joshua Conyers: Eustis

Frank Kelley: Slim MacBride/ Banjo

Pascale Beaudin: Claudine

Opera Lafayette Goes West

Follow Along with #OLWest

Starting in September, our cast and crew made their way to Mancos, CO from all over the country to prepare and present Phildor’s The Blacksmith at the Reddert Ranch outside Mancos, Colorado.

To do this safely, they drove from far distances. They quarantined for a two-week period prior to the commencement of rehearsals. Now at the ranch, they are together rehearsing and preparing for this great feat - performing The Blacksmith live in front of an audience (socially distanced on bales of hay) at this beautiful ranch.

We’ve asked our cast and crew to document this incredible journey and project by using the hashtag #OLGoesWest and post to social media. If you’re on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to follow along for yourself! We’ve taken the highlights and collected them below for your convenience!

Friday Musical Moment: A Note from Ryan Brown About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Opera Lafayette would like to add its voice to the many tributes to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was well known as a supporter of opera, and OL was one of the many beneficiaries of her generosity. Despite her status as a crusader for women’s rights, a distinguished jurist, and more recently a liberal icon, she somehow managed to give me an opportunity to view her as a personal friend, or at least as someone who showed genuine interest and support in what was important to me artistically.

When I first met her, at a benefit the French Ambassador gave for Opera Lafayette, her gregarious husband made the biggest impression; I’m not sure the Justice said a word, and if she did, I strained to hear it. Subsequently, however, I would write and invite her to performances, and, to my surprise, she invariably wrote back. She was one of the most polite and consistent correspondents I have ever known, an experience I’m sure many share. There was one time when she made me especially proud, and another when she won my heart. The first was when she was the invited keynote speaker to the annual Opera America convention, held that year in Washington, during which she made a point of mentioning to the audience the importance of Opera Lafayette’s work. The other was when I conducted an opera at the Glimmerglass Festival.

As I approached her at an after party, she threw out her arms to give me an enthusiastic hug. In my surprise and eagerness to reciprocate, I stepped on her foot, and nearly knocked her down, whereupon several Secret S-service agents lunged forward to make sure she was ok! Thank goodness she apparently wasn’t too put off by my clumsiness, and our association continued. The last opera I spoke to her about was Leonore, and I’ll always associate her with that remarkable heroine. We will miss her, but know that like Leonore, her courage, perseverance, and generosity will continue to inspire for years to come.

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A Note from Ryan Brown About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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A Note from Maestro Ryan Brown

Opera Lafayette mourns the passing and honors the extraordinary legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and extends its heartfelt condolences to her family.

Photo Blog: Scotus Blog

Photo Blog: Scotus Blog

Opera Lafayette would like to add its voice to the many tributes to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was well known as a supporter of opera, and OL was one of the many beneficiaries of her generosity. Despite her status as a crusader for women’s rights, a distinguished jurist, and more recently a liberal icon, she somehow managed to give me an opportunity to view her as a personal friend, or at least as someone who showed genuine interest and support in what was important to me artistically.

When I first met her, at a benefit the French Ambassador gave for Opera Lafayette, her gregarious husband made the biggest impression; I’m not sure the Justice said a word, and if she did, I strained to hear it. Subsequently, however, I would write and invite her to performances, and, to my surprise, she invariably wrote back. She was one of the most polite and consistent correspondents I have ever known, an experience I’m sure many share. There was one time when she made me especially proud, and another when she won my heart. The first was when she was the invited keynote speaker to the annual Opera America convention, held that year in Washington, during which she made a point of mentioning to the audience the importance of Opera Lafayette’s work. The other was when I conducted an opera at the Glimmerglass Festival.

As I approached her at an after party, she threw out her arms to give me an enthusiastic hug. In my surprise and eagerness to reciprocate, I stepped on her foot, and nearly knocked her down, whereupon several Secret S-service agents lunged forward to make sure she was ok! Thank goodness she apparently wasn’t too put off by my clumsiness, and our association continued. The last opera I spoke to her about was Leonore, and I’ll always associate her with that remarkable heroine. We will miss her, but know that like Leonore, her courage, perseverance, and generosity will continue to inspire for years to come.

Friday Musical Moment: Bartender's Special

Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! As we prepare for our performance of Philidor's The Blacksmith we'd like to introduce you to Adam Gardino, our guitarist for the production. 

"This is called 'Bartender's Special', and I wrote it over the quarantine for my brother. He's a bartender down in Savannah, Georgia - and a good one from all reports. Last time we visited him, he made us a few drinks and when we asked the name of this one in particular it was a 'Bartender's Special'. 

The tune is played on a Rocky Mountain Guitar Company guitar (in Drop D tuning) in the stylistic vein of Jerry Reed and Jim Hurst (which funny enough, are both from Georgia)

The first few notes are reminiscent of when folks walk in the door to the bar; the bell rings, the bartender asks 'What'll it be?', to which the person responds 'What would you recommend?'." - Adam Gardino

Adam Gardino.jpg

Friday Musical Moment: Listening to the People

Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today we feature Philidor’s Sancho Pança “Chantons, chantons la bienvenue”, Ensemble (Andrew Sauvageau, Darren Perry, Elizabeth Calleo, Eric C. Black, Karim Sulayman, Meghan McCall, Tony Boutte), and the Opera Lafayette Orchestra.

In this lively sextet all the villagers are asking Sancho for favors now that he's the 'Gouverneur'.

Sancho Panca CD cover.jpg

Friday's Musical Moment: A Journey into the Underworld

Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today we feature Gluck’s Orphée et Euridice, Act III Scene 1, ‘J’ai perdu mon Euridice’ by Jean-Paul Fouchecourt and the Opera Lafayette Orchestra.

Orfeo is allowed into the underworld to find his beloved Euridice under the condition that he does not look back at or talk to her. On their way out of Hades, Euridice is delighted to be returning to earth but is devastated that Orfeo will not communicate with her. She takes this as a sign that he no longer loves her and refuses to carry on. Unable to take any more, Orfeo turns and looks at Euridice; again, she dies. Orfeo sings of his grief in the famous aria "J’ai perdu mon Euridice" ("I have lost my Euridice").

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