AVA Opera Blog

An Inside Look at AVA's 2017/2018 Opera Season

Welcome to the start of the Academy of Vocal Arts' 2017/2018 Opera season! To kick off this season, let's peel back the curtain and take an inside look at the stories that we can expect to see on the AVA stage in the coming months...

First up, Il trovatore! 

 

Gypsies, mysterious troubadours and hidden identities are just a few of the treats that this Verdi work offers up. Count di Luna is infatuated with the beautiful Leonora, who does not return his affections. Instead, she falls in love with the Count's rival, a troubadour who serenades Leonora and keeps his identity a secret. This rivalry sets in place a plot full of murder, mystery, and of course, tragic love. 

Angela Meade performed Leonora at the Metropolitan Opera in February 2016. Luis Ledesma sang the role of Count di Luna at Teatro de Bellas Artes in 2013. Indra Thomas as Leonora with the Arizona Opera and Austin Lyric Opera.

This production of Il trovatore will be conducted by Maestro Christofer Macatsoris and staged by Michael Scarola, who previously staged an AVA production of Anna Bolena.

Now that you are sufficiently enticed, come check out Il trovatore, opening on November 4th and running through the 28th! Performances in Center City, Buck's County (November 21 at Central Bucks South High School), and Haverford (November 28 at the Haverford School's Centennial Hall). 

 

Next up is the Wagner's iconic Das Rheingold! 

Since it's 1869 premiere, Wagner's Ring Cycle has been widely acknowledged as one of the greatest operatic works every composed. Join the crowd of Wagner enthusiasts that will descend upon the Helen Corning Warden Theatre in January 2018 to see this masterpiece! 

A story of gods, dwarfs, and Rhine maidens, Das Rheingold is a cautionary tale about the price of too much power. Rumored to have influenced J.R.R Tolkien's massive franchise The Lord of the Rings, Wagner's opera paints a picture of a dwarf named Alberich, who manages to come into possession of the Rhine gold, a ring that enables it's bearer to rule the world, but at a terrible cost. 

Many AVA Alumni have performed Das Rheingold over years, such as:

Nicole Piccolomini has performed the roles of Flosshilde, and Erda at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Oper Leipzig, respectively. Michael Fabiano has performed the role of Froh. 

Luke Housner will accompany the Resident Artists on piano.

 

Opening in February 2018 is Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss! 

This Strauss favorite tells the story of two troupes of musicians who arrive at a dinner party to be told that they must perform each of their acts simultaneously. The result is a colorful and mystical tale of Ariadne and how she meets and falls in love with the god Bacchus. 

Conductor David Aronson will be making his Philadelphia debut conducting the AVA Opera Orchestra in February and March of 2018! The last AVA Performance of Ariadne auf Naxos was during the 1992-1993 season, however many AVA Alumni have performed these roles throughout the years! Joyce DiDonato sang the role of Composer at the Metropolitan Opera in 2011. Richard Troxell performed as the Wig Master/Brighella. Daniel Mobbs has performed the role of Harlequin.

Prepare your wine glasses for the arrival of Ariadne auf Naxos in February 2018!

 

Closing out our AVA season will be Verdi's La traviata! 

Running from April 21-May 1, 2018, La traviata has endured the years as an opera classic. Plagued by sickness, Violetta finds love in Alfredo, but before long they are torn apart by betrayal. A "fallen woman", she is forced to abandon her lover, until the truth comes out and they are reunited, if only for a moment. 

This season Jeffrey Marc Buchman will return as stage director with Maestro Christofer Macatsoris leading the AVA Opera Orchestra. You may remember Mr. Buchman from his direction of recent AVA productions such as Don Giovanni and Die Zauberflöte. 

AVA Alumni are no stranger to these roles...

Stephen Costello and Michael Fabiano have sung Alfredo in productions at the Metropolitan opera. 

Daniel Mobbs sang the role of Baron Doupol in the 2015 Opera Philadelphia production, with current AVA Resident Artist Roy Hage.

Eric Dubin sang Il barone Doupohol in the Opera Company of Philadelphia's 2010 production.

 

AVA's season also includes annual favorites, such as the Giargiari Bel Canto competition, Russian Romances and Jubilate! 

There you have it, folks! AVA has a wonderful season lined up, so if you haven't already subscribed, what are you waiting for? Subscriptions are available now, and single tickets will be on sale starting Tuesday, September 5th! We look forward to seeing you at the opera! 

 

About the author: Caitlin McCarthy is the Administrative Associate at the Academy of Vocal Arts.  

Meet AVA's New Resident Artists!

Hello! Bonjour! Hola! Cześć!

AVA is very excited to welcome our seven new Resident Artists! These singers are coming to us from near and far, from the good old U.S of A to Québec, Mexico, Poland, and New Zealand. We know everyone is waiting anxiously to witness these new talents firsthand, so let's start some introductions! 

 

First up we have Alexandra Razskazoff, coming to AVA from New Brighton, Minnesota. Alexandra is a soprano who holds a B.M. in Vocal Performance from Peabody Conservatory and a M.M. in Vocal Performance from The Juilliard School. 

Previous roles include Musetta, La bohème; Miss Alden, Dinner at Eight, Britomarte, L'arbore di Diana, Wellgunde, Das Rheingold, all with Minnesota Opera; First Lady, Die Zauberflöte, Music Academy of the West and Juilliard Opera Theater; Contessa Almaviva, Le nozze di Figaro, Juilliard Opera Theater; Suor Angelica, Suor Angelica, The Amalfi Coast Summer Music Festival; Blanche de la Force, Dialogues des Carmélites, Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni, Abigail Williams, The Crucible, and L’Écureuil, L'enfant et les sortilèges, all with Peabody Conservatory Opera Theater.

Alexandra has also competed in competitions, taking 3rd Place in HGO's Eleanor McCollum Competition (2016), and 1st Place in Sylvia Green Voice Competition (2014)! 

We are thrilled to have Alexandra joining the soprano forces here at AVA, and can't wait for all of you to meet her! 

Next we have Gabriela Flores, mezzo-soprano, joining us from Mexico! Gabriela has performed many times with the Ópera de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, including roles such as Alisa, Lucia di Lammermoor; Maddalena, Il viaggio a Reims, and Gianetta, L'elisir d'amore.

Also coming to us from Mexico, meet Daniel Gallegos! Daniel is a baritone who hails from Chihuahua, Mexico, where he studied at the Conservatorio de Música de Chihuahua, Taller de Ópera de Sinaloa and Sociedad Internacional de Valores al Arte Mexicano. 

Previous roles for Daniel include Mr. Nohlan, The Medium; Baron Douphol, La traviata; Betto, Gianni Schicchi; and Papageno, Die Zauberflöte. 

¡Bienvenido Gabriela y Daniel! 

 

Meet Brent Michael Smith, bass, who is from Owosso, Michigan! Brent holds a B.M. from Hope College, and a M.M. from University of Northern Iowa. Brent has performed many roles in his career, including The Commentator, Scalia/Ginsburg, Ariodate, Serse, both at The Glimmerglass Festival; Ashby, La fanciulla del West, Friedrich Bhaer, Little Women, and Colline, La bohème, all with Michigan Opera Theatre; Dr. Grenvil, La traviata with Owensboro Symphony (KY) and Lafayette Symphony (IN); Harry Hopkins, A Woman in Morocco with Kentucky Opera. Coming up he will perform the God of Evil/Procrustes, Hercules vs Vampires with Arizona Opera. He also earned First Place in the Opera Grand Rapids Competition (2012).

 

Hailing from Pultusk, Poland, let's meet Lukasz Zientarski! A baritone who studied at The Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań, Lukasz has perfomed as Don Magnifico, La Cenerentola at the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar. He has also competed and received First Degree Laureate in Salut International Performing Arts Web Competition, and Second Prize at III National Vocal Competition in Drezdenko. 

Witamy, Lukasz! 

Oliver Sewell is a tenor from Christchurch, New Zealand. He holds a B.M. from the University of Canterbury, and an M.M. from Manhattan School of Music. Oliver is no stranger to competitions; he is the Gerda Lissner Grant Award Winner (2017), Stan Sesser Career Award Winner (2016), Alan M. and Joan Taub Vocal Competition Finalist (2016), Lexus Song Quest Finalist (2015), and Kiri Te Kanawa Grant Recipient. 

Previous roles for Oliver include Ramiro, La Cenerentola, ARE Opera; Gastone, La traviata, New Jersey Festival Orchestra; Benoit, Le Roi l'a Dit, Danceny, The Dangerous Liaisons, Tamino, Die Zauberflöte, all with Manhattan School of Music Opera Studio; Ernesto, and Don Pasquale, Crested Butte Music Festival.

 

And last, but certainly not least, meet Pascale Spinney! A mezzo-soprano, Pascale is originally from Montréal, Québec, and has a B.M. and M.M. both from McGill University in Montreal. 

Previous roles for Pascale include Ruggiero (cover), Alcina, Santa Fe Opera; Cherubino, Le nozze di Figaro, Vancouver Opera; Hansel, Hansel and Gretel, Vancouver Opera; Clairon (cover), Cappriccio, Santa Fe Opera. She has participated in competitions such as the 2017 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions where she was a National Semi-Finalist (2017), the Mrs. Edgar Tobin National Award (2017), and the Vancouver Opera Foundation Kurt Sickert Scholarship (2016).

Bienvenue à l'Académie Pascale! 

 

There you have it folks, the new faces of AVA! Want to meet them in person? Join us at the New Artist Recitals on September 19th, and 21st to welcome them!

 

 

 About the author: Caitlin McCarthy is the Administrative Associate at the Academy of Vocal Arts.  

Where in the world are the AVA Resident Artists?

It's summer, so you know what that means - time to travel! This summer, AVA's Resident Artists and recent graduates are spread out across the globe performing new and classic works, and everything in between. Let's take a trip and check in on them, shall we? 

Before we leave, let's check in on a few of our artists who are staying close to home this summer. Marco Cammarota will be performing as the tenor soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts on July 25th, 2017! Information and tickets for this event can be found here.

 

 

Alexandra Nowakowski performed on June 4th with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra at Verizon Hall. Here is a review of her performance! 

 

 

Just 147 miles away from the Academy of Vocal Arts, you will find tenors Jonas Hacker, Mackenzie Gotcher, and Alasdair Kent with bass Anthony Schneider as 2017 Filene Young Artists at Wolf Trap Opera. Here are a few things they will be working on:

Jonas Hacker recently performed as Roderick in The Fall of the House of Usher, and will next be seen as Young Man in Bastianello. You can read more about the upcoming performance here.

Mackenzie Gotcher and Anthony Schneider were just seen on stage as Mario Cavaradossi and Sacristan, respectively, in Puccini's Tosca. Here is a review of that performance.

Alasdair Kent and Anthony Schneider shared the Wolf Trap stage in Gioachino Rossini's The Touchstone, with Anthony singing Fabrizio and Alasdair singing Giocondo. You can check out a review of the performance here!

 

Speaking of world travelers, bass-baritone André Courville has been especially the globe-trotter this summer! André performed with Opera Lafayette in Washington D.C. and New York City, singing Don Alvar in les Indes Galantes. Here is a review of that performance. André has also performed internationally, most recently as Figaro in Le Nozze de Figaro at Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe in Germany, and will next be jetting off to compete in Placido Domingo's Operalia, the world opera competition held in Astana, Kazakhstan from July 24-29th! Toi, toi, toi André! 

 

JoAna Rusche performed at Caramoor this summer as a Bel Canto Young Artist, and Piotr Buszewski sang Ernesto in Don Pasquale at Brevard Music Center!

 

 

Are you ready for some sun? Let's head down to Miami, where tenor Roy Hage just wrapped up singing the title role in Les Contes d'Hoffmann at the Miami Music Festival on June 29th and July 1st! Check out review of that performance here.This fall he returns home to perform as the Guest Tenor in "Our Three Tenors" Concert with the Ocean City Pops on September 3rd. We hope you saved some time to hit the beach this summer Roy! 

 

 

Buckle your seat belts and prepare for take-off folks, we're heading out to west to visit not one, not two, but FIVE AVA Resident Artists and recent grads! Let's see what they're up to! 

Performing as 2017 Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singers are Meryl Dominguez, Nathan Milholin, Christopher Kenney, and Jorge Espino. You can find them singing on the following dates:

Thursday, July 6, 6:15 PM, Four Seasons Rancho Encantado
Tuesday, July 18, 7:00 PM, Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
Thursday, July 20, 6:15 PM, Four Seasons Rancho Encantado
Wednesday, July 26, 6:30 PM, Santa Fe Plaza Bandstandartic
Sunday, July 30, 3:00 PM, Apprentice Concert at First Unitarian Church, Albuquerque

 

In addition to these four, you can find 2017 graduate baritone Jared Bybee hard at work covering the role of Steve Jobs in Santa Fe Opera's The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs. Click here to read more about this upcoming performance! 

 

While we're out west, let's drop in on Mezzo-Soprano Hannah Ludwig, who is spending the summer at Aspen Music Festival singing the role of Sesto in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito. Tickets for those performances can be found here. 

 

We're not ready to come back home yet! First, a stop to see what bass-baritone Daniel Noyola is up to! Spending his summer in San Francisco, Daniel is a 2017 Artist at the Merola Opera Program. You can read about upcoming performances here!

 

Before we wrap up our virtual vacation, we must head to Des Moines, Iowa, where soprano Vanessa Vasquez made her debut this summer as Liù in Turandot! Check out a review of the performance here.

 

Our last AVA Resident Artist to visit is tenor John Matthew Myers, who just wrapped up a performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 8 at Berkshire Choral International. 

Congratulations to all of our talented Resident Artists and alumni! Stay tuned for news about the incoming class of AVA Resident Artists! 

 

It is never our intention to omit any AVA alumni or Resident Artists. If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].

About the author: Caitlin McCarthy is the Administrative Associate at the Academy of Vocal Arts.  

 

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Farewell

This year, the family at AVA will bid a fond farewell to eight resident artists: soprano Karen Barraza,
baritone Jared Bybee,

bass-baritone Andre Courville,

baritone Jorge Espino,

tenor Jonas Hacker,

tenor Alasdair Kent,

and bass Anthony Schneider.

All leave AVA after four years of fond memories and beautiful music, starring in productions like La Boheme, Wether, and Eugene Onegin, in addition to concerts like Julibate! Next up: more singing, this time in some of the world's famed opera houses. Let's find out where they're going: 

Baritone Jared Bybee has a number of performances lined up, including a Figaro with Arizona Opera in Rossini's Barber of Seville next March, and Puccini's Manon Lescaut as Lescaut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Spain next June.

Bass-baritone Andre Courville is singing Colline in La bohème, Puccini with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra on May 25 @ 7:30pm & May 27, 2017 @ 8:00pm. He'll also sing Don Alvar in Les Indes Galantes, Part IV, Rameau at Opera Lafayette, Washington, D.C. & New York City on May 31 @ 7:30pm & June 2, 2017 @ 7:00pm. He'll be the bass soloist in Great Mass in C minor, Mozart at the Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston, SC, June 6, 2017 @ 7:30pm. He has a performance as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro at Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, Germany, June 21, 2017 @ 7:30pm. And finally, he'll be Goffredo in Il pirata, Bellini at the Caramoor Music Festival, Katonah, NY, July 8, 2017 @ 8pm.

Tenor Jonas Hacker will be a Filene Young Artist at Wolf Trap Opera starting in June. perform in the concert Four of a Kind on Sat, Jun 3, 2017 at 3:00pm and Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 3:00pm at The Barns at Wolf Trap. He'll sing in The Fall of the House of Usher on Saturday, June 17, 2017 from 8:30pm to 10:30pm at Halcyon Stage at Dock 5, in the role of Roderick Usher. He's scheduled to perform an Aria Jukebox concert on Sunday, July 9, 2017 from 3:00pm to 5:30pm at The Barns at Wolf Trap. Finally, he'll sing in Bastianello on Fri, Aug 11, 2017 7:30pm to  Sat, Aug 19, 2017 7:30pm at The Barns at Wolf Trap. He will be singing the roles of Bastianello and Lambent.  The opera will be presented as a Double Bill alongside Philip Glass' and Robert Moran's The Juniper Tree.

Tenor Alasdair Kent will sing Jun 23, 25, 28 & Jul 1 at Wolf Trap Opera in Rossini's La Pietra Del Paragone in the role of Giocondo. He'll also perform on Feb 16, 2018 & Feb 18, 2018 in Rossini's Il Barbiere Di Sivigla in the role of Il conte d'Almaviva at Kentucky Opera. 

Bass Anthony Schneider will sing in The Touchstone - La pietra del paragone on Fri, Jun 23, 2017 7:30pm & Sat, Jul 1, 2017 10:30pm at The Barns at Wolf Trap, playing Fabrizio. He'll perform in Tosca, singing Sacristan Friday, July 14, 2017, 8:30pm- 11:30pm at the Filene Center. He sings Dottore Grenvil in La Traviata Fri, Oct 20, 2017 7:00pm as well as Sat, Nov 11, 2017 10:30pm at the Wortham Theater Center. He has the role of Curio in Julius Caesar Fri, Oct 27, 2017 7:30pm through Thu, Nov 9, 2017 10:30pm at Wortham Theater Center. And finally, he'll appear in Elektra, Fri, Jan 19, 2018 7:30pm through Sat, Feb 3, 2018 5:30pm at Wortham Theater Center, singing the roles of the Tutor and the Old Servant.

Soprano Karen Barraza and Baritone Jorge Espino are waiting to announce their exciting future engagements - check back soon to see where you can catch them performing around town and around the world!

All will be dearly missed, but we look forward to seeing them join the ranks of accomplished AVA alums who have become the leading opera singers in the world and some of the most awarded as well. Your last chance to see them at AVA as resident artists is our farewell recital on May 11, 2017. Get your tickets here and join them for one unforgettable last performance. 

If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].

Gabriella Rose Balsam is a senior advertising major at Temple University, and an intern in AVA's Marketing Department.

AVAround The World May 2017

Welcome to another installment of AVAround the World - May 2017 Edition. In this post, we continue to chronicle the upcoming monthly engagements of AVAlumni spanning the globe. From role debuts, concerts and festivals, May is proving to be a busy month for our talented AVAlumni. Check out the updates below!

Bass Scott Conner will continue his role as the Police Commissioner in Der Rosenkavalier at the Metropolitan Opera through May 13.

Tenor Shawn Mathey begins a run at Gran Teatre del Liceu as Erik in Der Fliegende Holländer May 2.

Soprano Angela Meade continues singing the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni for the Metropolitan Opera through May

Baritone Musa Ngqungwana sings the role of Angelotti in Tosca for the Canadian Opera Company starting May 4.

Baritone Luis Ledesma is set to sing the role of Figaro in Opera San Antonio's production of The Barber of Seville starting May 5.

Soprano Sydney Mancasola begins a run as Die Königin in Das Geheime Kongireich for Oper Frankfurt May 5.

Tenor Richard Troxell sings Rodolfo in La bohème with the Lubbock Symphony May 5.

Mezzo-Soprano Allegra De Vita sings Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly for the Washington National Opera May 6.

Soprano Aliyn Perez wraps up a run in the role of Violetta in La Traviata for Berlin Staatsoper May 7.

Soprano Joyce El-Khoury begins a run as Leila in Les Pecheurs de Perles for Opera de Bordeaux May 9.

Tenor Stephen Costello sings Alfredo in La Traviata for Bolshoi Opera of Russia May 10.

Baritone Burak Bigili sings Sarestro in Die Zauberflöte for Naples Opera starting May 12.

Tenor Bryan Hymel begins a run in the title role of Don Carlo at Royal Opera House May 12.

Tenor John Viscardi takes on the title role in Cyrano for Michigan Opera Theatre May 12.

Baritone Todd Thomas wraps a run at Florida Grand Opera singing Renato in Un ballo in maschera at Florida Grand Opera May 13.

Soprano Melinda Whittington is Donna Anna in Don Giovanni for Utah Opera starting May 13.

Soprano Colleen Daly is a soloist in Carmina Burina at the Kennedy Center May 14.

Baritone Zach Borichevsky takes on the role of Alfredo in La Traviata for Glyndebourne starting May 21.

Soprano Angela Meade is the Mass Soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic May 26.

Tenor Diego Silva sings Alfredo in La Traviata for the Luzerner Theatre May 30. 

If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].

Gabriella Rose Balsam is a senior advertising major at Temple University, and an intern in AVA's Marketing Department.

AVAround Town May 2017

Spring has sprung in Philadelphia and AVA's Resident Artists are busy with their many outside engagements, recitals and concerts. Find out below how our talented Resident Artists are filling their days outside of AVA.

Soprano Alexandra Nowakowski has made the finals of the Vocal Arts DC competition - she'll sing for the top prize May 13.

Bass-Baritone Andre Courville sings Colline in La Boheme for the Rochester Philharmonic May 25.

Bass-Baritone Andre Courville sings Don Alvar in Les Indes Galantes for Opera Lafayette May 31.

 

If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].

Gabriella Rose Balsam is a senior advertising major at Temple University, and an intern in AVA's Marketing Department.

The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) in Pop Culture

The Magic Flute is one of those operas so recognizable, even those who have never had the pleasure of attending a performance have probably been exposed to the composition. It could be the overture hovering in the background at the mall on an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer,

 

or a music box on an episode of House using Papageno highlight "Das klinget so herrlich", The Magic Flute is definitely in the pop culture landscape.

In 1995, Disney released Operation Dumbo Drop, a family flick with Danny Glover, Ray Liotta, and Denis Leary going on an Army mission to bring an elephant to a village as the Vietnam War rages on aroung them. The movie also contains a scene in where one character sings along with (horribly) the Queen of the Night’s famous aria, “Der Hölle Rache”:

"Der Hölle Rache" was also utilized in a 2009 episode of the CW’s popular Gossip Girl TV series, during the second season episode “You’ve Got Yale!”, when the main characters attend a performance of The Magic Flute. Opera references are peppered throughout the episode, and the video features a few notable ones, including: the anonymous Gossip Girl comparing the drama of the main characters to Flute; Dan and Nate talking about going to the opera, and making a bonus reference to The Ring; and Eric breaks down Magic Flute to opera newbie Rufus, while they listen to "Der Hölle Rache."

For a recent movie reference, the same aria can be found in Eat Pray Love, starring Julia Roberts. It’s a fascinating choice of music: this German aria provides the soundtrack for the joy Roberts' character is experiencing while traveling through Italy and savoring Italian cuisine.

Flute's music has also scored many commercials, for products ranging from cars to macaroni and cheese. Papageno might enjoy Red Bull’s "Red Bull gives you wings" slogan, but he probably wouldn’t be so pleased with the outcome of this commercial for the popular energy drink, featuring Papageno’s aria “Der Vogelfänger Bin Ich Ja” (“I’m a bird catcher”):

In 2006, Kenneth Branagh adapted The Magic Flute, setting the story during World War I, with the German libretto translated to English by Stephen Fry, and music conducted by James Conlon. Branagh's film is the first time The Magic Flute was adapted with the silver screen in mind (in 1975, Ingmar Bergman made a made-for-TV version). Branagh's Magic Flute played the Toronto International Film Festival, but there’s no U.S. edition of the DVD yet. You can watch bits and pieces online, including the duet between Papageno and Papagena. Here's how Branagh filmed the overture:

It's not just The Magic Flute's classic arias that have been referenced on screens big and small over the years. Several movies have had plot lines involving magical flutes--like the 1976 animated film The Smurfs and the Magic Flute. Set in the Middle Ages, the movie’s central character is a court jester who discovers a magic flute whose music makes the townspeople dance uncontrollably. Innocent enough, until a thief snatches away the flute, intending to use its powers to rob people of their gold. It may not be exactly the same adventure as in Mozart's opera, but it's a magic flute all the same...

AVA’s Magic Flute opens April 29 at the Helen Corning Warden Theater. Call 215.735.1685 or visit www.avaopera.org for tickets.

 

Gabriella Balsam is a graduating senior majoring in advertising at Temple University and a marketing intern at AVA.

 

The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte): A History

Die Zauberflöte - in English The Magic Flute - is possibly Mozart’s best remembered opera. First composed in 1791, it’s an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. A Singspiel, the opera takes the then-popular form that includes both singing and spoken dialogue. The opera premiered on September 30 1791 at Schikaneder's own theatre, the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna. This would be the last premiere Mozart would attend - he passed only two months later.

The opera was the product of a period of extensive collaboration of Mozart with Schikaneder's theatrical troupe. Since 1789, this had been the resident company at the Theater auf der Wieden (which, of course, premiered the opera). Mozart was friendly with one of the singer-composers of the troupe, tenor Benedikt Schack (who would become the first Tamino), and had written compositions for the troupe, which were often collaboratively written. Mozart's involvement increased with his contributions to the 1790 collaborative opera Der Stein der Weisen (The Philosopher's Stone), including the duet ("Nun liebes Weibchen", K. 625/592a) among other passages. Like The Magic Flute, Der Stein der Weisen was a fairy-tale opera and in many circles is considered a predecessor; it starred more or less the same cast in similar roles. 

The libretto for The Magic Flute, written by Schikaneder, is generally considered to have multiple sources among opera scholars. Some literature of the period in Vienna that Schikaneder may have referenced and used as sources include the medieval romance Yvain by Chrétien de Troyes, the novel Sethos by Jean Terrasson, and the essay "On The Mysteries of the Egyptians" by Ignaz von Born. The premise is also a natural continuation of a series of fairy tale operas produced that Schikaneder's troupe had been producing and performing at the time, among these an adaptation of Sophie Seyler's Singspiel Oberon as well as Der Stein der Weisen. Particularly for the character of Papageno, the libretto is heavily influenced by the Hanswurst tradition of the Viennese popular theater. Scholars also have acknowledged an influence of Freemasonry, which entire texts have been written about.

During the composition process, Mozart wrote with the skills of the singers intended for the premiere in mind. These included both traditional opera singers and ordinary comic actors asked to sing for just this opera. Hence, the vocal lines for Papageno and Monostatos are often stated first in the strings so that a potentially less-experienced singer can find his pitch, and are often doubled by instruments. In contrast, the original Queen of the Night (Mozart's sister-in-law Josepha Hofer) needed little such help: subsequently, the role has become known for its difficulty.

While convenient at the time, the vocal ranges of two of the roles for which Mozart anticipated the cast’s abilities now have posed challenges for many singers who wish to take on these roles. Both arias of the Queen of the Night, "O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn" and "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" require high F6, rare in opera. At the low end, the part of Sarastro, premiered by Franz Xaver Gerl, includes a conspicuous F2 in a few locations.

As previously mentioned, the opera premiered in Vienna on September 30, 1791 at the suburban Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden. Mozart personally conducted the orchestra.

Although there were no reviews,  it was immediately obvious that Mozart and Schikaneder had achieved something remarkable, with the opera drawing large crowds. It would be performed hundreds of times in the 1790s.

Mozart's letters show, he was very pleased to have achieved such a success. This was reflected in his last three letters, written to his wife Constanze, who was spending time in the nearby city of Baden with her sister Sophie. "I have this moment returned from the opera, which was as full as ever", he wrote on October 7th, listing the numbers that demanded an encore. "But what always gives me the most pleasure is the silent approval! You can see how this opera is becoming more and more esteemed." … He went to hear his opera almost every night, with or without a companion.

The opera celebrated its 100th performance in November 1792, although Mozart was not there to witness it - he had died December 5, 1791. The opera first ventured outside Vienna (September 21, 1792) in Lemberg,  then in Prague. It then made "triumphal progress through Germany's opera houses great and small", according to leading scholar Branscombe, and in the early 19th century debuted in across the European continent—and eventually, everywhere in the world—where opera is beloved.

Branscombe also notes that the earlier performances were often of severely changed versions of the opera. Recent productions have been much more faithful to Mozart's treasured work, though a production that truly embodies Mozart and Schikaneder's original (fairly explicit) stage directions and visionary staging continues to be the exception to the rule; most modern productions strongly reflect the creative work of the stage director.

The Magic Flute is presently among the top 10 most frequently performed operas worldwide. Come see AVA’s production opening April 29th and see why. Call 215.735.1685 or visit www.avaopera.org for tickets and to find out more.

Gabriella Balsam is a graduating senior majoring in advertising at Temple University and a marketing intern for AVA.

AVAround Town - April 2017

Spring has sprung in Philadelphia and AVA's Resident Artists are busy with their many outside engagements, recitals and concerts. Find out below how our talented Resident Artists are filling their days outside of AVA.

 

Soprano Meryl Dominguez & tenor Jonas Hacker will be performing as part of “It’s Elementary.”  Performances are March 31 and April 2. 

Mackenzie Gotcher is performing at the Young Patronesses of the Opera Competition at Florida Grand Opera on April 7.

John Myers will sing at Great Music in a Great Space: Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City on April 6 & 7.

If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].

Gabriella Rose Balsam is a senior advertising major at Temple University, and an intern in AVA's Marketing Department.

AVAround The World - April 2017 Edition

Welcome to another installment of AVAround the World - April 2017 Edition. In this post, we continue to chronicle the upcoming monthly engagements of AVAlumni spanning the globe. From role debuts, concerts and festivals, April is proving to be a busy month for our talented AVAlumni. Check out the updates below!

Tenor Michael Fabiano begins a California recital series on April 1 at the University Music Society.

Bass Burak Bigili (‘04) wraps up a run in the title role of Don Pasquale at Atlanta Opera on April 2.

Tenor Bryan Hymel (‘08) performs as Don Jose in Opera de National Paris’ production of Carmen, April 2-15.

Soprano Aliyn Perez (‘06) performs in concert April 4 a ‘Classical Action Recital’ as part of the Michael Palm Recital Series.

Baritone John Viscardi (‘13) sings a recital at Istituto Nazionale Tostiano April 4.

Tenor Michele Angelini (‘06) wraps up a run as Grimoaldo in Teatro Real’s production of Rodelinda.

Baritone James Morris (‘71) takes on two roles for the Metropolitan Opera this month: Don Fernando’s Fidelio on April 5, and just a day later, Ramfis in Aida.

 

Mezzo-Soprano Allegra De Vita (‘16) sings the role of Olga in Eugene Onegin for Syracuse Opera April 7-9.

Tenor William Davenport (‘14) wraps up a run in Lucrezia Borgia the role of Gennaro at Palau de les Arts, Valencia on April 8.  

 

Tenor Diego Silva (‘15) sings Alfredo in the Luzener Theater’s production of La Traviata starting April 2.

Bass Scott Conner (‘12) performs the role of the Police Commissionar in Der Rosenkavalier at The Metropolitan Opera starting April 13.

Mezzo-Soprano Joyce DiDonato (‘95) sings Les Troyens in concert at Philharmoniqu Strasbourg April 13.

Baritone Christopher Bolduc (‘10) wraps up a run at Hessisches Staatstheater as Il Conte di Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro.

Mezzo-Soprano Nicole Piccolmini (‘06) performs at the Lieder Concert, singing Wagern's Wesendonck & Mahler's Ruckert Lieder on April 17.

Soprano Latonia Moore (‘04) sings the title role in Aida at the Metropolitan Opera April 20.

Baritone Christopher Bolduc (‘10) wraps up a run in the title role of Eugene Onegin at the Hessisches Staatstheater April 22.

Soprano Corinne Winters (‘11) sings Violetta in La Traviata at the San Diego Opera April 22-30.

Bass Ben Wager (‘09) performs the role of The Sergeant of Police in Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s production of Pirates of Penzance April 22-30.

Mezzo-Soprano Allegra De Vita (‘16) will be a soloist in Washington Concert Opera’s performance of Mozart's Requiem, K. 626 on April 23.

Mezzo-Soprano Joyce DiDonato (‘95) kicks off a international run of performances of Ariodante in concert, starting April 25.

Soprano Angela Meade (‘09) begins a run as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at The Metropolitan Opera April 26.

Soprano Ailyn Perez (‘06) begins a run as Violetta in La Traviata at Berlin Staatsoper April 27.

Baritone Todd Thomas (‘87) kicks off a run as Renato in Un ballo in maschera at Florida Grand Opera April 29.

Soprano Sydney Mascansola (‘14) begins a run as Die Königin in Das Geheime Kongireich at Oper Frankfurt April 30.

Baritone Musa Ngqungwana ('14) kicks off a run as Anglotti in Tosca at Canadian Opera Company April 30.

If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].

Gabriella Rose Balsam is a senior advertising major at Temple University, and an intern in AVA's Marketing Department.