AVA Opera Blog

The Czech Journey: An Introduction

Our Czech compositional journey will span 30 years woven together by common threads of Love and Dedication.  We look forward to delving into three of the most seldom-heard, rarely performed song cycles of Dvořák, Martinů and Janáček.

Antonín Dvořák 8 Songs, Op. 83, B. 160

Dvořák’s love songs, composed in 1888, are poignantly

melodic and contain a musical figuration quoting the

Piano Quintet which was composed the year before.

1. O naši lásce nekvete to vytouzené stestí (Love will Never Lead Us to that Happy End)
2. V tak mnohém srdci mrtvo jest (Death Reigns in Many a Human Breast)
   
   
3. Kol domu se ted’ potácím (I Wander Often Past Yonder House)
4. Já vím, že v sladké naději (I Know that My Love to Thee)
5. Nad krajem vévodi lehký spánek (Nature Lies Peaceful in Slumber and Dreaming)
6. Zde v lese u potoka (In the Deepest Forest Glade I Stand)
   
7. V té sladké moci ocí tvých (When Thy Sweet Glances Fall on Me)
8. Ó duše drahá jedinká (Thou Only, Dear One)

Bohuslav Martinů Nipponare H68

Martinů’s elegant works form a four part song cycle of Nipponari’s texts of Japanese poems, translated into Czech, dating back to the 7th, 9th and 12th century. Each setting deals with the pursuit of a mystifying moment of time which has vanished into the past.  Musically impressionist, atmospheric and reminiscent of Debussy with some touches of Puccini’s il Tabarro and Madama Butterfly sprinkled in.

#4 Prosněný život

#5 Stopy ve sněhu

#6 Pohled nazpět

#7 U posvátného jezera

Leoš Janáček - Diary of one who vanished

Janáček's Diary of One Who Has Vanished is an beautiful trio and operatically dramatic song cycle, replete with lighting and staging directions written into the score.  Over 22 short episodic movements, the story follows the diary of a young man (tenor) who abandons his home and country for a gypsy woman (mezzo). Musically there is a mix of the declamatory passages of Jenufa combined with the majestic, melodic sweep of Kata Kabanova (which was composed 2 years after this cycle). 

1. Potkal jsem mladou cigánku (One day I met a young gypsy girl)
2. Ta černá cigánka (That dark-skinned gypsy girl)
3. Svatojánské mušky (The glow-worms are dancing)
4. Už mladé vlaštůvky (The young swallows)
5. Těžko sa mi oře (Ploughing is heavy work)
6. Hajsi, vy siví volci (Hey, you grey oxen)
7. Ztratil isem kolíček (Now I’ve lost the little pin)
8. Nehled’te, volečci, tesklivo k úvratím (Don’t look so sadly after me)
9. Vítaj, Janíčku (Welcome, Janíček)
10. Bože, dálný, nesmrtelný (God in heaven, eternal one)
11. Táhne vůňa k lesu (The sweet smell of ripening wheat)
12. Tmavá olšinka, chladná studánka (The shady elder-grove)
13. Klavír solo (Piano solo)
14. Slnéčko sa zdvihá (The sun climbs high)
15. Moji siví volci (My grey oxen)
16. Co jsem to udělal? (What have I done?)
17. Co komu súzeno (What has been ordained)
18. Nedbám já včil o nic (Nothing matters to me)
19. Letí straka letí (The magpie flies away)
20. Mám já panenku (I have a true love)
21. Můj drahý tatíčku (My dear father)
22. Sbohem, rodný kraju (Farewell, my native countryside)

Take the journey with us on the evenings of January 25 and 26 from the comfort of of AVA’s beautiful Helen Corning Warden Theater. Tickets are still available at https://my.avaopera.org/single/SelectSeating.aspx?p=42380.

AVAround the World - January 2017

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

 

Baritone Michael Adams ('15) will continue his run as Marcello in La boheme with Grand-Théâtre de Genève on January 5, 2017. The production began in late December.

Opening January 15, 18, 22 & 27, tenor Zach Borichevsky ('12) begins his run as Alfredo in La traviata with Seattle Opera. Fellow AVAlumna soprano Corinne Winters ('11) will also be performing on separate dates (January 14, 21, 25 & 28) in the role of Violetta. Check out this exciting preview for the production here. Both AVAlumni are singing their Seattle Opera Debuts.

Baritone Christian Bowers ('13) will perform with Opera National de Bordeaux as Maximillian in Candide. The production will run from January 19 - 26, 2017.

Bass Scott Conner ('12) continues his performance as Police Commissionar in Der Rosenkavalier with Royal Opera House through January 24, 2017. The performance opened on December 17, 2017.

Tenor Stephen Costello ('07) reprises his role as the Duke in the Metropolitan Opera's performance of Rigoletto on January 20, 26, 30 and February 4, 2017. Fellow AVAlumna, Nancy Fabiola Herrera will sing the role of Maddalena on April 19, 22 & 27, 2017.

This month, soprano Colleen Daly ('09) will perform at the Church of the Little Flower in their Concert Series. The performance, An Evening with Colleen Daly will feature reimagined settings of classic carols paired with offerings of art and songs by Strauss, Massenet and Rachmaninov, among others. The performance will take place on January 8, 2017 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Mezzo-soprano Allegra De Vita ('16) is set to perform with Washington National Opera as the Dictator's Wife in The Dictator's Wife. The performance will open on January 13 & 15, 2017. The world premiere of this new one hour-long opera is a bitingly satirical work in which the wife of a once-powerful dictator bemoans how she must now answer for the atrocities committed by her husband, who cowers in the bathroom as the country falls apart.

Soprano Joyce El-Khoury ('08) will perform the role of Violetta in Royal Opera House's performance of La traviata on January 16 - 28 and February 1, 2017.

Tenor Michael Fabiano is scheduled to perform in the Metropolitan Opera's production of La boheme as Rodolfo on January 6, 11 &14, 2017. A solo recital is also scheduled for Michael through Dallas Opera on January 22, 2017. More information can be found here.

Baritone Luis Ledesma ('98) is scheduled to perform the role of Sharpless in Madama Butterfly in Palm Beach Opera's production on January 27 - 29, 2017. 

Baritone Wes Mason ('13) is set to perform the roles of Dax and Larry in Nashville Opera's production of Three Way. The world premiere of three playful one-acts "uncover some very private behavior with wit, poignance and sparking music."

Soprano Angela Meade ('09) will perform with Asociacion Bilbaina de Amigos de la Opera in Spain in their production of Stiffelio in the role of Lina. The production takes place on January 21, 24, 27 & 30, 2017.

Baritone Zachary Nelson ('13) will be making his debut with Den Norske Opera as Escamillo in their production of Carmen. The performance will take place on January 28, 2017.

Soprano Ailyn Pérez ('06) is set to perform as Mimi in La boheme at the Metropolitan Opera (with fellow AVAlum Michael Fabiano) on January 6, 11 & 14. Following this performance, Ailyn will perform in a recital, The Barns at Wolf Trap taking place on January 20. For more information about the program, check out the venue's website here.

Baritone Todd Thomas ('87) is set to perform the role of Amonasro in Pensacola Opera's production of Aida on January 20 & 22, 2017.

Bass Ben Wager will be performing in a recital with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society on January 18 at 8pm. The program includes a medley of serenades by Brahms, Mussorgsky, Mozart and more. Phillyfunguide.com has more information here.

Current AVA Resident Artists second-year baritone Ethan Simpson and fourth-year tenor Alasdair Kent will  travel to Paris, France to compete as a 2017 Finalists in the Paris Opera Competition on January 20. Ethan and Alasdair will compete for prizes against nine other vocalists. Toi, toi, toi!

 

Second-year baritone Anthony Whitson-Martini is scheduled to perform at the San Diego Opera Gala on January 28. The Gala will include a three-course dinner and an exciting evening.

 

It is never our intention to omit any AVAlumni. If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].

Samantha van Adelsberg is a Los Angeles native working in AVA's marketing department and managing the AVA Young Professionals group. Samantha holds two degrees from Binghamton University in English and Vocal Performance and is an active rock vocalist in the Philadelphia music scene.

It is never our intention to omit any AVAlumni. If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].

Samantha van Adelsberg is a Los Angeles native working in AVA's marketing department and managing the AVA Young Professionals group. Samantha holds two degrees from Binghamton University in English and Vocal Performance and is an active rock vocalist in the Philadelphia music scene.