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"The Met Live in HD" Broadcasts
The Metropolitan Opera's "Live in HD" series begins later this month and Iowa Public Radio is going to be the local media sponsor for the 2009/2010 broadcasts at movie theaters around the state. DMMO will once again partner with IPR to host the Central Iowa broadcasts at Movies 12 in Ames and Century Theater at Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines.
This month's broadcasts:
Aida – Verdi
Wednesday, November 11 (6:30 pm CT)
Set in ancient Egypt, Aida is both a heartbreaking love story and an epic drama full of spectacular crowd scenes. A cast of powerful voices and a grand production bring the story to life on the Met stage (and on the HD screen). Violeta Urmana stars in the title role of the enslaved Ethiopian princess, with Dolora Zajick as her rival. Johan Botha plays Radamès, commander of the Egyptian army, and Daniele Gatti conducts. Among the score's highlights is the celebrated "Triumphal March."
Note: Discounted vouchers for live performances for Cedar Falls, Dubuque, West Des Moines, Ames and Iowa City sold out. Vouchers for encore performances sold out in Cedar Falls, West Des Moines and Iowa City. You can still purchase regular priced tickets at the local theater.
Turandot – Puccini
Saturday, November 7 (12:00 pm CT)
Wednesday, November 18 (6:30 pm CT)
Running time: 3 hours, 21 minutes (2 intermissions).
Director Franco Zeffirelli's breathtaking production of Puccini's last opera is a favorite of the Met repertoire. Maria Guleghina plays the ruthless Chinese princess of the title, whose hatred of men is so strong that she has all suitors who can't solve her riddles beheaded. Marcello Giordani sings Calàf, the unknown prince who eventually wins her love and whose solos include the famous "Nessun dorma."
Note: Discounted vouchers for live performances for Cedar Falls, Dubuque, Ames, West Des Moines and Iowa City sold out. Vouchers for encore performances sold out at Iowa City. You can still purchase regular priced tickets at the local theater.
Visit Iowa Public Radio's website to learn more about purchasing discounted ticket vouchers.
Running time: 3 hours, 56 minutes (2 intermissions).
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Opera 101: Casting
by Michael Egel
Our new feature, Opera 101, continues where we left off last month. In October, we got an overview of DMMO's audition process. Now that Dr. Larsen and Michael Egel, our Director of Artistic Operations, have heard almost all of the live auditions, they have their work cut out for them! They must now decide which performers will be offered which roles, work out any scheduling conflicts, negotiate the contracts, and many other details.
This series of articles is designed to give you insight and information about how operas are created here at DMMO. We'll follow the planning stages from casting the singers right through to opening night! Let us know if you have questions for future articles by emailing mmcmanus@dmmo.org.
So you've heard several hundred auditions...Now what?
In ten days, we heard 300 singers audition for the company. Each singer was asked to sing two arias, so that's 600 arias in seven days of hearing singers from 9am-6pm! During the auditions, both Robert Larsen and I write notes on each singer that will help us to remember each person and now we will begin to compare notes and create 'short lists' of artists that seemed to be especially noteworthy to both of us. For principal auditions, we will create a list of about two to four possible contenders for each role. From that list, we compare and contrast what each singer would bring to the role and then make a decision. When we are ready to offer a contract to an artist, we typically negotiate the fee and terms with a manager. Some of our principal artists are engaged for two roles which creates a unique negotiating situation.
Which roles were you hearing auditions for? Did they present any special challenges?
In the previous edition of OPERAzzi, we talked about the difficulty of casting the principal roles in Susannah. The title role in particular is a challenging one with difficult music and dramatic extremes. So many singers auditioned for the role with Susannah's major aria - "Ain't it a pretty night?" - because it's a popular audition aria. However, her later aria "The Trees on the Mountain" is actually much more difficult to sing with its very high tessitura (meaning that it requires the soprano to remain in the higher register of the voice for a longer period of time; to sing softly in that register and to sing understandable English at the same time). Both arias, however, are unlike the rest of the role, which includes a great deal of singing very loudly in lower registers of the voice over the full orchestra. We heard many types of 'Susannahs' some were more earthy and rustic, others were more dramatic and fiery, and still others were more wistful and innocent. The same holds true for the pivotal role of Olin Blitch, the traveling preacher who arrives in New Hope Valley and goes through a spiritual crisis of his own. Before we left for the audition tour, we were concerned about finding any appropriate singers for this role. I am happy to report that the opposite was true! We heard about six or seven very fine and very different interpretations of this tortured evangelist. Each artist brought a different feel to Blitch's life as a traveling preacher and has a completely different reaction to the situation that unfolds as heard in his aria "Hear Me O Lord!."
We heard the most auditions for the role of Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro. This is a tricky but pivotal role - one of the 'trouser' roles for mezzo-soprano in which the female singer is asked to play the part of a young boy. Cherubino's two arias "Non so piu cosa son" and "Voi che sapete" were the most often sung arias (by both apprentice and princiapal artists) of the entire trip. We heard many different mezzo-soprano voices for this part - some were more masculine and determined sounds, others were more voluptuous and luxurious. Dramatically, some 'boys' were anxious and spastic, others were more staid and introspective. So many possible choices presented us with an embarrassment of riches!
What are you most excited about with respect to casting for this coming season?
First and foremost, I'm excited (and relieved) to have so many good choices for all of our principal roles - there is always that fear of not being able to find just the right person for a certain role and in this particular mix of repertory, there were a few more unknowns than we would usually have. Of course, this extraordinary attention to the details of casting stem from the great concern and care that DMMO has always taken in this process. Finding just the right artist who is suited to a role both vocally and dramatically and who 'fits' well with the rest of the cast is never an easy job. The attention to detail is a hallmark of the company's success.
Although I can't say too much just yet, I'm excited about a number of debuts (artists new to DMMO's stage) that it looks like we will have this year. I'm also excited about the long-awaited return to the DMMO stage of a very accomplished artist whose career was launched here, but who hasn't been back for several seasons! But that's all I'm going to say for now - you'll have to watch future editions of OPERAzzi and visit our website for more information!
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Getting To Know You: Mark Dorr
Mark Dorr has been a member of DMMO's orchestra for nearly 20 years and has served as the Orchestra Manager for over 5 years.
Tell us about yourself and your background.
I have loved and been involved in music as long as I can remember. I started out on piano at a young age and studied that instrument intensively for many years. I added percussion instruments, carillon, and even a bit of organ along the way. I have two undergraduate degrees in Music Education and Geology (no, not rock music!), a Masters in Percussion Performance, and am still working on my DMA in Percussion Performance with a minor in theory. I perform frequently with the Cedar Rapids Symphony and do quite a bit of freelance work around the state, including the recent run of the Broadway show Wicked while it was in Des Moines. I am the Director of the Symphonic Band and the Percussion, Marimba, and Steel Pan Ensemble at Grinnell College. My conducting and percussion activities take me around the country doing clinics, guest conducting ensembles, performing, and adjudicating various musical competitions. I started playing percussion with the Des Moines Metro Opera in 1991 and later became Principal Percussionist. In 2003, I added Orchestra Manager to my DMMO responsibilities.
What makes DMMO's orchestra so special?
For me, it's the rich personal experience of working with the members of the orchestra. We have people from literally all over North America gather in Indianola, Iowa, to make music together for a few weeks each summer. The orchestra rehearsal preparation time is very short so we need musicians of the highest quality to put the music together quickly with the singers. We have been very fortunate to attract not only orchestral musicians of the highest caliber, but also people who are great colleagues and who become lifelong friends. For example, we get together for two volunteer chamber music concerts each season. While no one is required to participate, most of the orchestra members jump right in because it's a chance for us to perform music together. We also do many social things together, including an annual orchestra picnic, the occasional Iowa Cubs game, and the Milo 4th of July fireworks when our schedule allows.
What does the Orchestra Manager do?
My job description is quite varied and keeps me busy 12 months a year. Right now I am in the process of putting together orchestra musician contracts, advertising for vacancies in the orchestra, preparing audition materials, and studying the musical scores for next season. Later, I will work with Dr. Larsen to select the new members of the orchestra. During the season I coordinate all of the orchestra set-ups in the theater, help rehearsals and performances to run smoothly, make sure we are always in compliance with the contract between the orchestra and the DMMO, give Peanut Butter & Puccini tours to kids, speak with Elderhostel classes, coordinate orchestra chamber music concerts, and, of course, perform in the orchestra!
I know you collect instruments. Tell us about some of the unique items in your collection.
I actually started collecting percussion instruments and sound effects for two reasons. During my professional career, I have had to learn and perform on many different percussion instruments from around the world. I have also been called upon to play a wide variety of sound effects in various orchestra, opera, and band literature. Since some of these instruments and sound effects are not easy to obtain, I decided that it would be a fun hobby to collect them instead of borrowing or renting them in case I ever needed them again. I am amazed at just how many times I really have ended up using some of these instruments! They include French taxi horns for Gershwin's "American in Paris", African talking drums, Native American turtle shell rattles, tuned gongs from Thailand that I used in Madama Butterfly, a jawbone rattle and conch shell trumpet effect from Mexico, Tibetan singing bowls, and a Model T car horn for a Russell Peck orchestra tune. I made my own wind machine and thunder sheets to use in last seasons DMMO production of The Barber of Seville and a Japanese temple gong when we did Madama Butterfly a few seasons ago. I just finished the Des Moines run of Wicked. In that show, I had to perform with over 40 different percussion instruments. The conductor of Wicked was amazed that I actually owned all of the instruments needed for that show!
What are you most looking forward to in the 2010 season?
I always look forward to working with Dr. Larsen, the opera staff, and the members of the orchestra. The strength of DMMO is the people who make up the organization and who work together to produce incredible musical productions. From the DMMO board, office staff, the theater house staff, stage management, costumes, props, hair, lights, sound, singers, musicians, dancers, orchestra, as well as many others, DMMO has the best people giving 100% day and night (literally!) to make each opera season successful. In my opinion, the combination of the individual talent, group dedication to a common goal, overall camaraderie of everyone involved with DMMO, and Dr. Larsen's constant and inspiring vision for this Company are truly the secrets to our success. I love being around the people of DMMO and performing challenging music each season. First and foremost, I look forward to working with Dr. Larsen. He is always encouraging, inspiring, and motivating for me. I hope people realize he is so very uniquely talented in his abilities, too. I watch and marvel at him in rehearsal that he can address singing issues, conduct an orchestra, talk about lighting or choreography, and provide feedback to an actor regarding facial expressions, all at the same time! It is very rare to find someone in the arts who is able to do so much so well as Dr. Larsen.
What do you listen to when you are not making music?
I listen to a wide variety of music depending upon what musical projects I am working on at the time. For example, when I performed Carmina Burana with the Cedar Rapids Symphony in September, I was listening to recordings of three different orchestras from around the world performing the same piece. That way I could compare how various conductors interpreted the percussion parts. This fall I've also been listening to jazz and Caribbean music, as those styles tie in with some pieces I am currently working on with my Percussion, Marimba, and Steel Pan Ensemble at Grinnell College.
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DMMO's Guild: November Events
Des Moines Chapter: Monday, November 9, 6:00-9:00 pm
Fleur Cinema & Cafe (4545 Fleur Drive, Des Moines)
Iowa Edition: New York Mertropolitan Opera Audition Idol!
Enjoy a sneak peek screening of the Metropolitan Opera's The Audition, a 2009 documentary that follows several young singers through the Met's National Council Audition program. Hear from local experts what it takes to judge, present and prepare to perform in the Iowa District's Metropolitan Auditions.
$10 suggested donation at the door. Wine, Beer, Soda, and concessions available for purchase in the lobby of the theater.
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Ames Chapter: Tuesday, November 10, 7:30 pm
St. John's by the Campus Episcopal Church (2338 Lincoln Way in Ames)
Fachs: German Vocal Classification Procedure for Opera
Our presenter will be Don Simonson who is Professor of Music at ISU. He is nationally known for his voice training of students, and performs in operas and concerts throughout the world.
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Indianola Chapter: Tuesday, November 17, 7:00 pm
Home of Michael Egel (contact the DMMO office at 961-6221 for address or directions)
A Preview of Verdi's Macbeth
Michael Egel, DMMO's Director of Artistic Operations, will give a preview of Giuseppe Verdi's tragic masterpiece, Macbeth, with insights into the score, the stage drama, and DMMO's interpretation.
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