From: Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
From: Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
>My friend and I were discussing this yesterday. I wondered whether it
>would be possible, at the local/regional level to establish a repertory
>opera company that based its performance preparation on the repertory
>theatre company model: i.e., an opera company using all local talent, so
>the issue of the cost of flying in big name singers doesn't exist.
As it happens, Opera San Jose operates in a similar fashion. The company
hires "resident artists" who are housed in the area, train and work work
work on several roles a season. Chorus and comprimario singers are also
engaged locally.
Thanks to that system (and a requirement that all principals be at all
staging rehearsals, even when the other cast is rehearsing), OSJ productions
generally work as musical *dramas*, as well as being well-sung. Also means
that the company does a fair number of new and not-so-often performed works,
in addition to those subscriber-pleasing war horses.
[Oh all right, I'll admit it: I auditioned for the company last week, and
really hope I get hired, if only because that drive to San Francisco is
getting pretty old.]
Pocket Opera (my last opera job!) also hires locally and does about a dozen
different operas a season, thanks to its small-scale productions. (The
"outside" set for "The Two Widows" consisted of some garden chairs and two
large potted plants, representing trees.)
Go for it, Karen!
Elizabeth Finkler
Sunnyvale, California
mightymezzo@h...
http://home.earthlink.net/~mightymezzo
"If you must be wrong, be wrong at the top of your voice!" --Lucy Van Pelt
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