Month: September 2017

Curtis Opera Theatre Presents Impressions of Pelléas October 5–8

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PHILADELPHIA—September 28, 2017—The Curtis Opera Theatre presents Debussy’s Impressions of Pelléas October 5 through 7 at 7:30 p.m. and October 8 at 2:30 p.m. in the Curtis Opera Studio at 1726 Locust Street. Music director and pianist Lisa Keller and director R.B. Schlather collaborate for this tragic fairy tale as retold by Peter Brook and Marius Constant.

Mistrust and guilt mingle with romantic attraction as Prince Golaud struggles with the growing affection between Mélisande, his mysterious wife, and his brother Pelléas. Peter Brook and Marius Constant’s adaptation of Pelléas et Mélisande condenses Claude Debussy’s original score into a work ideal for communication between performers and audience in an intimate space. Director R.B. Schlather comments on the unique opportunity, which involves unique staging for each of two casts. “I am interested in what the experience of this piece could be in this room. It’s a small, dark room. It’s an opera famous for its formal innovation, mystery, and sensuality. The story is the tragedy of a love triangle located in a complex family tree…How to represent that hierarchical power dynamic in this room with two casts…? [Peter Brook] suggests that the audience’s gaze creates performance, so to perform is to be watched. You don’t need much else.”

Music director Lisa Keller provides piano accompaniment for the fully staged production, sung in English. R.B. Schlather, who directed Doctor Atomic for Curtis Opera Theatre in March 2017, returns to direct the shows and provide costume design. Scenic design is provided by Paul Tate dePoo III with lighting design by JAX Messenger. The Curtis Opera Theatre season is sponsored by the Wyncote Foundation.

Four-production subscriptions to the 2017–18 Curtis Opera Theatre season for $100 or $170, and single tickets for $35 are available through the Curtis Patron Services Office at (215) 893-7902 or Curtis.edu/Opera. The Curtis Opera Studio is located on the third floor of 1726 Locust Street. There is limited elevator access, and the use of stairs is required. 

Under the artistic direction of Mikael Eliasen, the Curtis Opera Theatre has become known for imaginative productions, bold concepts, and absorbing theatre. Promising young singers work alongside established professional directors and designers, resulting in fresh interpretations of standard repertoire and contemporary works. All of Curtis’s 25 voice and opera students cast repeatedly each season, receiving a rare level of performance experience on stage and through collaborations with Opera Philadelphia, Curtis on Tour, and the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. As a result Curtis graduates have sung with opera companies all over the world, including La Scala, Covent Garden, the Vienna Staatsoper, Houston Grand Opera, the San Francisco Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera.

 

CURTIS OPERA THEATRE: IMPRESSIONS OF PELLÉAS

Thursday, October 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 8 at 2:30 p.m.

Curtis Opera Studio, Curtis Institute of Music, 1726 Locust Street, Philadelphia

Lisa Keller, music director and piano
R. B. Schlather, director
Paul Tate dePoo III, scenic designer
R. B. Schlather, costume designer
JAX Messenger, lighting designer

 

Cast

  October 5 and 7 October 6 and 8
Geneviève Sophia Fiuza Hunt Hannah Klein
Arkel Kodi Meyer Adam Kiss
Golaud Dennis Chmelensky Dennis Chmelensky
Mélisande Kendra Broom Sage DeAgro-Ruopp
Pelléas Patrick Wilhelm Seongwo Woo
Yniold Emily Pogorelc Emily Pogorelc

 

Fully staged production with piano accompaniment, sung in English

 

4-production subscription: $100, $170 sold by the Curtis Patron Services Office, Curtis.edu/Opera, or (215) 893-7902.

Single tickets: $35 sold by the Curtis Patron Services Office, Curtis.edu/Opera, or (215) 893-7902.

 
The Curtis Opera Theatre season is sponsored by the Wyncote Foundation.


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Checking in on Instagram!

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All month on Instagram, you can follow Curtis as we present performances in Philadelphia and across the globe! Right now, pianist Pallavi Mahidhara (’10) is reporting from Athens, Greece, where six Curtis performers comprise the ensemble in residence at the Nights of Classical Music at the Gennadius Library. Pallavi’s solo recital kicked off the festival on Wednesday, and the whole group will present additional recitals daily through Saturday.

Meanwhile, mezzo-soprano Sophia Hunt is sharing photos and video from rehearsal for Curtis Opera Theatre’s upcoming production, Impressions of Pelléas. Sophia will sing the role of Geneviève when Pelléas opens next week in the Curtis Opera Studio (1726 Locust St.)—stay tuned for even more from Sophia as she takes you behind the scenes for a day in the life of the opera department leading up to a major performance.

Looking ahead, there is more to come, as Curtis on Tour travels to Latin America, the Curtis Symphony Orchestra takes the Verizon Hall stage for their first concert of the year, and the Curtis 20/21 Ensemble presents a dramatic theatrical concert. We’ll be bringing you live coverage on Instagram and all of our social media accounts from these events and more. Follow us @CurtisInstitute to make sure you don’t miss a post!

DRAFT J’Nai Bridges (Opera ’12) Wins 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence

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Curtis congratulates mezzo soprano J’Nai Bridges (Opera ’12) who recently received the 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence. Through a national nomination process, the Sphinx Medals of Excellence program identifies three emerging classical artists of color who, early in their professional career, demonstrate artistic excellence, an outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination, and ongoing commitment to leadership. J’Nai will receive a $50,000 career grant and will be honored at the seventh annual Sphinx Medals of Excellence celebration on March 21, 2018.

About J’Nai Bridges

American mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, known for her “rich, dark, exciting sound” (Opera News), is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after talents of her generation.

Upcoming highlights include her return to San Francisco Opera as Josefa Segovia in the world premiere of John Adams’ Girls of the Golden West; Preziosilla in La Forza del Destino with Opera Zürich; and soloist engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel at both the Hollywood Bowl and Walt Disney Hall; with the New York Philharmonic at the Bravo! Vail Festival; and in Bernstein centennial celebrations with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

Recent performances have included the roles of Nefertiti in Akhnaten at Los Angeles Opera, Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking at Vancouver Opera; the role of Carmen in the world premiere of Bel Canto with Lyric Opera of Chicago; Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with San Diego Opera; and the title role in The Rape of Lucretia with Wolf Trap Opera; as well as featured soloist engagements at the Marilyn Horne Song Celebration at Carnegie Hall; with Yo-Yo Ma and members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; with the L.A. Philharmonic and Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel; with the NDR Symphony Orchestra in its inaugural week at the Elbphilharmonie; and additional performances with the National Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Oregon Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Lexington Philharmonic, and Opera Orchestra of New York.

In 2015, J’Nai completed a three-year residency with the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago and that same year represented the United States at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. Among her many honors, she is a recipient of a 2016 Richard Tucker Career Grant and first prize winner of the 2016 Francisco Viñas International Competition and the 2015 Gerda Lissner Competition. A native of Lakewood, Washington, Ms. Bridges earned her Master of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music and her Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from the Manhattan School of Music. For more information, visit www.jnaibridgesmezzo.com.

New Student Profile: Marlène Ngalissamy

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Bassonist Marlène Ngalissamy is a member of Curtis’s 2017 incoming class. Below, she shares some thoughts about her path to Curtis and what it means to join the lineage of Curtis alumni that have influenced her career. Join us in welcoming Marlène and all of our new students to the Curtis family!

What has been your most important musical experience until now?
There have been so many! One of the most memorable was to play a concerto with the Metropolitain Symphony Orchestra in Montreal. But the experiences that influenced my playing and vision of the bassoon were to meet Carlo Colombo from the Lyon Opera, who significally influenced my ”sound goal,” and Christopher Millard from National Arts Center Orchetra, who changed my vision and relationship with reeds!
 
How did you hear about Curtis?
My previous teacher was an alumnus of Curtis! He spoke a lot about the school and listening to him, I felt that I wanted to be a part of the adventure, too. Also, a lot of musicians that I admire went to Curtis, and that is a huge inspiration.
 
What are you looking forward to most about attending Curtis?
I’m looking forward to meet very nice people and talented musicians, make music, and push each other to learn and progress together!

Meet the Zorá String Quartet!

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On October 1, the Zorá String Quartet will host an afternoon of interactive music-making, best enjoyed by children ages 5-12. Below, the members of the quartet share their thoughts on the program, and why they’re so excited to perform for Philadelphia’s families!

Tell us about the program you’ll be presenting at the family concert and what children especially enjoy.
We’ll be presenting a very interactive concert with a wide variety of styles of music, starting in the 18th century with Joseph Haydn and ending with Scott Joplin’s rag “The Entertainer,” and passing through the Romantic period with music by Mendelssohn. The program focuses not only on introducing the musical pieces and styles but also on exploring how musicians bring the music to life. Families will have the opportunity to participate actively in this process rather than simply observing it as spectators.
 
How did you tailor the program for children? Is there a specific age you think is best suited for the program? Can children participate if they haven’t had any formal music training or can’t play an instrument?
The program was constructed with the idea of immersing families as much as possible into the world of the string quartet and music in general. The concepts we chose to introduce, however, don’t apply only to music. We’ll relate them to more familiar subjects, making them accessible for people of any age. Everybody is musical! You just have to be guided in the right way. We hope that even the parents will learn a lot from this concert!

In your opinion, what do children get out of hearing and playing classical music, especially in a concert setting? When did each of you start playing, and how did your parents support your musical aspirations?
Music’s goal, like any other form of art, is to express the different qualities of life itself. The nature behind the way that the notes and the players interact with each other, especially in chamber music, is no different than any other kind of human interaction. A family concert is the ideal setting to experience this because the children have the opportunity to be guided through this process. This allows them to absorb the information at a much deeper level.
 
We all started our musical studies at a relatively young age, around 7 years old, and we were very lucky to have very supportive parents. Music is a very challenging and expensive career and having someone to help you through difficult and challenging times, as well as supporting you financially, is something vital for any musician to succeed.

What are you most excited about or looking forward to about this concert?
We always look forward to this kind of event. Sharing our love for music and seeing the excitement on children’s faces fills us with tremendous joy. This concert in particular is a special one, because we’ll have the chance to perform side-by-side with the kids at the end of the show. We couldn’t be more excited about it!

“Meet the Zorá String Quartet” takes place on Sunday, October 1. For tickets or more information, visit www.curtis.edu/familyconcerts.