Various. news from West Edge Opera that I am way behind in reporting!
Snapshot
The annual Snapshot program will be held outdoors with social distancing this year:
May 15, 4 p.m. (And maybe also May 16?)
Bruns Amphitheater
100 Cal Shakespeare Way
Orinda, CA
Aperture
The new Aperture program is for the development of new operas. You can read about what's going on at the Aperture web site. There are now eight operas in what they're calling the Sprint phase.
2021 Summer Festival
This year's festival -- which will present the three operas that were planned for 2020 - will also be held at the Bruns Amphitheater. Here's the press release, followed by dates:
BERKELEY, CA, February 2nd, 2021 - This summer, West Edge Opera is thrilled to be a part of Cal Shakes 'Season of Shared Light', presenting a three-week-long opera festival - an outdoor celebration of live music and performance - at The Bruns Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way, nestled in the hills overlooking Orinda, CA. This partnership with Cal Shakes presents the opportunity for safety, collaboration, and most importantly: the opportunity to celebrate live arts again.
On Saturday July 24th, West Edge will open its festival with Katya Kabanova by Leoš Janáček, first performed in 1921. Jonathan Khuner will conduct this haunting tale of a woman's passion breaking free from the constraints of a conservative society with tragic consequences. Indra Viskontas directs. Soprano Carrie Hennessey will play the title role. Adler Fellow and Merola alum Christopher Oglesby will play her lover Boris. Kabanicha, Katya's tyrannical mother-in-law, will be played by soprano Kristin Clayton. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Coit is another veteran of West Edge's 2019 festival, earning raves as Jenny Diver in The Threepenny Opera, and will play Katya's young confidant, Varvara. Rounding out the cast will be tenor Alex Boyer, as well as Philip Skinner and Chad Somors. The opera will be sung in Czech with English surtitles. Performances run through Thursday, August 5th.
The next night, Sunday July 25th, West Edge will present Elizabeth Cree by Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell. Premiered in 2017 by Opera Philadelphia, the piece follows a series of murders set against the backdrop of a Victorian Music Hall performance troupe with a series of cameo appearances from the luminaries of the era. Sam Helfrich will direct, making his West Edge debut. Robert Mollicone, who conducted The Chastity Tree in West Edge's 2017 festival, will conduct. Mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht will reprise the role of Elizabeth Cree, having last performed it with Chicago Opera Theater in 2018. Keith Phares plays her husband, John Cree. Also in the Music Hall troupe are Samuel Faustine, Ashley Dixon, Kenneth Overton, Phiip Harris, Simon Barrad, Leslie Katter and J Raymond Meyers. Elizabeth Cree will be sung in English with English surtitles. Performances run through Saturday August 7th.
On Saturday July 31st, West Edge presents Eliogabalo by Francesco Cavalli. The subject of a debauched and corrupt Roman Emperor preying upon his hapless subjects was deemed too scandalous for even the Venetian Carnivale in 1667. General Director Mark Streshinsky will direct with Adam Pearl conducting from the harpsichord. Countertenor Randall Scotting will make his West Edge debut as the scheming Eliogabalo. Tenor Derek Chester will return to West Edge to play Eliogabalo's cousin and foil Alessandro, following his 2019 debut as Macheath in The Threepenny Opera. Soprano Nikki Einfeld will play Gemmira, the target of Eliogabalo's lustful gaze. Rounding out the cast are Shawnette Sulker, Jean-Paul Jones, Matheus Coura, Aura Veruni and Jonathan Smucker. Performances will run through Sunday August 8th.
Says General Director Mark Streshinsky: "We’ve had a connection to Cal Shakes for a long time and I have often dreamed about performing in their beautiful theater. When the opportunity presented itself, I jumped! We don't know what life will be like in July, but the chance to perform outside where we can socially distance greatly increases our odds of getting to gather and experience opera sooner than later. Our entire company is thrilled by the prospect."
These three operas were to be West Edge Opera's 2020 summer festival but were postponed due to COVID. West Edge Opera is thrilled to be presenting nearly all of the originally engaged singers, musicians, designers and directors from 2020 for the 2021 performances.
"Our West Edge players are thrilled with the prospect of returning to in-person performance," says West Edge Music Director Jonathan Khuner. "The healthy outdoor atmosphere and naturally fine acoustics at the Bruns will provide a very satisfying environment. As the seasons and vaccinations roll forward, we’re eager for the air of California summer and the warmth of our live audience."
A new website from West Edge Opera, with more information about the summer festival, will go live mid- March. Series tickets at the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze level will be available May 1st, and individual tickets will be available June 1st.
On Saturday July 24th, West Edge will open its festival with Katya Kabanova by Leoš Janáček, first performed in 1921. Jonathan Khuner will conduct this haunting tale of a woman's passion breaking free from the constraints of a conservative society with tragic consequences. Indra Viskontas directs. Soprano Carrie Hennessey will play the title role. Adler Fellow and Merola alum Christopher Oglesby will play her lover Boris. Kabanicha, Katya's tyrannical mother-in-law, will be played by soprano Kristin Clayton. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Coit is another veteran of West Edge's 2019 festival, earning raves as Jenny Diver in The Threepenny Opera, and will play Katya's young confidant, Varvara. Rounding out the cast will be tenor Alex Boyer, as well as Philip Skinner and Chad Somors. The opera will be sung in Czech with English surtitles. Performances run through Thursday, August 5th.
The next night, Sunday July 25th, West Edge will present Elizabeth Cree by Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell. Premiered in 2017 by Opera Philadelphia, the piece follows a series of murders set against the backdrop of a Victorian Music Hall performance troupe with a series of cameo appearances from the luminaries of the era. Sam Helfrich will direct, making his West Edge debut. Robert Mollicone, who conducted The Chastity Tree in West Edge's 2017 festival, will conduct. Mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht will reprise the role of Elizabeth Cree, having last performed it with Chicago Opera Theater in 2018. Keith Phares plays her husband, John Cree. Also in the Music Hall troupe are Samuel Faustine, Ashley Dixon, Kenneth Overton, Phiip Harris, Simon Barrad, Leslie Katter and J Raymond Meyers. Elizabeth Cree will be sung in English with English surtitles. Performances run through Saturday August 7th.
On Saturday July 31st, West Edge presents Eliogabalo by Francesco Cavalli. The subject of a debauched and corrupt Roman Emperor preying upon his hapless subjects was deemed too scandalous for even the Venetian Carnivale in 1667. General Director Mark Streshinsky will direct with Adam Pearl conducting from the harpsichord. Countertenor Randall Scotting will make his West Edge debut as the scheming Eliogabalo. Tenor Derek Chester will return to West Edge to play Eliogabalo's cousin and foil Alessandro, following his 2019 debut as Macheath in The Threepenny Opera. Soprano Nikki Einfeld will play Gemmira, the target of Eliogabalo's lustful gaze. Rounding out the cast are Shawnette Sulker, Jean-Paul Jones, Matheus Coura, Aura Veruni and Jonathan Smucker. Performances will run through Sunday August 8th.
Says General Director Mark Streshinsky: "We’ve had a connection to Cal Shakes for a long time and I have often dreamed about performing in their beautiful theater. When the opportunity presented itself, I jumped! We don't know what life will be like in July, but the chance to perform outside where we can socially distance greatly increases our odds of getting to gather and experience opera sooner than later. Our entire company is thrilled by the prospect."
These three operas were to be West Edge Opera's 2020 summer festival but were postponed due to COVID. West Edge Opera is thrilled to be presenting nearly all of the originally engaged singers, musicians, designers and directors from 2020 for the 2021 performances.
"Our West Edge players are thrilled with the prospect of returning to in-person performance," says West Edge Music Director Jonathan Khuner. "The healthy outdoor atmosphere and naturally fine acoustics at the Bruns will provide a very satisfying environment. As the seasons and vaccinations roll forward, we’re eager for the air of California summer and the warmth of our live audience."
A new website from West Edge Opera, with more information about the summer festival, will go live mid- March. Series tickets at the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze level will be available May 1st, and individual tickets will be available June 1st.
Katya Kabanova
by Leoš Janáček
Jonathan Khuner Conductor
Indra Viskontas Stage Director
Starring Carrie Hennessey and Chris Oglesby.
Saturday, July 24th
Sunday August 1st
Thursday August 5th.
Jonathan Khuner Conductor
Indra Viskontas Stage Director
Starring Carrie Hennessey and Chris Oglesby.
Saturday, July 24th
Sunday August 1st
Thursday August 5th.
Elizabeth Cree
by Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell
Bob Hollicone Conductor
Sam Hilfriche Stage Director
Starring Katie Pracht, and Keith Phares.
Sunday, July 25th
Friday, July 30th
Saturday August 7th
Bob Hollicone Conductor
Sam Hilfriche Stage Director
Starring Katie Pracht, and Keith Phares.
Sunday, July 25th
Friday, July 30th
Saturday August 7th
Eliogabalo
by Francesco Cavalli
Adam Pearl Conductor
Mark Streshinsky Stage Director
Starring Randall Scotting
Saturday, July 31st
Friday, August 6th
Sunday, August 8th
Adam Pearl Conductor
Mark Streshinsky Stage Director
Starring Randall Scotting
Saturday, July 31st
Friday, August 6th
Sunday, August 8th
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