What's Been Going On

June 30, 2009 - So, first of all, let me apologize for the very long hiatus in posts. A variety of factors have contributed to this, but rather than bore you with that, I'll just give a brief update to what's been going on during the month of June and a quick glimpse of what will be going on in July.

During most of June, I was in Tulsa, where I was unfortunately reminded that unprofessional, unethical, and downright rude behavior still exists in this industry. I'm going to take the highroad here and consign the whole experience to "things that make John a sadder but wiser director". Moving on. . .

While I was in Tulsa, the OV family was hard at work sending out the end-of-season appeal letter (many thanks to those of you who contributed so generously), the 2009-2010 season brochure (thanks to Dave Cooper for the absolutely brilliant design), keeping the office running (thanks especially to Karen Pekala), writing grants (thanks Ellen and Jan Richter, and Kathy Kahler), and redesigning the website (if you haven't already done so, check out Inspired Revolutions chic and very navigable new look at www.operavivente.org). The website still has a few things to be added, but it's ready and waiting to take your ticket order for next season and/or receive your online donation.

July will mostly be occupied by two things for me: The Little Patuxent Opera Institute at Howard Community College and Artscape. The LPOI is the brainchild of James Bailey and Deborah Kent, two colleagues of mine who are very active in the training and polishing of young singers. As training and polishing, as well as offering professional opportunities, has always been central to what OV does, I'm very excited to be a part of this program which will culminate in a performance of various operatic scenes as well as a complete Suor Angelica at the end of the month. As far as Artscape goes, OV will be offering something a little different this year, a concert entitled "I Hear America Singing: A Musical Celebration of the American Spirit". This concert was developed several years ago for Londontowne, and I'm excited to be bringing it to Baltimore audiences on July 18th at 2pm and 5:30pm at Corpus Christi church. The singers will be Leah Inger, Jennifer Blades, Adam Caughey, and Jason Buckwalter. If you need a break from the heat and fried-dough eating that will lift your spirits, come check us out.

Okay, so look for more frequent posts from now on. I promise. Really, I promise, pinky-swear, etc.

See you at the opera!

Whole Lot of Planning Goin' On

May 20, 2009 - So here's what's going on at Opera Vivente. Lest you think that the hiatus in my blog posts meant that we were all on vacation here at the opera, I thought I'd just fill you in on a few fronts.

The 2009-2010 Season
Our season deals with fairy tales and the deeper currents that run under seemingly naive stories of good and evil. We open with Rossini's Cinderella (September 25, 27, October 1, and 3), a take on the traditional fairy tale which places far greater magic in a true and good human heart than in talking mice with surprising seamstress skills. Also, no fairy godmother but rather a wise philospher named Alidoro, so we'll be very safe from any Disney lawsuits.

The season continues in late winter with a brilliant distillation of Debussy's only opera by the French composer Marius Constant. Impressions of Pelléas (February 26, 28, March 4, and 6) takes place in the mythical kingdom of Allemonde and explores the archetypal psychic undercurrents of two half-brothers in love with the same mysterious woman. The music that accompanies this tale is filled with an achingly beautiful melancholy.

The season concludes with Mozart's perennial favorite The Magic Flute (May 14, 16, 20, and 22). Be prepared for a novel and distinctly Baltimorean perspective on this classic tale of a boy, his flute, his girl, and her mother (along with one of the most loveable sidekicks ever to grace the operatic stage).

Casting has been completed for the season and design teams are being assembled. Subscriptions are currently on sale (individual tickets go on sale August 3rd) and may be purchased over the phone (410.547.7997) with a credit card. Online sales should be available by the end of next week.

We are also working on our Artscape offering for this summer. On Saturday, July 18th at 2 and 5:30pm, Opera Vivente will perform I Hear America Singing: A Musical Celebration of the American Spirit. This program interweaves readings from American history with music ranging from folk tunes to spirituals to Tin Pan Alley. This event is free and open to the public, so come check us out at Corpus Christi Church on Mt. Royal Avenue.

I personally am also preparing to go to Tulsa on June 1st to direct Stephen Sondheim's brilliant A Little Night Music for Light Opera of Oklahoma. More on that once I'm there.

Gotta dash. As you can see, I'm very busy. See you at an upcoming OV event!

Backstage at the Final Dress

April 29, 2009 - So I'm taking a quick break from enjoying the final dress rehearsal of Albert Herring to post some tantalizing tidbits to whet your appetite to see the show. Here are some photos from last night's piano dress.

The village elders make an "interesting proposal" to Lady Billows.

Sid makes an "interesting proposal" to Albert and another to Nancy.

And Lady Billows takes Albert unto her bosom

with surprising results.

And here's a link to a little video taken just a half hour ago of Austin Nikirk, Veronica Page, and Collin Power, our amazingly talented young cast members. Click here to enjoy.

Performances are May 1, 7, and 9 at 8pm and May 3 at 3pm. Click here to get your ticket to the May King crowning.

See you at the opera!

Preparations for May King Crowning are Heating Up!

April 23, 2009 - So things are really starting to come together for OV's last production of the season: Britten's hysterical comedy of manners, Albert Herring. (click here for tickets). Our first ever guest director, Eric Gibson, finished staging the end of the opera last night, so now we start the act run-thrus, the tech rehearsals, the sitzprobe (singers sit and sing with the orchestra for the first time), and so forth which lead up to what promises to be a glorious opening night on May 1st. To give you a little taste of the look of the production, click here to see our set designer's sketches and models. And to give you a taste of the opera itself, click here to see a video potpourri of excerpts from it.

Also, tickets are going fast for our annual gala fundraiser on May 16th from 8-11pm at the Winans Mansion (1217 St. Paul Street). Great food and drink, wonderful music, and a silent auction featuring items such as hotel stays, golf foursomes, books, tickets, posters, and more. Call 410.547.7997 to get your ticket ($100/person) today.

Playing Catch-Up

April 13, 2009 - Whew! What a whirlwind of activity the past few months have been. Crazy times. Anyway, here's where OV and I are right now.

Rehearsals begin tomorrow for the final show of our 2008-2009 season. And we're closing the season with a madcap romp of a show: Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring. It's a hoot suitable for the whole family. This show also marks the first time in our history that OV welcomes a guest director: Eric Gibson from Light Opera of Oklahoma. Eric's a lively and talented director who will bring out every ounce of hilarity this show offers. Click here to get your ticket today! Tickets are going fast.

The other big thing occupying me right now is planning for the 2009-2010 season. After much deliberating, number-crunching, crystal ball gazing, praying, etc. the board and I arrived at a workable and fiscally responsible budget figure for the season (about a month later than we normally would have arrived at it but better late than never in the current environment) and so now it's "pedal to the metal" to try to get back on track from a scheduling standpoint. So here's our season:

Cinderella (La cenerentola for all the original language folks) by Rossini - September 25, 27, October 1, and October 3, 2009
Impressions of Pelléas by Debussy (in a brilliant evocative distillation by Marius Constant) - February 26, 28, March 5, and March 7, 2010
The Magic Flute (aka Die Zauberflöte for the above-mentioned group) by Mozart - May 14, 16, 20, and 22, 2010

Current subscribers will be contacted over the next few weeks to renew their subscriptions. Subscriptions will then go on sale to the general public on May 1st. Individual tickets will go on sale July 27th.

So things are "a-cooking" as they say. I'll be doing more posts about rehearsals for Albert Herring in the coming weeks.

See you at the opera!

Baltimore Sun Review

March 10, 2009 - So the opening weekend of The Coronation of Poppea played to enthusiastic audiences and the remaining two performances are selling very well. Here's a link to Tim Smith's review in his blog Clef Notes. Just one note about the FTD Florist poses of Mercury. I didn't tell him to do them. He ad libbed them on opening night and was immediately chastised at first intermission. They were not present during the Sunday matinee. Everything else I'm happy to accept. Click here to get a ticket to see and hear the show for yourself.

Also, a reminder that the second installment in Opera Vivente's masterclass series is tonight at 7pm with counter-tenor Dan Bubeck. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the door (811 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201). All are welcome.

Pictures from First Dress

March 4, 2009 - Here are some beautiful photos by Cory Weaver of our first dress rehearsal last night to whet you appetite.

Click here to see it "in the flesh".

Be the Stimulus You Want to See in the World

March 1, 2009 - We interrupt our regularly scheduled postings of behind the scenes video etc. for a brief manifesto. I promise to return to the other stuff immediately after this, but I need to get this off my chest.

Recently, there has been a lot of media attention on what part funding to the arts would play in the federal economic stimulus package. There has been great rejoicing over the fact that the arts survived the axe, and I certainly join in that rejoicing. However, one should be aware amidst the rejoicing that government funding has never represented more than a few percentage points in most arts organizations budgets AND many very worthy arts organizations (OV included) receive virtually no government funding. Couple that with the fact that arts funding, at least at the state level, can be cut with only the signature of the governor and one other officer of public works at any time once the budgetary year has begun and methinks that a case can be made for attempting to create a more direct revenue stream between patron and arts organization.

I can hear you saying, "Why, whatever does he mean?" and so I'll just talk about two recent phenomena that will help lead into my point.

Story #1: In December 2008, OV sent out an appeal letter simply stating that if everyone who had enjoyed our programming over the past year sent us $25, OV would be in the black and committed to returning next season with more great chamber opera. So many people wrote, emailed, Facebooked, phoned, etc. me to say how much they appreciated getting such a positive, "can-do" appeal in the midst of all the gloom and doom BUT only a small percentage actually got around to putting pen to checkbook or index finger to mouse to click on the donate button. To those of you who did respond to the call for action THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your generosity. It's because of you that we're even still here for me to make this blog post.

Story #2: My videos and blog posts relating to our upcoming production of The Coronation of Poppea have generated lots of buzz. People come up to me, or email me, or Facebook me telling me how much they are looking forward to this production, how beautiful everything looks/sounds etc. BUT have yet to actually purchase a ticket. According to my Facebook profile, 54 of my friends are attending, but a quick cross-check reveals that only about 5 of them actually have bought a ticket.

Artists are by nature creative people and incredibly adept at doing a lot with very little BUT even we can't survive on good intentions SO HERE'S MY MANIFESTO -

Don't think about buying a ticket, BUY A TICKET!

Don't intend to make a donation (and let me reiterate that ANY dollar amount is useful and appreciated), ACTUALLY MAKE A DONATION!

You'll be surprised at how "stimulated" you feel by actually, proactively supporting the arts. They repay your investment like virtually nothing else every time.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

How to Crown and Deify an Empress

February 28, 2009 - Here's a rehearsal of the title moment of The Coronation of Poppea. Monteverdi throws in a deification by Venus just for kicks. Click here to view the video.

Also, while tickets are going fast for this fabulous show, there are still some good seats to be had. Click here to get yours today.

See you at the opera!

Another rehearsal video

February 26, 2009 - Anyone who thinks that nothing happens in baroque opera should watch this. In this scene from the opening of Act III, Drusilla is wrongly accused by Arnalta of attempting to kill Poppea. She is arrested and is resolved to face execution at Nero's command to protect her lover Ottone (who is in fact the would-be assassin of Poppea, whom he formerly loved). Ottone enters and confesses that it was he who attempted to kill Poppea but only because he was commanded to do it by the Empress Octavia. Thrilled that Ottone has given him an excuse to divorce Octavia, Nero exiles rather than executes Ottone. Drusilla begs to be allowed to follow Ottone into exile and her wish is granted. This clip is too large to post directly into the blog so click here to view it.

Tickets for this production are going fast. Poppea requests your presence at her coronation. Don't disappoint her. Click here to purchase tickets.

Glimpse of a Rehearsal

February 20, 2009 - This week has been filled with a lot of intense musical and staging rehearsals, so I haven't had much time to post anything to the blog. Today, I had a chance to shoot a little video of a scene in Act II where Nero shows that intimacy with the emperor doesn't always turn out as one would expect. Enjoy.

Performances are March 6, 8, 12, and 14. Click here to purchase tickets.

What the Plebs are Wearing

February 11, 2009 - Well everyone liked the imperial raiment so much that I thought I'd show you what some of the "lower classes" are wearing in our upcoming production of The Coronation of Poppea.

First up, Ottone, the good man that Poppea dallied with before she "traded up" to Nero.

And then there's Drusilla, one of Octavia's ladies in waiting, who loves Ottone and ends up getting herself in trouble because of that love. Ladies beware of lending your boyfriend your clothes - I'm just saying. . .

Then there's the horny little servant couple (there's always one of those in the best operas, right?) Valletto and Damigella (spoiler alert - Valletto is actually that randy little god Love).

And finally there's two comic servant parts Arnalta and Nutrice (both female characters played by tenors - a favorite gender-blending trick of 17th century composers and playwrights).

Auditions, Poppea, and Galas, Oh My

February 3, 2009 - Just a brief post to update you on what's been going on here at OV recently.

Auditions - second round of auditions for the 2009-2010 season will be held this coming Friday and Saturday. Final casting decisions will be made shortly thereafter.

The Coronation of Poppea - beginning total immersion in this sublime and luxurious baroque masterpiece. The music is so transcendently beautiful that it can take you breath away. Click here for an example: the final love duet between Nero and Poppea. Possibly the hottest music ever composed. Click here to buy a ticket.

When the Clock Strikes Twelve - details are firming up for OV's annual fundraising gala, this year with a Cinderella/fairy-tale theme. It will be held on May 16th from 8-11pm at the glorious Stanford White-designed Winans Mansion (1217 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202) which has been meticulously restored by Agora Publishing. Tickets are $100. Call 410.547.7997 to get more details or to purchase a ticket to one of the most fun parties in town this spring.

See you at the opera.

Un Séjour Quebecois

January 27, 2009 - Last week I put on my "church musician's" hat and went to St. Hyacinthe, Québec (about 40 minutes outside of Montréal) to inspect the new LeTourneau organ which will be delivered to Emmanuel Episcopal Church (where I am organist and choirmaster) in about 3 weeks. The instrument is glorious and it was well worth putting up with all the snowy, slushy, grimy yuckiness of the Canada in January to visit it. Also had dinner at a fabulous restaurant called Au Pied du Cochon which had an entire section of the menu dedicated to foie gras preparations. Definitely not for the vegetarianly minded diner.

On the OV front, I'm pleased to announce that the children's roles in our upcoming production of Albert Herring have been cast. Veronica Page will sing Emmie, Austin Nikirk will sing Cis, and Collin Power will sing Harry. Thanks to Mairee Pantzer and the Children's Chorus of Maryland for providing such fine young musicians. I look forward to working with them.

The Coronation of Poppea is fast approaching. Get your tickets now to see this decadent masterpiece! See you at the opera!

Brief Recap of OTSL

June 23, 2008 - I'd meant to write this review/recap of my time in St. Louis as it was happening but ended up spending too much time under the tent reconnecting with old friends and meeting singers. Then I'd meant to do it immediately upon returning to Baltimore, but ended up returning to a number of crises at Emmanuel which required my immediate attention. So now, quite frankly, I'm up late typing this post in order to stave off a panic attack brought on by the realization that I've simply got too much to do. The reasoning was a little like this "Well, if you go post on the blog, at least you won't have to stress out about that any more". So here goes:

The first show I saw was Offenbach's chaotic and unfinished (at least in any definitive sense) masterpiece, The Tales of Hoffman. Renaud Doucet and Andre Barbe (a favorite husband and husband director/designer team at OTSL) have put their customary visual panache into this production but I must say that I thought the riot of sheer "stuff" onstage meerly served to further obscure a story that is already somewhat prone to obtuseness. On Wednesday, I had a double-header; in the afternoon a matinee remount of Colin Graham's powerful Madame Butterfly starring Kelly Kaduce. It was magnificent and proved that clear intention coupled with masterful performance can trump the most lavish stage business every time. After a supper interval, it was time for Una cosa rara, a Soler rarity known mostly today due to the fact that Mozart quotes a tune from it in the finale of Don Giovanni. Clever, funky, fun production of a piece of fluff that by the middle of the first act really shows just how transcendently more talented Mozart was than any of his contemporaries. Finally, Thursday night brought the much-anticipated opening of Walton's Troilus and Cressida. For me, I have to say that this work, while lovingly presented by OTSL, simply points up that Walton was a great film composer and a not very great opera composer. Too often the music simply evokes a scene or accompanies what's going on rather than driving the action forward with a musical dialectic. Perhaps some judicious editing would help. One thing I will say: Walton could not have hoped for a more passionate advocate of his music than conductor Antony Walker. Bravo, maestro!

Okay. Now I can check that off the list and hopefully sleep a bit more easily tonight. See you at Artscape, of which I will blog more anon. - John Bowen

Finales and Beginnings

May 1, 2008 - Today is the beginning of my favorite month (it contains my birthday for one thing) and so it's great to be able to report that at this point I have a) finished staging Cosi fan tutte up here in NH and b) finished and sent out the translation for Apollo and Dafne (have fun Lisa and Ryan). During the staging of the Act II finale last night I was once again momentarily stunned by Mozart and da Ponte's ability to reveal some of the most heart-wrenching and vulnerable aspects of the human condition in the midst of what has up to that point been light-hearted and comic. No wonder these operas are still such fixtures in the repertoire.

Back in Baltimore, the gala committee is shifting into high gear for OV11. This is shaping up to be a fantastic event which promises to keep the "fun" in "fundraiser". Show your support for OV and get a ticket today (410.547.7997). Although our office is temporarily closed, messages are being checked every day and so both tickets for the gala and 2008-2009 subscriptions may be purchased during this time.

Now it's time to start translating Lord Giovanni.

See you at the opera. - John Bowen

Act I Is Done: Act II To Do

April 27, 2008 - Greetings from lovely NH! Actually today NH is grey and rainy but the past week has been glorious so I really can't complain. The crappy weather just provides added incentive to stay in my hotel room and finish translating Handel's Apollo and Dafne for our upcoming performances at Artscape this July. (BTW, the Handel will feature Ryan de Ryke and Lisa Eden both of whom wowed our audiences a week ago in Orpheus in the Underworld. I know Ryan's pop-infused, drunken minuet is indelibly burned in my memory). Anyway, I've finished staging Act I of Cosi and the first three scenes of Act II and am once again struck by the exraordinary structure of this opera. Act I is full of some of the most intricate and brilliant ensemble work in the operatic repertoire. It fizzes along and is filled with uproarious humor. Act II on the other hand is a sequence of extraordinary arias interrupted by an occasional short ensemble and reveals the very real human heart that beats at the center of this not entirely comic piece. I relish really digging into the second act and bringing the cast to an even deeper more nuanced interpretation of their roles.

On another front, I would like to personally encourage the readers of this blog to comment or ask questions. I had hoped that my Memories and Wishes post would bring about a tide of favorite memories or maybe some goals that our audience would like to see OV achieve in its next 10 years but so far only the indefatigable Clayton Koonce has commented. Surely there's more than one reader of this blog? Anyway, it's certainly much more inspiring for me to write the blog as a dialog shaped at least in part by its readers rather than in a vacuum. So come on cyber buddies, let me know what you're thinking and as always -

See you at the opera! - John Bowen

Greetings from Granite State

April 23, 2008 - Just a quick post to say that rehearsals are going very well here in New Hampshire. My Cosi cast is really wonderful, and I'm enjoying working with them immensely. I am, however, still engaged in things for OV: translating Handel's Apollo and Dafne for Artscape (almost finished with that and looking forward to getting started on translating Lord Giovanni), coordinating details for the OV11 gala (if you haven't already gotten a ticket, you should because it's going to be an awesome party - or partay as Eurydice would say), and finalizing the last few cast members' contracts for next season (you can now buy subscriptions online to our "naughty boys" season featuring Mozart's Lord Giovanni, Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea, and Britten's Albert Herring). So I'm actually my usual busy self, just in a different state.

See you at an opera somewhere. - John Bowen

Back to Blogging

March 19, 2008 - First of all my apologies for the rather long hiatus in posts. Life got very hectic immediately following the close of Tobias and the Angel, and since blogging has not yet become a part of my "daily ritual", the item that slipped off the radar was unfortunately the blog. Life is still incredibly hectic, but I wanted to do at least a brief post to let our faithful readers (I know you're out there eventhough you rarely comment) know what's been going on at OV.

1) Orpheus in the Underworld - Opening night is hurtling towards us like an oncoming train but things are pretty much where they need to be at this moment. Chorus rehearsals began last week and principal music rehearsals begin on Monday. This cast is chockfull of talented, energetic, funny people so it's going to be a real treat working on this zany show with them. It truly is the most outlandish, over-the-top thing we've ever done so be prepared for a dizzingly uproarious night of theatre. The set is being constructed as I type this, but the search for some free TVs and satellite dishes (all of which will be returned to the donors after the show) continues so if you've got a spare one lying around let me know.

2) The 2008-2009 season - We held our second round of auditions on March 7th and 8th, and I'm thrilled to report that between the two rounds of auditions and the return of some treasured past artists, OV is going to have three of the strongest casts in its history. Once I have definite contracts offered and accepted for all roles, I'll blog a bit more about the specifics. Also, my apologies to singers who were told that all casting decisions would be finalized by March 17th. Chalk it up to the best laid plans of mice and men.

3) OV11 Gala - Preparations have also kicked into high gear for our celebratory gala/fundraiser: OV11. We're throwing a fabulous party on May 17th to celebrate OV's first decade and usher in the next. It will be lots of fun and a great way for our supporters to contribute useful funding to the organization so as you plan your Spring social calendar be sure to pencil OV in on May 17th.

4) Artscape - OV has once again been asked to participate in Artscape. Having given audiences Leonard Bernstein's 20th century masterpiece Trouble in Tahiti last year, this year we're presenting two short but glorious baroque pieces complete with period instrument orchestra: Monteclair's Pyramus and Thisbe and Handel's Apollo and Dafne. At the moment, I'm engaged in translating the Monteclair while also keeping all the abovementioned balls in the air. Oh well, I guess that's why they pay me the big bucks.

Anyway, that's a brief overview of what's been going on at Cathedral and Read. I heartily encourage you to take in any or all of the offerings that are coming up. It was great to see so many new faces at Tobias and the Angel, and we hope that you all will become long-term friends of OV. See you at the opera! - John Bowen

The Thoughts of Others: Reviews of Previous Tobias performances

January 24, 2008 - As part of my preparations for media coverage of the evermore anticipated North American premiere, I've been culling the web for information about the UK productions. Here are a few links that I found very interesting:

From Seen and Heard International (a European equivalent to our area's Ionarts) there's a review of the world premiere.

MusicOMH.com provides a review of the 2006 production which opened the newly renovated Young Vic Theatre.

And finally a brief article from Musical Pointers that talks about the show in the context of Dove's other operatic works.

Intrigued? Order your tickets today for this truly unique experience. See you at the opera - John Bowen

An Absolute Genius - Pirates Preview in the Sun

January 23, 2008 - Just a quick post to hook you all up with a preview article by Mary Johnson of the Anne Arundel section of the sun. As to the comment about me, I'll let the audience decide, but thanks Doug. See you at D'Oylyland. - John Bowen

Pirates and Angels and Blogs, Oh My!

January 21, 2008 - Well, my friends, sorry I haven't posted in the past few days, but the rigors of the productions that I'm involved in currently have had to take pride of place over keeping my faithful blog readers informed. Of course, so few of you comment, I can only assume that you are faithful readers, so consider this a word of encouragement to comment. Anyway, today begins production week for Opera AACC's The Pirates of Penzance and unfortunately, production week is where the difference between professional and community companies really shows. Both groups might have talented performers, but community groups rarely have the technical infrastructure that professional groups have so many of the singers have been drafted into scene painting, prop gathering, stage crewing and the like and are consequently pretty exhausted. Thank God they have a dark night on Thursday to rest up for opening night. All in all though, it's turned out to be a very funny show filled with a lot of shtick and scenery chewing so if you're looking for a night of not terribly profound but really enjoyable entertainment this is the show for you.

On the Tobias and the Angel front, preparations are really starting to get down to the nitty-gritty part, e.g. the Fish dancers will enter from underneath the stage right platform, Ashmodeus' costume will be form-fitting and in deep purples, vermilions, and oranges, the percussionist needs at least 15 square feet to set up her battery of instruments, etc. Things are also ramping up in the publicity department with board members and volunteers actively engaged in setting up radio interviews, pitching preview stories to the press, and figuring out the logistics of trans-Atlantic telephone interviews. I continue to be astounded at the amazing sense of communal effort that this piece brings out. Tickets are going fast, so order now!

Well, that's it for now. I have to go decide whether Major-General Stanley's daughters will wear bunny slippers or open-toe mules with red maribou for their sleepwear look. See you at the opera! - John Bowen

"What a delightful night" - A Demon's Simple Joys

January 15, 2008 - In Ecbatana, Sara (the daughter of Raguel and Edna) wakes to find that her husband has died, his body covered in wounds made by tiny hands. Dissonant organ chords and agitated woodwind outbursts accompany the family's reaction: Sara distraught, Edna despairing, Raguel furious. This is Sara's seventh husband to die under mysterious circumstances, circumstances which are soon revealed by the cause of death itself: the demon Ashmodeus. Over a softly rocking flute and clarinet figure punctuated by voluptuous harp chords, Ashmodeus reveals that he has spend "a delightful night" in his "favorite house". He has lived nine hundred years and yet has only ever loved two lips, two eyes, ten fingers, and one neck. As he sings of Sara's beautiful neck she begins to strangle herself; Ashmodeus is possessing her body. Raguel instructs his men to bury the body in the orchard.



Meanwhile, back in Nineveh, Tobias returns home to find that his father is blind. He is overcome with guilt. At this point we have the first of the great ensembles in this piece "Lord, I am pure". Jonathn Dove is a master at writing ensembles and this quintet of lamentation is no exception. Over low tolling harp notes, funeral marchesque drumbeats, and long sustained string chords, Sara sings "Lord, I am pure. I have no sin, release me, take me out of the earth"; Tobit sings "Lord, I am old, let me become as earth"; Edna and Anna sing "We have much sorrow"; and Tobias sings "Lord, each step I take is a false one".



Tobit tells Tobias that since he is unable to work, Tobias must go to Ecbatana and ask his cousin Raguel to repay his debt to Tobit. Tobias is reluctant to go, saying that he does not know the way. The stranger from the marketplace however does, so the journey begins. . .

"I spent my money on a barrel of stout" - Worldly vs. Divine Things

January 11, 2008 - Lured by the raucous strains of fiddle and accordion, Tobias carouses with the crowd in the marketplace. In the midst of the drinking and dancing, Tobias encounters a stranger who dances a mysterious dance to a gently glowing accompaniment of flute, vibraphone, and strings. Tobias is puzzled by the stranger's dance as well as by the stranger's cryptic injunction to "Listen for the silence in the song." Bored by the stranger and weary from his revelry, Tobias sleeps in the market while the stranger continues his introspective dance. Dawn breaks over the graveyard, and Tobit is awakened by a flock of sparrows (children's voices accompanied by chirping woodwind and xylophone) who shit in his eyes and blind him. Meanwhile in the distant town of Ecbatana, evil lurks. . . .

"Here I will write" - An Entry into Tobias and the Angel

January 8, 2008 - Since our upcoming production of Tobias and the Angel is the North American premiere, I thought it might be interesting to give my readers a "guided tour" of the piece. Hopefully my descriptions will whet your appetite to hear this astonishing piece live.

Tobias and the Angel opens with an brief invocation of soaring strings and chiming percussion followed by Tobit of the Spirit's injunction to write his story (this is after all based on an episode from the Book of Tobit, a part of the Apocrypha - books that are equally claimed or disclaimed depending on how you look at it by Christianity and Judaism). In the town of Nineveh, Tobit sings "Here I will write how all my days I have walked in the ways of truth" over a contemplative harp pattern and tolling bell-like chords. This meditative mood is suddenly broken by thudding timpani and sharp chords over which a chorus shouts the horrid reality of Tobit's world: "The king kills Jews. Their bodies must lie unburied and rot." In spite of the risk to him and his family, Tobit, with the help of his son Tobias, buries a slain Jew. Exhausted by the work, and not wanting to defile his home, Tobit sleeps the sleep of the righteous by the graveyard wall; Tobias however is drawn by the wild sounds of the marketplace. . . .

A Dove, An Angel, and a Good Fairy

January 4, 2008 - The new year has started with a flurry of activity surrounding our upcoming production of Jonathan Dove's Tobias and the Angel. World-renowned countertenor David Walker's travel plans have been finalized (he arrives on February 4th from Pittsburgh Opera where he'll be performing in another Jonathan Dove opera called Flight), the various choruses and chorusmasters (there are three separate choral ensembles in this piece - an adult professional choir, an adult amateur choir, and a children's chorus) have begun rehearsals, housing has been found for all our out of town artists, and our costume designer Melanie Clark has come up with some fantastically innovative ways to represent the cosmology of this piece which runs the gamut from demons to angels via the natural world of mountains, trees, and men. Her solution to the revelation of the Angel moment is particularly ingenious and beautiful. As a side note, it's very interesting to me how prominently angels have been figuring in Baltimore's cultural life this season. Anyway, since our production will be the North American premiere of this stunning work, it has also been attracting attention from companies and individuals outside the Baltimore area. I've received inquiries from Palmetto Opera and Cincinnati Opera and hope that they will mount this uplifting work so that both its fame and that of Jonathan Dove will grow in this country. Dove will be attending the final performance of the show, and I can't wait to get his reaction.

On another front, I attended a performance of Puss in Boots performed by the newly formed Pantolites. One of the many, many highlights of this charming production by founder Roger Brunyate was Jennifer Blades as the Good Fairy Proverbia in a fiber-optic wig. The show runs through Sunday at The Theatre Project. Don't miss it. But if you do miss it, be sure to catch Ms. Blades as the formidable Public Opinion in Opera Vivente's April production of Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld. See you at the opera - John Bowen