Kevin Newbury on LA BOHÈME

Now that Oklahoma! is now running, the company is getting ready to open the second production of the 2012 Central City Opera Festival, La Bohème, this Saturday. I sat down with Stage Director Kevin Newbury, who gave me the inside scoop on this brand new production of the beloved opera.



For more behind-the-scenes information on Bohème and the rest of the 2012 festival, download the  The 2012 Opera Insider (Full Season Resource Guide) (pdf) featuring history on all of the 2012 Festival operas, their composers, interviews with artists, and festival information.

On RENT, LA BOHÈME and OKLAHOMA!

It is fairly well known that the musical Rent is based on Puccini's La Bohème...with a few varied plot points. Especially the end. The direct correlations between those shows can be left for a future blog post, but did you know there's a comparison to be made with Oklahoma! as well?

The Off-Broadway satirical revue Forbidden Broadway has a great tradition of spoofing whatever is currently playing in the Big Apple. Several years ago, they re-made Rent's "La Vie Bohème" into "This Ain't Bohème." The video below uses footage from the popular film, dubbed over with audio from Forbidden Broadway's take on the song. Note the lyrics about two minutes in: "We need a new show. The opposite of Rent ain't Bohème....it's Oklahoma!"

To read the lyrics, click the YouTube button above; they're included in the full description of the video.

If you're not familiar with the original song from Rent, you can watch this scene from the movie which takes place in their version of the Café Momus.

June 30, 2012 Officially Declared Central City Opera Day!

Governor John Hickenlooper proclaims June 30, 2012 as "Central City Opera Day."

Central City Opera's Opening Day is always a special occasion. But the 2012 opening day was truly historic. The day was marked by a visit from Governor John Hickenlooper, who officially declared June 30, 2012 as "Central City Opera Day" in the State of Colorado.

Governor Hickenlooper shakes hands with Lanny Martin

The day's festivities began, as always, with the Flower Girl Presentation, a tradition dating back to 1932. This year, 14 young women were presented.

The 2012 Flower Girls stand with their escorts.

Following the presentation, Governor Hickenlooper made his official proclamation, just before the Flower Girls and their fathers took to Eureka Street for the Yellow Rose Waltz.

The day also included several other Central City Opera traditions, including the presentation of the Opera House keys to General/Artistic Director Pat Pearce, the ceremonial ringing of the bell by Board President/Chairman Nancy Parker, and the first performance of "The Usher Song" for the year. Those who have visited Central City Opera in years past may notice something very different about this year's ushers. More about that will be featured in a later blog.

Lanny Martin presents the Opera House Keys to Pat Pearce, CCO's General/Artistic Director.

Board President/Chairman Nancy Parker prepares to ring the bell.

Festival Staffers before singing "The Usher Song"

Denver Public Library's Fresh City Life takes a Road Trip

Last Saturday, participants from Denver Public Library's Fresh City Life took a road trip to Central City. First on the agenda was attending one of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program's classes, which focused on auditioning.  We watched as the young artists, chosen from a pool of over 900 applicants, rehearsed an aria as if they were at an audition. Program Administrator Marc Astafan and Principal Coach Michael Baitzer gave each singer feedback on their mock auditions -- everything from their attire to the organization of the book of music given to their accompanist.

Apprentice Artist Stephen Carrol sings his audition aria as Program Administrator Mark Astafan, right, looks on. 

After watching a few of the talented young artists, we made our way down the hill to Main Street for an old-fashioned shoot out, performed by members of the Gilpin County Historical Society.

An unsuspecting onlooker is roped into an attempted shotgun wedding before being run out of town.

Next on the agenda was a look at the costumes of Oklahoma! with Costume Designer Marcy Froehlich. You can get your own virtual sneak peak of the costumes in our earlier vlog post.

After a lunch in the beautiful Opera Garden, we took a tour of the historic Teller House, once the most opulent hotel between Chicago and San Francisco. Finally, it was time for the Oklahoma! wandelprobe.

An important stage of the opera production process is the sitzprobe-- a German term which literally means "seat test." It's the rehearsal in which the singers sit on the stage while singing with the orchestra for the first time.

A wandelprobe, however, is an entirely made-up word, used for when the singers actually move around the stage while rehearsing with the orchestra for the first time. After enjoying the first hour of the wandleprobe from the Opera House's balcony, we made our way back to Opera Garden for a quick Q-and-A session.

Participants from Fresh City Life watch from the balcony as the cast sings "Kansas City" with the orchestra for the first time.

Gene Scheer (Ali Hakim) sings "It's a Scandal, It's an Outrage," surrounded by a chorus of cowboys.

Happy Birthday Richard Rodgers - and the OKLAHOMA! Trailer

Today marks what would have been the 110th birthday of Richard Rodgers, composer of Oklahoma!

And just in time, we've got a trailer ready for you to hear one of his greatest hits!

Character Spotlight: OKLAHOMA!'s Will Parker

Erin Joy Swank, of the Education & Community Programs Department, recently caught up with baritone Curt Olds. Below is an excerpt from that interview.

Welcome back to Central City Opera! We last saw you on stage as John Styx in Orpheus in the Underworld (2010). While keeping guard over Eurydice in Hades, you entertained us in song and dance. This summer you’ll once again charm the audience as the dancing rodeo cowboy Will Parker in Oklahoma!

You’ve made a career out of working as a “triple threat,” a performer who acts, sings and dances. Can you explain the similarities and differences working in opera, musical theatre and dance?

Thanks for the compliment of calling me a "triple threat." The skills that might make me a "triple threat" as you say (singing, acting and dancing) come out of my theatre training and years of doing musicals as a child and young adult. In the musical theatre world, a performer definitely has to possess a singing voice, but singing tends to be on equal footing with acting ability and, if the dramatic moment calls for it, the singing might be compromised for dramatic effect. Regarding dance, if a singer also happens to have the ability to dance, then it opens an entire new world of casting possibilities. In the operatic world, singing and attention to the voice is everything. If an opera singer possessing a world-class voice can also act -- and I mean not only just while singing, but also in the moments on stage that are unsung -- then they have the makings of a major career. But the voice and ability to use it come first. And that is a very good thing. For most opera singers, acting skills are developed later because of the heavy requirements of foreign languages and the study of historical performance practices. With me, when I was studying opera, I put all serious acting, dancing and musical theatre study on the back burner for a little over six years. I had to concentrate on vocal studies and languages. My main objective when performing is to affect the audience, to move them, to make them feel. Any extra skill to help do that is a bonus.

Central City Opera’s ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD (2010). Pictured (L to R): Joanna Mongiardo (Eurydice) and Curt Olds (John Styx). Photo by Mark Kiryluk.

You’ve played Curly in a past production of Oklahoma! What is it like to prepare for the role of Will Parker this time?

When I played Curly, all I really wanted to do was play Will Parker. I am definitely a casting possibility for Curly, but personally, I am much more like Will Parker and I understand the comic elements of the role. Curly is cool, steady. He has to be to deal so keenly with Jud Fry. Will is a wild card and easily excitable. The great thing about Oklahoma! is I still get to be handsome and cute outside of the central romantic leading man. I feel very fortunate to have played both roles professionally and Rodgers and Hammerstein shows are always so fulfilling to perform. I did The Sound of Music earlier this season and Oklahoma! is a personal favorite of mine. Win win.

Central City Opera’s OKLAHOMA! (2012). Pictured: Kaitlyn Costello (Ado Annie), Curt Olds (Will Parker). Photo by Kira Horvath.

You were also a past Apprentice and Studio Artist with Central City Opera. What did you learn or practice in the artist training program that helped you in your career development?

The Bonfils-Stanton Training Program was instrumental to any success I have enjoyed over the past twenty years. I was a college kid from Montana with no idea how to approach a singing career on a national level. I came to Denver and sang for John Moriarty and it changed my life. Not only did Central City Opera's training program offer wonderful classes in diction, audition technique, movement, and repertoire, but it also provided me with quality stage time in comprimario [supporting] roles, recital engagements and scenes concerts. That first summer with Central City Opera led to my graduate studies at New England Conservatory and additionally, Central City Opera gave me some of my first principal roles. I will be forever grateful.

The full interview with Curt will be available in the 2012 Opera Insider (festival resource guide) very soon. Stay tuned for more insider interviews!

The Costumes of OKLAHOMA!

Marcy Froehlich

For the latest video episode of Behind the Curtain, I spoke with Costume Designer Marcy Froehlich about her design for Oklahoma! This is Marcy's first year at Central City Opera, and as a self-proclaimed history buff, she's enjoying spending the summer in such a historic locale. Watch the video below for a sneak peak at her designs, including her sketches and the research that inspired the costumes.