Spotlight On: Christopher Zemliauskas, Conductor

Christopher Zemliauskas,
Conductor

Editor's Note: Today's blog comes from an article in our 2015 Opera Insider (Festival Resource Guide). Emily Murdock (Associate Director, Education & Community Engagement) interviewed Christopher Zemliauskas, conductor of our one-act operas Don Quixote and the Duchess and The Prodigal Son. He was last in Central City in 2013 conducting the opera Our Town.

2015 will be your 10th summer with Central City Opera. Is there something special about CCO that keeps you coming back?

One of the things that has brought me back to CCO over the years is the consistently high level of the productions and the artists that take part in them. The roster of singers, directors, and conductors that have worked at CCO over the years is impressive to say the least, and I appreciate the company's dedication in bringing those people together. It has offered me the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the great artists of our profession, which has been invaluable to me. The repertoire that I have been able to work on at CCO spans from Handel to Sondheim, and this richness and variety of material is very exciting (and rare among opera companies today). Though I don't live in Colorado anymore, working at CCO each summer is like coming home.

Do you have any favorite moments in these operas?

I love working on Britten operas in general, and specifically I am fascinated with his chamber operas and the church parables. Having conducted another of Britten's church parables, Curlew River (at CCO in 2008), I am familiar with the style of composition and orchestration. Both pieces have a predominantly male cast, sparse orchestra, different tempi happening at the same time, lack of bar lines/meter, and heavy use of tone-rows (an aspect of twelve tone composition). For me the real joy is taking these aspects and communicating the story through the music. In many ways it's like putting together a puzzle. Every note, rhythm, theme, and choice of instrumentation means something in these pieces, and it's a rare opportunity to be able to have the time and resources to help interpret these pieces for a wider audience.

Christopher Zemliauskas conducts a rehearsal for The Prodigal Son.
Photo by Tyler Donovan.

What is your background as a musician? How did you become interested in conducting?

I started playing the piano at age 6, and had the opportunity to attend a performing arts high school where I studied both classical and jazz piano. It was there that my love for collaboration took root, as I had the chance to play in orchestral ensembles, for singers and instrumentalists, and even for dance concerts. I continued my studies at Ithaca College and the University of Minnesota in both solo piano and accompanying, and was a resident artist pianist at The Minnesota Opera after receiving my Master's degree. At MinOp I was able to play for and learn from dozens of conductors, and I began to assist on several productions. Conducting became for me a natural extension of the collaborative process, and was a way for me to add my voice and interpretation to, what is—in an ideal situation—a team of thoughtful and creative people.

Central City Opera's 2015 Festival runs through August 9, though both one-act operas have now completed their runs. Check out the2015 Opera Insider (Festival Resource Guide) for additional artist interviews, background on the original production and even musical versions of word search and Sudoku!

Spotlight on: Nicholas Ward, Baritone

Nicholas Ward, Baritone

Editor's Note: Today's blog comes from an article in our 2015 Opera Insider (Festival Resource Guide). Emily Murdock (Associate Director, Education & Community Engagement) interviewed Nicholas Ward, one of our Apprentice Artists. He portrays Elder Son in our one-act opera The Prodigal Son this year as well as Marquis D'Obigny in La Traviata.

You were a Central City Opera Bonfils-Stanton Apprentice Artist in 2014 and a Studio Artist in 2013. What does Central City Opera offer to emerging opera professionals that you’ve found helpful in your career?

I feel that Central City’s program has prepared me to take on any challenge that I face in the world of opera. Between an intense class schedule, top-notch coaching, and fabulous productions, the young artists at CCO are prepared for anything. I’ve had the opportunity to perform in a huge variety of productions, ranging from grand opera to chamber opera to musicals with distinguished principal performers. CCO really offers the full package of training for somebody at the beginning of an opera career. The knowledge I’ve gained from the coaches and directors is invaluable, and I’ve been able to take what I’ve learned and apply it to my work outside of the program. I think one of the most valuable things I’ve learned here is how to get up in front of people and perform without fear. Singing in front of your colleagues can be nerve-wracking. Once you do it a few times, you get used to it and find that there’s really not much to be worried about. Now, auditions feel like a breeze! I’m glad to have learned so much in such a supportive environment.

Nicholas Ward was featured as part of the Trio in last year’s Trouble in Tahiti. Photo by Aaron Peterson.

You will be singing the role of the Elder Son in The Prodigal Son, one of our one-act operas that will be produced in Central City and Colorado Springs. What are you most looking forward to with this production?

First of all, Britten’s music is spectacular, this piece in particular. I’m really looking forward to tackling the unique challenges it presents. This is very much an ensemble piece. The singers and instrumentalists have to rely on each other for entrances, cues, and meeting points. Britten even uses his own notation to indicate special types of cues and passages. I can’t wait to get to work on this music with my colleagues, and hopefully form relationships with the instrumentalists as well. I’m also very excited to be performing this work in church venues. I think this will be a fantastic opportunity for the community to experience something very different than what is presented at the opera house. Churches provide such an excellent space for intimate performances. We’ll get the chance to connect with our audience in a very special way.


Can you relate to your character of the Elder Son in any way?

Well, I am a real-life older brother! Lucky for me, I have a wonderful family. We get along, unlike the brothers in The Prodigal Son. Other than that, I don’t see a whole lot of this character in myself, but I understand why he feels the way he does in his situation. He is an easily-angered, jealous and self-righteous person. He works diligently for his father, but his intentions are selfish. When the subject of inheritance arises, he goes ballistic and essentially disowns his younger brother. He can’t show compassion and doesn’t understand why his brother is being treated with love and kindness despite his mistakes. I think there are many valuable lessons to be learned from the stories of both sons. Many of us have felt the sting of jealousy or entitlement. The question is; how do we deal with these feelings? The story of the Prodigal Son gives us some examples of what can go wrong, and that it’s important to appreciate what we have. I’m very much looking forward to delving into this character and bringing him to life for CCO audiences.

Central City Opera's 2015 Festival runs through August 9. Check out the2015 Opera Insider (Festival Resource Guide) for additional artist interviews, background on the original production and even musical versions of word search and Sudoku!

Britten's Brilliant Twelve-Tone Row in THE TURN OF THE SCREW

Central City Opera opens its third mainstage production tonight with the creepy and cool opera The Turn of the Screw. While not as toe-tapping as the songs from this year's Oklahoma!, the score is very interesting. The opera is organized in a way that would thrill those of the Type-A personality. Benjamin Britten built the entire opera on a twelve-tone row, which is a non-repetitive ordering of a set of pitches. You can listen to the twelve-tone row here.

Twelve-Tone Row on which the opera is based

The opera is divided into two acts, with each act containing eight scenes, and the first act preceded by a Prologue. Before each scene, the chamber orchestra plays a short introduction based on the twelve-tone row you just heard. Each introduction features the instruments that are important in the following scene. You may be thinking: “Wow, this sounds so mathematical and boring. How can this music be interesting, dynamic, and evocative?” Britten was a genius at getting the music to serve the story. His use of instrumentation and speech-like melody brings out all of the colors and emotions of the drama happening on stage.

Listen again to that twelve-tone row, then watch the first scene of the opera below, produced by the Glyndebourne Festival in 2011. You’ll hear the main theme – with the twelve-tone row masterfully played by the entire orchestra – then the Governess’s first aria. Note the use of percussion in the theme and during the first scene. Britten uses the percussion to invoke the feeling of anticipation, excitement, and a bit of apprehension – all feelings that the Governess has as she is traveling to Bly House to begin her new job.

Want to know more? This blog post is part of the article What to Listen for in The Turn of the Screw, found in the 2012 Opera Insider (Festival Resource Guide - PDF).

Central City Opera Celebrates Benjamin Britten

We're very excited to share the recently digitally-remastered clips from our 2002 production of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Britten was born in 1913 and the "centenary" celebration of his works spans the 2012 and 2013 seasons of performing arts companies around the world.

Central City Opera has a rich tradition of producing the works of Benjamin Britten, which have a wide appeal for audiences. The composer himself is quoted as saying, "I write music for human beings." Central City Opera presented the North American premiere of Benjamin Britten's Gloriana in 2001, followed by this glorious production of Midsummer in 2002. Britten's work has since been performed on the Central City Opera stage in 2005 with the regional premiere of Paul Bunyan and in 2008 with productions of The Rape of Lucretia and Curlew River (the latter performed by our apprentice artists). This summer, we're proud to offer a new production of Britten's The Turn of the Screw, opening July 14th.

To whet your Britten appetite, here are four video clips from A Midsummer Night's Dream (2002):

Clip 1 - From Act One

Clip 2 - Tytania and Bottom

Clip 3 - The Rustics Perform

Clip 4 - Finale

In Paul Curran's Director's Notes for the 2002 production he wrote:

I have been lucky enough to work on the DREAM with two of Britten's own assistants: Steuart Bedford and Roderick Brydon. They have both made me look ever deeper into the music to see the piece more clearly. "If you can't see why I wrote (the music) that way, then don't conduct it" was Britten's advice to the young Steuart Bedford. "Play it again, I can't hear the colours. If there are no colours, there's no opera," another gentle encouragement. The colours of the opera and story are all in the orchestration; "every note counts, there is nowhere to hide in this score" - again, Britten to Bedford.

Steuart Bedford, mentioned above, conducted Central City Opera's 2005 regional premiere of Paul Bunyan and will return this summer to conduct The Turn of the Screw. Bedford was featured in the July 2011 issue of Opera News as "a peerless interpreter of the operas of Benjamin Britten." [The article is also available as a PDF.] Central City Opera presents The Turn of the Screw for the first time this summer with just six performances. Mark your calendar to join us on July 14, 18, 21, 29 or August 4 for this rare treat!

You may also wish to view 5 video clips from our 2001 production of Britten's Gloriana.