Thursday, January 31, 2013

24HOP.... the Run Down...

00022_MG_7647-2


In case you missed the SHOWCASE or LIVE WEBCAST of the Atlanta Opera's third annual 24-Hour Opera Project, here is a quick and dirty recap!


This year's theme was: "CONVINCING CONFESSION"


Throughout the process, participants made CONFESSIONS OF THEIR OWN. Here are some highlights...














CHECK OUT MORE ON YOUTUBE!



WABE's John Lemley did a FANTASTIC job hosting this wild and crazy event. And the judges judged with great judgement! A special thank you to:

Ned Canty, General Director, Opera Memphis

Lee Anne Myslewski, Director of Artistic Administration, Wolf Trap Opera 
and Classical Programming
Ann Owens, former Executive Director, Houston Grand Opera

Lara Smith, Managing Director, Dad’s Garage
Jill Vejnoska, Features Writer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution



JUDGES' FAVORITE was (drumroll, please)...




"THE PUDDLE OF YOUTH"

Composer: NATALIE WILLIAMS. Librettist: VYNNIE MELI. Directed by: MATTHEW OZAWA. Music Direction by ERIN PALMER. Stage managed by: JESSICA DRAYTON. Singers: ARSENIA SOTO and BRANDON ODOM.... and a special guest. Inspiration props were: opera glasses and an elixir bottle.



AUDIENCE FAVORITE was (drumroll, please)...



"BEACH AND MOAN"

Composer: EVAN MACK. Librettist: WILLIAM SAMUEL BRADFORD. Directed by: KRISTIN KENNING. Music Direction by ROLANDO SALAZAR. Stage managed by: CAMILLE STREET. Singers: JAYME ALILAW, MITCHELL JONES, and MEL LEROY. Inspiration props were: a coconut and a camera.




BUT, WAIT.... there were more AMAZING creations!





"SILENCE ON THE HOMESTEAD"


Composer: DOUGLAS PEW. Librettist: CHADWICK HAGAN. Directed by: BEVERLY BLOUIN. Music Direction by GEOFFREY LOFF. Stage Managed by DAWN HEELY. Singers: MEGAN BRUNNING, MICHAEL FRANCIS EDWARDS, and IVAN SEGOVIA. Inspiration props were a mirror and bell.







"HAUNTED"
Composer: JAMIE LEIGH SAMPSON. Librettist: MADELEINE ST. ROMAIN. Directed by: MICHAEL NUTTER. Music Direction by CATHERINE GIEL. Stage Managed by: DELLY FEARS. Singers: MICHAELE POSTELL, LAURIE TOSSING, and JONATHAN SPUHLER. Inspiration props were: a champagne bottle and lantern.







"THE TRIANGLE"


Composer: ROBERT BUTTS. Librettist: ELLEN FRANKEL. Directed by: RICHARD GAMMON. Music Direction by PAUL TATE. Stage Managed by: CAMILLE STREET. Singers: ANNIE BURTON, ANNE STILLWAGON, and STEPHEN McCOOL. Inspiration props were: an iron and a bouquet of flowers.





TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT, GO HERE...



00053_MG_7752


SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR!



Usage of any images on this blog is restricted to The Atlanta Opera and approved news websites. Any other usage, particularly for professional purposes, must have written permission. For additional information, please contact The Atlanta Opera's Marketing Department at 404.881.8801.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Opera, live from your living room...


The 7-10 minute creations from the 24-Hour Opera Project (24HOP) will be performed in front of a live “studio audience," but there are some of you who can’t be in Atlanta, and there are some of you who just want to be able to put your feet up, make some popcorn, crack open a beer, and quietly enjoy some opera with your dog at your side!

For those of you who can't make it to the showcase, you will still have the opportunity to see the event online via LIVE WEBCAST. On January 26 at 7:00 p.m., you can TUNE IN to the Atlanta Opera's LIVESTREAM channel or to atlantaopera.org.

The link to the webcast will also be posted to Twitter (@TheAtlantaOpera) or our Facebook page.

Along with watching the event unfold live, webcast viewers can also vote for "Audience Favorite."

You will be able to cast your vote via a BIG, GIANT "VOTE HERE" button on our homepage at atlantaopera.org or on our LIVESTREAM channel.

WATCH HIGHLIGHTS from past 24HOPs . . . and don't forget to TUNE IN!








Usage of any images on this blog is restricted to The Atlanta Opera and approved news websites. Any other usage, particularly for professional purposes, must have written permission. For additional information, please contact The Atlanta Opera's Marketing Department at 404.881.8801.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Your friend (or kid) is participating in the Atlanta Opera’s 24-Hour Opera Project! Pass it on. . .




We’ve all known them... Those friends who can’t go out with you because they have rehearsal, or they have to practice, or they are locked away in a room with a midi for three days straight, or they have to attend a master class with an obscure counter tenor from Bulgaria.

These pursuits of passion have always been a little bit of a mystery to you, but you have loved and supported your friends anyway. Why? Because they love opera, and it’s contagious! And, who knows? When they make it big, you can say, “I knew them when…”

Here’s your chance to show the love for their hard work in this quirky, crazy, fast-tracked opera phenomenon called the 24-Hour Opera Project, in which composers, lyricists, stage directors and opera singers from all over come together to create opera in just 24 hours!!

You can also VOTE online for AUDIENCE FAVORITE at atlantaopera.org.

And, even if you don’t know any of these people, and just love, or are curious about opera, join us or tune-in to the LIVE WEBCAST!

Kickoff Event
Friday, January 25 at 5:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta


Showcase Performance and Live Webcast
Saturday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. at The Atlanta Opera Center

Both events are FREE and open to the public.


GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR FEARLESS AND TALENTED PARTICIPANTS!


Composers
Jamie Sampson, Bowling Green, OH
Douglas Pew, Crestview Hills, KY
Evan Mack, Albany, NY
Natalie Williams, Athens, GA
Robert Butts, Rockaway, NJ

Librettists
Ellen Frankel, Philadelphia, PA
Madeleine St. Romain, Atlanta, GA
Samuel Bradford, Roswell, GA
Chadwick Hagan, Atlanta, GA
Vinnie Meli, Marietta, GA

Singers
Jayme Alilaw, Atlanta, GA
Michaele Postell, Acworth, GA
Emily Byrne, Durham, NC
Ivan Segovia Jonesboro, GA
Stefani Dunn, Marietta, GA
Mitchell Jones, Cumming, GA
Michael Francis Edwards, Stockbridge, GA
Kristin Vienneau, Roswell, GA
Arsenia Soto, Durham, NC
Megan Brunning, Suwanee, GA
Brandon Odom, Atlanta, GA
Jonathan Spuhler, Atlanta, GA
Mel Leroy, Macon, GA
Annie Burton, Chicago, IL
Joshua Bartolotti, Waleska, GA
Stephen McCool, Duluth, GA
Laurie Tossing, Lawrenceville, GA

Stage Directors
Beverly Blouin, Atlanta, GA
Richard Gammon, New York, NY
Matthew Ozawa, New York, NY
Kristin Kenning, Birmingham, AL
Michael Nutter, Atlanta, GA


And we welcome five incredible accompanists who will serve as Music Directors, all from the Atlanta area.

Goeff Loff
Catherine Giel
Erin Palmer
Rolando Salazar
Paul Tate

Erin Hartley and Lukas Valderrama will be Video Production Interns, assisting Dave Stevens of Stevens Interactive Productions produce the live webcast. They will also be charged with gathering footage throughout the 24 hours.


WHAT IS THE 24-HOUR OPERA PROJECT?

Composers and lyricists are randomly paired together, and will have 12 hours to write a 7-10 minute opera. At the end of 12 hours, the pieces will be assigned to a stage director, who will draft singers from a pool of applicants, and have eight hours to rehearse, before presenting the scenes in a showcase concert 24 hours after the project begins.

The final results will be presented in a live performance and webcast hosted by WABE’s John Lemley.

The mini-operas will be evaluated by a panel of performing arts industry leaders, and prizes will be awarded to the winning team, with an additional prize going to the audience favorite. Both the kick-off event and the showcase performance are FREE and open to the public.

The judges are…

Ned Canty, General Director, Opera Memphis

Lee Anne Myslewski, Director of Artistic Administration, Wolf Trap Opera 
and Classical Programming
Ann Owens, former Executive Director, Houston Grand Opera

Lara Smith, Managing Director, Dad’s Garage

Jill Vejnoska, Features Writer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For more information, please call 404-881-8883 or e-mail education@atlantaopera.org.

View Highlights From the 24-Hour Opera Project 2012 >>

The Atlanta Opera 24-Hour Opera Project is made possible by generous support from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and Turner Voices.

Members of the public interested in providing additional financial support for the 24-Hour Opera Project can contribute through the Power2Give.org Matching Grant Donor Program. Every $1 you give to the 24-Hour Opera Project will be doubled. Visit Power2Give.org for more information.

Support the 24-Hour Opera Project >>










Usage of any images on this blog is restricted to The Atlanta Opera and approved news websites. Any other usage, particularly for professional purposes, must have written permission. For additional information, please contact The Atlanta Opera's Marketing Department at 404.881.8801.