The Atlanta Opera: Atlanta Opera Chorus

Showing posts with label Atlanta Opera Chorus. Show all posts

Friday, June 19, 2015

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Sing we joyous, all together!

By Ellen Sturgill

The Atlanta Opera has already decked its halls, and we are now ready to "fa, la, la" this holiday season! If you're wondering how you can get into the holiday spirit, look no further than The Atlanta Opera Holiday Concert. In our third annual holiday concert, eight selected soloists from The Atlanta Opera Chorus will be performing at All Saints' Episcopal Church. The ensemble will be joined by organist Peter Marshall, and conducted by Atlanta Opera Chorus Master, Walter Huff.

Photo courtesy of Walter Huff

The concert is a special tradition for us, and we thought that for this week's blog, we'd speak to Walter, and get the inside scoop on what makes this concert the perfect opportunity to ring in the holidays. Enjoy!
1. How did the Holiday Concerts get started? They started about three years ago. We’ve always wanted to do something during the holidays as an opera company. Years and years ago, the opera presented Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors at Spivey Hall. We did that opera for about five years during Christmas, and it was a lovely event. This, however, was probably 15 years ago, if not even more.

Since then, there really hasn’t been anything, and Dennis and I had been interested in presenting a Christmas performance with The Atlanta Opera Chorus. But presenting the full chorus in December is almost impossible, with their schedules. So, I had the idea of selecting eight choristers who would be a good fit. Linda Bailey, who is the coordinator of the All Saints’ Episcopal Church concert series, began to communicate with the Opera about hosting a Christmas concert there. And the Holiday concerts have been an incredible success. We sold out the first year. The second year we did two performances. This year, we are doing one performance that is expected to sell out. There really is nothing like this concert on the Atlanta concert scene during the holidays!

The All Saints’ Episcopal Church is a beautiful setting. It is accessible, and stunning. It has Tiffany stained-glass windows, candlelight, and it is a great place to hold the concert. This church seats about 450, so it’s not small, but it’s also not overwhelming. It sets a scene for a nice, intimate evening.

2. What will the repertoire be this year? The music ranges from sacred to secular. At times, all eight singers perform together as a small chamber ensemble, and then there are duets, trios, and each singer has a solo piece. Every singer is showcased, but they are also singing together in a great choral blend. We are performing a wide variety of music by Bach, carols in French, German, and Welsh. There is even a beautiful early colonial American Christmas carol, a gospel piece, and a nice arrangement of the “12 Days of Christmas” from the King’s Singers. This year will be interesting in that we are also doing an excerpt from Amahl and the Night Visitors that we used to put on at Spivey, so that will be a nice connection to our past holiday programs. This concert is similar to a PBS holiday offering. There is great variety, and truly, something for everyone.
3. Do you have a favorite piece, or one that you are most looking forward to performing this year? It is a 90-minute program with twenty selections, and thirteen of them are new for this year. It’s very hard to pick a favorite! I think the Gospel piece “Come to the Manger” is a great selection, sung by Tim Miller, who was part of our Porgy and Bess cast (2010). We are also doing a very nice arrangement of “White Christmas,” which is new. And I love our lush arrangement of “Silent Night,” and a beautiful Italian carol for tenor that Pavarotti made famous. We also have boy soprano, Will Trimble, joining us for the excerpt from Amahl. He did this solo at First Presbyterian, so that will be excellent to have him joining us. We end with a spectacular finale of “O Holy Night” with the whole ensemble, and this piece is a great ending for the concert.
4. This concert certainly sounds like an excellent outlet for your chorus members, as well. It is. Because we generally work in a large ensemble of about fifty, it is great for us to get to work together in this small chamber ensemble. You need that unique singer that is not only very viable by themselves, but also can exist really well in a choral situation. That is why this concert is so special. There are choral concerts on every corner during the holidays, but because we have a small, but very trained and talented group of singers, our concert is a real treat to hear that mix. Some of the singers in this concert are currently singing with The Atlanta Opera Chorus, and some are alumni. Five of the singers have participated in this concert every year. It is accompanied by Peter Marshall on the organ, who is an instructor at Georgia State, and the Principal Keyboardist with The Atlanta Symphony.
5. How long are you and your ensemble able to rehearse for this concert? We met in September to talk about the program. It’s hard when you have a success like this [concert], because you don’t want it to be the same every year, but you do want to keep everybody’s favorite pieces. I actually brought two audience members from the previous concert, and asked them, “What would you hate to see go [from the concert]?” That helped us in our selection, and was a nice way to get feedback. Once we had the program solidified, we rehearsed whenever we could this fall in between Lucia di Lammermoor rehearsals, and have been rehearsing more intensely as the concert gets closer.

6. What makes the concert different from other programming that you do? This concert is different in that we get to explore cross-over repertoire. This concert involves opera singers singing secular music and more popular pieces, but still singing it in a classical fashion. Many opera singers are now releasing Christmas cds, and to help select repertoire, I listened to many of these. It allowed me to explore different vocal and musical styles. Which means that I have to choose singers who can do that, which is also fun! There has to be chemistry between the eight singers to create a product that is uniquely theirs.
7. What are some of your favorite memories from the last concert? With last year’s concert, I remember it being incredibly cold that evening-- 11 degrees, to be exact. And what was so funny about this was that the dressing rooms were in a separate building from the sanctuary. So at the beginning of the concert, and then again at intermission, we had to traipse across from that building a good ways to the sanctuary with some of the female singers freezing in their evening gowns! But I think the main memory I have is that with the first concert, you feel like you have something special, but very different, so you’re not sure of the reaction that you’re going to get. It was a packed concert, and I was so pleased because the [audience] reaction was tremendous. I think that’s the best memory for me. The concert really seemed to work for something that was actually very new and different to the holiday offerings here.

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The Atlanta Opera Holiday Concert will be a wonderful event that you will not want to miss. It is a joyful evening full of talent, fun, and beautiful music. With tickets starting at $30, this concert would make a perfect Christmas gift for that friend that is hard to buy for. If you would like to see a preview of this concert, check out the videos below of tenor Tim Miller singing “Come to the Manger,” and of the ensemble singing a fun arrangement of “Jingle Bells.” For more information on how to buy tickets for the Holiday Concert, visit our website. We hope you’ll join us on December 13th at 7:30pm for this wonderful holiday tradition!

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.© Tim Wilkersonof 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 404.881.88

Friday, September 23, 2011

I Could've Danced All Night!

By Ellen Sturgill

Glamour and excitement were in the air at The 2011 Atlanta Opera Ball. Last Saturday, opera-lovers came together at the St. Regis-Atlanta for a night of good food, great music, wonderful people, and lots of fun! The ballroom was stunning with design provided by Tony Brewer and Company and truly captured this year's theme of "Indulge Your Senses."

Guests at the Ball were able to participate in silent and live auctions, partake in a gourmet dinner, and enjoy performances from The Atlanta Opera Chorus. Also, as mentioned in last week's blog, the Ball honored The Atlanta Opera Chorus and Chorus Master Walter Huff.

Below is a photo of Zurich General Director Dennis Hanthorn (right) honoring Walter Huff for his 23 years of dedication and work with The Atlanta Opera.

Performances by members of The Atlanta Opera Chorus followed and provided guests the opportunity to hear some of opera's greatest repertoire from The Pearl Fishers by Georges Bizet, Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin, and the sextet "Chi mi frena in tal momento" from Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. If you missed these fabulous performances, don't worry! You can still hear The Atlanta Opera perform the sextet when Lucia di Lammermoor opens this November!

Former and current chorus members performing the sextet included (from left to right) Rob Cromwell, Brent Davis, Nathan Munson, Melissa Kelly, Megan Mashburn and Zachary Brown.

Maria Clark (above) delighted the audience with "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess.

Once the program ended, the band "The American Flyers" took to the stage and guests danced the night away! For more photos from this evening, check The Atlanta Opera's Flickr and Kodak pages.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

"The Walter Huff Magic..."

By Ellen Sturgill

Elegant gowns swirl on the dance floor. The smell of a fabulous dinner wafts through the air. A rush of excitement and anticipation hits as The Atlanta Opera’s talented singers perform selections from the quickly approaching season. These are just a few of the sights, sounds, and experiences that one can expect on September 17th at The 2011 Atlanta Opera Ball: “Indulge Your Senses.” Always a stunning event, this year’s celebration is held at The St. Regis Atlanta and will include a special feature in which Chorus Master Walter Huff and The Atlanta Opera Chorus will be honored.

In his 23 years of working with The Atlanta Opera Chorus, Walter Huff has transformed the chorus into a highlight of The Atlanta Opera. Though many people think of the Violetta’s or Don Giovanni’s as the most significant roles in an opera, Walter Huff knows that having a great opera chorus is key to producing a memorable performance. And if anyone knows how to create such a chorus, it’s Walter Huff. He has received numerous awards, worked with celebrated singers like Elly Ameling, and has recently taken The Atlanta Opera Chorus on a European tour of Porgy and Bess that garnered rave reviews, and the longest curtain call Walter has ever received - given to him by a French audience, no less! However, these awards only give you a small glimpse into why Walter is being honored at the Ball. Below, we’ve included two interviews from an Atlanta Opera soloist and a chorus member who will be performing at the Ball, because we feel the best way to get to know Walter is through the people he works with every day. Enjoy getting to know some of our fabulous singers a little better, and learning why Walter Huff deserves high praise.

First up is Nathan Munson, a tenor from Kalamazoo, Michigan. He studied at the University of Kentucky and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Nathan has worked with Walter as a featured soloist.

1. What do you like best about working with Chorus Master Walter Huff? “Walter Huff has impeccable taste as a musician, and an amazing ability to transfer this to his singers' preparation and performances.”

2. What have you learned from Chorus Master Walter Huff that you will utilize in your professional performing career? “There are many things, but one item that stands above the others is his matter-of-fact manner of inter-personal and musical communication. I'll be working hard to be as transparently good and as honest a musician as Mr. Huff.”

3. What is your favorite memory of Chorus Master Walter Huff? “Since I've only been working with him a short while, every new experience creates a new lasting memory. When I first auditioned for Dennis Hanthorn, Mr. Huff accompanied me at the piano. His warmth on our first introduction put me at ease immediately.”

4. What do you enjoy most about singing and performing opera? “I most enjoy the preparation of a role, from the first time I hear it, to the musical preparation, and through the staging and character development.”

Next we have Megan Mashburn, a 28 year-old Lyric Coloratura Soprano who’s lived in Greenville, South Carolina, Boston, and now Atlanta. She received her Undergraduate Degree from Furman University, her Master’s from Boston University, and has enjoyed working with Walter as a member of The Atlanta Opera Chorus.

1. How long have you performed with The Atlanta Opera Chorus? What is your favorite Atlanta Opera Chorus memory? “2008-2009 was my first season with The Atlanta Opera Chorus. Some of my favorite memories occur when we finally get to the Cobb Energy Centre for dress rehearsals. Seeing everyone in costume, and finally seeing the sets really brings new life to the music we've been rehearsing for months. Our singing seems to improve, and we have more energy when we can see the ‘whole picture.’”

2. What do you like best about working with Chorus Master Walter Huff? How is he different from other Chorus Masters? “Chorus Master Huff is very specific and clear about the sound and work ethic he wants from his chorus. He is very careful to honor the style of each composer, but adds his ‘Walter Huff Magic’ to our sound. The Atlanta Opera Chorus is one of the best, if not the best opera chorus in the country because of Walter's dedication. Walter is a great Chorus Master, because he reminds us that the chorus is a very important character in each opera we sing. He constantly reminds us that though we function as a group, we have an individual responsibility of making art for our audience. Walter also has the best set of ears - he can hear everything - every detail and even the tiniest of mistakes! But this is so great, because this attention to detail helps us be the best!”

3. What have you learned from Chorus Master Walter Huff that you will utilize in your professional performing career? “Walter has taught me about excellence in musicianship and a high-quality of professionalism. More importantly, Walter never loses sight of our human need for expression and communication. He constantly challenges us to give more for the sake of the audience.”

4. What is your favorite memory of Chorus Master Walter Huff? “During my first opera with Atlanta Opera Chorus, my husband found out that he had to have open-heart surgery. 6 weeks after being informed of a congenital heart defect, Mark, who was at the time 25, went in for surgery. We were newly married and I didn't know what to expect. Walter was one of the most supportive and kind people I talked to during that time. I will never forget how he gave me a big hug and assured me that my new family at The Atlanta Opera would support me. I ended up missing several rehearsals, but Walter Huff was always asking for an update on Mark's health and my emotional stability!”

5. What do you enjoy most about singing and performing opera? “I love the challenge of operatic music and the unique skills that are required to sing it. I also love getting to live as someone I'm not, for a little while on stage - learning to embody a specific character. It seems like being an ‘opera singer’ is all very glamorous, but singing opera and performing is very hard work! I love all the research, translating, diction-work, and practice that goes into forming the final product. It is all so fulfilling, especially when you finally get the chance to offer a great performance to an audience, after putting so much time and effort into a production.”

From reading these interviews, it’s easy to see why Chorus Master Walter Huff is being honored at this year’s Atlanta Opera Ball. With his technical prowess and ability to draw out an excellent chorus performance, his caring nature and devotion to each member of the chorus, and his “Walter Huff Magic," The Atlanta Opera is proud to have him as a part of our team!