Tom Goes to the Opera: letting go

Stephen Key, 2016

In week two, Tom dives deeper into his role as the Pasha, and experiences rehearsals a little differently than what he’s used to. Illustrations provided by his son, Stephen Key.

OK, one week in to rehearsal for The Abduction from the
Seraglio, and the attitude of “Just-do-it!”, “Go-for-it”, “Grow-or-go!” is
absolutely necessary. It’s like preparation for a sporting
event. We have now been guided through
Mozart’s entire opera by our Director, Chris Alexander, and we cover seduction,
betrayal, capture, escape, exile, love offered, love refused, love embraced –
with life or death consequences – to mention a few plot points – and it’s a
comedy!

Without trying to give any spoilers, I will just say that we did
have to spend about ten minutes figuring out a bedroom scene gone really badly
so that there’s a dagger on the ready from a part of my costume that is
something I’ve never worn before onstage. This all has to be exact to the
underscore of the orchestra, clear to the audience what’s happening, positioned
in such a way that the singers can breathe and project, and, most importantly,
very passionate. Of all the things opera

Stephen Key, 2016

singers may
have to suffer, boredom is not one of them.  

“If acting in this musically charged world is a sport, it’s probably more like diving – the art of letting go in a beautiful way to forces much greater than self.”


The music empowers the
actor with a quick and immediate understanding of character, plot, objective
and action. When I make my first entrance in this
opera, about 30 people are singing for cool breezes to blow my way and I’m
being followed by a boy waving a palm frond to make sure that I’m cool
(evidently things go badly for the people if the Pasha gets overheated), and
when I raise my hand, they rush out backward to leave me alone with the
beautiful Konstanze. It doesn’t take much discussion around
the rehearsal table to understand who’s got the power in this palace. If acting in this musically charged
world is a sport, it’s probably more like diving – the art of letting go in a
beautiful way to forces much greater than self. -Tom Key
Stephen Key, 2016 

Tom Goes to the Opera: The week of “wow”

As an actor, Theatrical Outfit Artistic Director Tom Key has appeared in over 100

productions from off-Broadway to Los Angeles. He also co-authored the hit off-Broadway musical, Cotton Patch Gospel, with the late Harry Chapin. Suffice to say, it seems like he’s done and seen it all…except opera!


Every week, Tom will share his inner monologue as he experiences the process of rehearsing and performing in an opera for the first time, as Pasha Selim in The Abduction from the Seraglio. 
Week #1

Wow.  My first day of
rehearsal, for my first role in an opera, and the word of the day is
“wow.” 

“I have a blinding flash of the obvious: I’m going from the audience into the very same room with these artists who make the ‘wow’ art form.”

The first opera I ever saw was in
NYC when I was 14-years-old and it was Aida in the old Metropolitan Opera House. When I realized that those were real elephants on the stage and when I
heard the first voices fill, not only the auditorium, but my very soul, that
was a “wow” day too.  Now, today, in a
brightly lit Atlanta Opera rehearsal hall at 11 a.m.
Key at a fitting for his Pasha costume

when we are assembling for
the first time in a “meet and greet” with the staff and one another, I have a
blinding flash of the obvious: I’m going
from the audience into the very same room with these artists who make the “wow”
art form. There won’t be a football field’s distance and
an orchestra between us. We’ll all be
wearing contemporary clothes.  

Then, it
begins and I’m actually face to face meeting opera singers, our opera director,
Chris Alexander, shaking their hands, and talking with them. There’s my friend
and colleague, Tomer Zvulun, who wildly invited me to this party, and there’s
an absolutely fascinating presentation by Chris of his vision for this Mozart
comedy, and I have to keep checking to make sure that my jaw is not dropped and
that my eyes aren’t open four centimeters wider like they probably were at Aida. My running inner dialogue is something like, “this is so great— I
can’t believe I’m here—when they start to sing right next to me will I explode?” Three things anchor me into behaving like a
reasonably cohesive professional: Tomer’s welcoming joy for all of us, Chris’s absolute
mastery for storytelling, and the fact that the refreshments for this first day
morning reception included chocolate cake. Opera people have great priorities. Wow.

Read Tom’s bio

Pick Up Your Q: Soprano Sarah Coburn

Before heading to Atlanta to perform in The Abduction from the Seraglio, soprano Sarah Coburn took some time out
of her busy singing schedule to chat with us about her life as a singer
and learning the difficult role of Konstanze.
THE ATLANTA OPERA: Did you grow up in a
musical family?
SARAH COBURN: Yes, my mother’s side of the family
is very musical. My grandmother was a jazz singer and my aunt is a fabulous
pianist. My sisters have amazing voices. Every holiday we sang and played. It
was mostly barbershop quartets or country music, like the Judds or Vince Gill.
Not a bit of opera, though!
AO: Who or what influenced you to become a singer?
SB: I didn’t plan on becoming a singer, although I always planned on
majoring in music in college. I studied music education and was encouraged by
my voice teachers to think about pursuing performance instead of teaching.
AO: You’ve mentioned in past interviews that Konstanze is one of your
favorite roles to sing. What is it about this part that interests you? 
SB: I have? I have never sung this role, so that comes as a shock to
me! This is my role debut and it is quite daunting. Konstanze is a role that
commands great respect and even fear! Ha! Seriously, it is a great challenge,
and one I am thrilled to accept. The role requires a great deal of stamina and
virtuosity. I have sung Blondchen in the past, and I always hoped I would have
the opportunity to sing Konstanze.
AO: Indeed! This is considered by some to be Mozart’s most vocally
challenging music for soprano. Where do the challenges lie in this role, and
how do you deal with them? 
SB: The challenges lie in the lengthy arias, and the fact the two of
them are back to back. The arias are exercises in breath control, dynamic
control, and support in a difficult tessitura. I love them, though.
AO: What’s your regimen for staying healthy when you’re on the road?
SB: Sleep, water, exercise, and I must warm up properly every day
before singing. I am not too stressed about everything being in perfect
condition in order to sing well; I can’t be — I have three little kids! 
AO: Is this your first time in Atlanta? Do you have any plans to
explore the city while you’re here?
SB: I have never spent time in Atlanta. Right now, my goal is to sing
the role well and take care of my kids. Exploring the city will come after
opening night!  
Learn more about Sarah

Pick Up Your Q: High School Opera Institute Student (And all-around awesome kid) Khamary Grant

Khamary Grant is probably more put together than most adults. The young actor and singer is working hard at the Atlanta Opera’s High School Opera Institute, a one week intensive for rising 10th-12th graders at Emory University. Find out how he became interested in opera, and what he’s got planned for an exciting summer.




What grade are you in and where do you got to school?

I’m a rising senior, and I go to Veritas Classical School. It’s part home schooling, part public school so that we can interact with other kids. 

How did you get interested in voice?

I came out of the womb singing, let’s just say that. I’ve always been singing. When I was 14 years old, I was exposed to musical theater at Atlanta Workshop Players. Since then, I’ve just been going on this journey, discovering new things, now classical music. I’ve been performing musical theater for about three years now. I didn’t have a lot of training, but I did just sing and have fun doing different shows like In the Heights and Hairspray. I was Seaweed, which is easily my favorite role to this day. But that’s how I got into voice, just being exposed to the musical theater world.

What activities are you involved in at school?

They don’t really have a lot of performing arts activities at school, so I spend a lot of time at Atlanta Workshop Players, where I’m part of their professional company, and the travel show they’re about to do. I’ll also be singing in a few upcoming events with them.

What are you most looking forward to learning at High School Opera Institute?

I want to learn about the different things I can do with my voice, like control and vowels. I just started my classical training, and one of our instructors told me that there’s so much more to my voice that I just don’t know yet. She told me I have a lot of potential. By adding classical music, there are so many possibilities for me now. That makes me super excited!

What are you favorite pieces to sing?

“The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha. It was one of the first pieces I ever learned, and I fell in love with is the first time I heard it. I also like Per la gloria d’adorarvi -that’s the song I’m learning right now.


Any other plans for the summer?

For the rest of the summer I’ll be auditioning a lot. I do a lot of television and film acting. I have an agency here called People Store, and then one in New York called Clear Talent Group. I’ll be a camp counselor for two weeks at an overnight camp at Oglethorpe with Atlanta Workshop Players. After that, I’ll be traveling to Madrid with my family. 

What’s your plan for the future?

I definitely want two Oscars. My acting coach gave me a goal I’m trying to achieve: by the time I’m 21 years old, I no longer want to be auditioning. I want to be having meetings with people. I want to walk into a room, and have everyone know my name, but for the right reason, like my work ethic. I also want to be able to have enough power and influence to use my music and talents to create change in the world. 

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#Notachamberopera (Or Painting A Story On The Largest Canvas Possible)


By Tomer Zvulun 

One of the most fascinating aspects of opera is the variations of musical styles within the art form itself. From Baroque to modern music, the art form runs the gamut of flavors, each of them uniquely defined by a different language, period, composers style, orchestra size, color, etc. As an Artistic Director, choosing the operas for a season is a little bit like selecting the perfect ice cream combination. 

How do you choose the perfect mix? Do you go for the classic, always potent chocolate-vanilla or is it time to try an adventurous churro and brambleberry crisp? (Yes, that’s a flavor at Jeni’s Ice Cream and it is life-changing.)

We are closing a uniquely diverse season at The Atlanta Opera: from the modern and powerful chamber opera, Soldier Songs, to a fresh cinematic version of La bohème, a colorful audience-pleaser in The Pirates of Penzance, to a visually striking Winterreise (Winter Journey). We offered our audiences many flavors and tastes this year.

We chose to close the season with the grandest version of the epic love story: Romeo and Juliet.

The first question is why?

Why did theaters all over the world, in every conceivable language, adapt this play? Why were the greatest artists of every period so drawn to retelling this familiar story? Why are we presenting it this weekend at the magnificent Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center?

All around the world, the name “Romeo and Juliet” is synonymous with the idea of being young and in love. It captures the essence of romance, of discovering the powers of love, sex, danger, and the mysterious alchemy of an attraction to another person. It is desperately romantic. It deals with love and loss, power and social status; the stuff that makes us all dream.

The second question is also why. Why this version when so many other versions exist?

The answer is SCALE. Gounod’s version is unique in that it takes a story which is often remembered for its intimate chamber scenes (The famous balcony scene, the tomb scene) and expands it to an unapologetically grand opera in the most extravagant way.

The extreme feelings that the characters experience – the ecstasy of falling in love and lust, the intensity of violence and loss, revenge, and grief – are the perfect materials for operatic tales.

Gounod takes those ingredients and propels them forward in a romantic, melodic way. He enhances the SCALE of the story and emotions by writing sweeping music for large choruses and orchestra.

Our version at The Atlanta Opera strategically takes the idea of larger than life themes and finds the visual equivalent in the backdrop of the Shakespearean Globe Theatre. Through the use of multiple towers, staircases and levels, this grand canvas helps give this powerful story new life.

Producing an opera is a complicated, exciting adventure that involves hundreds of singers, musicians, and technicians. I personally find it addictive because it allows us to paint on the largest canvas available in the performing arts. Producing GRAND opera, like Romeo and Juliet, is even more intricate and exciting.

This grand opera version of the story not only brings together a thrilling cast of singers, designers, musicians and artists from all over the world, but it is also the perfect way to close our delicious, diverse season at The Atlanta Opera. Hope you will join us!

Have a great summer and see you at Jeni’s Ice Cream!

– Tomer Zvulun

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Pick up Your Q: Costume Designer/Coordinator Joanna Schmink

Atlanta Opera Costume Coordinator Joanna Schmink spends most of her time in the costume shop sourcing, curating, altering, and piecing together costumes from other designers and productions. 
For Romeo and Juliet, she designed and created everything from scratch for this spectacular grand opera with an equally grand cast. We talked to her about the joys and challenges of the job.

The Atlanta Opera: Who
or what influenced you to get into costume design?
Joanna Schmink: Growing up, my parents involved all
of my siblings in the arts (orchestra, choir, dance, theatre) not as a
potential career choice but to enlighten us on the importance of art in all
forms in our daily lives. I think it was a friend in college that convinced me
to take an internship in the university costume shop. I changed majors a
semester later from engineering to costume design and have her to thank or
blame.
AO: Who is your favorite artist or designer, living or dead?
JS: Léon Samoilovitch Bakst (1866-1924). He was a Russian painter,
set, and costume designer known for his rich, exotic use of color, pattern, and
texture. His work for Diaghilev Ballet Russes is some of his best work – a
visual kaleidoscope of color brought to life on stage. Bakst’s brilliant
control of color and line spilled over into fashion and interior design giving
a new richness and looser flow to the drab look of the time. 
AO: Are there any misconceptions about costume designers that you’d
like to clear up?
JS: I don’t think people quite understand what costume designers do on
the job. For starters, it’s not as glamorous as people would like to think.
It’s a lot of long hours and hard work. You have to love research, working with
fabric, collaborating with other creative people such as designers, directors,
producers, and performers. The payoff is definitely not notoriety, but rather
the satisfaction of creating part of a wonderful theatrical experience. 
AO: What does a typical day look like for you?
JS: There are no typical days, thank goodness. There are some
non-negotiables that I always keep on the early morning daily roster like
running, biking, or swimming. I like to start every day off on an active foot
to help keep me in a great frame of mind and provide an additional bump of
energy. There is nothing like a sun rise to inspire creativity. A work day is
usually a 7:30 a.m. or 8:00 a.m. start with a 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. finish.
All kinds of things could occupy a work day from organizational office work and
fabric shopping to costume fittings and production meetings. There is a mix of
practical and creative aspects to every day.
AO: What kind of preparation went into the period costumes for Romeo
and Juliet?
JS: A large part of the development and preparation for this
production is in research and creative problem solving. The body of the show is
being set in the 1830’s, historically noted as part of “The Romantic Era”
(1820’s-1840’s), or early Victorian. It is complemented by aspects and costume
elements of the Elizabethan Era (1550’s-1600’s) which works well in the
presentation of a Shakespearean story line. The challenge is to make the
periods connect seamlessly so the costumes enhance the storytelling.
AO: Were there specific challenges to creating these costumes for such
a large cast?
JS: This production is incorporating brand new built costumes,
pre-existing costume stock, and rented costumes. It’s challenging to have all
of these elements in place and create a cohesive design that will present a
beautiful visual for the audience. The work involved to move the design forward
takes additional creative thought and design flexibility so the best choices
are made.
AO: Are there any productions (opera or other) for which you have
always wanted to design the costumes?

JS: I would love to design a Die Fledermaus or a Tristan und
Isolde. Both have great opera design elements that would challenge me as a
designer. I would love to do research on both shows and have a great adventure
seeing them come to life. They both have grand opera story appeal with love,
drama, and suspense well crafted into their plots.

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 at 404.881.8801.

Behind the Scenes: Curt Olds as Major-General Stanley

Bass Curt Olds is a world-renown singer and performer. He’s covered many roles in Gilbert & Sullivan’s greatest works, most recently in our mounting of The Pirates of Penzance. We went backstage with Curt to watch his transformation into the Major-General and to learn more about his process, pre-performance rituals and tips for getting into character.

I always hate the process of putting on heavy wigs and makeup for a production, but I love the look afterwards. The adhesive, spirit gum or mastix, is sticky like syrup and burns a bit upon application. I performed for a couple of years in the Broadway musical CATS, which was probably the heaviest make-up/wig show I’ve ever done. One trick I use as Major-General is to split the mustache into two pieces so it will allow my mouth to move without trouble. 


The Major-General is unique because your biggest song is both your first moment on stage and extremely well known. When arias like this come right out of the gate for a character (like Figaro in The Barber of Seville) the performer has one shot to get things right. Patter songs (I do many of them in the repertoire I perform) are always demanding, but the Major-General’s song is extra hard due to it’s fame and it’s location in the show. 
No matter what role I am performing, I like to take a little time in my dressing room before I get into costume and makeup and go through the whole show at a quick pace. I usually keep all my notes together that I have been given by directors, conductors, and coaches, and I go through that list, as well. With the Major General, I usually have time to run the lyrics to the song one more time before my entrance, which I always think is a smart idea. No matter how many times I do a role, I still review using this method to make sure I am not taking anything for granted. Every time I review, there is something that I catch that might have been missed in performance.
I’m a big coffee drinker, so I usually will grab a cup of coffee as I head to the theatre. I also like to stay social, so when time allows, I like to prop my dressing room door open so I can keep in the vibe of the show, visit with colleagues and wish them well. I started out as many performers do, working in cramped-quarter theatres and I like to keep in the group frame of mind with Gilbert & Sullivan, which requires a connection from the largest role to every ensemble member for success.
This is my 15th production of Pirates (8 Pirate Kings and 7 Major Generals). Next up I will do my 24th production of Ko-Ko in Mikado, which is my favorite role of all. I love this rep so much and I am happy to see opera and theatre companies include it in standard rep. Despite it being viewed as a guilty pleasure by so many opera patrons, it usually sells out and many times companies add performances because of demand. That speaks volumes. 
It’s been such a pleasure to perform with Atlanta Opera and I have had a great time in this city. This cast includes some of my very close friends and I think Tomer Zvulun has assembled a brilliant group of singing actors perfectly suited for this type of show. I look forward to see what exciting things are coming for Atlanta Opera audiences and I hope I have the opportunity to return again soon.

All photos by Vicky Legaspi. 

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 at 404.881.8801.

Production Notes: The Pirates of Penzance (by Nicholas Beard)

All photos by Jeff Roffman

We’re
forever fascinated by pirates. It’s a child’s fantasy to battle pirates – think
Peter Pan vs. Captain Hook – but it’s also an adult metaphor elastic enough for
a range of social commentary. By our romanticized view, pirates live off their
wits, live a hedonist life. They have escaped the conventions of a society
which, as every free-spirit knows, stifles creativity. As escapist fiction, literature
(Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe” from 1719) and opera (Bellini’s “Il Pirata,” 1827) are
no less enthralling than swashbuckling films starring Douglas Fairbanks and
Errol Flynn and, today, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.

So
it was in the 1870s, when composer Arthur Sullivan and librettist William Schwenck
Gilbert started collaborating on English-language comic operas, a cousin to
sweetly sophisticated Parisian and Viennese operettas. The British duo had a commercial
hit with the nautical-themed “HMS Pinafore” in 1878. But within months
“Pinafore” was spreading across America through – ahem – pirated productions,
earning the creators no income.
For
their next collaboration, “The Pirates of Penzance” in 1879, they followed
their familiar patterns by lampooning the police and the military, poking fun
at empty patriotism and, above all, satirizing the stupidity of a literal
devotion to duty. Our hero Frederic is “the slave of duty,” personifying the
operetta’s subtitle. In Victorian England, with an Empire stretching around the
globe, protected by the most powerful naval fleet that ever existed, “Pirates
of Penzance” was social satire with a sharp edge. That Gilbert’s lyrics and
Sullivan’s music does all this with such a light touch – tuneful, infinitely
clever, unexpectedly warm – is the stuff of genius.
Early
in their collaborations, Gilbert and Sullivan established a formal structure to
their works: two acts, the first act concluding with a complicated finale in
several sections and the second act reprising tunes heard earlier. Like other
operettas, spoken dialogue (instead of operatic recitative) moves the action
forward, although their best works, including “The Mikado,” have found a home
in opera houses across the English-speaking world. Gilbert’s political
iconoclasm matched perfectly with Sullivan’s gift for melody and his skills in
orchestration, where he could parody music by a Handel, Donizetti or Verdi and
twist it to his own comic needs. As with the best satire, the more you know the
funnier it gets. 
Key
points of “The Pirates of Penzance” plot are so daffy that audiences can’t help
but groan and giggle. And there’s no irony: all the characters are “naïve” to
their world, with no winks from the stage at their increasingly ridiculous
situations. For starters, the work’s title is funny: British audiences would
have known Penzance as a mild and slightly boring beach town on the English
Channel, the last place you’d expect to find blood-thirsty bandits of the high
seas. The characters are introduced by a series of wacky missteps. The nursery maid
Ruth had misheard “pirate” (instead of “pilot”) and had mistakenly apprenticed the
boy Frederic to the Pirate King – as if one trained into piracy as into any
other respectable trade. Gilbert’s lyrics emphasize the not-so-subtle difference
in pronunciation with over-the-top rhymes: “my lot/pilot” and “gyrate/pirate.”
Now
21, bidding farewell to his masters, Frederic had accepted his duty (despite
Ruth’s mistake) and reveals his literal mindset: “It was through an error – no
matter, the mistake was ours, not yours, and I was in honor bound to it.” When
we meet the pirate band, we soon learn they are uncommonly polite and
empathetic, and word has spread that they will release all victims who claim to
be orphans.
As
in grand opera, the work thrives on its songs, and this is what makes “Pirates”
among the greatest of any operetta in the language. Mabel’s coloratura showpiece,
“Poor wand’ring one,” is set as a graceful, French-style waltz. In the ensemble
number “How beautifully blue the sky,” Sullivan sets the love duet between
Frederic and Mabel as a fresh, lilting waltz, dovetailing it into the chitter-chatter
of the women’s chorus in 2/4 time. It’s as silly, tender and brilliant as
anything in the G&S canon.
Perhaps
the most famous number of the score is the Major-General’s charming, clueless patter-song
“I am the very model of a modern Major-General.” At top speed, he spits out ghastly
rhymes with the high-falutin’ language of educated men –
“mathematical/quadratical” and “a lot ‘o news/hypotenuse” – all delivered in a
mock-pompous style. (As a comedy technique, it was adopted by generations of British
satirists, including Monty Python in our own time.) The Major-General’s song in
the second act, “Sighing softly to the river,” features a rippling watery
accompaniment that wouldn’t be out of place in Schubert lieder. But the context
is hilarious, with the men’s choruses mocking him unseen in the background,
parodying a similar scene from Verdi’s “Il Trovatore.” As with almost every
detail in “The Pirates of Penzance,” it’s easy to forget about the richness of
invention because the lyrics-music fusion seems so effortless.

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 at 404.881.8801.

Pick Up Your Q: Bass Kevin Burdette

      Bass
Kevin Burdette is currently appearing as Stobrod/Blindman in Cold
Mountain at Opera Philadelphia, but he’ll be with us soon to start
rehearsing his role as The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance,
opening March 5th. We sat down with the “Robin Williams of opera” to pick his brain about preparing for
the role, Gilbert and Sullivan’s influence, and his thoughts on Queen
Victoria. 
                                                     Did you grow up going to the opera?
 
   I grew
up around classical music and went to a lot of orchestra concerts and musical
theater (in fact, I played viola in the Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestra
starting in 7th grade and performed in school and church musical theater
earlier than that), but I didn’t go to the opera until I was in high school – a
performance of Don Giovanni, and I’m embarrassed to say that I fell
asleep in the second act! One of the singers in that show was the wonderful
Phil Cokorinos, with whom I have since sung, in The Nose at
the Metropolitan Opera (I never told about my dozing off…). 
 
   Do you remember the moment that captured your
interest in music and singing? Was there a particular artist that influenced
you?
I am not certain there
was a specific moment that captured my interest – it was more like the
confluence of a lot a separate moments: sitting backstage, while in the chorus
of The Marriage of Figaro, listening to the Countess singing “Dove
sono,” and being struck by opera’s unique ability and power to move a listener
in moments of a character’s vertical development and looking within; sitting in
rehearsal of La traviata and getting overwhelmed
by the beauty and sorrow of the final act (especially from “Addio del passato”
to the end). Everyone in the room that afternoon, from the director, conductor,
diction coach, on down, was bawling at the final chord, moved by a transcendent
moment only opera can provide. 
As for artists who
influenced me, I was extremely fortunate to have cut my teeth in opera at the
New York City Opera – I started there while still in grad school and performed
over 100 times with the company over the subsequent decade or so. The roster of
New York City Opera when I was there was full of the great American singing
actors of that time. I performed with, and learned from, singers like Bob Orth,
Joyce Castle, Lauren Flanigan, Mark Delevan, David Daniels, Bill Burden,
Elizabeth Futral, the list goes on and on. 
Also, I would be remiss
not to mention one other singer who shaped my career profoundly: Paolo
Montarsolo. When I was a young artist in Paris, I had the honor of working with
Paolo on a production of The Elixir of Love. Dulcamara was one of
Paolo’s great roles, and we worked extensively for weeks on my interpretation
of that role. That work was invaluable and laid the foundation for the work I
do now as a singing actor.
     How have you
prepared for the Pirate King, both as a vocalist and an actor?
I have had the good
fortune of being in The Pirates of Penzance multiple
times now, so I am very familiar with the piece, having been around so many
rehearsals and performances of it. My preparation, therefore, has been
relatively straight forward: diving first into the words to make sure I am
comfortable with them and where they are going, and then adding in the music.
The lyrics are extremely clever, and the musical setting varies among funny,
beautiful, moving, and rousing moments. The best thing to do, for me, is simply
to honor the source material by learning it, repeating it, trying to find every
bit of wisdom Gilbert and Sullivan added, and then doing it again.
It helps, of course, to
know that Seán Curran will be waiting when we arrive in Atlanta. Seán is one of
the funniest and cleverest people in opera, and it is extremely comforting to know
that we, and the operetta, are in his incredibly capable hands. Basically, I am
just looking forward to having fun!


You’ve
performed so many kinds of opera. How does Gilbert & Sullivan differ from
the traditional works and contemporary pieces you’ve sung?
In some sense, Gilbert
& Sullivan does not differ much from the traditional works and contemporary
opera I have performed. Opera, to me, is all about telling the story – and
G&S write as good of a story as anyone. There are twists and turns, to be
sure, but part of telling the story is not anticipating those turns and simply
being in the moment when they occur.
Of course, Pirates is
a comedy, so in that sense, it is different from Everest or Cold
Mountain or La bohème. It’s not too far removed, though,
from a Daughter of the Regiment or an Elixir of Love,
as far as I am concerned. Donizetti was a genius at writing music that allows
for the humor of a text or of a situation to come to the fore, and Sullivan was
much the same. Dulcamara’s opening patter aria in Elixir has a
lot in common, I think, with the Major General’s opening aria in Pirates.
And just like with Marie and Tonio in Daughter of the Regiment, the
audience connects with Frederic and Mabel and is genuinely delighted when they
find a way to be together. 
 
   What is your favorite moment in The Pirates of
Penzance?
Oh, it’s so difficult to
name one. Thinking of that silliness I referenced, the “ ‘often, frequently’
only once” exchange is epic – so funny. And the Major General’s opening aria is
one of the funniest pieces of music ever written.
Perhaps best of all,
though, are the moments of pure beauty that emerge from the topsy-turvy world.
I cannot imagine a more beautiful moment than the
duet between Frederic and Mabel in the middle of “Stay, Frederic, stay”: “”Ah,
leave me not to pine alone and desolate…he loves thee, he is here,” followed by
Frederic’s “Ah, must I leave thee here in endless night to dream…he loves thee,
he is gone.” It is a heartfelt text, gorgeously set: in 3/4, with a hemiola
midphrase and a stunning top G on “loves” – as beautiful as anything in the
repertoire.


And
finally: Queen Victoria, overrated or underrated?
     The Pirate King MUST answer
that the Queen is underrated – for all our faults, I love the Queen! 

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 at 404.881.8801.

     
     

Pick Up Your Q: GLMMR

The last time we spoke with David Adam Moore (Light and Sound: David Adam Moore has Something to Say) and Vita Tzykun (Pick Up your Q: Costume Designer Vita Tzykun), the minds behind GLMMR were working tirelessly on previous productions with us. We’re lucky to have them back again for Soldier Songs, where they’ve designed stunning and carefully crafted projections and imagery for this gripping, contemporary opera. 


The Atlanta Opera: You’re back in Atlanta! Any new finds since you were last here in September?

Vita and David: We’ve been working on the show 12-16 hours a day most days, so we haven’t had much time to explore Atlanta, but when we got the chance, we’d sneak off to K1 Speed and race electric karts! Other favorites are Octane Coffee, Moe’s Original Bar B Que, Bone Garden Cantina, and a memorable dinner at the Piedmont Driving Club.

David – You sang the world premiere of Soldier Songs and some of your vocals are used in this production. What’s it like to hear yourself in this production? And to work with your own voice?

Photo Ben Raftermen


David: In “Steel Rain,” my speaking voice is used in the live performance track, along with the voice of David T. Little and a combat veteran who is being interviewed. The piece is about the shock and disorientation a soldier experiences when under fire from incoming ordnance, so the three voices are layered in and out of one another while speaking the same text. It’s a wonderful example of how pre-recorded electronics can serve as an integral component in a live drama. Soldier Songs is such a powerful piece, and I feel honored to participate in it in whatever way I can.

GLMMR designed Winter Journey with the Opera in September. How has your design and production approach differed or remained the same with Soldier Songs?

Vita: The main difference in our process for the two productions is that David and I directed and designed Winterreise, then David performed it, whereas in Soldier Songs, we collaborated with Tomer Zvulun (director) and Matthew Worth (baritone) to create the piece. From a design stand point, we always start with the core – the story – and develop the production from there using whichever resources are available to us for that project. During Winterreise, David stepped away from the technical side of things during the final week in order to concentrate on rehearsing and performing, while Maxwell Bowman, our lighting designer and video tech, took over both lighting and video.

You are working many elements into Soldier Songs that are atypical to opera productions, like projections and pre-recorded audio. Can you tell us more about that?

Photo: Ben Raftermen


Opera has historically been one of the richest, most versatile, and most technologically advanced performance mediums in Western culture, so it’s important that we continue the tradition of enhancing this venerable art form with the newest technology available. As with many of GLMMR’s other shows, we’re using a video projection technique called “3D projection mapping,” in which the video projector’s output is conformed precisely to the scenery, as opposed to being restricted to a flat screen. For Soldier Songs, though, we decided to incorporate a new, more complex 3D projection mapping technique that we’re not even sure has been used in opera before. In this method, the set is modeled in 3D architectural software, then a “skin” of video is placed over that model in 3D video software – this allows us to introduce elements such as virtual lighting/shadow effects and geometrically precise mapping effects before the video files even reach the projector. We also used a new technique of scenic projection surfacing that allowed us to coat the set with a dark grey paint mixture that is almost as reflective as a white surface, but with superior contrast. This required a lot of research and experimentation on our part, but we found a formula that works, and we look forward to keeping it in our bag of tricks for future productions.

Photo: Ben Raftermen

The pre-recorded audio is a component of the published score for Soldier Songs, and is used in all of its productions. Aside from David’s narration, we didn’t have a hand in creating the soundscapes – they were created by David T. Little, but we created video sequences to go along with them and developed a way for the audio clips to be synchronized with the video clips during live performance.

One part of the performance includes actual footage shot from an Abrams tank. How do you curate this (mountain of) content to add to the story being shared on stage?

We work a lot in the filmmaking and photography worlds, so we prefer to shoot as much of our content as we can. However, this wasn’t an option with military and wartime footage, so we spent months sourcing imagery, carefully going through it, curating and editing it, then distilling what will be shown on stage to only the most essential elements that will drive the story forward. It’s not easy, as we go to great lengths to avoid using copyrighted material or altering and presenting it to abide by Fair Use guidelines. The pre-show photo sequence in Soldier Songs is comprised of photos submitted by Atlanta area Vietnam veterans. This was Tomer’s idea, and we were honored and thrilled that the veterans were willing to participate in that way.

David T. Little (composer) was inspired by the compositions of Danny Elfman. Who or What inspires your work?

In this case, our biggest inspiration came from the combat veterans of all nations who have risked, offered, or gave their lives in service to their country. www.woundedwarriorproject.org


Are you able to improvise in these types of productions?

Not in opera, for the most part – there are too many elements that must be in lock-step with one another so that the drama can move forward. The use of video is more flexible than conventional scenery, as it can be manipulated to a great degree during technical rehearsals. However, complex video sequences take a lot of time to plan, produce, and render, so while the flexibility is there, it isn’t infinite. While the creative process includes some improvisation, everything you see in the performance has been created, organized, programmed, timed, and logged well in advance of opening night. For some of GLMMR’s other projects, such as live concert visuals, dance, or performance art installations, we’ve used video and audio as a performative element – manipulating and triggering content live.


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 at 404.881.8801.

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