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In This Issue:
• A View From Behind the Camera
• From the Desk Of Interim General Director John T. Cody Jr.
• Dallas Opera Season Has Them Seeing Red
• Featured TDO Staff: Stew Awalt
• Sake On a Sunday, Movie On a Monday
• What's On Your iPod?
• Moby-Dick Book Club
• Cosi & Koozies Panel Series - Dating & Relationships Today
• Saturday, September 12, 2009 - Inside The Dallas Opera on WRR 101.1 FM
• Saturday, September 12, 2009 - Annual Subscription Drive at Bachendorf's
• Sunday, September 13, 2009 - Cosi & Koozies Saki Tasting
• Monday, September 14, 2009 - The Inwood Living Room Series Movie Screening: "A Double Life"
• Tuesday, September 15, 2009 - "Cosi fan Tuesdays" Happy Hour at The Capital Grille
• Saturday, September 19, 2009 - TDO Encore Performance - THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO on WRR 101.1 FM
• Saturday, September 26, 2009 - TDO Encore Performance - DIE FLEDERMAUS on WRR 101.1 FM
• Saturday, October 3, 2009 - TDO Encore Performance - ROBERTO DEVERUEX on WRR 101.1 FM
Tell Us What You Think...
According to our last survey, only slightly more people (4%) have never experienced multiple performances in one weekend than those who have. With the innovative Weekend Packages scheduled in the new House, those people will finally have the opportunity!
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A View From Behind the Lens
By Karen Almond, TDO Production Photographer
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Jake Heggie discusses details with Jonathan Pell, as Gene Scheer looks on. See more. |
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The second week of August I had the unique assignment from the Dallas Opera to document an unpublicized workshop about to take place in San Francisco. Moby-Dick, the new opera scheduled for its world premiere at the Winspear on April 30, 2010, was being hatched in its final form. The workshop brought together all the major players required to produce a new work, starting with Jake Heggie (the composer) and Gene Scheer (the librettist). Patrick Summers, who will conduct the world premiere; Leonard Foglia, the stage director; and Robert Brill the set designer were all in attendance co-creating, in a sense, as Heggie's score was brought to life by a cast including Allan Glassman and six singers from the Young Artists program at the San Francisco Opera.
The drama unfolding in that rehearsal hall was underscored by the tattered cover and dog-eared pages of Gene's personal copy of the novel Moby-Dick, which lay open on his working copy of the score. Condensing an epic novel into a compelling dialogue between a scrappy bunch of sailors is an amazing accomplishment. As Gene finished parts of the libretto, he would send a copy to Jake, who meshed the words with the music he was composing. Sometimes it was a natural fit, and sometimes, not so much.... at which point, Jake would send his ideas back to Gene for the revisions necessary to make the words and the music work together. Many months of back-and-forth collaboration ensued before the new work was ready to be work-shopped.
Continue reading and checkout the photo gallery!
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FROM THE DESK OF
Interim General Director John T. Cody Jr.
“Moving Day” is just around the corner and feverish preparations are well underway. As The Dallas Opera prepares for the most monumental seat-upgrade in our fifty-three-year history (the historic move into the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts), I am increasingly humbled by the dedication and generosity shown by our patrons and benefactors, especially those members of The Dallas Opera Board who have donated their time, treasure and vast range of expertise to keep this project securely on track. I am also deeply impressed with the hard work and professionalism exhibited each day by our small—yet enormously talented—staff. All of us at The Dallas Opera are extremely fortunate to be the beneficiaries of your confidence, your patronage and your goodwill.
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Dallas Opera Season Has Them Seeing Red
By Christina Cavalier
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Rendering provided by Foster+Partners |
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It’s a season of firsts at The Dallas Opera as the company prepares for its inaugural season in the Winspear Opera House, nearing completion in the heart of the Downtown Dallas Arts District. As if moving into a brand new, state-of-the-art opera house isn’t enough to jazz the local performing arts scene, how about a world premiere opera with an internationally renowned artistic team to kick things up a notch?
In its 53rd season, The Dallas Opera will present five spectacular productions. “We’ll Have You Seeing Red” opens on October 23, 2009 with Giuseppe Verdi’s, Otello. Patrons will experience this intense domestic drama, based on Shakespeare, and be among the first to set foot in the fabulous, Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts.
Continue Reading...
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TDO STAFF PROFILE: Stew Awalt - Karyanis Rehearsal Production Center Facility Manager
By Jonathan Morales
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Stew having a little fun in the costume shop! |
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One key to a successful season with the Dallas Opera is the quality and maintenance of the Karyanis Rehearsal Production Center. Here, singers spend several weeks rehearsing stage directions, building dramatic personas, and perfecting tricky vocal passages. The KRPC becomes the performers’ home away from home preceding a short ten days of rehearsal in the actual performance space before opening night. To ensure a productive and safe rehearsal process, Stew Awalt, the building’s Facility Manager, works tirelessly to maintain an environment that allows performers to rehearse at their best. This guarantees that the time spent perfecting the show on the performance stage is efficient and substantial.
Continue Reading...
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Sake On a Sunday, Movie On a Monday
Summer may be coming to an end but The Dallas Opera is still heating up! We kick this month’s “Cosi & Koozies” Summer Events off with a Japanese-themed sake tasting at one of Dallas’ hippest Pan-Asian dining experiences in Dallas - Kenichi. On Sunday, September 13th, we’ll learn how to serve, drink and enjoy this exotic rice wine in honor of The Dallas Opera's upcoming production of Madame Butterfly while enjoying a mix of hot appetizers and sushi. This experience, that is sure to liven up your Sunday, is only $20 per person.
“Cosi & Koozies” will continue with our highly regarded Inwood Living Room Series Movie Screening and “Cosi Fan Tuesdays” Happy Hour. Shake off your case of the Mondays by relaxing in the comfort of The Inwood Theatre’s Living Room (complete with sofas and love seats) and watch the 1947 Academy Award winning film noir classic, “A Double Life” starring Ronald Coleman, Signe Hasso and Shelley Winters. Written by the legendary team of Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, this film explores an actor's descent into suspicion and madness while playing the role of Othello onstage.
If you’re just looking to mingle with like-minded individuals, then join TDO’s young professional’s of Amici di Opera for a glass of wine at our “Cosi Fan Tuesdays” Happy Hour at The Capital Grille. Five dollar glasses of wine, free appetizers and a chance to win a free pre-performance dinner at The Capital Grille makes for a very happy Tuesday!
As we’ve done all summer long, everyone who attends a “Cosi & Koozies” event will be entered to win a pair of Box seats for a performance in the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts. RSVP today by sending an e-mail to amici@dallasopera.org or purchase your entrance fee for the Sake tasting online!
TDO's MOBY-DICK BOOK CLUB
It’s a whale of a head-start on getting the most out of the new Jake Heggie-Gene Scheer opera. Join The Dallas Opera on Monday, October 19th as we launch our new “Moby-Dick Book Club!” Our Book Club will span author Herman Melville’s world and his great American novel, in the space of six months, giving everyone plenty of time to read this classic! Melville’s epic adventure will be introduced, in a reader friendly format, by “MDBC” host Dr. Matt Bondurant of The University of Texas at Dallas (www.mattbondurant.com)! In our first session, Dr. Bondurant will chart a course into this fascinating world with an introduction to Moby-Dick, Herman Melville and The History of Whaling, along with his suggestions about the edition you should buy. Bring your curiosity – nothing else is required!
Jennifer Schuder, Director of Marketing
I have a very eclectic collection of music. I have everything from my favorite 80’s bands to the archival recording of the Dallas Opera’s recent production of NABUCCO. But, in looking at my recent playlists, I realized that my vacations in August had greatly impacted what I have been listening to on my iPod recently.
I recently listened to an audio book of Moby-Dick while I drove to Santa Fe. I admit, it was the abridged version and it was narrated by William Hootkins but it was a great way to revisit the story.
The following week, I spent some time in Napa Valley. So I went back and listened to all my old podcast episodes of Napa Valley Wine Radio. The podcasts are produced by Goose Cross Cellars. I love them because they cover a variety of topics from cork producers to blending. Nancy Hawks Miller, Goose Cross’s Education Director, is the “on-air” personality and after listening to her faithfully for the last two years, I was so excited to meet her in person during our last visit. Listen to the podcast and be sure to visit the winery if you are in Napa.
In terms of music, I have been listening to a lot of Bonnie Raitt, Charlie Sexton, Chris Isaak and Jack Johnson lately. Also, I highly recommend several of the compilation playlists created by Shape Magazine if you need music for working out. The music is all techno remixes of different songs that are perfect for listening to while running.
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That our inaugural opera performance in the Winspear Opera House on October 23rd coincides with the birthday of the late William W. “Bill” Winspear.”
