BOP News

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2009-02-19T20:53:00.001-05:00

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Ticket Reservations

2009-02-19T19:26:00.004-05:00

Reserve your tickets now for L'elisir d'amore! The reservations page can be found here. If you have any questions, feel free to email brownoperaproductions @ gmail . com or call (203) 623-4608. Tickets are free and open to the public.

A Busy Winter

2009-01-25T22:36:00.007-05:00

The Winter Arias Concert is fast approaching! Check the upcoming events page for more information. If you would like to sing in the concert, email matthews.andrea at gmail dot com. We'd love to hear from you!

BOP is still looking for orchestra members for L'elisir d'amore. We need violins, percussion, bassoon, and trumpet. Send an email to brownoperaproductions at gmail dot com if you're interested. Orchestra rehearsals start soon.

We are also considering hosting a week-long opera writing competition later in the semester. We would love to see interest from composers, librettists, and performers. The competition would probably take place shortly after spring break and is intended to be a fun, short (but intense) way to get involved with BOP. Email jake_greenberg at brown dot edu if this sounds like something you'd be interested in!

AUDITIONS!

2008-12-04T01:10:00.004-05:00

AUDITION: L'elisir d'amore (The Elixir of Love)

Brown Opera Productions is proud to announce audition for its spring opera, Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, an entertaining love story full of hilarious misunderstandings. Please prepare an aria or art song of your choice for auditions. Accompanists will be provided, so please bring sheet music. The auditions will be:

Monday, December 8 - 9 PM to 11 PM

Tuesday, December 8 - 8 PM to 11 PM

in Morrison-Gerard Big Studio (behind Orwig). Callbacks will take place later in the week.

Email brownoperaproductions at gmail for more information.

We're also looking for a stage manager and designers. That includes costumes, set, and lighting, but feel free to let us know if you'd like to get involved in any way!

Also coming up: The Frog Prince, a Children's Opera in One Act, written by BOP's own Jacob Greenberg. The dates are Sunday, December 7 at 10 AM and Monday, December 8 at 6 PM, in Grant Recital Hall.

Congratulations!

2008-11-15T16:05:00.002-05:00

As of yesterday evening, BOP welcomes Audrey Chait '11 and Joe Rim '12 to the board. Additionally, Diego Ramos Rosas '12 will be music directing our spring opera, L'elisir d'amore. We are still accepting director applications for the show, so email us at brown opera productions at gmail dot com for an application. Hope to hear from you!

Scenes Concert and Call for Applications!

2008-10-27T10:41:00.005-05:00

Applications are officially open for new board members, as well as Directors and Musical Directors for our spring opera, Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore. Email brownoperaproductions at gmail dot com to get an app! Stage Managers and Productions managers should contact us as well.

The Scenes Concert is officially set for November 7 and 8 at 8:00 p.m. in Grant Recital Hall. This year, there will be scenes taken from Offenbach's Monsieur Choufleuri... and Les Contes d'Hoffman, Massenet's Sapho, Bellini's Norma, Brecht and Weill's Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera), and more. The concert is free, with open seating; doors open at 7:30. Hope to see you there!

October 2008 Brown Corporation Dinner

2008-10-18T17:15:00.003-05:00

As usual, BOP has been hard at work! Last night, singers and board members performed at the Brown Corporation Dinner. There's more info and pictures over at the productions page. They even got Ruth up on stage - have a look!

Fall Update

2008-10-07T23:05:00.004-05:00

Here's the latest on the BOP front:

We have formally chosen the opera for production next spring. The winner is... [cue drumroll] Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore! That's The Elixir of Love, for the non-Italophones. The opera is tons of fun, including (but not limited to) stories about three-toothed Senators, "love elixirs," and one of the most well-known tenor arias ever. Get excited for it! We'll keep you posted with more info as the semester progresses.

In the nearer future, the BOP Fall Scenes Concert will be in Grant on November 7, 8, and 9. Auditions will be held in the very near future. If you don't know how our process for the concert works, we start with a group of directors and scenes; then they hold auditions as a team. So, if you're interested in being in a scene, it's definitely not too late! Email us (brownopera productions AT gmail) or go directly to Doug Eacho (deacho AT mac DOT com) with your questions.

BOP also recently organized a trip to Brightview Commons, on Saturday, 9/27. Brightview is an independent and assisted living community for seniors in Wakefield, RI. The singers performed arias and art songs, and will hopefully be returning to Brightview later in the semester for another performance. Let us know if you're interested in singing or being an accompanist! Transportation will most likely be provided, so you won't have to worry about getting there and back. As always, the email is brownoperaproductions AT gmail DOT com.

...and that's "All The (new) News That's Fit To Print."

Welcome, Freshmen!

2008-09-02T23:10:00.004-05:00

Welcome back, returning students, and welcome for the first time if you're new to Brown!

First off, come visit us: we will be at Theatre Opportunities Night in Stuart on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m., and at the Activities Fair on Thursday from 7 to 10 (8 to 10 for non-freshmen) in the OMAC.

We are also hosting an arias concert, thanks to Nadine Pardee '10, on Friday, 9/12 at 8:00 p.m. in Grant Recital Hall. Refreshments will be served, so come enjoy works by composers from Handel to Gershwin and, of course, free food.

Lastly, we are looking for directors for our upcoming scenes concert, tentatively scheduled for late October. For more information, or for any other questions, direct your inquiries to brownoperaproductions AT brown DOT edu. Thanks!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Webmaster

2008-05-26T01:44:00.002-05:00

Hello to all two of the people who visit this page!

I am your new webmaster, here to fulfill all of your webby, mastery, and webmastery needs (only the ones related to the BOP website - sorry). There are a few orders of business, some more pressing than others.

First of all, I have heard complaints about the color scheme that my predecessor gave the site. So, I am open to suggestions for new color schemes. These can come in the form of other websites whose color scheme you think I should steal (in which case, give me a link), or simple descriptions (numerical color values are helpful here!), or anything in between.

The other thing that comes to mind at this random hour of the night is news updates, and generally keeping the information up-to-date and correct. The website is accessible 24/7/365/1000/etc but not so much use there if the info on it is wrong or grossly outdated. SO, please do what you can to update (old) or add (new) information to the site and the news feed. If you have admin access, you know who you are; if you can't edit the page yourself, talk to me about it. How to do this:

The two best ways to contact me about the BOP site and news blog are, and will be: (1) you can leave your feedback in a comment to this post, or (2) email me at ball AT brown DOT ee dee you. And, let me know how I'm doing - I like to hear comments, concerns, complaints... feedback, best wishes - you get the picture. (Also, I have yet to figure out how to indent the beginning of each paragraph. Let me know if you know how to do this, but I am lazy and tired.)

Au revoir for now!

Love,

Matt

Reserve Your Free Tickets Now

2008-03-11T13:52:00.002-05:00

Reserve ticket holders can enter the house 15 minutes in advance of the general populace. To get your tickets, click the link at left and follow the instructions on the page.

Doors open:
Friday - 7:45PM (7:30 for ticket holders)
Saturday - 7:45PM (7:30 for ticket holders)
Sunday - 1:45PM (1:30 for ticket holders)

BOP presents Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice March 14-16

2008-03-05T09:46:00.007-05:00

BOP is delighted to announce its upcoming production of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice the weekend of March 14-16! The production brings together leading singers, instrumentalists, dancers, designers, and artists at Brown and RISD in a stunning contemporary take on Gluck's masterpiece.

Revolutionary in its time for its noble simplicity and dramatic pathos, the opera is presented by director Masumi Hayashi-Smith '10 in a sleek, forceful modern interpretation featuring original choreography. Under the baton of Vinay Parameswaran '09, Sarah Hersman '10 sings the role of the grief-stricken Orfeo, Nadine Pardee '10 portrays the lost beloved Euridice, and Alex Bachorik '10 enchants as divine Amore.

Performances are free and open to the public. All performances will take place in Brown's Alumnae Hall, at 194 Meeting St at the following times:

March 14 8 PM
March 15 8 PM
March 16 2 PM

Doors open 15 minutes before the show. Doors open for reserve ticket holders half an hour before the show.

*TO RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKETS*

Please click on the "Reservations" link on the left sidebar of this page. After specifying the performance(s) you would like to attend and the number of tickets you would like to reserve, you will be sent an email confirmation.

Questions about the performance may be addressed to brownoperaproductions@gmail.com.

"Beethoven to Bernstein" dazzles

2007-12-18T09:35:00.002-05:00

Five opera scenes. Five directors. One night of passion, hilarity, and fake blood.

On December 14 and 15, BOP presented its second annual scenes concert to overflow audiences in the PW Upstairs Space. This year's program, entitled "Beethoven to Bernstein: An Evening of Scenes," brought together a rich diversity of musical and dramatic selections with excerpts from Mozart's Don Giovanni, Beethoven's Fidelio, Bernstein's Candide, Copland's The Tender Land, and Berlioz's Béatrice et Bénédict. Each scene was directed by a different student director and featured a different cast.

From hysterical winos to political prisoners, corporate man-eaters to long-lost mistresses -- BOP celebrated the operatic experience in its entirety. Join us in the spring for the fully staged production of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice!

BOP announces spring opera, calls for directors

2007-10-16T15:41:00.001-05:00

BOP is pleased to announce its 2008 spring opera: Christoph Willibald Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. First performed in 1762, the opera recounts the distraught Orpheus' journey to the underworld to recover his beloved Eurydice. With this work, Gluck singlehandedly heralded the arrival of a new age in operatic history. Departing from ornamental vocal writing in favor of a radical new musical and dramatic expressiveness, Gluck imbued the operatic art form with unprecedented power and depth. BOP is delighted to present this, his most celebrated masterpiece.

Orfeo ed Euridice will be performed March 14-16, 2008, in Alumnae Hall.

Interested in directing for BOP? Stage director applications and music director applications are now available.

Applications are due on Wednesday, November 7. Please send completed applications to BrownOperaProductions@gmail.com.

Enchantment and Ecstasy...Female Singers Take the Stage

2007-10-16T15:09:00.000-05:00

This Saturday, BOP presents an afternoon concert of arias and duets by Mozart, Puccini, Strauss, Rossini, and more -- featuring Brown's most enchanting divas. The event is free and open to the public.

Saturday, October 20
List 120
3:00 PM

Apply to be on the BOP board!

2007-04-23T19:46:00.001-05:00

BOP is now accepting applications to be on the BOP board!

Applications due Friday, May 4
Interviews held 12-5pm on Sunday, May 6
Decisions emailed on Sunday evening

Click on the following link to download an application:
New%20Member%20Application.doc

If you have any questions, please email Kathryn_Wallem@brown.edu

Ticketing Update

2007-04-13T15:47:00.000-05:00

4/15, 12:15PM: Reservations for the Sunday show are now closed. Tickets will be available at the door beginning at 1:45.

4/14, 4:50PM: Reservations for Saturday night's show are now closed.

Reservations for Friday night's show are now closed. Tickets will be available at the door - seating begins at 7:45. Reservations for Saturday and Sunday are still being accepted.

A few more notes on the opera:
There will be English supertitles above the stage.
The running time for the opera is about 1 hour, 15 minutes.

Tickets for Goyescas Now Available

2007-04-04T11:43:00.000-05:00

Check out our reservations link to get your tickets today! Seating is on a first come basis, but advance ticket holders will be let into the house half an hour before the show (fifteen minutes before others). Contact njml@brown.edu with any questions.

"Goyescas," a Spanish opera inspired by the paintings of Francisco Goya, with music by Enrique Granados and libretto by Fernando Periquet. "Goyescas" tells three intertwining love stories, that of the painter Francisco Goya and his lover, and those of the characters within his paintings themselves. Together, these stories explore what unfolds when we distance ourselves from the ones we love to live in worlds of our own creation. Featuring full orchestra, ballet, and Spanish dance performances.

Free and open to the public!

Alumnae Hall, Brown University, 194 Meeting Street
April 13, 8pm
April 14, 8pm
April 15, 2pm

Goyescas Announces Full Staff and Cast

2007-03-10T23:32:00.000-05:00

The BOP Board has rounded out the Goyescas staff and the cast has been in rehearsals for a couple of weeks now and are sounding great!

CAST & CREW:
Director: Michael Hadley
Musical Director: Drew Nobile
Production Manager: Nicholas Leiserson
Stage Manager: Jake Greenberg
Chorus Master: Almaz Dessie
Dramaturg/Language Coach: Clara Schuhmacher
Orchestra Manager: Emma Leinhaas
Technical Director: Matt Ball
Choreographer: Mark Harootian
Set Designer: Jessica Wu
Costume Designer: Tracy Wilder
Rehearsal Pianists: Trevor Pollack, Jason Smoller, Aaron Luryi, Katharine Joo

Principals:
Rosario: Sonia Nayak
Fernando: Alexander Ebin
Pepa: Christie Lee Gibson
Paquiro: Patrick Ramsey

Chorus:
Maura Soucy, Soloist
Kim Gemme
Nadine Pardee
Alex Bachorik
Sarah Hersman
Emily Dunne
Matt Knuti
Ben Skerritt
Piet Walvoord
Colin Fitzpatrick
Eng Siang Teo
George Conklin

Dancers:
Autumn Graham, Kyle Dillon, Patra Jongjitirat

Orchestra:
Violin I: Amanda Muchnik, Joe Swain, Jerzy Fischer
Violin II: Emma Leinhaas, Rachel H. Goldstein
Viola: Xavier Fresquet, Philip Young
Cello: Lauren McShane, Ryan Cochran
Bass: Dylan Cashman, Chloe LeMarchand
Flute I: Alanna Boyajian
Flute II: Kate Fritzsche
Oboe I/ English Horn: Jason Smoller
Oboe II: Jocie Adams (on clarinet)
Clarinet I: Ginmann Bai
Clarinet II: Rachel Sanders
Bassoon I: Keriann Backus
Bassoon II: Nick Hagerty (tent.)
Trumpet I: Douglas Cattie
Trumpet II: Alex Hughes
Trombone: Andrew Mathis
Horn: Christina Cozzetto
Timpani: Vinay Parameswaran
Percussion/ Bells: Aaron D. Jones
Piano: Zachary Stone

BOP trip to OB

2007-02-27T17:13:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, Feb 25th, BOP took a trip up to Opera Boston's production of The Rise and the Fall of the City of Mahagonny. Board member Jordan Elkind surprised us with his huge role as a Working Man! And we thought he was only going to be moving porta potties around on stage.

Visit www.operaboston.org to read and listen to more about the production.

BOP Open Aria Night

2007-02-10T16:15:00.000-05:00

Want to sing? Want to try out a new aria for an audience? Want to hang out with other members of BOP? Come on by! Bring friends who want to hear you sing. Friday, 23 Feb. @ 7:00PM. ADPhi Lounge.

We will hopefully have a run-through time with the pianists set up ahead of time. E-mail Alexander_Ebin@Brown.edu if you're interested. Especially if you're a pianist who's interested.

Designers Needed for Goyescas

2007-01-31T00:52:00.000-05:00

Applications to design costumes for BOP's spring production are due February 17th. Download application forms below. Email Nicholas_Leiserson@brown.edu with any questions.

BOPCostumeDesignApplication.doc

Goyescas Libretto

2007-01-30T22:00:00.000-05:00

Spanish and English libretto now available to download.

English version by Clara & Nidia Schuhmacher.

GoyescasLibretto.pdf

BOP is now accepting new Board Member applications

2007-01-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

Applications are due to Kathryn Wallem, kathryn_wallem@brown.edu, by NOON on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1st. If you would like more information, or if you would like to meet with a current board member to discuss BOP and/or your application before the application deadline, please email Kathryn and she will arrange for such a meeting. Applicants will be notified of decisions by Monday, February 12th.

The Application is now available to download. New Member Application.doc

Goyescas Looking for Staff

2006-12-02T12:36:00.000-05:00

BOP is looking for the following staff for Goyescas in the Spring:

-Costume Designer
-Costume Makers to work with the Designer
-Assistant Stage Manager
-Rehearsal Pianists
-Pit Orchestra Members
-Publicity Manager

If you are interested in any of these positions please contact nicholas_leiserson@brown.edu
Also, take a look at our designer application.

Goyescas, by Enrique Granados, will be BOP's fully staged spring production directed by Michael Hadley and conducted by Drew Nobile.