Sunday, November 15th, is the Annual Guinness World Records Day, so we thought that it would be fun to go share some Guinness World Records from the Opera world:
Oldest Opera Singer (Guinness World Record)
Luo Pinchao receiving his Guiness World Record
Luo Pinchao (b. China, 19 June 1912) began his singing career in 1930 and continued to regularly perform Cantonese opera and celebrated his 93rd birthday and record-breaking career with a performance at the Guandong Cantonese Opera Grand Artistic Theatre, Guangzhou, China on 20 June 2004.
Luo Pinchao passed away on 15 July 2010, at the age of 98.
Longest Opera (Guinness World Record)
Richard Wagner
The longest regularly performed opera is Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by German composer Richard Wagner (1813–1883). A normal uncut version can entail 5 hours and 15 minutes of music.
The opera The Life and Times of Joseph Stalin by Robert Wilson (b: October 4, 1941) was performed in 7 acts at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on December 14 and 15 in 1973 and required 13 hours 25 minutes. Act 7 was deemed by some to be the best.
The Heretics by Gabriel von Wayditch (1888–1969) has a piano-vocal score that numbers 2,850 pages of music and lasts 8½ hours.
Most Curtain Calls (Guinness World Record)
Luciano Pavarotti
Famed tenor Luciano Pavarotti holds the record with 165 curtain calls after a performance of Donizetti's The Daugher of the Regiment at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. He was applauded for 1 hour and 7 minuets.
He also holds the record for longest applause ever at 1 hour and 30 minutes, most roles performed, most recordings made, most famous living operatic tenor at his 70th birthday in 2005, most money raised by an individual for charities, and another for the best-selling classical album (In Concert by the Three Tenors; the latter record is thus shared by fellow tenors Plácido Domingo and José Carreras).
Most Performed Opera (Guinness World Record)
The 2009 production of Verdi's La traviata at Sarasota Opera
According to Opera Database, Giuseppe Verdi is the most performed composer with 3009 operas programmed, and his opera La Traviata is the most performed opera with at 659 performances over the last five seasons from 2009-10 through 2013-14.
Composer and opera tables are based on counts of performance runs (how many times a work was programmed, not the number of performances) over five seasons from 2009-10 to 2013-14.
Hailed for her “beautiful, dusky, and expressive” voice with a “commanding presence”, mezzo-soprano, Kristen Choi is bursting onto the opera scene with full force. Ms. Choi made her debut as an apprentice artist with Sarasota Opera in 2013 and returns this season as a Studio Artist this season singing the role of Cherubino in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Previously, Ms. Choi has bowed as Suzuki in Puccini's Madama Butterlfy at Glimmerglass Opera, Jo in Mark Adamo's Little Women, and Dorabella in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte.
Q. Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now? A. I am originally from Valencia, California near Los Angeles. I still reside there but have been traveling since May of 2014. I'm sort of nomadic and have been very lucky to travel directly from job to job.
Ms. Choi as Dorabella in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte
Q. What drew you to become a singer? Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity? A. I've always loved singing! My parents are musical even though they aren't professional musicians; My father plays the guitar and sings for church and my mother plays piano. I love listening to her play all the classics such as Mozart Sonatas and Chopin's Nocturnes.
I'm not sure if I had an “Aha” moment but when I entered a talent show in the 6th grade I sang a disney song in front of an audience and had such a rush of joy and happiness that I knew I wanted to keep singing. I sang in choirs and musicals from then on. I did sort of have a moment of clarity and decided to pursue opera during my undergraduate degree. I was performing the role of Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro and it was my first professional opera job. Opera used to intimidate me a lot but actually performing in a full scale production with orchestra, chorus, and professional singers sparked an even bigger fire in me to pursue classical music. I guess you could say that opera found me.
It's kind of amazing that I am performing Cherubino here. It makes me look back with fondness and pride that I adamantly decided I was going to be an opera singer. I'm here now and am very excited to do this role for the first time and I couldn't imagine a better place to do it.
Ms. Choi as Suzuki in Puccini's Madama Butterfly at Glimmerglass Opera
Q. Did you have other career aspirations in the works before you decided on singing? A. I've always been a fan of studying languages. They are so fascinating and I actually was accepted into several universities as a linguistics major. I did minor in Spanish in my undergraduate degree.
Q. What singing did you do growing up? A. I sang everything! I grew up with old musicals and jazz, and sang in many choirs. I also used to sing with a big band and sang all the jazz standards at swing dances.
Q. This is a role debut for you. What are you looking forward to most about singing this role? A. This is one of my favorite operas, and certainly my most favorite of Mozart's operas. I love singing pants roles (a woman portraying a man). Cherubino is the perfect, quintessential example of one. His energy and passion draws me to his character and he gets into so much mischief. It's a challenge, acting-wise, to really get his mannerisms and boyish movements in my body. All these challenges and character study make me really excited to perform this role.
Q. This is one of the more famous “pants roles” in opera where a woman plays a male character. Does that add additional challenges to performing this role? A. Yes! It is a huge challenge to physically capture the mannerisms of a young man. Men carry themselves differently so I have to really think about the physicality of the character before I sing or do anything onstage.
Ms. Choi as Cherubino in this season's production of
The Marriage of Figaro. Photo by Rod Millington.
Q. What can you tell us about this character? What do you want the audience to know about him when the curtain comes down? A. Cherubino is a ball of passion and energy. He's not all innocent and cute, and definitely develops and learns a lot throughout the opera. He's sort of a miniature Count in training and definitely does not hold back around the ladies. His boldness and willingness is a preview of what is to come soon in the next Beaumarchais play. He's in love with love and is not afraid to express it to any woman and every woman.
Q. Are there any famous Cherubino’s from the past whose interpretations you admire? A. Well, yes, of course there are the famous performances by Frederica von Stade. She's great because she really captures the character in her facial expression. It's amazing that she can express everything Cherubino is feeling in her eyes. It's subtle yet so intense and strong. I've also met her and worked with her in a master class on Cherubino's first aria “Non so più cosa son”.
Ms. Choi as Lady Thiang in Rodger and Hammerstein's The King and I.
Q. You are a former Apprentice Artist with Sarasota Opera and this season you will be returning as a Studio Artist. Do you feel your time in Sarasota Opera’s young artist program has helped to prepare you for a professional singing career? A. I learned so much as an apprentice and it definitely prepared me well for the opera world. It was nice to sing for other companies the year after but when I received the opportunity to return as a Studio Artist, I was eager to take it; especially for this role. Working for this company always renews my passion for opera and with such an amazing staff, I feel extremely fulfilled and satisfied with the art we create. Everything I have learned here, whether it's strengthening my repertoire, acting, or singing, I have taken with me to other jobs. It feels good to be back.
Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal? During a performance? A. Well I'm not sure about bizarre experiences during a rehearsal, but definitely have had my share of clumsiness during performances. During my graduate degree I played another pants role, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. After we had pushed the Witch in the oven, Gretel and I were supposed to run out and help the gingerbread children. While running, I slipped on a net that the witch had used to capture me, and flew in the air and landed on all fours. I quickly got up and recovered, but it was mortifying. I mean, Hansel is a kid and can probably have clumsy moments here and there. At least that's what I told myself.
Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals? Performance superstitions? Good luck charms? If yes, why? A. I don't really have any rituals except warming up before performances by vocalizing a little. I usually do not like having rituals or relying on them in the case of something interrupting the ritual and making me think I would have a bad show. I'm very simple and just rest and warm up before singing. I make sure to get a good night's sleep the night before.
Q. How do you relax in between performances? What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”? A. I enjoy going to the gym and exercising on days where I don't perform. I'm a very active person and love to dance or play tennis. When I was an apprentice, I used to go play basketball with the other artists. My hobbies would have to include dancing and watching movies. I always take movies with me on the road and watch them to relax. Going to the cinema is also a joy for me. There's nothing more relaxing for me than going to the theater alone and watching a movie.
Q. How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road”? Do you keep a blog? Website? Facebook? Twitter? A. I am an avid Facebook user and also have a website (www.kristenchoi.com). I stay connected to close friends and family by video chatting on Skype. It's so interesting how social media can keep me connected to friends especially for my nomadic lifestyle.
Don't miss Ms. Choi as the charming and lively Cherubino in this season's production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Tickets are available at www.sarasotaopera.org or by phone at (941) 328-1300.
Soprano Kara Shay Thomson returns to the Opera House stage this season as Floria Tosca, a role for which she won popular and critical acclaim in 2009. Since that time, Ms. Thomson has performed the role of the jealous diva at opera companies such as Portland Opera, Atlanta Opera, and Dayton Opera. You will remember Ms. Thomson's glorious performances in previous productions at Sarasota Opera both in the title role of Samuel Barber's Vanessa and as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana. Continue reading below to learn more about this artist who is so quickly establishing herself as one of the leading ladies of the next generation of great opera singers. Q. Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now? A. As a PK (Preacher's Kid), I moved around the Midwest quite a bit during my adolescence. I was born in Cininnati, OH but made my home in Rock Port, MO, Fairbury, NE, Terre Haute, IN, and Warrensburg, MO. I returned to Cincinnati 11 years ago and love living there with my husband and 10 year old daughter. We love our neighborhood and having my Dad close by to support us when I am travelling.
Ms. Thomson as Santuzza in the 2010 production of Cavalleria rusticana
Q. What was your first moment performing in front of an audience on stage?
A. Well, as a PK, I was on stage from a very young age. Our family offered an evening of song and scripture and it is where I learned how to communicate my message to a congregation. My parents continued to foster my musical talent and I was lucky to perform in various venues throughout my childhood and early adult years. Opera was not a part of my upbringing so my first moment on stage in an opera was as Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi at The New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. It was my first opera – EVER!
Q. What drew you to become a professional singer? Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity? A.I was working in Lynchburg, VA as a Minister of Music and Youth for Fairview Christian Church and I decided I wanted to find a community chorus so that I could continue singing. That was a great decision as I met my husband in that chorus and the conductor introduced me to a wonderful soprano, Carol Gutknecht, a soprano with the former New York City Opera soprano with whom I started studying. She gave me "Marietta’s Lied" from Die Tote Stadt and I fell in love with the German Language and the sweeping lines of the piece. She encouraged me to enter the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for my region. I prepared my pieces and went to the audition. I had a terrible audition and was so out of my element but I stayed to hear my comments from the judges. One judge in particular told me that if I was happy with my life in ministry that I should embrace it and go back home but if I felt like this music was a part of my soul, then I needed to go get the tools necessary for this art form. So, Carol helped me choose The New England Conservatory and I entered the intense Opera Program under the direction of John Moriarty. In two years I quickly acquired language skills, stage craft, and hours of endless vocal coachings and lessons, working with Patricia Craig, to prepare me for my apprenticeships. I thank Carol, my husband, and the nameless judge who made me realize this what I was created to do.
Q. Did you have other career aspirations in the works before you decided on singing?
A. I had many aspirations other than singing opera for a career. I started with the idea of Music Therapy and then migrated to teaching music. I received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education K-12 and thought that I would lead the next Mid-West High School Show Choir to the State Championship. But, after I realized that teaching was not right for me, I returned to my roots in the church. In all honesty, if I had not found Opera, I would have sought out a career as an Activities Coordinator in a Retirement Village.
Q. You have become very well known for singing the role of Tosca, especially in Sarasota. Is it challenging singing the same role over and over again?
Ms. Thomson as Floria Tosca in Sarasota Opera's 2009 production.
A. Everytime I arrive for a production of Tosca I know that it will be full of new experiences. The music is always constant but my colleagues, directors, production teams, and conductors bring something to share. Each one of us arrives with our own interpretations and it is our job as artists to meld those ideas together to fit our own production. I have carried the same score with me to each production and I like to put in Maestro's comments, artist choices, and directors notes so that I can call on those ideas in other productions.
But, I will say that for this season, I put away my treasured score and have made a "VDR Only Score!" I have been working from a clean score and putting in only Maestro DeRenzi notes. This does not mean that I don’t bring my own interpretation and experience to the role, but I really feel that coming back to Sarasota gives me a chance to completely break down the role, get rid of bad habits, focus on the text and Puccini’s stage direction so that we give this audience the most authentic performance of Tosca ever!
Q. Through the many productions you have done, I imagine you have gotten to know the character of Tosca very well. Have you learned everything there is to know about her at this point? A. If I thought I had learned everything about this role I would not continue to pursue this character. We are constantly evolving in our daily lives and all of the events that happen to us as people affect us as artists. I am a different person than I was when I sang here this role in 2009. I have experienced so much personal loss and also amazing moments filled with unbridled joy in my life since then and all of those events color my performance.
Floria Tosca is so much a part of me that I am able to take risks both vocally and dramatically to challenge myself so that I can find the most honest performance each and every show.
Ms. Thomson in Act II of Tosca at Sarasota Opera
Q. What do you want the audience to know about the character of Tosca after the curtain comes down? A. That I can’t wait to sing it again!!!! I love this role!!! Every performance is unique and alive and the energy from the audience feeds the performance on the stage! So, if they happen to be seeing it for the first time or the 50th time, it will never be the same! I sing each performance as if it may be my last, so I don’t hold anything back. My hope is that they do the same by coming back again and again to Sarasota Opera.
Q. I imagine you are looking forward to performing this role again in Sarasota. What do you enjoy about singing at Sarasota Opera? A. What do I not like?! Singing in Sarasota is a gift to every performer. The audience is so supportive, excited, and filled with passion for Opera. Sarasota Opera offers a place where artists can grow and explore new or familiar roles and multiple performances to fully embrace your characters. But for me, it all comes down to the fact that Maestro DeRenzi and the entire Sarasota Opera Association believe that Opera is not a dying art form.
Baseline: I love working with everyone here in Sarasota and spending 3 months away from my family is only made better by the gorgeous sunshine and the mutual respect we all have for each other in this company!
Ms. Thomson in Schoenberg's Ewartung at New York City Opera.
Q. So, to sum it up, how many performances of Tosca have you done so far? A.When I last added them all together, I have done 89 performances in at least 19 different productions. Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal? During a performance? A. I had a rehearsal for Korngold's Die tote Stadt where I was dancing around like crazy and crawling on the floor and my rehearsal skirt, shall we say, flew off my body. Luckily, it was not a performance!
In performance, the majority of my mishaps have happened in Tosca. I have been thrown to my knees and ended up sliding on the gown having to stop myself from saying "hello" to the pit.
In Sarasota, I tripped on a ground cloth and flew into the air where my fabulous colleague, Grant Youngblood, turned over a chair and rushed to grab me in mid-air. Everyone thought that it was so exciting but my Dad was in the audience and after the performance said he knew something had happened because for a brief moment he saw scared Kara Shay and not Tosca.
I have had the candles blow-out before I place them at Scarpia’s head and had to go back and relight them. ( it was also a photo night so I was not going to mess up that great final moment in Act II)
During a Student Matinee, I had a young woman who was so involved in the show that when I stabbed Scarpia, she yelled out “Oh No She Didn’t!!" I loved that she had gotten so caught up in her first opera! It was fantastic!
Probably one of my favorite moments that the audience never saw was when I went to jump in one production, I ran up the stairs, did my quick check of the jump pad and saw that the crew had drawn a dead body outline on the black jump pad.
Ms. Thomson in the title role of Samuel Barber's Vanessa in 2012
Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals? Performance superstitions? Good luck charms? If yes, why? A. I like to be the first one in the Make-up chair. The calm energy of the being first helps me focus and then it allows me time to say hello to all of my colleagues before down-beat. I usually don’t eat very much before the show but I always eat a banana before Act II of Tosca! I don’t know if it helps but it gives me the extra “uumph” to wield my deadly knife!
Also, I always wear my Jade Elephant Necklace that my mother gave to me. I wear it in rehearsal and always have it with me at each performance in my dressing room.
Q. How do you relax in between performances? What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”? A. I am a huge fan of the television show "NCIS" so if there is a marathon on the USA channel then I am ready to get out my needlepoint, a bottle of wine, and sit back and say hello to my friends on the television: Gibbs, Ziva, Tony, and McGee!
When I am home I spend most of my time being involved with my family. I have been known to throw a few good parties for our neighborhood as well as top-notch sleepovers for my 10 year old daughter and her friends.
I miss being able to cook in my fabulous kitchen. Right before I arrived in Sarasota I purchased a brand new professional series range and a Vitamix. I couldn’t bring my oven but I packed up my Vitamix and a couple of my favorite knives and brought them with me. I find cooking so relaxing and it makes me so happy when I can bring people together for a wonderful meal.
Q. I’m sure work/life balance takes on a whole different meaning being a professional singer who travels. How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road?
A "Welcome Home" sign from Ms. Thomson's neighbors in Ohio
A. Facetime has been a life-saver for our family. Sometimes we just connect through Facetime while we are doing everyday chores. I will come home from rehearsal at 3pm and call my daughter Emma Shay. We will do her homework together or just talk about her day. My husband uses Facetime to have me help him re-create a favorite recipe I have left behind for him to cook or just to look into each other’s eyes and say how much we miss each other. Sometimes the days don’t go by very fast and Facetime makes it seem like we aren’t that far apart.
As someone who has been on the road for a few years, I would tell all of the Studio and Apprentice Artists to make sure that you connect with your loved ones at least once a day. Even if you think that you don’t have anything exciting to tell your family, sometimes it’s just enough to hear that person say “hello”. We can become so involved in our “Opera World” that we forget to share it with those outside the inner-circle. Connect, share, and make your family a priority because they are the most important support system you have in this career.
Q. As we have people that travel from around the United States to attend performances at Sarasota Opera, are there any towns or cities that you have a strong connection with whether from growing up or attending school?
A. I have had the opportunity to live in many different parts of the United States and would love to connect with them again here in Sarasota. So, if we lived in these cities together: Lynchburg, VA, Boston, Ma, Terre Haute, IN, Cincinnati, OH, Rock Port, MO, Warrensburg, MO, Maryville, MO,Enid, OK, or any of the many cities I have had the opportunity to perform in, please don’t hesitate to reach out and say hello!
After writing down all of the cities I have lived in, I realized that it must have been a grand plan for me to move around so much in my formative years. I never knew that I would be in a career where I spent more time on the road than I did in my own home. Perhaps all of those moves gave me the ability to make a home wherever I go.
Don't miss a note of Ms. Thomson's performances in Puccini's Tosca opening February 7th and running through March 28th. As an added bonus, here is Ms. Thomson singing Tosca's famous aria "Vissi d'Arte" from the Sarasota Opera production of Tosca in 2009.
ARTISTS CORNER:Meet baritone David Pershall who will be making his role debut as the jealous and vengeful Count De Luna in this season's production of Verdi's Il trovatore. With his "smooth, evenly produced lyric baritone" combined with his “persuasive” stage presence Mr. Pershall is quickly making a name for himself on stages around the world. This year he joined the roster at the Metropolitan Opera as well as bowed on the stages of Dallas Opera, Virginia Opera and El Paso Opera. Upcoming engagements include appearances at Washington National Opera, Minnesota Opera, and several appearances at the Vienna State Opera House next season. Continue reading to learn more about Mr. Pershall and how he came to opera.
Q. Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now? A. I was born in Oklahoma City OK, but grew up in Temple TX. I currently live in New Brunswick, NJ and will move to Vienna, Austria in September as the majority of my work next year will be with the Vienna Staatsoper.
As the birdman, Papageno, in Mozart's The Magic Flute at Virginia Opera
Q. What drew you to become a singer? Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity? A. I have always had a love for music – my mother is a piano instructor so naturally that was my first instrument. Through the years I began to take voice lessons. I have always ADORED opera, and I heard my very first one in high school on a record my first voice teacher loaned me. It was not until college when I was studying at Baylor University that I thought I would try to make a living singing opera.
Q. Did you have other career aspirations in the works before you decided on singing? A. I have always been fascinated with math and the stars. There was a time I thought I would become an aerospace engineer or astrophysicist
Mr. Pershall as Enrico in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor
Q. Singing the role of the Count de Luna will be a role debut for you, correct? What made you decide to take it on? A. Yes, this will be my debut singing the role of Count de Luna. I was thrilled at the thought of taking on the part because Il trovatore is one of my most favorite operas.
Q. What can you tell us about this character? What do you want the audience to know about him? A. I think this opera tells a special story. De Luna is known as the BAD guy in this opera- which is true to a point. De Luna’s life sort of unravels as a result of love. This in and of itself inspires sympathy. However, the story of De Luna also teaches restraint, in that his life is torn apart because of the obsessive type of love he feels for Leonora.
Mr. Pershall in concert at the Beethoven
Easter Festival in Warsaw, Poland
Q. What is your process for preparing a role for performance? A. First and foremost I begin technical preparations to ensure my body is up to the task at hand. Then I study the libretto to dig into the psychology of the character in the way he speaks and the way he relates to others. This is followed with a study of the score, which provides clarification on what the composer thought of the character and gives the ultimate indication on how to turn a phrase dramatically. The final step is putting it altogether. These steps provide the most efficient and effective way to communicate with the audience.
Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal or performance? A. My pants split in a performance of Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals? A. I pray and ask God to enhance the gifts He has bestowed upon me.
Mr. Pershall as Zurga in Bizet's The Pearl Fishers
at Virginia Opera.
Q. How do you relax in between performances? What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”? A. I enjoy spending time with my wife, reading, going for walks, and checking out the local museums.
Q. How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road”? Do you keep a blog? Website? Facebook? Twitter? A. I call my wife daily when she is not with me. I have a website which people can check out at www.DavidPershall.com. I also keep a personal Facebook account, I am on Twitter (@DavidPershall), and people can enjoy clips of my performances on my YouTube channel. Just search DavidPershallOPERA on YouTube (or you can just click here: http://www.youtube.com/user/DavidPershallOPERA.)
Don't miss the chance to see Mr. Pershall's debut as Count de Luna in Sarasota Opera's Winter Festival production of Verdi's Il trovatore opening February 8th and running through March 22nd. Tickets are available at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling (941) 328-1300.
Bass-baritone Jeffrey Beruan is excited to be returning to Sarasota Opera after successful performances as Acciano in I Lombardi alla prima crociata, The Bonze in Madama Butterfly, Lodovico in Otello, and Morpheus in the world premiere of Little Nemo in Slumberland. Upcoming engagements in the 2013-2014 Season include a role debut as George Benton, the Prison Warden in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking for Madison Opera, a role and company debut singing Pluton in Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers for Gotham Chamber Opera, and a role debut as Sarastro in The Magic Flute for Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Read about what Mr. Beruan is looking forward to this coming season at Sarasota Opera.
Q. Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now? A. I am originally from Shawnee, Kansas and I now live in Chicago, Illinois.
Jeffrey Beruan as The Bonze in Madama Butterfly at Sarasota Opera
Q. What drew you to become a singer? Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity? A. My “Aha” moment would have to have been during my first summer program. I was in Logan, Utah singing with Utah Festival Opera. I could not believe how amazing all the singers were, how much fun I was having, and that they were going to PAY me to sing!
Q. Did you have other career aspirations in the works before you decided on singing? A. I went to college with the intention of getting a music education degree because I wanted to teach choir and/or band in a high school somewhere, but that’s about it.
Q. You are singing two different roles this season; Ferrando in Il trovatore and Papal Legate in Jérusalem. What can you tell us about these characters? Why should the audience care about them? A. Ferrando is the gap between Conte de Luna, Sr. and Conte de Luna, Jr. He was there from the beginning and genuinely wants to catch the gypsy that killed the count’s brother. He is well respected, an amazing story teller and a true leader. The Count can always rely on him.
Papal Legate is a Legate to Pope Urbain II. He has come to bring the news that the count has been appointed leader of the Crusades. He is a representative to the Catholic Church. He is well respected, and makes him available to the count for he holy advice that he needs.
Jeffrey Beruan as Acciano in Verdi's I Lombardi alla prima crocciata
Q. What are you looking forward to most about performing these particular roles? A. The bulk of Ferrando’s role is in the first 10 minutes of the opera. However, he gets to tell the spooky and horrifying story of what happened to the count’s brother. There are a bunch of different colors to the scene that I am looking forward to bringing out!
Papal Legate is a little different. I get a few wonderful singing moments that I look forward to pumping out, but I’m more looking forward to getting to know Jérusalem as a whole, since I may never have the opportunity to be in the opera again. I was in I Lombardi alla prima crociata as well in 2011 so I’ve already had fun seeing the similarities and differences between the two operas.
Q. Is there something about your process when preparing a role for performance? A. I have to know what every word means before I sing a note. I may not know what every word means from the very beginning, but I at least need to be able to reference my score or libretto so that I’m not just singing syllables.
Q. Beyond the musical work, what other kind of preparation/research work do you incorporate in the learning process? Historical? Character study? A. I try to go through and find any factual historical references and look up what I can to see how it relates to the opera. Also, since I generally play characters who are older than I actually am, I will look at how some of the great singers moved while doing this role to help inform my movements.
Mr. Beruan as Zuniga in Carmen at Portland Opera
Q. Does your preparation process differ between a role you have performed before and a role you are doing for the first time? A. It depends on how long it was since I did the role, but yes, I can just get right back into the music and the drama. There’s a lot more leg work when you’re doing a role for the first time.
Q. Before you were a principal artist, you spent two seasons as a Sarasota Opera studio artist. Do you feel that experience helped to prepare you for your upcoming role as a Principal Artist? If yes, how so? A. Actually, I spent two seasons at a Studio Artist, and yes, it was very helpful! First of all, I already have a pretty good idea of the expectations that are on me from day one. I can prepare and coach the roles in a way that, I believe, fits with Sarasota Opera standards. I also feel that I will have a support system around me, who want me to do well.
Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a performance? A. I can’t think of any for a rehearsal, so I’ll give you two from separate performances:
1. The paramedics came in during a scene I was involved in, in a small theater, and took a woman out who had had a heart attack.
2. The other was also in an intimate theater setting. I was involved in a stage combat fight and was thrown to the ground near the edge of the stage. It must have been convincing, because a gentleman from the front row rushed out of his seat to help me!
Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals? A. I try not to eat too much prior or during a performance. I don’t want to be hungry, but I also don’t want feel heavy or gummy. I also like to get to my place off stage early and pace.
Q. How do you relax in between performances? What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”? A. I enjoy watching tv/movies, exercising, cooking. Generally, I just try to relax and shut my brain off for a little while!
Q. How do you stay connected to family and friends when you are “on the road”? A. The cell phone is my most consistent way of staying connected. But, I will also use Facetime or Skype.
Mr. Beruan as Polyphemus in Handel's Acis and Galatea at Madison Opera
See and hear Mr. Beruan this season in both our Verdi offerings this season; First as Ferrando in Verdi's Il trovatore opening February 8th then as the Papal Legate in Verdi's Jérusalem opening March 8th. Tickets are available now online at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling (941) 328-1300.
ARTISTS CORNER: Italian
born baritone Marco Nisticò's impressive combination of beautiful tone,
exquisite artistry, and superior stagecraft has delighted audiences throughout
North America, South America, and Europe. In 2013-14 he returned again to the
roster of the Metropolitan Opera for the premiere of Nico Muhly’s Two Boys and sings Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with Teatro dell’ Opera
in Rome. He also returns to Sarasota Opera this winter to reprise the role of Figaro in The Barber of Seville, a role he sang with Sarasota Opera in 2008.
Q. Where are you
originally from and where do you base yourself out of today?
A. I
am from Naples, Italy. I live in New York City, on the Upper West Side. One
block from Maestro DeRenzi, which is very good, because he has a nice espresso
machine and gives me coffee from time to time…
Q. Why Opera? What drew you to become a singer?
A. My father is a singer and a voice teacher. He’s my voice teacher in fact. I was born
into this.
I heard opera every day, from my father’s students at home
and attending his performances. When I was growing up, opera was ubiquitous in
Italy, everybody would know opera tunes and in elementary school we would learn
to play “Va Pensiero” from Nabucco,
on our flutes (I was not very good at it).
However, that trend was already changing. Pop music was growing and
things changed dramatically. Now most people know that Italy is the birthplace
of opera, but never go to a show.
Marco Nistico as Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore in Bregenz
Q. What singing did
you do as a teenager?
A. I
don't know. It just happened. As a teen
I hated opera and did not want to sing. However,
I think I was kind of "destined" to fall into it. One day I asked my
dad to help me sing a song I was learning a bit better (for a university
assignment I was doing for Sorbonne in Paris). After that, I was stuck...
Q. What are you
looking forward to most about performing the role of Figaro in this season’s
production of The Barber of Seville?
A. Figaro
is one of my favorite roles. One of the first roles I ever sang. I have sung
Figaro in at least 6 different productions and many performances. There have
been some in Europe (Wexford in Ireland, Holland, Bulgaria, and Bologna in
Italy), Mexico (Guadalajara and San Luis Potosì) as well as here in the United
States (Toledo, OH, Opera Festival of New Jersey, and, of course, Sarasota
Opera). I love the free spirit of the
character and the music goes perfectly with it.
Q. What is your
process for preparing a role for performance?
A.I read the libretto and try to analyze the poetic
aspect of the words. I then go to the music and sing it as much as possible, by
myself and then with a pianist. Anyway, Figaro, it’s a role I have done many
times.
Q. What do you want
the audience to know about your character?
What do you find most challenging about this role?
A. Figaro
is the smartest guy in the room (and I say “guy” because Rosina is at least as
smart). He is also a revolutionary, since he’s a servant who always wins
against his masters. What is challenging
about the role of Figaro is the fact that it has been sung by all the great
baritones of the past and there are some inevitable comparisons. However, I
really enjoy being this character.
Marco Nistico as Guglielmo in Cosi Fan Tutte at the Teatro Regio di Torino
Q. You have been a
steady presence at Sarasota Opera for several seasons. You must enjoy singing here. What do you think makes Sarasota Opera so
special that people return season after season?
A. To
me what is really special about Sarasota Opera is the emphasis on doing things
in the proper style, the importance of language, the care we must take on the
connection between words and music, the highly professional production values.
It is the fact that serving the composer is the most important thing. It’s the
long rehearsal period that allows all of us the time to really explore the
characters and their music. And it’s Lido Beach… yeah, that one too.
Marco Nistico as Guglielmo in Cosi Fan Tutte
at the Teatro Regio di Torino
Q. You have
performed all over the world. Do you
find audiences behave differently in all the different countries you perform
in?
A. Perhaps…
some audiences are more responsive than others. Some like to let you know
clearly how they feel and if they like what you do. Some are more quiet during
the show, but very enthusiastic at the end. In South Korea we had to go to the
hall of the theater right after the show, in costume, and sign autographs for
at least an hour. Everybody wanted their kids to take a picture with us…
Anyway, I like every kind of audience. Without them, there would be no show.
Q. Thus far, what is
the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal? During a performance?
A. Maybe this one: During a performance of The Barber of
Seville, the orchestra did not come in and I had to sing a cappella a good part
of my duet with Rosina. At the moment it was not “fun”, but now it’s a good
story to tell. And I will never forget my Rosina’s face, looking at me as to
say: “good luck with that, buddy”.
Marco Nistico as Rigoletto
at Sarasota Opera
Q. Do you have any
pre-performance rituals? Performance
superstitions? Good luck charms? If yes, why?
A. Not really. Just relax during the day and then warm up
before performance. I tend to eat only chicken and rice the day of a
performance and bring at least a banana in my dressing room.
Q. How do you relax
in between performances? What hobbies do
you enjoy at home and “on the road”?
A. I
enjoy watching Netflix. I also go to the gym and spend time with friends.
Q. What music do you
listen to when you are driving in the car or commuting around New York City?
A. I
don’t own a car. The rare times I rent one I listen to NPR (talk). I do not
listen to music while “commuting” around NYC. I want to be in touch with the
people around me.
Q. How do you stay
connected to family and friends when you are “on the road”? Do you keep a blog? Website? Facebook? Twitter?
A. I really do not like personal blogs. I use Facebook, emails,
Skype and the phone to talk to family and friends. I talk with Marina, my wife,
several times a day on the phone. Blogs?? Unless you are a professional writer,
That’s pure vanity…
Marco Nistico (right) as Figaro in Sarasota Opera's 2008 production of The Barber of Seville
Don't miss Marco Nisticò's return to Sarasota Opera as the schemeful Figaro in The Barber of Seville opening February 15th and running for 9 performances through March 21st. Tickets are available online at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling (941) 328-1300.
Baritone Sean Anderson as Eisenstein
in the 2006 Sarasota Opera production
of Die Fledermaus
Sarasota
Opera will open its 2013 fall season on November 1st with the operetta Die
Fledermaus (The Bat) by Johann
Strauss, Jr. Sparkling and effervescent,
Die Fledermaus gradually became a
global hit after its premiere on April 5, 1874, and is the most performed
operetta in the world!
Even
though operetta was the musical genre du jour in mid-nineteenth century Vienna, the form did not
begin there.The origin of the form was in Paris
during the 1850s.Composer Jacques
Offenbach was having great success with one act comedies poking fun at
politicians and aristocrats which proved to be a nice alternative to the
increasingly serious French grand opera.Offenbach’s
theater was packed with patrons eager to enjoy evening s of light musical entertainment.
In a short time, the popularity of these operettas (operette in French) swept
through Europe, particularly in Vienna,
where Austrian composers began trying their hand at creating works of similar
style.
The
most successful of these was Johann Strauss, Jr.In addition to writing Viennese waltzes that
are still played today, Johann Strauss, Jr. is famous for taking the French
operette form, layering it with some Viennese flavor, and creating the Viennese
operetta; His most famous and beloved being Die
Fledermaus.
Die Fledermaus premiered on
April 5, 1874, at the Theater an der Wien was well received by the audience. It enjoyed 16 initial performances in Vienna then quickly made its way around Europe
with varying degrees of success. It
wasn’t until the early 20th Century that audience enthusiasm solidified
its stature as a cultural landmark and the work is now presented regularly
around the world.
Sarasota Opera's 2006 production of Johann Strauss, Jr.'s Die Fledermaus
An
elaborate revenge scheme is hatched by Dr. Falke to expose the womanizing ways
of his friend Eisenstein.The previous
winter, following a masked ball, Eisenstein left his friend Falke drunk and
asleep under a tree in a bat costume (hence the name of the opera “The Bat”).Falke has now invited Eisenstein to enjoy a
final night of frivolity, before he departs for a short stint in jail, at an
elaborate Viennese ball hosted by Prince Orlovsky.Falke tricks Eisenstein into flirting with
his own wife, Rosalinda, who is disguised as an Hungarian countess.A comedic evening, full of hidden identities
and amorous intrigues, results in this charming story where ultimately champagne
reigns as king!
Baritone
Sean Anderson, who won critical acclaim as George in last season’s Of Mice and Men and Iago in the 2012
production of Verdi’s Otello, made
his Sarasota Opera debut as the scheming Eisenstein in 2006. Of his return in the role, Mr. Anderson says,
“I always look forward to performing in Die
Fledermaus, or any operetta for that matter, largely due to dialogue. Opera singing is demanding without
the addition of spoken text that must, must be on par dramatically with
the sections which are sung. To strive to do both with artistic integrity is a
challenge I relish bending my skill towards.”
Mr.
Anderson will be sharing the stage with a large cast of Sarasota Opera
favorites.Soprano Danielle Walker (A King for a Day, Carmen) will sing the
role of his wife Rosalinda; Soprano Angela Mortellaro (Hansel and Gretel) will sing Adele, Rosalinda’s chambermaid; tenor
Joshua Kohl (Lucia di Lammermoor, Don
Giovanni) as Alfred, Rosalinda’s former lover; baritone Matthew Hanscom (Of Mice and Men, Turandot) as Dr. Falke, a.k.a “The Bat”; and mezzo-soprano Blythe
Gaissert (Rigoletto, La rondine), as
Prince Orlovsky, the host of the Viennese Ball where Falke’s plot unfolds.Stephanie Sundine will direct and Maestro
Victor DeRenzi will conduct the Sarasota Orchestra.Originally written in German, this production
will be sung in English in a translation by Marcie Stapp.And like all productions at Sarasota Opera,
subtitles will be projected above the stage.
With
tickets starting at only $19, this is a wonderful opportunity to see one of
Johann Strauss, Jr.’s most celebrated works come alive.Performances are November 1, 3(m), 5, 7, 13,
and 15(m).Evening performances begin at
8pm and matinée performances (both weekend and weekday) begin at 1:30pm.For more information or to purchase tickets,
contact the Sarasota Opera Box Office at (941) 328-1300 or visit us at www.sarasotaopera.org.
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