ARTISTS CORNER: Soprano Dara Hobbs

Soprano Dara Hobbs

Dramatic soprano Dara Hobbs, who will be singing Senta in this season's production of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, has already built an impressive career of leading roles as opera houses around the world.
Her operatic experience includes the title roles in Tosca, Aida, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Tristan und Isolde, and leading roles in Suor Angelica, Don Carlo, and Die Fledermaus.  In addition to five seasons as a a full time soloist at Theater Mönchengladbach in Krefeld, Germany, recent appearances include performing at Opera Frankfurt, Bayreuther Festspiele, Theater Bonn, Theater Minden, and the Tonhalle Düsseldorf.  In 2014 she looks forward to a return to the Bayreuther Festspiele as Ortlinde (Die Walküre) and singing Isolde at Theater Chemnitz and Theater Regensburg.

Q. Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now?
A. I grew up in southeastern Wisconsin, near Lake Geneva. I went to college and grad school at Northwestern University near Chicago and lived in Chicagoland for 15+ years before moving
to Germany in 2007. I now live outside Cologne, Germany.

Q. What drew you to become a singer?  Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity?
A. I can't remember a time when I didn't sing, pretty much constantly throughout the day, either under my breath or aloud. My grandmother was a trained singer; my mother is a professional harpist and pianist, and my afternoon naps were often accompanied by my mother practicing. I would sing while on my backyard swing set, not realizing the whole neighborhood could hear me, and I had piano and flute lessons from an early age, was in church and school choirs and so on. I absolutely adored watching Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music, and as a teenager, my parents took me to hear Leontyne Price sing. I think I fell in love that night. For me, it was a pipe dream for many years – a dream, not something realistic, and my parents, being very practical people, emphasized the importance of a “realistic” professional life and earning a living. My father thought I'd make a fabulous computer programmer, but over the years he's become one of my biggest fans. I don't think I even really believed singing would work out for me, right up until I received my first full-time contract in Europe.

Q. Did you have other career aspirations in the works before you decided on singing?  
A. I wanted to be a singer for as long as I can remember, but I hedged my bets by doing a double degree program and I had professional experience in other fields up until I was in my early 30s – as a dramatic soprano, you aren't really suited for a lot of smaller roles, and your voice doesn't mature enough to be marketable for lead roles until that time. I worked as a bilingual insurance agent, I taught English as a Second Language, I worked full-time for a church for a while – all interesting jobs, but definitely not what I wanted to do long-term.

Ms. Hobbs as Isolde in Tristan und Isolde at Theater Bonn.  Photo by Thilo Beu

Q. You were a member of both the Sarasota Opera Apprentice and Studio Artist programs.  Do you feel that experience helped to prepare you for a professional singing career?
A. Absolutely. I like to say that Sarasota helped raise me. It's an invaluable experience, seeing the process in action, understanding how it all works, how things come together, honing one's craft, watching how the soloists do things, getting a sense of the workplace atmosphere. Maestro DeRenzi also gave me invaluable career advice when I was here previously, telling me that because of the “German sound” of my instrument, I would do best to focus on German repertoire (Wagner, Strauss, etc) and he was very specific: figure out what roles are going to be most likely for you to perform, and learn them – the complete roles, not just the arias. Learn German. Go to Germany. Because, as he pointed out, every small and medium-sized house in Germany does German repertoire, but in the U.S., it's mostly just the big houses, who only hire world-famous singers. In Germany, I'd have the opportunity to sing all sorts of the right repertoire for me, instead of trying to force my voice into the repertoire available here in the U.S.

Q. You worked as a full time soloist at Theater Krefeld-Mönchengladbach in Germany from 2007 to 2012. That is different from American opera companies where you are hired for only one show at a time.  How did you enjoy singing primarily at one opera house for five years?
A. It was wonderful. I had the best of both worlds – a full-time position at two houses but enough free time to fit in work at other opera companies once a season. I am a person who really likes to have a home. I don't enjoy living out of a suitcase. So being full-time in one place for five years was wonderful: I had terrific repertoire to sing, an opportunity to really build repertoire and gain experience, great colleagues, interesting work, and could develop a sense of “a home away from home.” Even now that I am freelance, my husband and I still live in the area, so I've been able to keep in touch with the friends and colleagues who've become such a big part of my life. And I had the chance to sing one lead role after another, and a wide variety of repertoire, from Don Carlo, Aida, and Tosca to Die Fledermaus, Ariadne auf Naxos, Tristan and Isolde, and Brünnhilde (The Ring Cycle) - even Pique Dame in Russian. That is the advantage – and sometimes the disadvantage – to being full-time at a medium-sized house: you GET to sing everything, but you also HAVE TO sing everything. I sang Ann Trulove (The Rake's Progress), Countess Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro) and Brünnhilde all at the same time – pretty extreme ends of my repertoire spectrum. My last season I seemed to sing every direction at once: Countess, Brünnhilde, Elisabeth in Don Carlo, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, a modern work, and they wanted me to do Norma as well, which I declined. My brain and voice were going in enough different directions, especially when Countess and Brünnhilde were two days apart. But it was wonderful, and I was sorry to leave – I only did so because my agent really felt it was time to move on. I miss my colleagues and I'm not thrilled to be freelancing, but it's also been a great experience, freeing me up to really focus on the German repertoire, freeing me up to come here to Sarasota again, to sing Sieglinde (Die Walküre) in Frankfurt, to sing in Bayreuth, and to sing Isolde (Tristan und Isolde) pretty much non-stop. So it's all been good!

Ms. Hobbs (center) as Sieglinde in Die Walkure at Oper Frankfurt.  Photo by Wolfgang Runkel 

Q. What can you tell us about the character of Senta?  What do you want the audience to know about her?
A. I think Senta has been living her life on two levels for a long time – the dream level and the reality one. I can identify with this, having dreamed of being a singer for so many years while I went about the business of earning a living in other fields. I think she has long had an intense, deep longing for an extraordinary life, a longing to be “the one” who saves the Dutchman – she believes in this story, is fascinated by it, almost obsessed. But she goes about her life in the meantime, at least on the surface, telling herself it will probably never happen, accepting that she should probably be realistic, be with Erik, lead a “normal” life, trying to ignore that something is missing in her feelings for him, because at some level, she doesn't believe she'll ever meet this phantasm. But from the first minute she does, there is an almost audible click – everything else falls away and he has her complete and total attention, devotion, passion. Clearly, she would rather have a short but intensely meaningful life than a long but mundane one. She is a woman of intense passion, deep feelings, and secrets.

Ms. Hobbs in the title role of Tosca 
at Theater Krefeld.
Photo by Mattias Stutte

Q. How do you prepare a role for performance?  Beyond the music, what other type of preparation work do you do?
A. Of course one does background study, learning about the piece, the history behind it, the circumstances in which it was written, the meaning of it in the composer's life, where it falls in his oeuvre and so on. It's also so helpful to speak the language well, because it's so important to try to understand the nuances of the text, which may be saying much more than it seems on the surface. Tristan und Isolde, for example, spend much of the second act philosophizing, speaking in very poetic ways, almost psychoanalyzing things, and the text is incredibly complicated and difficult to understand, even for native speakers. In addition, Wagner uses outdated expressions that aren't used any more, and it's important to understand where that is coming from – was it a usual expression in his time? Was is out of date even then? Does it stem from the time at which the piece is set, rather than from when it was written? What is the significance of that, if any? In addition to work with the text, there is a need for an emotional preparation, trying to understand the motivations of the character, her emotional world, where she's coming from – what are her passions, what is driving her, what is her life like? Mostly we see only a small fragment of that life – what is the rest of it like? How does she spend her time? Is she rich, with servants; is she poor, and scrubbing and cleaning much of the day? How is she dressed? What is her home like, both physically and emotionally? Does she live with parents or with someone else? Is she loved at home? Are her parents (or whomever) kind? What is her outlook on the world – is she an optimist or not? Is she hopeful that her life will be happy, or pretty certain it won't be? Does she have a plan for her life? What is she looking forward to, hoping for, dreading?

Q. Wagner roles seem particularly demanding.  Are there additional challenges in singing a Wagner role compared to other types of roles you have performed?
A. The main things needed in a Wagner role are strength, flexibility and especially endurance. The sheer amount of voice needed is always a challenge.  The orchestra is usually huge, and the operas are frequently very long, so getting the role into your voice takes on new dimensions – sometimes it takes a few productions before you really feel comfortable with a role.

My first Wagner role was Isolde – I also did some excerpts from the Brünnhildes -  and both “sit” really well for my voice, but Isolde  (and the “complete” Brünnhilde) are two of the longest roles there are, so I was surprised to start with them, and thrilled when I finally got a chance to sing some of the shorter roles: Sieglinde last year, Ortlinde (one of the Walküres) in Bayreuth, and now Senta – I thought, “Oh, after Isolde, they'll be a walk in the park.” Not so. Senta is probably only a third as long as Isolde but it sits differently and I am every bit as vocally tired at the end as I am after singing Isolde. I can sing Senta through once in a day, but I simply cannot rehearse it for hours on end, certainly not full voice – it is too tiring.

Dutchman is one of Wagner's earliest operas that is still performed today, and it's been said that Wagner got better as he went along, that he learned to write better and better for singers, and I have to say I tend to agree. Senta is unusually tiring for the length of the piece. I'm still figuring out how much voice to give, whether to pull back a bit so as to have some reserves, or whether to really sing it full out, in order to produce the kind of sound – and the amount of sound - one expects. As with many roles, it's a case of finding the line between enough and too much voice, but that line feels more elusive than with most roles. It's been very interesting.

Ms. Hobbs as Isolde in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at Theater Bonn.  Photo by Matthis Stutte

Q. What advice would you give someone who might be intimidated to see their first Wagner opera?
A. Oh, don't be! It's such an amazing thing – think of it as a movie but even more intense, and try to keep an open mind.  Of course some of it may seem over the top – but focus on the music and the emotions, not the details.  It can be hard to handle the intensity of the music – it can be wrenching. But let it flow over you, let yourself simply experience it. And the emotions: most of us have at least a few times in our lives in which we have very intense experiences and emotions: death of a deeply beloved friend or family member, divorce, betrayal, heartbreak, falling in love, the end of a cherished dream, etc. Opera puts the most intense experiences of our lives on the stage – no one buys a ticket to watch someone wash their laundry, pay their bills, or go through other humdrum everyday experiences. We go to experience that intensity - usually there is something that we can identify with, something that strikes a chord of recognition or memory from a time when we, too, felt like that. Alternatively, it can be an opportunity to experience these things vicariously, because let's admit it, it can be too much to experience them in our own lives.

Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal?  During a performance?
A. Well, after a rehearsal last summer I had a lot of my hair cut off by accident by the hair and makeup department. They had french-braided my hair and sewn magnets into it, so as to attach an additional hairpiece on top with magnets, and upon cutting the magnets out of the French braid, they accidentally cut off several big chunks of my hair – the whole length of it, leaving me with only an inch along the scalp up front in a few places, as well as shortening the whole underside row of the back of my hair by about 6-8 inches.  I had to have the rest cut much shorter and I'm still feeling a bit short and thin in places. Needless to say, they then built me a wig with built-in magnets for the rest of the run.

As for a performance, this is a long story on paper but goes fast in the verbal telling – but here goes: my worst moments onstage were a series of three problems during a performance of The Marriage of Figaro. First, the pieces are often performed in a slightly different order than they are printed in the score. One night I came out to sing “Dove sono,” in which the harpsichord gives me a C- Major chord and I begin, a cappella, but this night our usual harpsichord player and conductor were not scheduled and the young men who  replaced them had been there for many rehearsals but never a performance, and were getting their first chance to perform the piece. Unfortunately the harpsichord player hadn't marked the places in the score that were out of order. So I walked out onto the stage and he played a I-don't-know-what chord, but it sure wasn't C Major, and I had no earthly idea where my pitch was. I walked around a bit, trying to stay calm but feeling my breath starting to come too fast. I looked down into the pit to see him frantically paging through the score, not knowing where we were. I looked at the young conductor, who didn't seem to really know what was going on. I walked around a bit, trying to make the moment a dramatic pause, all the while thinking, “Should I wait and hope he finds the right place? Should I start on who-knows-what-pitch? This is going to be a very, very long and painful recitative.” I looked over again and he is still frantically paging through the score, and by this time the conductor is gesturing at me, getting a bit frantic himself, so I mentally shrugged and started the recitative in who-knows-what key. Fortunately the orchestra comes in after my first phrase, and I thought, “Thank heavens that's over.” Ha!

Ms. Hobbs as the Countess in
The Marriage of Figaro.
Photo by Matthias Stutte

During the aria I was to cross to a closet door, which was to be opened with the key sticking out of its lock - there was no handle. Opening the closet door was crucial to the director's dramatic idea, because Countess was cast as an alcoholic who now reaches a turning point and pours all her liquor down the drain, symbolizing her decision to stop drinking and take control of her life. When I turned the key that night, it snapped in half, falling to the ground. First I spent some time trying to open the door with the inch of key left in the lock, all the while singing away. Eventually I gave up on that but realized I had to get the other piece of key off the floor, because the whole piece of scenery has to be rolled into another position at the end of the scene, and the supernumeraries who move it had a hard time anyway, and it would likely not roll at all over the large piece of old-fashioned, clunky key. So I'm down on hands and knees in my gown, searching for the key, singing away, and the conductor is looking at me, completely puzzled as to what in the world I am doing, and I finally find it and I am making the aria all about the key, the key, the importance of the key!! and how meaningful that all is, and I stand up to leave, thinking “thank heavens that's over”. Ha again!

Finally, I am supposed to make a dramatic exit over the top of another rolling piece of scenery in the back, which is a platform and double doorway with a pair of curtains hanging down – I am to dramatically fling aside the curtains and storm out to reclaim my husband and my life. And I get back there and the technical folks have stapled them closed at the bottom and I'm able to open them about 4 inches.  So I try and try and adrenaline is pouring through me by this point and I finally just give it my all and rip them away from the staples and storm out, laughing from relief as soon as I was out of sight.

Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals?  Performance superstitions?  Good luck charms?  If yes, why?
A. Not really. I generally don't do much or talk much the day of a performance, especially if it's a demanding role, but that's not really a ritual – just good sense. :)

Q. How do you relax in between performances?  What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?
A. I spend as much time as I can with friends and family, I'm an avid reader, I try to do sports regularly and recently I've started experimenting with cooking, broadening my culinary horizons...

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. Email, phone, and sometimes Skype. I have a website, but I am not really a big social media person.  I have a Facebook page under a false name to keep in touch with a few close friends and family members, but I keep it very small – I think I have about 12 “Friends”.  It's important to me to keep professional and personal lives somewhat separate – I don't really want people to connect a post I just wrote to one of my nieces, in my private life, with Dara Hobbs the singer, so it just didn't work to have a FB page under my real name.  I could of course do both - I know a lot of people feel it's important to use Facebook and Twitter for professional purposes -  but I just don't have the desire to spend my time and energy on this, honestly. I'd rather practice than post regular updates about my career on Facebook or Twitter. But I think it's a personal thing – if you have the interest, why not? It might help you, who knows?

Don't miss your chance to be one of the first to see and hear Ms. Hobbs in what will be sure to become one of her signature roles.  There will be seven performances of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman between March 1st and March 23rd.  Tickets are on sale now at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling (941) 328-1300. 

ARTISTS CORNER: Bass-baritone Kevin Short

Bass Kevin Short

Bass-baritone Kevin Short has been a frequent artist at Sarasota Opera since making his debut in 1991 as Méphistophélès in Gounod's Faust.  Since his debut, Mr. Short has been seen in many leading roles at Sarasota Opera, particularly the works of Verdi.  In addition, Mr. Short's career has taken him to the stages of Stuttgart Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera House. 

This season, Mr. Short returns to sing the title role in Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, a role he has performed at Indianapolis Opera, the Stadttheater Bern, and most recently in Croatia. Continue reading to learn why Mr. Short enjoys singing the music of Wagner and what he thinks makes Sarasota Opera so special that has kept him coming back since 1991.  

Mr. Short as Nourabad in Sarasota Opera's
2000 production of The Pearl Fishers

Q. Where are you originally from and where do you base yourself out of today?
A. I was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Charles County, Maryland. Today I’m based between Basel, Switzerland and Miami, Florida

Q. Why Opera?  What drew you to become a singer?  
A. I had very good instructors/mentors at  Morgan State University (Baltimore, MD), the Curtis Institute (Philadelphia, PA), and Juilliard’s AOC (American Opera Center) that  were quite influential to me as a young singer. But by the time I was a junior at Morgan State University and had won a few young artist competitions, I was certain I wanted to be a professional opera singer.

Q. What singing did you do as a teenager?
A. It wasn’t until I was a junior in high school that I joined the school choir and I also sang a bit in the choir while attending St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

Q. What are you looking forward to most about performing the role of The Dutchman in this season’s production of The Flying Dutchman?
A. I am most looking forward to literally singing every note of this brilliant score again and exploring undiscovered dramatic possibilities. The role is such a tour de force and the vocal and dramatic demands it places upon me are extremely exciting. I’m also very much looking forward to working with my outstanding colleagues, the musical and directing team, and I’m very interested to hear what the typical outstanding Sarasota Opera chorus will sound like with this masterpiece.

Mr. Short in the title role of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman at Indianapolis Opera

A. What is your process for preparing a role for performance?
Q. I find it very helpful to read the libretto first to get a real sense of the dramatic flow or arc of a piece and how my character factors into the overall equation. What is my relationship  to or how do I feel about each character in the opera whether I interact with them or not? It’s important for me to find out why I say what I say. I then start at the piano playing a section of my part multiple times to begin the memorization process. I move to the next section the next day while always revisiting the section from  the day before. If it’s music that is quite taxing I will often sing it down an octave or better yet, sing it very lightly in the octave. This helps to not start forming bad habits when trying to sing and learn at the same time. Overall there’s a sort of layering process that takes place. I also find it helpful to sing  my music in different tempi and mix things up a bit to not become too fixated with only one way of singing the music. This is espcecially useful if I’ve listened to or am familiar with recordings that could influence my interpretation before I’ve had input from the Maestro and director.

Mr. Short as Pagano in Verdi's
I Lombardi alla prima crociata
at Sarasota Opera

Q. Wagner roles seem particularly demanding.  Are there additional challenges in singing a Wagner role compared to other types of roles you have performed?
A. Yes, I find  for example, early Verdi and Wagner to be equally difficult to sing because of the tessitura of large sections of their music. Later Verdi is less problemic in this manner. Early Verdi also can require vocal gymnastics when handling vocal leaps. Dutchman does not as much as early Verdi, but there is the added demand of  having to contend with the thickness of his orchestration during  some musical and dramatic climaxes. A temptation for the Wagner singer is to try to force a bit too much. I think the singer benefits greatly if vocally they approach Wagner as they would singing a good many Italian operas. I also feel that Dutchman is the mist Italianate of his opera.

Q. What do you want the audience to know about the character of The Dutchman?  
A. That there may be a personality flaw that causes the Dutchman to have been so unsuccessful in finding  a true woman for so many years. He’s also not to be pitied as much as some may want to pity him. It’s his own arrogance in defying nature and God that caused his predicament

Q. What would you say to someone who might be intimidated to try their first Wagner opera?  
A. Dutchman is extremely accessible dramatically ,and musically it is some of the most sublime and glorious music one can imagine. If they’ve ever wondered what Wagner is like, then this is the perfect first Wagner opera, and it’s also not a long night at the opera at under 3 hours  from beginning to end with intermission.

Mr. Short as Signor La Rocca in
Sarasota Opera's production of
Verdi's A King for a Day

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. I absolutely love singing here for so many reasons such as the attention to detail from top to bottom. with everyone working at the company.

Because of the generous amount of time given to the rehearsal process, a singer will really develop and can explore the possibilities dramatically as well as vocally. There are also multiple performances that help facilitate this growth, which is extremely rare for most opera companies in the U.S.  Another reason is that Maestro DeRenzi has created an ensemble of singers and orchestra players that understand the Sarasota Opera music making process. Maestro’s musical language and performers that work regularly in Sarasota create an environment and unofficial system that is the closest thing we have in the States to a typical European fixed engagement system. 


Q. You have performed all over the world.  Do you find audiences behave differently in all the different countries you perform in? 
A. Yes, audiences seem to react in the manner and character of the characteristics of their country.

Mr. Short as The King in Opera Birmingham's production of Aida

Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal?  During a performance?
A. I don’t want to elaborate, but the whole rehearsal and performance period this past summer performing Dutchman at the Split Festival.

Q. How do you relax in between performances?  What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?
A. I enjoy riding my bicycle, drawing,and reading historical books.

Q. What music do you listen to when you are driving in the car?
A. A wide variety.  I enjoy listening to opera but also enjoy jazz, classic R&B, and pop music. 

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 use Skype a good deal while on the road. Facebook also comes in handy for keeping in touch with family and friends.  

Don't miss a note Mr. Short's performances as The Dutchman in this season's production of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman running for 7 performances between March 1st through March 23rd. Tickets are on sale now at www.sarasotaopera.org or by calling (941) 328-1300.  

ARTIST PROFILE: Bass Harold Wilson

Bass Harold Wilson

ARTISTS CORNER:  Bass Harold Wilson will make his Sarasota Opera debut this winter as Daland in this season's production of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman.   Mr. Wilson has already established a respectable career worldwide performing regularly with companies such as the Metropolitan Opera, Tulsa Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and in concert at Carnegie Hall.  We caught up with Mr. Wilson as he prepares for the upcoming season.  We asked him to answer a few questions about his life as a singer and what he is looking forward to the upcoming winter season with Sarasota Opera.

Q. Where are you originally from and where do you make your home now?

A. I grew up in Charlotte, NC. I currently live in Mount Holly, NJ which is about 40 minutes from Philadelphia, PA.

Q. What drew you to become a singer? Was there a specific “Aha!” moment of clarity 

A. I always enjoyed singing, but it wasn’t until I scored the highest marks during an All-State Choir audition that I realized I had some talent.

Q. Did you have other career aspirations in the works before you decided on singing?

A. I also studied Computer Science at University, but decided to put all my effort into Music during my Junior year.

Q. What can you tell us about this character? Why should the audience care about him?

A. Daland is a blue-collar worker, the Captain of a ship. As his daughter grows up, he really hopes to find someone to take care of her. He jumps at the chance to marry his daughter off to the Dutchman. Of course, the gold and jewels he would receive in exchange for her hand in marriage don’t hurt his enthusiasm.

Q. What are you looking forward to most about performing this particular role?

A.  I am looking forward to working with old friends and new ones. I’m also looking forward to working in Sarasota.

Mr. Wilson as Ramphis in Aida
with Opera Birmingham

Q. Is there something unique about your process when preparing a role for performance?

A. I have the unique opportunity to continue to work on many roles with my mentor and teacher Giorgio Tozzi who passed away in 2011. He left a wonderful legacy of recordings. One of his most famous recordings is singing Daland with George London as the Dutchman and Leonie Rysanek as Senta. I always listen for how sings a phrase. Where he takes a breath and which words are the most important to him. These are the things he would have told me in a lesson. I do not try to have the same sound he had since every voice is unique.

Q. Beyond the musical work, what other kind of preparation/research work do you incorporate in the learning process? Historical? Character study?

A. I often try to read the book/play that a libretto is based on. I always try to pay attention to people everywhere I go. There are so many different types of people out there, and I use these observations as a character study for the roles I’m preparing.

Q. Thus far, what is the most bizarre experience you have had during a rehearsal?

A. I was once in a production where the director and the tenor almost got into a fist fight.  

Mr. Wilson as Osmin in Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio
with soprano Kathleen Kim at Minnesota Opera

Q. During a performance?

A. Roberto Alagna jumped into the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Tosca. I was singing the Jailer and we were supposed to play chess against each other (don’t ask me why, but it’s a part of the new production). Cavaradossi should give up the match by laying his King down on the board. Instead Roberto “raked” all of the pieces onto the floor. Some of them went into the tracks of a trap door that was needed for the finale of the opera. I spent the next couple of minutes picking up every last piece while trying to stay authoritative and sing my lines at the same time!

Q. Do you have any pre-performance rituals? Performance superstitions? Good luck charms?

A. I’m not very superstitious.

Mr. Wilson as Oroveso in Norma with Tulsa Opera

Q. How do you relax in between performances? What hobbies do you enjoy at home and “on the road”?

A. I am an avid golfer. I bring my clubs on all of my gigs (weather permitting). If I’m not rehearsing, you will probably find me on a golf course. I’m available for any Member-Guest tournaments during my stay in Sarasota! ;o)

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 have a website (www.haroldwilson.net), a personal Facebook account, and a Twitter account (but I rarely use Twitter). I could be convinced that there is merit in have a “Fans of” page, but as of now, I do not have one.

Do not miss Mr. Wilson in his upcoming performances in Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman which runs for 7 performances between March 1st and March 23rd, 2014.  For more information and tickets, go online at www.sarasotaopera.org or call (941) 328-1300.

Sarasota Opera Announces its 55th Season!

Sarasota Opera Announces its 55th Season

2013 Fall Season

Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, Jr.

The Little Sweep by Benjamin Britten

(presented by the Sarasota Youth Opera)

2014 Winter Festival

Il trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi

(New production)

The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini

The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner

Jérusalem by Giuseppe Verdi

(Sarasota Opera Premiere)

Sarasota, FL – Sarasota Opera is pleased to announce its 2013 – 2014 Fall and Winter programming which will mark the company’s 55^th consecutive season of performing grand opera on the Florida gulf coast.  Highlights will include the return of some of Sarasota Opera’s most acclaimed productions, the Sarasota Opera premiere of Verdi’s Jérusalem as part of the ongoing Verdi Cycle, and the debut of new concerts to the Sarasota Opera Concert Series.      

“This will be a season of celebration,” says Richard Russell, Executive Director.  “Not only will Sarasota Opera be marking the company’s 55^th consecutive season, we will be commemorating the anniversaries of the birth of three of opera’s most significant composers through our programming; Wagner, Britten, and of course Verdi.  We hope you will come and join in the festivities.”

Sarasota Opera’s production of Die Fledermaus in 2006

Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, Jr.

The fall 2013 season will open on November 1^st with Johann Strauss, Jr.’s operetta Die Fledermaus last seen in Sarasota in 2006.  As the plot unfolds, an elaborate scheme is hatched to expose the womanizing ways of the wealthy Eisenstein as he attempts to enjoy a night of frivolity at an elaborate Viennese ball before going to jail.  Hidden identities and amorous intrigues mixed with a splash of mistaken identity make for a night of unwieldy delight in this charming story where champagne reigns as king!

Baritone Sean Anderson (Of Mice and Men, Otello) returns to reprise the role of the scheming Eisenstein and soprano Danielle Walker (A King for a Day, Carmen) will sing the role of his wife Rosalinda.  Rounding out the cast will be soprano Angela Mortellaro (Hansel and Gretel) as Adele, Rosalinda’s chambermaid, tenor Joshua Kohl (Lucia di Lammermoor, Don Giovanni) as Alfred, Rosalinda’s former admirer, 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 Orlofsky, the evenings host in the opera.  Stephanie Sundine will direct and Maestro Victor DeRenzi will conduct.  This production will be sung in English with a translation by Marcie Stapp.       

Little Sweep by Benjamin Britten

Following their triumphal performances of last season’s world premiere of Little Nemo in Slumberland, the acclaimed Sarasota Youth Opera will present a full-scale production of Benjamin Britten’s opera The Little Sweep.  A group of children, with the help of a kind nursery maid, work to free a young chimney sweep apprentice from his cruel master.  This enchanting work, which was written to help introduce children to opera and will be sure to delight both children and adults alike, will be presented on November 9 and 10.  The children principal roles and chorus will be performed by members of the Sarasota Youth Opera program.  The adult roles will be performed by members of the Sarasota Opera Apprentice Program.  The production will be directed by Martha Collins and conducted by Maestro Jesse Martins. 

2014 Winter Festival

Il trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi

Opening the 2014 Winter Opera Festival will be a new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s hot-blooded drama Il trovatore on February 8, 2014 designed by Scenic Designer Michael Schweikardt.  Not seen in Sarasota since 1993 (Sarasota Opera performed the French version, Le Trouvère, in 2002), Il trovatore tells the story of a troubadour’s quest for love, a soldier’s lust, and a daughter’s undying thirst for vengeance.  Il trovatore, which was premiered in 1853, features operatic favorites such as the famous “Anvil Chorus” and the valiant tenor cabaletta “Di quella pira.”

Two rising stars of the opera world will make their Sarasota Opera debut in this production.  Baritone David Pershall will debut as Count di Luna, the jealous commander of the Aragon troops.  Mr. Pershall, who joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera this past season, has also been heard with Dallas Opera, Virginia Opera, and the Opera Orchestra of New York.  In addition to Mr. Pershall, Mezzo-soprano Margaret Mezzacappa will debut as the vengeful Azucena.  Ms. Mezzacappa, who was the Grand Prize winner at the 2012 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, performed this role in 2012 at Opera New Jersey under Maestro DeRenzi.  Other engagements include appearances at Opera Philadelphia, Cleveland Opera, Carnegie Hall, and an upcoming debut at San Francisco Opera.   Stephanie Sundine returns as stage director and Maestro Victor DeRenzi will conduct.    

The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini 

The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, one of the most beloved comedic works in the operatic repertory, will return to Sarasota Opera’s stage opening February 15^th in a revival of the 2008 production.  Determined to win the heart of the beautiful Rosina with charm and wit, rather than money, Count Almaviva enlists the help of Figaro, the barber of Seville, to steal her away from her guardian, Dr. Bartolo.

The 2008 Sarasota Opera production of Rossini's The Barber of Seville

Baritone Marco Nisticò, who sang the title role in last season’s production of Rigoletto, which were followed by performances of Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera, returns to sing the role of scheming barber, Figaro.  Bass Young Bok Kim, who was heard last season as both Sparafucile in Rigoletto as well as Timur in Turandot, will reprise his role of Basilio.  Stage Director William Gustafson, who has directed past productions of The Barber of Seville as well as The Magic Flute and Hansel and Gretel for Sarasota Opera, will return to direct.       

The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner

Legends of the sea come to life on March 1, 2014 as Sarasota Opera remounts its 2000 production by David P. Gordon of The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner.  As the story goes, The Flying Dutchman tells the tale of a cursed sea captain forced to wander the world, ultimately finding redemption in the selfless gift of a woman’s love.  The unbridled weight and force of Wagner’s work will enthrall audiences as they voyage through this mystical world. 

Three members of last season’s critically acclaimed production of Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men return to Sarasota Opera next season.  Tenor Michael Hendrick, who sang the role of Lennie, returns to sing the role of the huntsman Erik; tenor Jon Jurgens, who sang the role of Curley, will sing the Steersman; and Maestro David Neely, a specialist of the German repertoire, will conduct.

Jérusalem by Giuseppe Verdi

Finally, opening March 8, 2014, will be the Sarasota Opera debut of Verdi’s Jérusalem, an epic tale of warriors, family rivalry, and jealousy that evolves into a story of forgiveness.   Based on his earlier opera, I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Jérusalem, which was Verdi’s introduction to Paris, abounds with rousing choruses, beautiful ensembles, and exciting arias.  This new production of Jérusalem will mark the 30^th operatic installment of the Verdi Cycle and an experience you won't want to miss. 

Bass Kevin Short, a frequent performer at Sarasota Opera and who sang the role of Pagano in the 2011 production of I Lombardi, returns to sing the role of Roger, the count’s brother; soprano Danielle Walker (Un giorno di regno, Carmen) will sing Hélène, the Count’s daughter; bass Jeffrey Beruan (Madama Butterfly, I Lombardi alla prima crocciata) sings the Papal Legate; and baritone Matthew Hanscom (Of Mice and Men, Turandot) will sing the Count of Toulouse.  Popular Sarasota Opera stage director Martha Collins will direct and Maestro Victor DeRenzi will conduct. 

The four productions will run in rotation from February 8 through March 23, 2014.

  

Sarasota Opera Concert Series

In addition, Sarasota Opera will present four signature concerts designed to highlight great songs, arias and scenes beyond this season’s repertoire. 

On Tuesday, November 12, singers from the fall production of Die Fledermaus will present the Operetta Concert featuring some of operetta’s most popular melodies with piano accompaniment. 

On Wednesday, March 5, 2014 Sarasota Opera will explore the past and present of American opera and vocal music at the American Opera Concert which will be performed by Sarasota Opera’s Apprentice and Studio Artists.  This concert will be performed with piano accompaniment. 

On Tuesday, March 18, 2014, Sarasota Opera presents its annual Artists Choice Concert which has become a Sarasota Opera tradition!  Principal and Studio Artists will perform their choice of the best of Opera and Broadway on the Sarasota Opera main stage.  This concert will be performed with piano accompaniment. 

Finally, bringing the 2014 Winter Season to a close will be The Verdi Concert on Sunday, March 23, 2014.  With the end of the Verdi Cycle only three years away, The Verdi Concert is your chance to experience a mix of Verdi’s well known, not so well known, and hidden musical gems.  Featuring Sarasota Opera Soloists, Orchestra, and Chorus, this concert reaffirms the fact as to why Sarasota Opera is Verdi’s American Home!   

ABOUT SARASOTA OPERA

Based in Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast, Sarasota Opera is approaching its 53^rd consecutive season.  In 1960, the company began presenting chamber-sized repertoire in the historic 320-seat Asolo Theater on the grounds of Sarasota’s Ringling Museum of Art. Recognizing the need for a theater more conducive to opera, the company purchased the former A.B. Edwards Theater in downtown Sarasota in 1979 and first performing in it in 1984 as the Sarasota Opera House. The theater has just undergone a $20-million renovation and rehabilitation enhancing audience amenities, while updating the technical facilities including increasing the size of the orchestra pit. The theater, which reopened in March 2008, has been called “one of America’s finest venues for opera” by Musical America.

Since 1983 the company has been under the artistic leadership of Victor DeRenzi. Since then the company has garnered international attention with its Masterwork Revivals Series, which presents neglected works of artistic merit, as well as the Verdi Cycle producing the complete works of Giuseppe Verdi. Recognizing the importance of training, Maestro DeRenzi founded the Apprentice Artist and Studio Artist programs. Sarasota Opera also maintains a commitment to education through its Invitation to Opera performances for local schools and the unique Sarasota Youth Opera program.

The 2013 Fall Season will feature Johann Strauss, Jr,’s Die Fledermaus followed by the Sarasota Youth Opera production of Britten’s The Little Sweep.  The 2014 Winter Festival will include Verdi’s Il trovatore, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, and Verdi’s Jérusalem.  Subscriptions for the 2013-2014 Season are now on sale by calling (941) 328-1300 or visiting the Sarasota Opera Box Office.  Single tickets will go on sale August 1st online (www.sarasotaopera.org) and September 3rd in the box office.

Sarasota Opera is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Programs are supported in part by an award the Tourist Development Tax through the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council and the Sarasota County Arts Council. Additional funding is provided by the City of Sarasota and the County of Sarasota.

Sarasota Opera

61 N. Pineapple Avenue

Sarasota, FL 34236

(941) 366-8450

www.sarasotaopera.org