The Building of the Set for The Crucible

For the first time ever, the crew at Sarasota Opera is building a set for a mainstage opera, in-house! It takes a lot of room and time as well as many crew members to build a set, says our Director of Production, Jeff Ellis. When completed, this will be the set used in our Winter Festival production of Robert Ward's Pulitzer prize winning opera, The Crucible, based on Arthur Miller's Tony Award winning play of the same name. Here, on-stage, our painters apply a finish to several pieces of the set.

Below, is the "bedroom" - the walls have been put together (soon to be taken down) in our shop just to make sure it all works. Visit this blog occasionally to follow our progress with the set. Crew will be working on it regularly until we open our Fall Opera, La Cenerentola, Oct. 29. We'll resume construction after the Fall Season closes Nov. 10. Check back for more photos!

Get 'em while it's hot!

Because of the high demand for tickets to our Fall production of La Cenerentola (Cinderella) and our 2011 Winter Opera Festival, we have decided to open our online sales early.
However, if you choose to buy your tickets in person or by phone, you'll have to wait until September 1 for the Fall Season and October 1 for the Winter Festival.
Get a jump on your fellow opera lovers and get your tickets while they are still available!
Subscriptions are now available at the Box Office, 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236 or call (941) 366-8450, ext. 1

For single tickets go to: www.SarasotaOpera.org

Apprentice Artist Applications Due Soon!

A reminder to Sarasota Opera Apprentice Artist hopefuls: applications are due by August 15.

Sarasota Opera will hold the annual auditions for its Apprentice Artists Program this fall in Chicago on Sept. 11, Sarasota on Sept. 13, and NYC on Sept 16-19 with callbacks on Sept. 20

The program seeks singers who are serious about having careers as soloists in opera and desire further development in their craft. Singers will be able to apply through www.yaptracker.com, an online audition manager for young artists and emerging professionals. There is no membership fee to use this service.

Come work for us!

Want to be part of our Development Team? Are you organized? Detail oriented? A people person? A team player? You could be our new Development Assistant.

The Development Assistant is responsible for all administrative aspects of Development Department, assisting with the fulfillment of donor benefits and the managements of the remaining administrative functions related to the Opera's most recent Capital Campaign. The Development Assistant plays an important role by providing administrative support to the Development Office and participating in all fundraising activities including donor identification, cultivation and stewardship, direct mail appeals, and special events. This is a full-time position. Candidate must be available to work after hours during the Opera Seasons.
For the full job description, requirements and application information, visit:

http://www.sarasotaopera.org/employment/developmentassistant.aspx

Sarasota Opera Names New Marketing Director

Michael Chang has joined our staff as Director of Marketing and Public Relations. He comes to Sarasota from New York where he was managing director for MC Art Strategies, a consultancy for nonprofit visual and performing arts institutions.
Michael was executive director for Downtown Music at Grace, a community concert series in White Plains, New York. As Executive Secretary of the Board of Directors for Maverick Concerts, a summer chamber music festival in Woodstock, New York, he served as marketing and publicity chair. For the last five years, he has been an adjunct instructor in the Arts Administration Certificate Program for New York University SCPS. Among the courses he taught are music and concert administration, public relations for the visual and performing arts, and performing arts management.
“I’m so pleased and excited to be joining the team of professionals at Sarasota Opera, an organization that has been on my radar for many years as a performer, an educator, an arts administrator, and most importantly, as an unabashed lover of great opera performance,” Mr. Chang says. “Sarasota Opera is considered a precious gem in the world of opera and performing arts. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues, and, of course, meeting the Sarasota community of opera lovers. Sarasota used to be a frequent stop on my holiday itinerary; now it’s going to be my home. What more can anyone ask?”

Are You Our Next Stage Management Intern?

Sarasota Opera has an opening for a Stage Management Intern for the 2011 Winter Festival Season. Applicants should have strong music skills and be available for the entire production period. Local housing is provided; a car is not required but strongly recommended. Contract dates are Jan. 5 - March 25 and includes productions of La boheme and I Lombardi.Sarasota Opera produces four operas in rotating rep; additional information about the company can be found at sarasotaopera.org. To apply, please send a resume and 3 references to Jeff Ellis, Director of Production, at prodjobs@sarasotaopera.org.

Victor DeRenzi is Guest Narrator at Baltimore Concert Opera

Artistic Director of Sarasota Opera, Victor DeRenzi, is making a guest appearance this weekend in Baltimore, Maryland. On Saturday, the Baltimore Concert Opera is presenting "The Verdi Baritone"as part of its special programming on one composer and one voice type. Since the Maestro is a renowned Verdi scholar, he was asked to narrate the concert. The baritone is also a Sarasota favorite - Jonathan Carle - who has sung principal roles here in Rigoletto, La rondine, Halka, La bohème, and Pagliacci. For those of you Verdi aficionados who might be in Baltimore this weekend, "The Verdi Baritone" will be performed at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in MICA's Brown Center.