Boston
Singers' Resource News Bulletin, February
12 , 2003
We
welcome the grand opening of NEW ENGLAND LIGHT OPERA and their production
of MERRY WIDOW! The operetta has not been staged in this area since 1966
and features and all-star cast of many BSR members (listed below). Mark
Morgan*, the spirited force behind this new organization, talks about
the history and mission of NELO, his dedication to New England based talent,
and his passion for
keeping operetta alive in New England. Bravo, and thank you, Mark!
NEW ENGLAND LIGHT
OPERA, Mark Morgan, Artistic Director:
"My heart almost literally jumped for joy several months ago when
I read in the Boston Globe about the formation of New England Light Opera.
Talk about filling a void!" So began a letter sent to NELO last summer.
It is representative of the kind of enthusiastic response they have received
again and again over the past year. "The excitement and enthusiasm
of complete strangers for this idea has constantly astounded me",
says founder and Artistic Director, Mark Morgan.
What has caused this reaction is the birth of a new professional company
dedicated to presenting productions of operetta and "classic"
musical theatre with full orchestra. "I was very surprised when I
moved out here in '97 that none of this literature was being done here,"
continues Morgan, "Outside of G & S and a Fledermaus or two,
this whole area of literature is unknown here. I was floored when I found
out that the last professionally staged production of THE MERRY WIDOW
was in 1966!."
What also surprised Morgan was the lack of opportunities for local artists.
The Board of Directors of the new group decided early on that this company
would be dedicated to building the local arts community by hiring local
artists. Morgan says, "We very much want this to be a company that
respects and appreciates performers and we have gone to great lengths
to make this a wonderful place for performers to work. We want this to
be a place where they will be respected, artistically challenged, and,
most importantly, have fun!"
New England Light Opera was founded in January of 2001. The founders,
Mark Morgan, Kaja Schuppert, and Lynda Fairbanks Atkins, immediately decided
they would spend whatever time was necessary to build a solid organizational
foundation before undertaking the first production. In that time they
established all the usual infrastructure of a new organization, were granted
non-profit status, and managed to build a donor base of more than 80 individuals
and businesses. Perhaps most importantly, they carefully recruited a Board
of Directors with specific expertise in areas critical to NELO's success
(e.g. fundraising, non-profit management, finance, marketing, and the
music business).
Last fall saw the production of New England Light Opera's first major
event. Their LIGHTS UP! gala concert event was performed by 15 local singers
to a highly enthusiastic and sold out audience at Emmanuel Church in Boston.
This concert was a great send off for the company and gave those attending
a real taste of the great music and theatre that is to come.
On January 24th, 28 local professional performers came together for the
first time and began rehearsals for NELO's first production, Franz Lehár's
THE MERRY WIDOW. In just a few short weeks they will be joined onstage
at the John Hancock Hall in Boston by a 28 piece orchestra. They will
perform a staged concert of this classic show before thousands of enthusiastic
opera and theater lovers. In addition, they will bring this show out to
arts lovers beyond Boston by performing at the Masconomet Regional High
School in Topsfield.
Of the style of the show, Morgan says: "We really want this show,
and all our shows, to not only sound great, but to be great theatre. The
storytelling, characters, etc. are crucially important to me. I think
it is imperative that if opera as an art form is to survive and grow,
it has to get beyond the static and unmotivated pictures that are so often
presented to us. These are great stories and deserve to be treated as
great theatre. I believe in musical theatre in all its forms; that opera
is a sub-category of musical theater-not a thing apart. Are there technical
limitations because of the demands of the music? Sure. But they NEVER
negate the possibilities of the story."
As NELO moves forward they will be presenting a series of concerts that
will include staged scenes from operetta and musical theater. They plan
on bringing these concerts throughout New England - not just in the Boston
area. Their long range goal is to present two full productions (one operetta
and one musical) plus a concert production each season.
THE MERRY WIDOW
Friday, February 21, John Hancock Hall, Boston 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 22, John Hancock Hall, Boston 7:30 PM
Sunday, February 23, Masconomet High School, Topsfield, MA 3:00 PM
Artistic Staff:
Stage Director: Peter A. Carey
Musical Director: Dirk Hillyer
Choreographer: Ilyse Robbins
Pianist: Karen Gahagan
Cast:
Hannah, Rochelle Bard*;
Danilo, Kent French;
Valencienne, Alexandra Wiseman;
Camille, Christian Figueroa*;
Baron Zeta, Richard Conrad*;
Njegus, Bill Butler;
St. Brioche, Daniel Hershey* (Camille cover);
Cascada, Jeffrey Campos;
Kromov, Brian Wagner;
Bagdanowitsch, Cory Walker;
Pritschisch, Michael Parsons;
Sylvianne, Kaja Schuppert* (Hannah cover);
Olga, Johanna Hoyt Kimball*;
Praskovia, June Baboian*;
Major Domo, Mikey Wiseman;
Zozo, Marian de la Rambelje*;
Lo Lo, Elizabeth Russ;
Do Do, Meredith Ellis;
Jou Jou, Helen Puckett*;
Clo Clo, Anne Louis Klaus*;
Margot, Amanda Jellen* (Valencienne cover);
Frou Frou, Shannon Mühs*;
Ensemble, Elizabeth Canterbury*, Kristen Palson, Courtenay Schowalter*,
Mark Morgan* (Danilo cover), Timothy Walton, R. Wayne Woodson
BIOGRAPHIES:
MARK D. MORGAN* (Artistic Director, Ensemble) has made his career alternating
as a performer, conductor, and now producer. As a performer, he has appeared
in major roles with theaters and opera companies across the country including
PIRATES OF PENZANCE, THE FANTASTIKS (Colorado Lyric Theatre Festival),
THE SONG OF NORWAY, THE GONDOLIERS, THESPIS, ROBINSON CRUSOE (Ohio Light
Opera), THE GONDOLIERS (Ocean State Lyric Opera), THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Rochester
Opera House), and CAMELOT (Seacoast Repertory Theatre). Locally he has
been seen as John Wilkes Booth and Jules in the award winning productions
of ASSASSINS and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE at The Lyric Stage Company
of Boston. As a conductor, Mark has filled positions with churches, schools,
and community groups in several states. He currently serves as the Director
of Music at the Congregational Church of Topsfield. Past positions include
Music Director of Harvard pro Musica, Chorus Master of Opera Theatre of
Rochester, and Assistant Conductor of the opera program at the University
of Colorado. With soprano Kaja Schuppert, he has performed concerts of
operetta and musical theatre throughout the region. The most recent of
these concerts has just been released on compact disc: IN THE OLD SWEET
WAY: SONGS FROM OPERETTA AND MUSICAL THEATRE. An avid fan of new musicals,
he has participated in local readings or productions of CURSE OF THE BAMBINO,
FRIENDSHIP OF THE SEA, and JOAN OF ARC. He is also at work, with collaborator
Ken Proctor, on a new original musical tentatively titled SMOOTH SAILING.
A native of Wisconsin, Mark received his Bachelor's degree from Macalester
College, Masters Degrees in both Voice and Conducting from the Eastman
School of Music, and pursued doctoral work at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
PETER A. CAREY (Stage Director) was first introduced to opera as an American
Sign Language interpreter. Boston Lyric Opera, under the leadership of
Anne Ewers, was one of the first companies to include sign language actors
as a part of the storytelling in a full scale production. The production
of Rossini's THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, with Robert Honeysucker, was an exciting
and successful experiment. The Sign Actor director was Jody Steiner. Peter
went on to assist on the production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, and was then
the Sign Actor Stage Director in conjunction with Stage Director Anne
Ewers on Boston Lyric Opera's production of Britten's THE TURN OF THE
SCREW with Jayne West. Peter's on stage experience includes: BOY MEETS
BOY (Triangle Theatre Co.), AMADEUS (Merrimack Repertory Theatre), THE
SEAGULL (Chekov Theatre and Film Co.), A CHRISTMAS CAROL, MUSIC MAN (North
Shore Music Theatre), OF THEE I SING (The Publick Theatre), THE LISBON
TRAVIATA, WHEN PIGS FLY, The Award winning ASSASINS and SUNDAY IN THE
PARK WITH GEORGE (The Lyric Stage). Directorial credits include: THE HEIDI
CHRONICLES (Black and White Theatre), CORIOLANUS, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING,
AS YOU LIKE IT (Project Sheakespeare), NINE (the Publick Theatre), THE
WORLD GOES 'ROUND (Lyric Stage Company), MISS GULCH RETURNS (john O'Neill
Production).
DR. DIRK HILLYER* (Music Director) has performed with the Boston Lyric
Opera in productions of LA TRAVIATA, THE MAGIC FLUTE, ROMEO AND JULIET,
AIDA, AKHNATEN, MADAME BUTTERFLY, DON GIOVANNI, AND SALOME. In popular
music, Hillyer has performed with Carol Channing in HELLO DOLLY!, Mellisa
Manchester, Peter Nero, Maynard Ferguson, Arturo Sandoval, Bobby Vinton,
Anthony Newley, and Stan Kenton. In addition, he has directed for the
American Lyric theatre at the Lake George Opera Festival, stage managed
the American premiere of DIE SOLDATEN for Sarah Caldwell and the Opera
Company of Boston, and has served as the Production Manager for the Eugene
O'Neill Composer/Librettist Conference. Upon receiving a Musicology degree
from the New England Conservatory, Hillyer assumed the position of Director
with the Musical Theatre Department of Russell Sage College. He has toured
Europe several times as a French Horn player performing in Berlin, Florence,
Milan, Lisbon, Dublin, London, Avignon, Lucerne, and at the thirty year
anniversary of Israeli independence in Tel Aviv. At home, Hillyer has
conducted over 50 theatre productions, most notable at the Boston Conservatory
of Music. Dirk has been teaching at Salem State College since 1985, serving
as Chair of the Music Department from 1990-1994. In 1996 he received his
Ph. D. from Tufts University.
RICHARD CONRAD* (Baron Zeta) studied singing with Harry Euler Treiber
in Boston, and in Germany with Gisela Rohmert. While still a student his
ability to meet the technical and stylistic demands of music of the 17,
18th, and 19th centuries resulted in an invitation from DECCA (London)
to record arias and ensembles of this period with Joan Sutherland, Marilyn
Horne, and Richard BONYNGE (THE AGE OF BEL CANTO and ARIAS FROM HANDEL'S
JULIUS CEASAR) which brought him to international prominence. His performances
of the bel canto literature includes A PRIMER ON PRIMA DONNAS, again with
Miss Sutherland and Mr. Bonynge, (available on VAI video), a series, COLORATURA,
for the National Education Network in Boston, and a cycle of programs
on florid song which he wrote and performed for Radio-Televisione Italiana
in Rome. His European debut took place in Geneva when he was a soloist
with L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Since then, he has performed in
concert and opera, and in plays, operettas, and musicals all over Europe,
Britain, the United States, Canada, Africa, and the former Soviet Union.
He has made many recordings including SONGS AND BALLADS OF ARTHUR SULLIVAN
(Pearl), SONGS OF NOEL COWARD (Newport Classic), and Samuel Barber's VANESSA
(Naxos-release spring 2003). He has enjoyed equal success as an impressario,
actor, singer, director, and teacher.
KENT FRENCH (Danilo) most recently appeared in the premiere of MARTY at
the Huntington Theatre Company. He also understudied their productions
of HEDDA GABLER, THE DEAD and OBSERVE THE SONS OF ULSTER. Since 1998,
he has appeared in over twenty local theater productions, including the
New England premieres of THE LARAMIE PROJECT (Gloucester Stage Company,
Boston Theatre Works) and THE WILD PARTY (SpeakEasy Stage Company); TWELFTH
NIGHT (Commonwealth Shakespeare); IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (American Stage
Festival); EDWARD II and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (Pet Brick Productions).
He has performed his solo cabarets at Scullers Jazz Club, Eighty-Eight's
in NYC, the Ritz-Carlton, and the Cinedrome Nightclub at Foxwoods Casino.
Kent is also frequently seen in television commercials. He is a graduate
of Northwestern University.
ROCHELLE BARD* (Hannah), is originally from Worcester, MA, where she received
a BA in Biology Pre-Med at the College of the Holy Cross. She grew up
playing the piano and accompanying singers before she became a singer
herself. Rochelle is finishing her Master of Music in Voice at the New
England Conservatory this year. Rochelle was a vocal fellow at Tanglewood
last summer and is invited to return to sing a main role in a world premiere
opera by Robert Zuidam. She has also attended the Chautauqua Institute
of Music and has been the soloist with various orchestras, including performances
of ELIJAH, FAURE REQUIEM, WEST SIDE STORY, and SHOWBOAT. Other roles include
Yum Yum (MIKADO), Nella (GIANNI SCHICCHI), and Angelina (TRIAL BY JURY).
Rochelle will appear as Cunegonde in Bernstein's operetta, CANDIDE, in
late April with the New England Conservatory. She won the Boston District
division of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition in January
and will sing in the semi-finals for New England this month. Rochelle
currently studies voice with Edward Zambara at the Conservatory and is
pleased to make her debut in the role of the Widow Hanna with the New
England Light Opera.
For more information about New England Light Opera or to contact Mark
Morgan, please visit their website:
http://www.newenglandlightopera.org