Summer 2025 Issue
The Team behind your Summer 2025 Issue
Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn, Editor & contributor
Joshua May, contributor
Linda Lister, contributor
Shawn Marie Jeffery, contributor​
Jourdan Laine Howell, Editorial & Graphics Designer
Summer state of mind!
The Art of Moving Forward:
Reflections and Renewals for 25–26
A note from Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn, Editor of NOA Now
As the temperature warms, I feel like my mind is quickly flipping from the challenges of the 24-25 season to ideas and hopes for 25-26. For many of us, planning is still underway and is complicated by many questions. Will the students who have committed show up? Will our international students and colleagues be with us in the fall? Will our NEA funding still be in place? How can we make art when life is so incredibly complicated? What does our audience need? What do our singers need?
My friends know I was born optimistic, but I often found myself running on fumes this year. However, when I am being creative, the weight of the world lifts a little. My students make discoveries every day that raise my spirits. In our elementary outreach performances, I grin from ear to ear when I hear the students’ full-bodied laughs and willingness to warn the protagonist about the bad guy creeping up behind them. Hope is something. Hope, escape, and joy – these are things we can give and receive through our art.
In this edition of NOA Now, I asked some colleagues about their favorite shows and scenes. If your season is still in flux (like mine), I hope you’ll find a gem among their replies. We also offer a chance to be inspired by the future of opera through our student members. Josh May shares information on the expansion of our efforts to create SNOA chapters, and Linda Lister interviews Natalie Corrigan, a 2025 Carolyn Bailey Argento Fellowship Recipient.
Our Young People's Opera Project committee continues to share shows that may otherwise escape our view. This edition features Sketchbook for Ollie, a show for the young that deals with grief. I could hardly wait to hit the link and hear the excerpts. Make sure you check it out – our committee has uncovered another gem.
Finally, Shawn Marie Jeffery will tackle hyphenation. If you are an actor-singer-director-teacher-artist-creator-etc. I hope you will feel seen and be empowered to embrace your hyphenation.
May your summer be filled with bucket-filling moments and the perfect lounge chair to read a bit of what your colleagues have written. If you feel inspired to write for a future edition, please reach out. I’d love to get to know you.
Enjoy the rays,
Ann Marie Wicox-Daehn
Editor, NOA Now
Expert Corner
Multi-hyphenate Life
by Shawn Marie Jeffery
During the pandemic, many artists who had been enjoying their careers focused on an artistic role, such as singer, director, or composer, suddenly found themselves wearing multiple hats out of necessity. We HAD to do everything - we could not gather in large groups. Suddenly these artists tapped back into parts of artistic expression that had always been there, but that they had set aside in favor of one particular part of their artistic self. Post-pandemic, they are NOT going back to a single lane. Nor should they! Being able to fully express one’s self in all the aspects of our artistry only serves to enhance every aspect. And now, the industry is embracing the multi-hyphenate artist. I recently asked a few of my favorite multi-hyphenates about their journeys and am so happy to share them with you.
Audrey Babcock
Jarrod Lee
Nina Yoshida Nelsen
Shawn Marie Jeffery (SMJ): In my own 35-year career in this industry my various roles have included: performing artist, creator, director, producer, artist advocate, and educator. How do you identify?
Audrey Babcock (AB): Performing Artist – Creator – Director – Producer – Educator
Jarrod Lee (JL): Librettist – Opera Singer – Consultant.
Nina Yoshida Nelsen (NYN): Singer – Artistic Director – Advocate
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SMJ: Was your journey to becoming a multi-hyphenated artist intentional or did it evolve naturally?
NYN: It evolved naturally. During the pandemic, and particularly in response to the Stop Asian Hate movement, I felt both a responsibility and an opportunity to use my voice—not just as a singer, but as an advocate. That led me to found the Asian Opera Alliance, an effort to address representation and equity within our industry. Through conversations with opera company leadership about AOA’s mission, I began building deeper relationships—one of which was with Boston Lyric Opera. That connection led to my role as Artistic Advisor, and after several years of contributing in that capacity, I applied for—and was honored to step into—the position of Artistic Director.
AB: My mother was a professor and then ran a school for the differently abled and labeled ‘problematic’ children, and I spent after school and summers tutoring this particular student population - but truly just learning from them. I would venture to say most “Artists" could have fallen into this purview, but we were sucked into the tornado of art, where our learning differences thrive. I grew up acting and playing music. I also wrote poetry, music and short stories. I always knew these passions would collide, but didn’t know when or how until they did. It was very organic, and it happened immediately as soon as I dropped out of high school and went to conservatory at the age of fifteen where my freak flag flew quite high.
JL: I was privileged to make a pivot during the shutdown and had the opportunity to share my writing capabilities with producers like IN Series in D.C. who wanted to help my artistry thrive. I've always written stories, but I kept them to myself because Opera and part-time jobs provided the income pre-COVID.
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SMJ: Do your multiple disciplines feed into each other creatively or do you compartmentalize them?
NYN: At my core, I will always be a singer first. My experiences as a performer—and as an advocate—deeply inform every decision I make in my administrative role. I don’t see my disciplines as compartmentalized; instead, they’re in constant dialogue with each other. Singing gives me a visceral understanding of the artistic and emotional needs of performers, while administration gives me the tools to shape the broader systems we all work within. Advocacy ties it all together—it’s the through-line that connects my artistic identity with my leadership work.
AB: Each aspect makes the others richer. Performing Artist is my most flashy signifier, but it isn’t who I am, it is what I do. I love process.
JL: I find satisfaction in all areas but primarily as a librettist and an opera singer. They go hand and hand. I have so many stories I want to get out there for my fellow performing artists to bring to life.
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SMJ: How do you balance the different creative voices within yourself when working on a project?
AB: I’m not sure I look for balance, I just look for point of view when storytelling and I do that no matter what hat I am wearing, even producing; what line item is most integral to the story or audience experience of what we are trying to make? Aside from budgets, I am not sure I would even want to strive for balance, it is a word that doesn’t create friction and friction points are where the art comes in and has the opportunity to light it up.
JL: I’m a creative artist. I will always ask "why" or "how" as a writer, singer, and arts administrator. When I'm performing in an opera, I allow myself to offer my artistry to the vision of the director, composer, and librettist. When I'm serving as a librettist, I give myself the space to create and let the characters tell me what they want to say.
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SMJ: How do you navigate the industry's tendency to pigeonhole artists into one category? Have you ever felt pressure to "choose a lane," and how did you respond to it?
NYN: Absolutely—I’ve felt that pressure to “choose a lane” many times. There’s longstanding precedent for stage directors and conductors to lead organizations while remaining active in their artistic roles, but that same flexibility hasn’t often been extended to singers. There’s a persistent belief that once a singer steps into administration or academia, their singing career must come to an end. I’m actively working to challenge and shift that narrative—but it’s a slow change. I believe it’s immensely valuable to maintain both identities. Staying active as a performer allows me to bring real-time knowledge and experiences from the field back to Boston Lyric Opera. At the same time, I can carry insights from BLO into other companies. That kind of cross-pollination strengthens the entire ecosystem.
AB: Yes - I was told to choose a lane and it was against this white male dominated 'powers that be' that I went. I was told to sing certain rep a certain way and not to draw outside the lines. I knew this advice wasn’t for me, it made my soul hurt. So I waited, joined a female lead roster, and sang what was palatable and even recorded under a pseudonym until I was really ready. I made a twenty-seven plus year career singing what I knew I was born to sing and created many other projects along the way.
JL: I've heard folks say a few things about what they thought I could or could not do, but In the words of Jessye Norman, "pigeonholes are for pigeons." I've had the privilege of working with producers and commissioners who see my artistry and allow me to bring my own toys to the sandbox.
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SMJ: What advice would you give to emerging artists who feel pulled in multiple creative directions?
JL: Cultivate a practice of listening to yourself and search those spaces that support your artistry as you develop in any area of this business. Success should be defined by you, so shake a tree! You never know what fruit will fall, and although it may not be exactly what you thought or planned, it could be exactly what you need toward the next achievement.
NYN: Learn as much as you can about every aspect of the field—not just your craft. Understanding how opera is produced, how decisions are made, and what goes into running a company will expand your creative possibilities and make you a more collaborative artist. As the operatic landscape continues to evolve, I truly believe more of us will need to be multi-hyphenates—not just to survive, but to thrive. The more knowledge and experience you gain while you're still emerging, the more prepared you'll be to shape your own path.
AB: Stay organized. Check in with yourself and ask, “What if I didn’t do this?” If the answer is, “I have to do this,” you better do it, and do it well! Build teams you trust. Work with people with integrity. Keep a check on YOUR integrity. Make amends when you mess up and go make something worth experiencing. Like - now. Go.
Shawn Marie Jeffery
​Shawn Marie Jeffery is a Vice President at UIA Talent Agency where she represents classical musicians and creatives.
Meet the
Artist
An Interview with Natalie Corrigan, the 2025 Carolyn Bailey Argento Fellowship Recipient
by Linda Lister
Mezzo-soprano
Natalie Corrigan
Linda Lister (LL): Thank you for letting us get to know a little more about you. Congratulations on the fellowship!
Natalie Corrigan (NC): Thank you so much! I'm incredibly grateful to the foundation for supporting students who are pursuing opera—it truly makes a difference.
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LL: When did you first discover opera?
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NC: I've always loved to sing. As a kid, I was in every community theatre show I could audition for. But I discovered opera in the most unexpected way—at a Fourth of July party. A girl sang the National Anthem so beautifully that I had to know how she got so good. I went up to her and asked, and she told me about the Michigan Opera Theatre Children’s Chorus and said I could audition when I turned ten. I was only seven at the time, but I remember counting down the years until I was old enough.
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When I finally auditioned, I had very little formal training. My parents were worried I might be disappointed if I didn’t get in—but to everyone’s surprise, I was accepted. That experience changed everything. Through the chorus’s incredible training in musicianship and stagecraft, and by performing on the stage of the Detroit Opera House, I completely fell in love with opera.
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LL: You’ve sung roles ranging from Dido to Gertrude Stein. Which are some of your favorites?
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NC: That’s such a tough question! Every opera I’ve been part of has come with its own unique circumstances and has taught me something essential—whether about the industry, the craft, or myself as a performer. But if I had to choose, I’d say one of my favorite roles so far has been Cherubino. I’ve had the chance to perform it twice, and the second time—during my senior year at CCM—was especially meaningful. It was my final undergraduate production, and I got to share the stage with an incredibly talented class of peers. I felt so lucky to be part of that ensemble, and I’m confident many of them will go on to have brilliant careers.
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LL: You have won numerous awards in vocal competitions. What advice do you have for emerging artists as they enter the competitive realm?
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NC: My biggest advice is just go for it. In this industry, well-meaning mentors sometimes encourage singers to wait—saying, “maybe in a few years” or “you need more time.” But I truly believe there’s no harm in taking the leap. Even if you don’t win, it’s still a valuable learning experience. For every win I’ve had, there have been many losses that no one sees. The only real difference between someone who succeeds and someone who doesn’t is persistence. It’s not over until it’s over.
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There are so many foundations and organizations out there looking to support emerging opera singers. One panel might not see your potential, while another will. So take the risk. I will always believe that failing is far better than never trying at all.
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LL: As a Resident Artist for the 2025 Glimmerglass Opera Festival, you will be performing in the world premiere of The House on Mango Street. You were also involved in a workshop of the opera at Chautauqua in 2022. What is it like to be part of a new work’s development in this way?
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NC: I’m incredibly honored to be part of the world premiere of The House on Mango Street at Glimmerglass. I first encountered the novel in my 9th grade English class, and I remember being deeply moved by Sandra Cisneros’s poetic, vivid storytelling. It was one of the first times I saw a narrative that reflected aspects of my own cultural background and community. So, when I had the chance to be part of the 2022 workshop at Chautauqua, I jumped at it. Although the final presentation that summer was unfortunately cancelled, it was thrilling to help bring the early stages of the opera to life.
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Glimmerglass offered the first public reading last summer, and now we’re preparing the fully staged world premiere. It’s been an incredible journey to witness how this powerful novel has been transformed into an operatic work. As a Mexican-American artist, this piece holds a special place in my heart. It uplifts the voices and lived experiences of a community that is often underrepresented in classical music. Being part of a project that honors those stories is not only artistically rewarding—it’s personally meaningful.
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LL: On your website, you state you are “committed to increasing representation in opera, particularly for Latinx artists and the craniofacial difference community.” Can you expound on this?
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NC: Representation is a core part of my mission as an artist—especially when it comes to the communities that have shaped my identity. As a proud Mexican-American, I’m passionate about telling stories that reflect my heritage, like The House on Mango Street. Projects like this allow audiences to see the richness and depth of Latinx culture on the operatic stage, where it's still far too underrepresented.
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Equally important to me is advocating for visibility within the craniofacial difference community. I was born with a cleft lip and palate, which presented significant challenges on the path to becoming a singer. I underwent 21 surgeries, extensive speech therapy, and years of orthodontic work—obstacles that often made the dream of singing professionally feel out of reach. I didn’t look like the “typical” opera singer, and for a long time, I had never seen anyone in this field who looked like me.
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Growing up, I often just wanted to “be normal,” to avoid the bullying and the physical and emotional toll of my condition. But over time, I’ve come to embrace what makes me different. What once felt like a weakness has become one of my greatest strengths. I hope to serve as a visible example for others with craniofacial differences—that their dreams in the performing arts are not only valid, but possible. My goal is to help redefine what representation looks like in opera and to inspire others to take pride in their full, authentic selves.
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Mezzo-soprano Natalie Corrigan is a Master of Music student at the University of
Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music.
Linda Lister
Author, composer, director, singer, and professor at UNLV.
We Heart SNOA
Creating student leadership and professional development through our new SNOA initiative
by Joshua May
As we look forward to our next NOA conference in Boston, MA, we want to continue to foster and support active participation for our students in a new initiative that heralds the theme of boundless futures for the next generation of our membership. NOA will welcome our members and their students to charter SNOA chapters at their home institutions. As the Vice-President of Regions, I will serve as the National SNOA Coordinator to help facilitate this initiative for our membership. As we start our application phase for SNOA chapters, faculty and student members can review more information about the process to start a chapter and a guide to potential campus resources for support using the links below.
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As faculty NOA members, it is important to create mentored opportunities toward professional careers in our art form through research and performance activities. The National Opera Association provides a diverse experience for students through performance, research, and professional workshops at our conferences for professional development. As part of this unique opportunity to start a SNOA chapter, faculty sponsors and students will be able to create and promote opera focused activities for their campus communities across our nation. These may include invitations to host an opera talk before annual performances, open guest artist masterclasses, pop-up opera performances in your community, local opera watch parties for MET broadcasts, and more! SNOA outreach activities can help more campus members learn about the impact of opera through their performances and research endeavors.
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As you connect with you students, it can be wonderful to learn from them why they want to charter their chapter. After attending our national conference in Savannah, GA this year, my students were excited to get started with SNOA development on campus. Here is what they shared with me in our initial SNOA charter meeting earlier this semester.
"When I first got to college, I had no idea the number of resources I had at my disposal for this industry (opera). NOA has made this field a lot less daunting, and it has allowed me to meet other young artists that I may collaborate with in the future. I think making these resources more readily available at the University level with a SNOA Chapter will give students a lot more clarity about the opera industry, allowing this craft to thrive." - Zachary Hornbeck, Sophomore Music Education & Vocal Performance Major at Columbus State University
"We strive to educate and inspire with this new SNOA chapter and create a more opera loving community. As students and members, we will all have a deeper understanding of the history, performances, and why we must continue performing these master works." - LaMyah Monteleone, Sophomore Vocal Performance Major at Columbus State University
I hope you will all encourage your students to create and join our SNOA initiatives this year! From our ZOOM in early May we already have at least 15 chapters in the works. Please explore our resources page to start your SNOA chapter today! If you have questions, please contact me - I would love to talk with you.
Joshua May
Joshua May is the NOA Vice-President for Regions and Associate Professor of Voice & Opera Director for the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University.
In Review
Sketchbook for Ollie:
Young People's Opera Review
by Lynette Pfund
Commissioned by Lyric Opera of Kansas City (LOKC), Sketchbook for Ollie, premiered in 2022. The 35-minute opera was part of LOKC’s 2022 inaugural “Opera Unlocked” educational initiative for K-12 students in the Kansas City public school district. The initiative’s goal was to promote and perform (in schools and other possible public areas) operas with the following attributes: contained curricular ties to district classroom teaching, incorporated social-emotional learning, had a tonal musical language, and included interactive components that would engage the audience. Sketchbook for Ollie was the first opera commissioned for the initiative and toured in the Kansas City school district in the fall of 2022.
Sketchbook for Ollie is a sophisticated story that navigates the topic of death and loss directly. With humorous moments and beautiful music, younger audiences are allowed to reflect gently without getting too emotionally provoked. The opera opens with Ollie’s grandmother’s funeral. Ollie, who is “eight point-five-years-old” is full of questions, “What is life? Where is Grandma? What does it all mean?” His parents' answers only frustrate him more, and he is sent to stay with his Aunt Leeza while Ollie’s parents pack Grandma’s things. Ollie is sure that Aunt Leeza will be able to answer his big questions, but even she struggles to console his deep feelings with words. Aunt Leeza shows Ollie the music sketchbook she uses to collect her thoughts, feelings, mistakes, and dreams all in the form of music compositions. “We live so many moments with no words to name them.” The music sketchbook metaphor deeply touches Ollie. He slowly begins to understand Aunt Leeza’s explanation. She gifts Ollie his very own sketchbook and he composes a song for his grandma.
The opera has four cast members, Ollie (tenor), Ollie’s Mother (soprano), Ollie’s Father (bass-baritone), and Ollie’s Aunt Leeza (mezzo-soprano). Ollie’s role may take a bit more consideration when casting. Ollie, at “eight point-five-years-old,” is probably in the 3rd grade, so the person in this role needs to look and act young. Ollie’s music is written for a college age or older singer. It sits a bit high at the beginning and at the very end. Of course, the roles of Mom, Dad, and Aunt Leeza are adults. The music for each of these characters beautifully reflects their personalities and is manageable for college age singers or older. Mom, a heart surgeon, is positive, compassionate, and a bit literal. Dad, a gym teacher, is goofy, lively, and a little clueless at times. Aunt Leeza, the composer, is patient, energetic, and whimsical.
This opera would be fairly easy to design and costume, making it great for touring. The opera has two locations and is divided into four scenes. Scene 1 is the location for Grandma’s funeral and Scenes 2, 3, & 4 are in Aunt Leeza’s studio. Sets could be simple or elaborate depending on the budget. All the scenes happen in the same day, so there is no need for costume changes.
As of now, there is only piano accompaniment, which helps with the budget. Musically, the opera is tonal, approachable, and amusing. The music is lyrical at times and quite energetic for most of it, with touches of jazz, pop, and early 20th-century music theater, just perfect for younger audiences. There is enough sophisticationand diversity in the music, that it would be interesting and challenging to learn for college students or young artists without pushing the limits of a developing voice. The division of the scenes allows for easy scheduling of rehearsal time. The opera has a nice ratio of solo opportunities to ensemble singing. Each character has significant solo moments, little ariettas, and many of the ensembles could be easily extracted for opera scenes productions or for promotional events.
Highlight reel - Sketchbook for Ollie - Lyric Opera of Kansas City
There are at least four moments written in the opera where the audience is: invited to participate in singing along with the opera characters, assist with physical movements, or come forward to be part of the scene. These moments happen in Scenes 2, 3, and 4.
When wrestling with the metaphor of life being a musical sketchbook, all sorts of music concepts are introduced and explained in entertaining ways. These concepts directly link to elementary music curricula. Some general music ideas are; instruments from around the world (flexatone, theremin, lute, flute, tiger gong, cajon, oud, koto, pan pipes, didgeridoo), careers in music (composers and instrumentalists), and devices used for reproducing and manipulating sound (vocoder, phonograph, piano roll, reel-to-reel cassettes, & digital devices). Specific music literacy concepts touched on are; solfege singing, steady heartbeat, timbre, double bar lines, cadence, note values, and composition.
Helpful social emotional learning lessons include: “What a mess. Turn the page. Try again.” “You compose in all you do.” “Tiny questions often have a thousand answers.” “Life is a gift. Life is amazing and beautiful.”“Everything makes music, but the most important music comes from you.” “You get to know each instrument just like you eat an elephant: one tiny bit, then another tiny bit...” There are many more lessons, but the overall lesson of how to manage grief, with the hope of being able to share one’s feelings and to be heard with compassion, is deeply human. Using opera to open up this conversation is the gift of this piece.
Coming up: The YPO Committee will be unveiling a new YPO database, featuring segments on select new operas for young audiences, profiling key YPO leaders, and much more – stay tuned!
Lynette Pfund
YPO Committee Chair
On the Stage
Pick-a-little…
Some thoughts on choosing operatic repertoire.
by Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn
Often, when we think of directing opera, we consider the act itself - communicating a unified vision to our actors and ultimately the audience. Having been in the trenches of academic and regional directing, choosing the repertoire we’ll offer each season is the first and most critical step. If you’re like me, you have a bucket list of shows that are of interest for you; another list of shows your voice colleagues would like their students to be cast in; a third list of shows that can be done by nearly any student body; and a fourth that you feel contain significant pedagogical importance to develop young singers.
As I write this little article, I have yet to choose anything for next season besides a few opera scenes. I have my list of school show ideas (many of which came from our NOA Young People’s Opera committee reviews), but I still need to add to my list of opera scenes for the fall, and to name the main event – our spring opera. For this month’s NOA Now repertoire offering, I reached out to some of our NOA colleagues across the country. Some are from large schools with big budgets, and some run small programs, like mine. This is but a small sampling of colleagues, but in the future, the NOA executive board hopes to do a more comprehensive survey of the programming by our membership. Until that day, I hope you’ll enjoy their offerings.
A special thank you to these colleagues for sharing their thoughts!
Carleen Graham, Manhattan School of Music (CG)
David Ronis, University of Wisconsin, Madison (DR)
Cynthia Lawrence-Calkins, University of Kentucky (CL)
Jen Stephenson, Baylor University (JS)
Nicole Kenley-Miller, The University of Oklahoma (NK)
Brandon McShaffrey, Temple University (BM)
Cynthia Stokes, University of Arizona (CS)
Robert Breault, University of Utah (BB)
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Top Priorities When Choosing an Opera
Whether I’m choosing repertoire in my voice studio or for the opera, I know that if I choose well, the students will have a reasonable chance for success and growth. For this little mini-survey, I began by asking about priorities. As expected, student population, pedagogical value, and variety were tops on the lists. David summarized the goals of most of his colleagues very well, “First – is it the right fit for the cohort of students we have in any given year. Second – does it fulfill our pedagogical mission of providing a wide array of styles and periods – e.g. do we need to do a new piece this year, or musical theater? Or do we need to do standard rep opera?” To that list, some added pedagogical considerations that include movement, language, opportunities to double cast, beautiful/expressive singing, compelling storytelling, impact on the community, and beauty on a budget. This list is a fantastic reminder of where our priorities should be. Although our orchestral conductor may be itching to do Carmen, the lack of a Don Jose among your students would most definitely strike it from any student-centered list. Is your bench deep with ready young singers? Perhaps two one-acts would help you provide opportunities that fit within their current level of stamina. Maybe you have an Act 1 cast and an Act 2 cast? There are lots of options. When was the last time you did a Baroque opera or one by a living composer? Have you done any stage combat or dance recently? If not, just focusing on providing variety can help you narrow the scope of your search.
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Operas that every undergrad should experience, either through scenes or on the main stage.
Mozart sits pretty comfortably at the top of the list (The Magic Flute), although Carleen mentioned the trickiness of his works for stamina and the large number of singers. She often chooses to provide Mozart opportunities through scenes. David stressed that any time students get to participate in a full production in costumes with orchestra is a time of growth. Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors was suggested by Bob and Jen. Jen explained, “It's a good intro to opera, and a lot of older folks know it because it was on TV, so it gives students a link to the past of opera in American culture. It also shows how stories are told through cultural lenses - Menotti stated himself that although the story is biblically set in the middle east, he set his in medieval Europe and based the look on the "Adoration of the Magi" by H. Bosch.” Carleen is a huge fan of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen placing it at the top of this list as well as the neglected gems list. “It's wonderfully versatile and can use many or fewer students of various voice types.” Cynthia recommended The Magic Flute and L'elisir d'amore as well as La bohème as a first one to see. Nicole echoed the endorsement of Mozart stating, “Any Mozart (with the recitative!) - Le nozze di Figaro and Cosí fan tutte would be at the top for me. It provides such range of development not only in their singing, but also in creating a character when the libretto doesn't fill in all the details for you and developing a timing for comedy.”
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Favorite Underrated/Neglected Operas
For underrated/neglected operas we got some great variety, but two votes for The Tender Land! Several of these had me searching on Youtube for excerpts. Here are their thoughts:
CG: Purcell’s The Fairy Queen
DR: “Neither neglected nor underrated, but new, so it might not be on people’s radars: Songbird – the re-setting of [Offenbach’s] La Périchole in 1920s New Orleans with jazz band – fabulous!”
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JS: The Tender Land! “It's a beautiful show that enables students to really learn to act. We so infrequently get to act like real people in opera—we're always princesses, witches, and stereotypes. The Tender Land offers a story with no real villain or hero—just five people trying to live their lives. Students must learn to act in the style of dramatic realism, and it helps them connect with Americana and learn about our shared past and the American operatic tradition.”
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NK: “We did Ravel's L'heure espagnole this past year, and I was constantly asking, "Why don't more universities do this?" Probably because it only has one female role in it! Ha! But it's a very clever opera that helps singers develop a feel for the rhythm of the French language. I think there is a misconception that the orchestration is too heavy for university singers, but we did not find that to be an issue at all. Ravel is also really good at writing the dramatic and comic timing into the music.”
BM: Paula Kimper's Patience and Sarah. “The women characters are complex and nuanced and the scenes and aria are very approachable for undergrads.”
BB: Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto
CS: Elana Langer’s Rhondda Rips it Up! “great roles for an all woman cast.”
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Favorite Opera Scenes
In reply to my questions about favorite opera scenes to direct, Rossini topped the list. Brandon’s reply of “whichever I am working on that day,” resonated with me. Cynthia Stokes brought it back to our students, remarking that her favorite was whatever was resonating with her students. May we all make choices that make them all our favorites!
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CG: Rossini's Act 1 Finale from L'Italiani in Algeri
DR: Rossini’s Quintet from La Cenerentola
CL: Rossini’s Act 2 Finale of Il barbiere di Seville
NK: Mozart’s Cosí fan tutte sextet and the Act 1 Trio from Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto (all women)
BB: Poulenc’s Finale of Dialogues of the Carmelites
JS: Copland’s Act I finale of The Tender Land, Act II scenes i and ii of Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, the spinning scene from Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia
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Favorite Comedies for Undergraduates
For number one undergraduate comedies, works by Gilbert and Sullivan, Offenbach, and Mozart topped the list of favorites. I was particularly happy to see some lesser-produced composers on the list which includes John Duke and Pauline Viardot.
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CG: Chabrier's L'étoile
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DR: Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro
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CL: Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia or Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance
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JS: Offenbach’s Monsieur et Madame Denis, “It's hilarious and short.” Sullivan’s Patience and John Duke’s Captain Lovelock. “Short and all women!”
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NK: Mozart’s Cosí fan tutte or Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto for Italian, Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld for English
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BM: Mozart’s The Magic Flute or Viardot's Cendrillon
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BB: Sullivan’s Trial by Jury
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Favorite Drama for Undergraduates
In the category of dramas for undergratudates, there was some delicious variety in terms of period and style. NOA member Tom Cipullo stood out with two recommendations for two different works! Jen’s recommendations are a great reminder that it doesn’t have to be long to have dramatic impact. There are a plethora of one-act and micro-operas from which you can choose!
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CG: Tom Cipullo's Mayo
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DR: Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea
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CL: Puccini’s La bohème
JS: Barber’s A Hand of Bridge “is a great intro to drama for undergrads, but it's only 10 minutes” or Lucy by Tom Cipullo, “but again, it's very short.”
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NK: Copland’s The Tender Land or Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas
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BB: Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites
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Bucket List Shows
We all have a dream directing bucket list. For me it’s Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges (I’m still waiting for Le feu to appear in my class roster). Massenet’s Cendrillon was on my list for a long time, but I finally got to check it off a few years ago. Many of these operas are luscious pieces that require big-time vocal technique and musicianship more suitable for the pros or those with a mature graduate program. There are a few others that you will find are doable with the right singers.
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DR: R. Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos (“But even higher priority – I want to do Dialogues of the Carmelites again. I did it once and can’t wait to do it again.”)
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CL: Donizetti’s L'elisir d'amore or Bizet’s Carmen
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JS: Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia and The Turn of the Screw, Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe and Gallantry, Copland’s The Tender Land (again), Weinberg’s The Passenger, and Adamo’s Little Women
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NK: R. Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier
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BM: Bizet’s Carmen
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BB: Massenet’s Werther
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This tiny little survey covered a lot of ground for me. None of us needs to know everything as long as we have NOA colleagues to reach out to for ideas. Keep thinking and keep growing!
Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn
NOA Now, Editor​
We Asked Our Members...
"What are you doing this summer?"
by Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn
From national productions to international festivals, group projects to solo endeavors, our NOA Members have a lot going on this summer! Read about a few below and consider sending your own goings-on to NOA Now Editor Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn for a possible feature in a future issue.
Eric Gibson (Ohio University and Opera Project Columbus) is having fun staging HMS Pinafore (set in the 1920s) and Naughty Marietta for Opera Project Columbus.
HMS PINAFORE for Opera Columbus.
Tony Boutté (Sam Houston State University) will be in Urbania, Italy for 5 weeks to teach and direct scenes from his opera Twenty-Four (or, The Cure for Love) at FIO-Italia Music Festival. This festival presents several operas each summer, featuring young artists and students from around the world.
Tony Boutté, tenor
3 NOA Members in 1 place! What a collaboration! Bonita Bunt was the Production Stage Manager, Olivia Yokers sang Josephine, with André Chiang as Captain Corcoran. This Opera Las Vegas production of H.M.S. Pinafore (Judy Bayley Theatre, UNLV) was a co-production with Pacific Opera Project directed by Josh Shaw.
Pre-show selfie at Opera Las Vegas with NOA Members Bonita, Olivia, and André.
Cherry Duke, recently appointed Artistic Director of El Paso Opera, is performing a dinner-theater-style presentation of Bon Appétit!, directing a quasi-pastiche of food-related songs, planning, supervising, learning, hiring, crafting props, and hopefully playing a little. Whew!!!
Cherry in BON APPÉTIT! at South Bend Lyric Opera in a production directed by NOA Member Dr. Casey Robards.
Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn
NOA Now, Editor​