Coming Full Circle

Over the weekend, the Studio Artists had the great privilege of coaching with Nathan and Julie Gunn.

Nathan was here as a Filene Young Artist in the mid-1990’s, and Julie did a brief stint on our music staff, preparing the Genii for the 1994 production of Magic Flute. (She reminded us this weekend that the boys broke out into a fist fight on her watch:) It was wonderful to welcome them back and to see the enthusiasm with which they approached their time with these young artists.

Nathan and Julie are now on the faculty at the University of Illinois, and they truly seem to be enjoying this new aspect of their careers. They were gracious and generous, sharing all manner of advice on things vocal, professional, and personal. What it’s like to survive those first few years, how everyone gets discouraged, and how children can mix with a career. Oh, and what it was like to be on the Colbert Report.

Posted in Uncategorized at July 21st, 2009. No Comments.

One Acts!

Posted in Uncategorized at July 10th, 2009. No Comments.

The WTOS in Charge

It’s all about the Studio for the next few days as we head into their spotlight performance on Wednesday evening. In previous seasons the WTOS presented scenes from full-length operas; this year they serve up four 1-act operas in their entirety!
Rehearsal photos by Eric Melear

GALLANTRY
by Douglas Moore
featuring: Rebecca Nathanson, Carla Jablonski, Daniel Maimone, Timothy Beenken & Matthew Thompson

AGAIN
by Jake Heggie
featuring: Amanda Opuszynski, Hilary Ginther, Daniel Anderson, Douglas Yocum & Douglas Sumi

HIN UND ZURÜCK
by Paul Hindemith
featuring: Amanda Opuszynski, Daniel Anderson, Timothy McDevitt, Douglas Yocum, Hilary Ginther & Matthew Thompson

A HAND OF BRIDGE
by Samuel Barber
featuring: Amanda Opuszynski, Hilary Ginther, Daniel Anderson, Timothy McDevitt & Douglas Sumi

LA DIVINA
by Thomas Pasatieri
featuring: Andrea Shokery, Sishel Claverie, Sean Arnold, Tim McDevitt & Douglas Sumi

All scenes are directed by Richard Gammon and stage managed by Sam Rabinovitz.
Wednesday’s performance is an invitation-only event, and it’s a wonderful chance for these junior members of the company to own the stage!

We began the Studio just three years ago, and already it’s hard to imagine what life was like without them! (Well, I’m sure it was calmer, but far less interesting.) If you’re new to us, or are simply confused about the two different tiers of the Company, here’s the short take-away:

The Filene Young Artists have typically finished or are about to finish their graduate or artist diploma decrees. They have usually done some other young artist program work. They sing all leading, featured and supporting roles, and the average age this year is 28* (range is 25-36.)

The Studio Artists are either finishing their undergraduate degrees or just starting graduate work. (We don’t accept anyone for an audition if they’ve already finished a year in a grad program.) They sing small roles and chorus assignments, and the average age this year is 23* (range is 21-27.)

(*Our programs are not age-based;
rather, they are keyed to current level of training.)

More photos and reports from the Studio to come in the next few days!
Posted in Uncategorized at July 5th, 2009. 2 Comments.

“On with the dance! Let joy be unconfined.”

Studio Artists in their first day of dance with Susan Shields.
A magical morning in the woods.

Photo by Lee Anne Myslewski with her trusty (yes-I-am-jealous) iPhone.

Posted in Uncategorized at June 2nd, 2009. No Comments.