Wolf Trap Opera

A daring new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream kicked off the 1976 WTC season at the Filene Center. Directed by David Alden and conducted by John Moriarity, it featured all 16 members of the Company roster. (Guest artists were engaged for Oberon and Puck.)  Young artists making their Wolf Trap debuts included John Cheek and Peter Strummer.

The fairy chorus came from the National Cathedral School, and it boasted a young singer named Garnett Bruce, who went on to direct two productions for Wolf Trap Opera over 25 years later.  (It also included my friend Ned, to whom I give a shout-out:))

The Washington Post said that “The Wolf Trap Company proved so beguiling that each scene seemed to move out into the house and capture the beholders.”

If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber’d here
While these visions did appear.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Music by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
Libretto adapted from William Shakespeare by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears

The Barns at Wolf Trap 2010
August 13 at 8pm, August 15 at 3pm, August 17 at 8pm

Oberon, King of the Fairies – Ryan Belongie
Titania, Queen of the Fairies – Ashlyn Rust
Puck – Alexander Strain*

Lysander, in love with Hermia – Paul Appleby
Hermia, in love with Lysander – Catherine Martin
Demetrius, also in love with Hermia – Chad Sloan
Helena, in love with Demetrius – Rena Harms

Quince, a carpenter – Kenneth Kellogg
Snug, a joiner – Michael Anthony McGee
Starveling, tailor – Daniel Billings
Flute, a bellows-mender – David Portillo
Snout, a tinker – Nathaniel Peake
Bottom, a weaver – Nicholas Masters

Theseus, Duke of Athens – Michael Sumuel
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons – Eve Gigliotti

Cobweb, a fairy – Claudia Rosenthal
Peaseblossom, a fairy – Amy Owens
Mustardseed, a fairy – Hilary Ginther
Moth, a fairy – Rachel Milligan
Fairy Chorus – Arlington Children’s Chorus

Conductor – Steven Osgood
Director – Patrick Diamond
Scenic Design – Erhard Rom
Costume Design – Camille Assaf
Lighting Design – Robert H. Grimes
Wigs & Makeup – Elsen Associates

Music Staff – Jeremy Frank, Michael Baitzer, Stephanie Rhodes
Stage Management Staff – Sean Corcoran (PSM), Rich Ching (ASM), Kat Manion (PA)

Timothy McCormick, Technical Director
Lesley Milner, Props Master
Beth White, Master Electrician
Cheryl Cordingley, Carpenter
Lindsay Cramond, Carpenter
Madeline Woods, Carpenter
Michael Jones, Charge Artist
Betsy Muller, Scenic Artist

Susan Chiang, Costume Shop Manager
Heather Lockard, Design Assistant
Franklin Labovitz, Head Draper
Laura Spears, Draper
Rachel Schuldenfrei, Draper
Leslie Cook, First Hand/Wardrobe
Heather Lockard, First Hand/Wardrobe
Jessica Mooney, First Hand/Wardrobe
Denise Umland, First Hand/Wardrobe
Sabrina Chiang, Stitcher
Mary Gonziewski, Stitcher
Lindsay Lam, Stitcher
Marie Schneggenberger, Costume Crafts
Deb Sivigny, Costume Crafts

Hair & Makeup – Jeffrey Frank, Sasha Vasiljev, Sabrina Chiang, Haley Raines

Amanda Barker, Stage Management Intern
Joshua Borths, Directing Intern
Amelia Northrup, Administrative Intern
Haley Raines, Costume Intern
Stephanie Busing, Paint Intern
Soren Ersbak, Technical Intern
Joncie Sarratt, Technical Intern
Allison Smith, Technical Intern

August 8, 2010

Final 2010 Backstage Buzz Artist Panel

On Tuesday, August 10 at 1:00pm, WTOC Director Kim Witman will speak with A Midsummer Night’s Dream stage director Patrick Diamond, scenic designer Erhard Rom, soprano Ashlyn Rust (Titania), mezzo-soprano Catherine Martin (Hermia), countertenor Ryan Belongie (Oberon) & bass Nicholas Masters (Bottom).  Admission is free, and the location is the Center for Education at Wolf Trap.

10:18 am with Titania & Bottom in rehearsal
“Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,
And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,
And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.”

12:34 pm: Artist Transpo
A quiet moment waiting at the Hilton,
catching up on email on the now-indispensable iPhone

1:43pm with Hannah Montana and Bob the Builder in Instant Opera preview
Hannah & Tiffany shopped for shoes in Pisa, and Bob & Pongo played ice hockey until Harry Potter’s spell mistakenly melted the rink.

3:04pm: Places, Ladies & Gentlemen!
Peering around the corner while backstage left with Amanda,
a most excellent place to be

3:08pm with CameraMan in the balcony booth,
protecting the music from the click of our shutters

3:10-5:20 Invitation to the Dance
In a future life, I want to be able to sing, play, and dance like these folks.
A terrific concert, topped off by an encore dedicated to yours truly on the occasion of my 25th summer with Wolf Trap Opera.
(Have I really not had a summer vacation since 1984?)

5:38 pm in the English Barn with this wonderful cast.
(Minus Danny, ever the working drummer, packing up his kit.)

6:25pm.  The house and lobby are clear.
(Except for RT & JB, loitering at the box office)
Time to send the cast and company off to Chef Geoff’s for a party, then head home to visit my brother, who is visiting from Colorado for just one day!

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In celebration of the announcement of WTOC’s 2010 season, I am doing guest posts and interviews in various locations across the blogosphere. Find out more about us that you ever wanted to know by clicking through!

Participating blogs are listed below – links will become active throughout the day on February 9.

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Overview is at Technology in the Arts. 

Where and How We Do What We Do

• The Barns at Wolf Trap via Clef Notes
• Arts Management in Reverse at Adaptistration

Focus on Repertoire

• Zaide at Roger Evans Online 
• Turk at Musical Perceptions 
• Dream at Dramma per musica 

Marketing and Fundraising

• Why Wolf Trap Needs Members at Katya’s Nonprofit Marketing Blog 
• Zaide Production Choice Becomes Marketing Hook at Butts in the Seats 

Our Young Artists and their Careers

• The YAP View via Houston Grand Opera
• Overview of 2010 FYA Roster at Miss Music Nerd
• The Career Pyramid at The Omniscient Mussel 

Interview Fun

• Operagasm (Instant Opera, Artist Profiles, Audition Advice and More) 
• The Mind of the Airstream Diva (Books, Music, Daily Life)
• Does The Fat Lady Still Sing? at The Next Hundred Pounds 

WTOC Colleagues

• Whack-a-Mole at Rahree
• Studio Artist Photo Gallery at the Melear-o-sphere