We’re pretty excited here at the Act Too Studio Opera Workshop as we head into the new school year! After the resounding success of our first fully-staged summer opera, The Medium, we’re gearing up for an even more ambitious season ahead.
First, in the fall, we’ll be putting together a formal recital of art songs and arias to showcase our students’ studio work, while also beginning work on our second annual evening of opera scenes to be presented in the spring (dates for both to be announced soon). Though the program for the scene night is still in-progress, look for possible selections from Dido and Aeneas (Purcell), L’enfant et les sortilèges (Ravel), and, continuing our tradition of operatic musical theater repertoire, Carousel (Rodgers & Hammerstein), among others.
Our most ambitious project, however, will be the summer opera. This year, with the assistance of classical radio host and early music expert James David Jacobs, we’ll be assembling a collection of Monteverdi madrigals and opera fragments to create a narrative of our own, with arrangements and new English translations adapted specifically for our singers. Watch this space or follow the Workshop on Facebook for updates on this project as it progresses!
For a detailed look at the Workshop’s history, including clips from The Medium take a look at our latest video:
Please consider sharing our video and fundraising link with your family and friends! And if you need something more easily digestible to share, here’s our 3-minute quick look!
More to come as the year gets underway!