By Lizabeth Jenkins-Dale / July 17, 2016
With the fantastic toe tapping and entertaining “Music Man” performance happening this weekend July 14, 15, 16, and 17, The Soo Theatre Project is already working on the next major performance which is Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” August 10, 12, 14 and 15.
As part of the preparation, there is an Opera Workshop July 25-29 from 10am – 3pm each day. Not only is this a wonderful opportunity for vocalists to enhance their skills, but Soo Opera Founder and Artistic Director Karen Hughes Beacom is bringing two talented operatic singers, Travis Richter and Molly Dahlberg, to help instruct the July Opera Workshop as well as play major roles in Rossini’s “Barber of Seville.”
Read about these talented performers coming here to The Soo!
“Travis Richter, tenor, has performed in more than 35 operatic and musical theatre productions on professional stages across the country with companies such as Ash Lawn Opera, Evansville Philharmonic, Rimrock Opera, Nevada Opera, Mobile Opera, Pensacola Opera, New Orleans Opera Association, Opéra Louisiane, Utah Opera, Central City Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera. As a character tenor he has performed roles such as Reverend Parris and Giles Corey in The Crucible, Goro in Madama Butterfly, Bardolfo and Dr. Caius in Falstaff, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Sellem in The Rake’s Progress, Little Bat in Susannah, 1st and 3rd Jews in Salome, Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte. In 2015, Richter performed the role of Howard Boucher in Dead Man Walking with Louisiana Concert Movement. His performance of Duffy in Carlisle Floyd’s Willie Stark at Louisiana State University is available on DVD (Newport Classic).”
“Mezzo‐soprano Molly Dahlberg currently resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she performs frequently with Opéra Louisiane. Recent Opéra Louisiane roles include Flosshilde/Siegrune/Erste Norn in The Ring (a reduction a of Wagner’s Ring Cycle by Michael Borowitz) and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. Dahlberg spent three summers at Spotlight On Opera in Austin, Texas, performing the role of Jo in Little Women, covering Mercédès in Carmen, and performing in scenes as Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier), Annio (La clemenza di Tito), Fairy Queen (Iolanthe), Jo (Little Women), Siebel (Faust), and Mother Jeanne (Dialogues of the Carmelites). Other recent credits include Seina in the premiere Monica Pearce’Persephone with New Fangled Opera (New Orleans) and Jade Boucher Dead Man Walking with Louisiana Concert Movement (Baton Rouge).”
Richter and Dahlberg will perform “Barber of Seville” with Karen Hughes Beacom as Rosina, as well as Markel Reed as Figaro, J. Adam Shelton as Count Almaviva, Daniel Webb as Dr. Bartolo, and Brian Banion as Basilio.
Richter and Dahlberg join Karen Hughes Beacom and Ronda McGreevy as instructors for the Opera Workshop July 25-29 from 10am – 3pm. Who is eligible for this workshop?
Participants “do not have to be opera singers to learn good vocal technique. Singers will work on solo repertoire in a daily master class setting with our visiting instructors. Stage presence and audition techniques will be coached in a real live performance setting. Italian diction will be coached within the opera chorus rehearsals. Performers will all sing at the end of the week in a Vocal Gala on the historic Soo Theatre stage. Levels range from the young singer and college voice major to the lifelong adult singer. Your individual experience will be tailored to your ability and experience.”
“Participants are encouraged to accept a role in the opera chorus and perform in the main stage production of the Barber of Seville on August 10, 12, 14 and 15. It is not mandatory to continue into the opera, but most of the workshop attendees do both. It is a great opportunity to put workshop skills into practice and to perform side by side with working professionals in the field of opera.”
A fantastic opportunity indeed! Call now to register for the Opera Workshop.
Also, be sure to attend this STP event this coming Thursday, July 21: The McCauley Family Scholarship Fund Benefit Concert featuring Soo Theatre Project alumna Rebecca McCauley, soprano, Thursday July 21st at 7:30pm. Admission by donation: suggested $5 to $20.
These are just two more reasons…
There’s always something for everyone at The Soo Theatre Project. Call STP’s office at 906-632-1930 for more information. Or, visit at 534 Ashmun Street downtown Sault Sainte Marie, MI. Or, like us on Facebook at Soo Theatre Project, Inc.
