81° CLOUDY, -
Thursday, July 24, 2008, 1:59 pm
The placement session dates for Sarasota Youth Opera are announced
Be sure to save the dates - the placement session dates for Sarasota Youth Opera have been announced. The placement sessions will be Wednesday, August 27th, Thursday, August 28th and Friday, August 29th from 4:30-6:30p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House.
The Sarasota Youth Opera is a program where students, (ages 8-18), learn opera music, receive training to better their voices, and are given performing opportunities throughout the community. The rehearsal schedule for the Youth Opera is as follows:
Preparatory Chorus meets Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Treble Chorus meets Wednesdays and Fridays from 4:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Mixed Chorus meets Wednesdays from 4:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Guys meet Tuesdays from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
The placement sessions are to give Maestro Inouye the chance to hear a student's voice, so that they can be properly placed in either Prepatory Chorus or Treble/Mixed Chorus. However, all students are accepted into the program, regardless of experience or skill level. There are also scholarships available.
To notify the Sarasota Opera that your child will be coming, you may call the Opera House at: 366-8450 ext. 0. If you have questions or concerns you may call Karl Hesser, the Director of Education at 366-8450, ext. 249. Or you may visit the website at sarasotaopera.org/youthopera.htm -
Monday, June 30, 2008, 5:12 pm
Sarasota Youth Opera camp teaches all aspects of opera...
On Friday I visited the Sarasota Youth Opera camp. This was the last day of the three week camp hosted at the Sarasota Opera House. Students learned all aspects of opera, including music theory, voice training, dance, acting, opera appreciation, Italian lessons, and even behind the scenes work. The ages of the campers ranged from 8-18 years old.
The summer program ended with a performance Friday afternoon. The campers, who were divided into four groups, performed their acting and dance skits. Also, the entire camp sang three choruses together.
Samantha Gillen, 18 years old, is a camper and has been a youth opera member for nine years. When asked waht Samantha felt about her experience at youth opera camp, she replied, "Youth opera summer camp was a fantastic experience for anyone thinking about going into opera/theater, or people who just love the performing arts! My favorite aspect of the program was the fact that we studied a wide variety of divisions-- not only singing, but also costumes, wigs and make-up, dance, acting, lighting, set design, and Italian diction. I feel privileged to have participated and will take everything I've learned with me when I begin to study music in college this fall." -
Sunday, May 11, 2008, 12:32 pm
The Hobbit has been performed at the Sarasota Opera House
After a sold-out perfomance on opening night and almost a full house for the matinee performance yesterday, the Sarasota Youth Opera has performed the American premiere of The Hobbit. The opera was greeted with many compliments and enjoyment from the audience. Maria Sulimirski performed as Bilbo Baggins on Friday night and Brooke Saba performed as Bilbo Baggins for the matinee performance on Saturday.
Now that it has been performed here in America, the composer Dean Burry is an international composer. The Sarasota Youth Opera program will continue for the 2008-2009 season under the direction of Maestro Lance Inouye. In May of 2009 the youth opera program will perform the world premiere of an opera composed by the Pulitzer Prize winning composer, Ned Rorem, based on the comic strip, "Little Nemo in Slumberland." There will also be a summer program for kids ages 8-18 at the Opera House. If you're interested in enrolling your child or for more information call: (941) 366-8450 ext. 255 -
Friday, April 25, 2008, 12:25 pm
Check out YO members on TV show, "Community"
On April 25th, Sarasota Youth Opera members Tim Gemesi, Melody Strmel, Maria Sulimirski and Raven von Wood were interviewed along with Martha Collins and Maestro Lance Inouye on the TV show, "Community", with host Annette Scherman. The students, director, and Maestro were interviewed regarding the upcoming U.S. premier of the opera, The Hobbit, and our participation in the program.
Be sure to watch us on an episode of "Community" on Comcast Channel 21 on May 1st at 4:00p.m., May 4th at 6:00p.m., or May 6th at 4:00p.m. As always on the Teen Opera Blog, I like to give you information on buying tickets to The Hobbit, which will be performed by the Youth Opera at the Sarasota Opera House on May 9th at 7:30p.m. and May 10th at 1:30p.m. You may contact the box office at (941) 366-8450 or visit: http://tickets.sarasotaopera.org/ -
Monday, April 21, 2008, 11:30 am
The opera, The Hobbit is quickly around the corner
The Sarasota Youth Opera is very busy with rehearsals. The program is currently staging for the upcoming American premiere of the opera, The Hobbit, which is now less than three weeks away. This week four members from the program, along with Maestro Lance Inouye and the director, Martha Collins, will appear on the TV show "Community" with host Annette Scherman. The show broadcasts on Comcast Channel 21, Monday through Friday at 4:00p.m. and Sunday at 6:00p.m.
Ticket sales right now for the opera are very successful and the tickets are going fast. The opera is going to be fantastic and you don't want to miss the opportunity to see it performed. The Hobbit will be performed at the Sarasota Opera House, May 9th at 7:30p.m. and May 10th at 1:30p.m. If you are interested in seeing The Hobbit you can contact the box office at (941) 366-8450 or visit http://tickets.sarasotaopera.org/ -
Tuesday, April 01, 2008, 11:58 am
Dean Burry, composer of The Hobbit visits Sarasota to promote the opera
The composer of The Hobbit, Dean Burry again visited Sarasota from Canada, to promote the opera and sit in on a rehearsal to hear how the Sarasota Youth Opera is doing with the music. Dean Burry took time out of his busy schedule to sit down with me on Friday, March 28th, for a second interview.
RV: So the last time I interviewed you it was your first time coming to Sarasota and you had to leave all soon, are you glad to be back?
DB: Oh absolutely! I wasn't expecting this trip either, but I know there is a plan to come down in May and I'll be here longer then. I think that various people here at the company thought it would be a good idea for me to come down and promote the opera a little bit and hear you guys rehearse. But yeah, it's very nice to be here.
RV: Will you be staying in Sarasota for the staging of The Hobbit?
DB: I'm going to be here just until Sunday and then I'll be back ten days before the opera opens. My biggest role at that time will be working with the orchestra. Because the orchestration will be a new orchestration, I will read through with the orchestra and then I'll probably go away and actually make some adjustments and changes because no matter how many times you orchestrate a piece, there's a lot of notes there and chances that a couple of them could end up wrong are pretty high. So I'll actually have to do a little composing at that point.
RV: You've now written over ten operas-- I think fourteen or so. Which part of being a composer do you like the best? Is it actually composing the opera or is it when you get to sit in the audience and see your finished work?
DB: I have to say that every aspect of it is fun. There's a real hard stage, the most difficult stage I would say is that after you've come up with the idea and you've done all of the work that is required, then you have to actually get someone to pay you for it. Of course I write librettos, so I research and that's a very fun stage. I love going to a library and sitting in a dark room in the back of a library and reading whatever the opera is about. I feel I get to learn a lot as well. Whether it's Hollywood in the 1920's, or it's Middle Earth, or it's the Viking arrival in North America, I get to learn a lot about the theme for the operas. Then there's a long period that follows. Opera is a big project, it's not like just sitting down to write a song, There's a saying, I think Thomas Edison said it, and the concept is that creation (whether you're composing or whatever) is 1% creation and 99% perspiration. So once you come up with a great idea it just becomes 'sit down and work for months and months in front of the piano.' That can get tiring. All through that though there are moments of inspiration that I'll come up with. I might be sitting at the piano, I'll plan to sit up and work for a couple of hours that night and something will come, like a little moment of inspiration and I'll get a phrase or a melody, something like that, which gets me so excited that usually I'll spend the rest of the night just walking back and forth in the hall with this tune in my head and not getting any work done, you know? But work gets done away from the piano too, if you just keep thinking about it. But, you know what? If it was all about me being in a room by myself then I don't think it would be satisfying, what I love about opera is that it's collaborative. Opera is the most collaborative art form, in fact, because you get to work with directors, choreographers, and set designers. You get to work with all of these people that bring the project together. I'd say every stage has really exciting aspects to it, but there's a lot of hard work too.
RV: So you'd say the hardest part in composing an opera is all the research and how time consuming it is?
DB: Yeah, and like I said, after you come up with the idea and before it gets to the point where you hand it over to someone, sometimes it seems endless. But any job is like that. But there's an awful lot of satisfaction.
RV: So you're currently working on the opera, The Secret World of Og, and you're working on other projects, how is that all coming along?
DB: It's been incredible, Raven. Actually since I last saw you, in the last two months, I've had about six commissions come through, and that includes more work for young people, but also some adult work. One of the parts which is most exciting is something that came out of a horrible story; well, a striking story. One summer in Toronto they found a mummified baby in the floorboards of a house which was being renovated. It was wrapped in a newspaper dated September 15, 1925, so it's an incredible mystery, you know? So CBC, Canadian Broadcast Corporation Radio, which is like NPR here, I think. They did all of this investigation and they weren't able to find out who the baby was, but they were able to find the woman, she's now 91, who was like a ten year old girl and it was her bedroom at the time that the baby was put there and she didn't remember anything about a baby, but she told an incredible story about all of the people who had lived in that house. Well I thought, gee, this sounds like an opera, so I actually contacted CBC radio and put the idea in. So I'm writing an episodic opera, which basically means it'll be a one-episode, stay tuned till next week, almost like a soap opera in that sense based off that story for the radio. But now the question is that I've got to be a business man, and slot in when am I working on this and when am I working on that? It's very time consuming, and I teach a lot as well.
RV: So you basically draw creativity from everything, like you're hearing something or seeing something, it just comes to you?
DB: Oh absolutely, anything. I find it hard not to be watching a movie, reading a book, or listening to a news story and thinking, how can I turn this into an opera? So you're absolutely right, it can come from anywhere.
RV: Students from a home-schooled organization will be coming to the dress rehearsal for The Hobbit, and also because there are so many young performers in this opera there's always a big youth turnout. So how does it feel to you as a composer to know that you're continually sharing opera with youth when people usually think of an opera audience as old, rich people?
DB: Right, well it's really exciting that often my operas are going to be the first time anyone sees it. So I feel there's a lot of responsibility there, I feel very proud of it but there's a lot of responsibility. Meaning, I can't write something that is filled with 'b.s.' basically, opera can tend to be that way. Opera can tend to be things not done honestly all because we want the big voice and the big beautiful singing at the end, it oftentimes spins the story. But you know, I've worked very hard to make this opera clear, so I think its a good first opera for people to see. It's fantastic, the idea that young people who see this are now going to go through the rest of their lives with a different attitude towards what opera is, hopefully. That's a big responsibility, but it's fantastic.
RV: And you plan to continue to write operas for young people to perform?
DB: Absolutely, absolutely. The Secret World of Og, as you mentioned is another piece for younger performers. I mean, I obviously love writing for adults too, but the thing about writing for younger people is oftentimes people think that a children's chorus or youth chorus is just not capable of what adults can do and everything is lesser in a sense. That's not the case at all. There are some things that kids can do way better than adults can do. As a writer you need to be able to focus on that, and be able to play on things that focus on the energy and enthusiasm and excitement that young people have. So absolutely, I'll be writing for young performers my whole life I'm sure.
RV: There's an expected big turnout for The Hobbit. Would you suggest that people read the novel before coming to the opera? Or is that not really necessary?
DB: It's always nice, with J.R. Tolkien. I would say you can come see the opera without reading the book, but I would say it's going to place it and it's going to give you a lot more context after reading the book. So yeah, it's a fantastic book, it's a fun book, and it would be a good idea.
RV: What is it about this opera that you think will really make people want to come see it and have parents want to bring their children?
DB: Well right off the bat, there's been such a buzz over the Lord of the Rings trilogy because of the movie and so I think parents will have an easier time bringing a lot of kids, boys particularly, to something like this because they can relate to it. People know that it's an exciting story and so I think a lot of people might not even worry about the fact that it says an opera at the bottom. It's a production of The Hobbit, so once again it's a great opportunity to bring people to an opera for the first time. People might be a bit more hesitant in going to see Pirates of Penzance or something which they might not think would appeal to them. Obviously in this there are battles and all sorts of appealing stuff.
RV: Yes. Well, the movie was huge -- all of the Lord of the Ring movies -- and that following will definitely draw people.
DB: Yes, so it is an opera that definitely appeals to a different base than another opera might for sure.
RV: Thank you so much for the interview. As always, it was a pleasure to speak with you.
DB: You're welcome. -
Saturday, February 02, 2008, 5:15 pm
Cast for The Hobbit opera announced
After much anticipation from members of the Sarasota Youth Opera, the principle roles cast list for The Hobbit has been announced.
THE HOBBIT
TYPE CHARACTER CAST DETAILS
BILBO BAGGINS (OLD) - TBA
BILBO BAGGINS - MARIA SULIMIRSKI/BROOKE SABA
GANDALF - JEREMY MILNER
GOLLUM - CAMI MC LEAN
SMAUG - JEREMY MILNER
THORIN - MELODY STRMEL
DWALIN - SAMANTHA GILLEN
BALIN - DIANA HOANG
FILI - AMANDA CAPPS
KILI - CAROLINE PFEIFFER
ORI - RAVEN VON WOOD
NORI - ALEX CARAGIULO
DORI - ANNA TRINCI
OIN - MARY AKEMON
GLOIN - GRACE MERINGER
BIFUR - KATIE MELCHIOR
BOFUR - GRACE WAUGH
BOMBUR - LUCY GUTTRIDGE
ELROND - KYLE GEE
ELF MAIDEN - ESSENCE WILLIAMS
ELF MAIDEN - JULIA ANNE MC CLURE
ELF MAIDEN - ANNA EGER
ELF MAIDEN - SARAH WOOLF
ELF MAIDEN - MONICA GONZALEZ
ELF MAIDEN - CLEANA FRANCOIS
LALAITH - ELIZABETH DEVITT
HWINIOL - PALOMA VON WOOD
THRANDUIL - JAMES TAYLOR
AZOG - J.D. CARTER
BOLG - SAM SILVERBERG
GOLG - COURTNEY FULTS
MASTER OF LAKETOWN - MARISSA ORTIZ
BARD THE BOWMAN - JOHN MARANO
SPIDER 1 - DARA MESSENGER
SPIDER 2 - KELLY HATTON
SPIDER 3 - OLIVIA PFEIFFER
SPIDER4 - MARIAH BOUDREAUX
SPIDER 5 - TYRA JEFFERSON
SPIDER 6 - AMY JO WEAVER
SPIDER 7 - GRACE WEAVER
SPIDER 8 - CAMI MC LEAN
Come support the Sarasota Youth Opera in their production of The Hobbit. For more information regarding buying tickets to see the hobbit you may call the Sarasota Opera House box office at: 366-8450 or go to sarasotaopera.org -
Thursday, January 17, 2008, 6:14 pm
Sarasota Youth Opera is growing amidst excitement for the upcoming production
The number of participants in the Sarasota Youth Opera program has grown at a rapid pace for the 2nd term of the Sarasota Youth Opera season. There are now 97 singers in the program. The Sarasota Youth Opera is a program for young singers between the ages 8-18. Students learn opera music, singing and acting techniques, and have the opportunity to perform at events in the community. The program meets after school on Wednesdays and Fridays from 4:45-6:30, and the prepatory chorus meets on Saturday mornings. Last year, the Sarasota Youth Opera traveled to Italy to perform in an international music festival. For more information regarding the Sarasota Youth Opera, you may call: (941) 366-8450 ext. 255
The Sarasota Youth Opera is also very excited as they anticipate the upcoming production in May, of the opera, The Hobbit. The opera has only been performed in Canada, so the Sarasota Youth Opera is very excited to be the performers for the American premiere. The program is currently studying the music before auditions for principal roles on January 30th. Tickets for the opera are going fast, if you’re interested in seeing The Hobbit, you can call the box office at (941) 366-8450, or you may visit http://tickets.sarasotaopera.org -
Saturday, January 05, 2008, 10:36 am
Still time to join Sarasota Youth Opera
If you’re interested in joining the Sarasota Youth Opera, there is still time. There will be placement auditions on January 10th & 11th. The age limit is 8-18 years old and all applicants are accepted. Partial tuition scholarships are available for those who demonstrate financial need. To schedule an audition or for more information please call: 366-8450, ext. 255. We hope to see you there!
Also, if you’re interested in seeing the Sarasota Youth Opera’s production of the American premiere of Dean Burry’s opera The Hobbit to be performed in May, you can contact the box office at 366-8450 or visit http://tickets.sarasotaopera.org They’re going fast! -
Thursday, December 13, 2007, 1:18 pm
Sarasota Youth Opera gathers for Open House
On December 12th at 6:00 in the evening the Sarasota Youth Opera and audience members gathered for a concert and open house. Audience members included friends, family, and supporters of the youth opera program.
The purpose of the event was to show Sarasota what is being accomplished through this program and the benefit it has to young people. We started the evening off with a performance - which we dedicated to Deb Hesser, who for many years was the photographer at the Sarasota Opera House. Mrs. Hesser didn’t survive a car accident earlier this week. The program dedicated the performance to her and the wonderful person that she was. Her husband, Karl Hesser, Director of Education was in attendance.
For more information regarding joining the Sarasota Youth Opera, contact 366-8450, ext. 255. To buy tickets for the upcoming American premiere of the opera, The Hobbit, which will be performed by the Sarasota Youth Opera you may call the box office at 366-8450 or visit http://tickets.sarasotaopera.org/ -
Thursday, December 06, 2007, 10:24 pm
Maestro Lance Inouye’s thoughts on The Hobbit
I sat down with Maestro Lance Inouye to get his thoughts on the opera, The Hobbit. Lance Inouye is Sarasota Youth Opera’s conductor and musical instructor. He devotes many hours every week to the program.
When asked to briefly explain The Hobbit, Maestro Inouye responded with, “The action takes place before the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The dwarves take Bilbo on an adventure to capture gold and they meet many new characters along the way.”
I then asked why he thought people would be interested in seeing the opera The Hobbit? “The really great thing about the opera is that we’re creating a new world for the audience.”
I then asked why the age limit for Sarasota Youth Opera was lowered now to 8 years old, “We wanted to get people who are at that age where they are looking for extracurricular activities. Usually by the time they are 10 or 11 years old they’re already committed to something else.”
My last question for Maestro Inouye was what he thought the benefit of being in the Sarasota Youth Opera Program is, “You get to experience all different aspects of opera. Through being in the program you experience new languages and cultures.”
For those interested in joining Sarasota Youth Opera and being a part of the American premiere of The Hobbit, there will be placement auditions January 10th and 11th from 4:45-6:30p.m. The age limit is 8-18 years of age. For more information or to schedule an audition, please call: (941) 366-8450, ext. 255
If you wish to attend the American premiere of The Hobbit, tickets are on sale now. The performances will be May 9th and 10th . For information on buying tickets you can go to http://tickets.sarasotaopera.org/ or call the box office at (941) 366-8450. -
Thursday, November 01, 2007, 9:57 am
Sarasota Youth Opera meets composer of The Hobbit, Dean Burry
On October 26, 2007, Dean Burry flew in from Toronto to meet the Sarasota Youth Opera representatives of the American premiere of The Hobbit. Dean Burry is the Newfoundland-born composer who is the composer and librettist of the opera: The Hobbit, which is an operatic version of Tolkien’s book.
It has only been performed in Toronto by the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus. Karl Hesser, director of educational programs at Sarasota Opera House, contacted Dean Burry requesting that Sarasota Youth Opera perform the opera. The Sarasota Youth Opera will be performing his opera The Hobbit in May, which will be the American premiere of the opera. I was able to sit down and interview Dean Burry, and I learned many new things about this composer.
Upon being introduced to Dean Burry, I found out he was very excited to be visiting Florida. In Newfoundland, many of his friends visited Florida as the dream vacation spot and he never had that opportunity.
“It’s very surreal.” There is quite a weather difference between Toronto and Sarasota, Florida and he said, “It’s been very nice; not as hot as I thought it would be.“ When asked why he wanted to become a composer, his response was, “I started writing songs at ten. I started piano in the first grade, (like most children at the time), and by third grade hated it.”
However, when Dean Burry was ten years old he started writing pop songs, which today he recalls as being “sappy”, yet his 6th grade teacher really encouraged him. He was also musically active growing up. For instance, he played in a rock band while in high school and also played the saxophone.
Although he wrote songs at age ten, his first major composition was The Resurrection; which he started in the 12th grade and was finished with by his first year of college. Upon his high school graduation Dean Burry felt very torn between different areas of music. He knew he was good at the saxophone, but also loved writing music. “I really had to make a choice.”
He chose after graduation to go to Mount Allison University, where he was a saxophone major. He still chose to compose as well and wrote his first musical, Joe and Mary Had a Baby; which is a musical rendition of the nativity story.
He then considered attending Julliard to study under some of the great composers. However, upon graduation from Mount Allison University he chose to attend the University of Toronto to major in composition. A factor that played into attending a university in Toronto was definitely the big-city aspect of it.
Going to big city Toronto from his small city in Newfoundland was quite a shift for Dean Burry. He stated, “It was a huge culture change for me.”
After graduating from University of Toronto, Dean Burry realized that being a young composer isn’t exactly the steadiest position. He applied for jobs at tons of coffee shops; while continuing to write. Wanting a job with the opera in any possible position, he contacted the Canadian Opera Company.
The only position available was in the box office and he accepted it immediately. Dean Burry recalled, “Usually, I wasn’t even selling tickets, I was on the phone while people yelled at me about where they were sitting.” During Dean Burry’s lunch hours he wrote music and met people in the education area of the opera company.
He was eventually offered a job to work with the Esso Kids After-school Opera Program. That is where he wrote one of his very successful operas, The Brothers Grimm. When asked if there was a reason in particular he composed for younger performers he responded, “I would say I had opportunities to write for younger performers because I worked in the education area.”
Dean Burry also feels very strongly that kids can appreciate opera and be more open-minded than adults. “I’m also a kid at heart. I love my Play Station 2.” When asked if he already has ideas for future compositions he says, “Absolutely. There’s like an empty trunk in my head.
After visiting Sarasota, I have ideas. Won’t let go of them yet though”, he said with a laugh. He actually is currently writing an opera called The Secret World of Og to be performed in 2010. He also recently finished writing an opera called Pandora’s Locker; which will be directed towards teenage audiences.
When asked what inspired him to turn the Hobbit into an opera he said, “What a fantastic story. I was the kid who played Dragons & Dungeons, and in 6th grade I read The Hobbit. There were italicized words which were dismissed as bad poetry; but if you read it you see that it wasn’t really poetry, but lyrics. The novel wanted to be an opera.”
Dean Burry also told me because it is such a complicated and huge story, he had to condense and choose main parts. Dean Burry has also had requests from France and Portugal to perform The Hobbit. When those requests were made Dean Burry didn’t have full license to just give the rights of the show to whoever he wanted. However, the rights have now been made available, and all they would need is permission to translate.
When asked how he was enjoying Sarasota he said, “Sarasota seems very nice, I’m a bit of a nature freak and I got to see some lizards.”
Dean Burry is from Newfoundland, which is a small province of Canada. “I like the connection to the ocean Newfoundland has. Newfoundland is like the Hobbit. It’s slow and calm. Music is also in the blood of Newfoundland. Newfoundlanders are hard workers and they have a tremendous sense of humor.”
When asked what a few of his interests are outside of music he responded with, “Nature, definitely want to see some alligators while I’m here. Honestly, video games; video games really help me relax and release tension. However, I have a one and a half year old daughter, so I can’t play video games as often as I used to.”
Dean Burry had the opportunity to meet with the Sarasota Youth Opera Chorus and listen to us sing two songs from The Hobbit. He gave us a few pointers, and had a question and answer session with us all. Dean Burry told us all what to expect of our opera in May and elaborated more on the characters. I speak on behalf of the Sarasota Youth Opera when I say that having Dean Burry visit with us was a joy, and we’re all very excited to be performing this opera.
Raven Von Wood
