A wonderful hour with librettist Stephen Kitsakos in the OECD this afternoon! Stephen is in Bloomington for a few days to discuss the development of a new opera collaboration with the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, "Swimming in the Dark". Many thanks to Prof. Michael Shell for making this visit possible!
Long before I could truly appreciate what I was witnessing, I had the extraordinary privilege of watching him sing Golaud seven times from just offstage. Those performances left an indelible mark on me. I will never forget the electric moment in Act IV when he grabbed Frederica von Stade’s wig — so visceral, so fearless, so completely committed to the truth of that devastating scene. He was utterly magnetic. I could not take my eyes off him.
I had no idea then how much that image would stay with me, or how deeply it would shape my understanding of what great opera singing and acting could be.
Opening night for IU Opera and Ballet Theater Mansfield Park By Jonathan Dove.
Set design: Steven Kemp
Projection Design: Camilla Tassi
Lighting Design: Russell Long
Steven can’t be with us so we are using him as the midi test!
IU Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
https://liveatjacobs.music.indiana.edu/#/
Friday(2/13) and Saturday (2:24) @ 7:30 pm
Congratulations to these jokers! I loved every minute of working with them. Thanks to B. Michael Gault for his hard work and dedication to preparing and guiding these young “Cantabini” artists!
A huge round of applause to Matt Wood, Matt MçQueary, and Technical Director Steve Wilson for bringing this beautiful new, three wagon production of La Bohème, designed by Mark Frederic Smith to life. The craftsmanship and dedication of these three incredible humans poured into this production is truly remarkable.
Bravo! 👏🎨 Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
How lucky am I that I get to collaborate with people who dreamed up a prop like this and agreed it was a brilliant idea? Thank you Steven Kemp, Driscoll Otto, Amanda Seymour, Jack Swanson, Ian Rucker, Colin Ramsey, Christina Grohowski, MiKayla Lynn Hatfield, Siphokazi Molteno,the men of the LOKC Chorus, crew, staff, and Administration of Lyric Opera of Kansas City for help bringing my crazy ideas to life!!! Can’t wait for tomorrow night!!!
And last but not least, thank you to this dude below…Matt Burns — not just for saying “Yes…AND…” to every wild idea I’ve thrown your way (stuffed animals, dancing chickens, donkey brays and all), but for being a constant source of inspiration to me over the years.
Cheers to all!
Come see it if you are in town!
