UMass Amherst Opera Workshop

03/21/2015

Hard at work on Opera on the Air!!
Monday 3/23 and Tuesday 3/24 at 8pm in Bowker, don't miss it!!

01/24/2014

Hard at work on our spring scenes program! Students working with Gretchen Peery, Coach

04/21/2013

The acclaimed University of Massachusetts Amherst Opera Workshop, recently honored as a finalist in the National Opera Association Scenes Competition, will offer a sampling of the most visceral of human emotions – love, sadness, courage, greed and resourcefulness, presenting the first act of Giuseppe Verdi’s touching La Traviata paired with Giacomo Puccini’s hilariously ironic Gianni Schicchi. The performances will be fully staged, accompanied by Nicholas Shaneyfelt and conducted by Teresa Cheung. Performances will take place in Bowker Auditorium on the UMass campus on Tuesday, April 30, 2012 at 7:30PM and Wednesday, May 1, 2012. Twenty-three young artists selected from throughout the UMass community will perform in the original ltalian with projected translations. The scenes will be staged by returning guest director Vernon Hartman, long-time Metropolitan Opera baritone and internationally known opera producer and director. UMass Professor and internationally acclaimed soprano Amy Johnson serves as Opera Workshop Program Director, overseeing and coordinating all aspects of both instruction and production. This will be Opera Workshop’s fourth major undertaking following its full productions in 2010 and 2011 of Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II and Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore respectively, as well as last year’s nationally recognized scenes program with orchestra, A Musical Trip Around The Globe. This will mark the conclusion of a recently inaugurated four-semester curriculum cycle for Opera Workshop.
Tickets for Friday night’s performance are $3 for UMass students, $5 for other students, seniors and children, and $10 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased through the Box Office at 413.545.2511 or through Online Ticketing: https://umafacweb.admin.umass.edu

10/10/2012

Please share this with friends and repost!

Opera Workshop will hold auditions Thursday October 18 from 4:30-6:30 PM in BRH. Please sign up for an audition time outside of Amy Johnson's office FAC East 283. If you are not available during this time period, please email her at [email protected]

The following ensembles and roles are available with the repertoire programmed:

La Traviata act one.

Chorus:
Any singers not currently in opera workshop but who would like to participate in the chorus next semester are welcome to audition. Please bring one classical selection, preferably in a foreign language. An accompanist will be provided for all auditions but you may bring your own.

Alfredo, cover. Leading romantic tenor. Needs to be comfortable singing multiple Ab's.

Featured roles and ranges
Barone: baritone C2- D3. Stern, aristocratic character
Marchese:bass-baritone A1 - C3. Jovial aristocrat
Dottore: bass-baritone C2-C3.

Gianni Schicchi: These roles are open to singers not currently enrolled in Opera Workshop if they have instructor approval. Singers currently in opera workshop may audition to add a role to their original casting assignments, with your applied teacher's approval.

Please bring an aria that shows your vocal range.

Nella, soprano
Needs to be able to float high notes and interact well as a comedienne. High Bb. Shrewish character.

Betto, baritone Gb1 - E3
Needs great comedic timing and physicality. Scruffy, disreputable character.

Simone, bass-baritone Gb1 - E3. Must play old man (70 y.o.).

Marcia, mezzo-soprano - primarily D2 - D3. Simple-minded, naive, neurotic, though not unintelligent.

Gherardo, tenor, mostly mid-range with multiple high A's in the ensembles. Several emphatic, isolated solo lines

Roles requiring minimal vocal range and can be cast as a man or women:

Spinelloccio (Physician)/Notary - Spinelloccio requires comedic timing and the ability to mimic a Bolognese accent (think Daffy Duck). Notary requires pomposity and contains a spoken segment in Latin.

Pinellino (Shoemaker) - small isolated solo

Guccio (Dyer)

Requirements:
You must be available for all class periods in the spring semester even though you may not be called for rehearsal.
Tuesday, Thursday 3:30-6:00.
You must reserve Patriot's Day weekend for additional rehearsal.
You must be available for dress rehearsals and performances April 28-May 1. Excuses will be sent to your professors.
Men in Traviata must have a tuxedo. Women in Traviata must have a formal gown.

Please bring any questions to Amy Johnson at [email protected]
or
Michael Merullo at
[email protected]

06/07/2012

Opera Workshop would like to thank the following local businesses for supporting our art, especially in the Spring 2012 production of Opera Scenes. Our production was an outstanding success with great support from:

The Italian Consulate in Boston
Salon Herdis, Northampton
Sentry Cleaners, Chicopee
UMass Five College Credit Union

04/22/2012

Fabulous work today on our first tech rehearsal. We're all excited for this to be an outstanding show. Spread the word!

04/17/2012

04/12/2012

Exciting photos by Clarke Kennedy of staging Street Scene and Falstaff!

04/12/2012

Exciting rehearsal photos from 4/5/2012 staging by Clarke Kennedy!

http://www.umass.edu/voice/452012b.htm

04/12/2012

Article by Samantha Gambaccini for Opera Workshop! Posted by sponsor UMass Five College Credit Union!

https://secure.umassfive.org/news/in_our_community.html

04/04/2012

04/03/2012

www.umass.edu/voice

Presenting Spring 2012 Opera Workshop Production!

"A Musical Trip Around the Globe"
Scenes from Celebrated Operas
by Handel, Mozart, Verdi, Charpentier and Weill

Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 10AM
Abridged Matinee Performance FREE OF CHARGE
&
Friday, April 27 - 7:30PM
Visit www.umasstix.com/musicanddance for tickets