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BSU and Opera Idaho collaborate on “Master Class” production
January 19th, 2010
Boise State and Opera Idaho Collaborate on Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-winning play Master Class
8 p.m. Jan. 21-23 and 28-30 and 2 p.m. Jan. 24 and 31 in the Morrison Center Recital Hall
Tickets $15 general admission/$10 Boise State students at Select-a-Seat or at the door.
Press Release provided by BSU.
Veteran actress Lynn Allison (right) invokes the spirit of iconic opera singer Maria Callas in a production of Terrence McNally’s award-winning play, “Master Class”. Allison is joined by an all-professional cast, including pianist Del Parkinson (center), singers Leslie Mauldin (left) and Ryan Olsen and actress Valerie Baugh. Photo by Allison Corona
Veteran actress Lynn Allison (right) invokes the spirit of iconic opera singer Maria Callas in a production of Terrence McNally’s award-winning play, Master Class. Allison is joined by an all-professional cast, including pianist Del Parkinson (center), singers Leslie Mauldin (left) and Ryan Olsen and actress Valerie Baugh. Photo by Allison Corona.
The departments of Music and Theatre Arts are partnering with Opera Idaho to present Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-winning play Master Class at 8 p.m. Jan. 21-23 and 28-30 and 2 p.m. Jan. 24 and 31 in the Morrison Center Recital Hall. Tickets are $15 general and $10 for Boise State students at Select-a-Seat outlets or www.idahotickets.com. Tickets also may be purchased at the door. The play is intended for mature audiences.
Master Class is based on a series of Juilliard master classes given by the great opera singer Maria Callas, one of the most compelling and controversial artists of our time. Vividly and often comically, McNally’s play captures the essence of Callas as she alternately destroys and inspires three eager Juilliard opera students with her brutally honest critiques, recollections of her illustrious career and turbulent life, and unwavering commitment to the sacrifices artists make for their creations.
The collaborative production involves Boise State’s departments of Music and Theatre Arts and the Idaho CoOPERAtive, a professional development group for singers housed in the Music Department and co-founded by associate professor and head of voice studies Laura Rushing-Raynes. Thanks to a College of Arts and Sciences Community Engagement Grant and sponsorship by Opera Idaho, it is a professional production starring Boise favorites Lynn Allison in the lead role of Maria Callas and Boise State piano professor Del Parkinson as her master class accompanist.
Allison is a celebrated actress known best for her work with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Boise Contemporary Theater. The upcoming performance of “Master Class” is the realization of a long-smoldering pipe dream she shared with Rushing-Raynes in 2001. Boise State had an ideal venue and a pool of faculty and community talent, and Allison had the clout and inspiration to spark what promises to be a thrilling evening of theater and music.
“There is a lot of talent in the area and not a lot of places to put it, so it makes sense to share resources and find ways to do ‘environmental’ theater,” said Allison, referring to the fact that the Morrison Center Recital Hall is a natural backdrop for a play about students in a music class. Not only does it take advantage of an existing resource, it also adds a dimension that a set cannot, blurring the line even more between real and imagined.
Also blurring that line is the fact that Callas speaks directly to the audience, suggesting (and sometimes demanding) they do their own reflecting on the meaning of art and what happens when an artist surrenders to passion and the pursuit of greatness.
“While the play is incredibly funny, it also is deeply reflective, forcing Callas to ask, ‘What have I done? What have I sacrificed? What have the rewards truly been?’ ” said Rushing-Raynes.
“Her memories and the music feed on each other, and her personality informs the performance. She is a force,” Allison said. “The play is about her frustrations as well as those moments when she surrenders to the beauty of her students’ voices, when they finally understand.”
The cast also features singers Leslie Mauldin and Ryan Olsen (a member of Boise State’s adjunct voice faculty) as well as actress Valerie Baugh (a member of Boise State’s adjunct theatre arts faculty). The production will be directed by theatre arts professor Ann Hoste and musically coached by Rushing-Raynes. Stage management will be provided by Opera Idaho, for which Rushing-Raynes recently conducted Amahl and the Night Visitors, with Baugh as assistant-director. Mauldin is singing in Opera Idaho’s upcoming production of Rossini’s Cinderella, further underscoring the partnership.
“The message of the Community Engagement Grant is, whatever you’re doing, be effectively outreaching and interfacing with community members and organizations,” Rushing-Raynes said. “This project fulfills that message, and we hope it will be the first of many more such collaborations.”
Following the two Sunday matinee performances on Jan. 24 and 31, the cast will invite the audience to participate in a discussion and demo of an actual master class, featuring Boise State voice students being taught by cast members Mauldin and Olsen, both accomplished voice teachers.
For more information, visit the Master Class Home Page
Faust Opens Season Next Week with Low Ticket Price for Sunday Matinee
October 23rd, 2009
Two performances at The Auditorium at South Junior High, 3101 Cassia, Boise
Oct. 30 (7:30 pm) and Sunday, Nov. 1 (2:30 pm) with The Boise Philharmonic
Single Tickets on sale now — call 387-1273, T-Su 11am – 6pm
For one day, we’ve done away with the most often-cited reason people don’t attend opera … high ticket prices! To inaugurate its season series of Sunday matinees, Opera Idaho is offering all tickets for the Nov. 1 performance at one low price of $34.
Listen to our radio spots about Faust.
“The greatest love story”
“Mephistopheles here”
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Read the rest of this entry »
Becoming an Opera House – Renovations at the Egyptian
July 13th, 2009
Note:
In announcing the Egyptian Theatre in downtown Boise as its new home, Opera Idaho has committed to performing at least two main-stage operas at the Egyptian in each of the next five seasons. The first of these operas will be Gian-Carlo Menotti’s endearing Christmas classic Amahl and the Night Visitors in December. Rossini’s Cinderella and Ned Rorem’s new American opera Our Town will follow in early 2010. Opera Idaho’s Season-Opening Recital on Sept. 11 will also take place at the Egyptian but will not require adjustments to the theatre.
The Egyptian Theatre was lovingly restored in 1999 on commission by the Hardy Foundation. The Hardy Foundation is making further adjustments to the theatre to accommodate Opera Idaho in its new home. So that you can learn more about what is being done at the Egyptian and follow the progress being made, we introduce a series of blog posts we are calling:
‘Becoming an Opera House – Renovations at the Egyptian’
Production Manager, Jennifer Wilhelmi, will post behind-the-scenes updates throughout the process from the other side of the curtain. To view all entries click on the ‘Becoming an Opera House’ link in the categories list in the left sidebar.
Opera Idaho to receive NEA funding
July 9th, 2009
Opera Idaho will receive one of four federal stimulus grants awarded to Idaho arts organizations. Opera Idaho will receive $50,000 to reinstate a Director of Marketing position. The grant is through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and is administered by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Read the rest of this entry »
Opera Idaho featured on KIVI-TV Sunday News
June 21st, 2009
Watch the news on KIVI-TV (Channel 6 in the Treasure Valley) this Sunday and see a feature on the renovations being made at the Egyptian Theatre to accommodate Opera Idaho’s move to its new home. Live at 5:30 and Live at 10:00 will air the story, which will feature interviews with Hardy Foundation and Egyptian Theatre staff and Opera Idaho Executive Director Mark Junkert.
The Egyptian Theatre was lovingly restored in 1999 on commission by the Hardy Foundation. The Hardy Foundation is making further adjustments to the theatre to accommodate Opera Idaho in its new home.
In announcing the Egyptian Theatre in downtown Boise as its new home, Opera Idaho has committed to performing at least two main-stage operas at the Egyptian in each of the next five seasons. The first of these operas will be Gian-Carlo Menotti’s endearing Christmas classic Amahl and the Night Visitors in December. Rossini’s Cinderella and Ned Rorem’s new American opera Our Town will follow in early 2010. Opera Idaho’s Season-Opening Recital on Sept. 11 will also take place at the Egyptian but will not require adjustments to the theatre.
Opera under the Stars Concludes 2008/9 Season
June 12th, 2009
The Idaho Botanical Garden
2355 N. Penitentiary Rd.
Friday, June 12, 7 PM (gates open at 6 PM )
Sunday, June 14, 5 PM (gates open at 4 PM)
Join Opera Idaho’s Resident Company and special guest artists Stephanie Sabin (soprano) Betany Coffland (mezzo) and Jason Detwiler (baritone) for a program selected from both opera and Disney musicals. Directed by Doug Copsey; musical preparation by John Bostron.
2009/10 Season Subscriptions Available
June 1st, 2009
More opera than ever in our history, varied repertoire, a new home at the Egyptian Theatre, multiple performances, Sunday matinees, and artistic collaborations … a season of change that we know you’ll enjoy. And, season tickets represent a 15% savings!
Subscriptions begin at $99 for six events, with the best seats available for $299. Seats will be assigned with priority given by order date. As a subscriber, your tickets are exchangeable for another performance of the same opera.
Visit our Tickets page to order.
Opera Idaho has a Facebook site … take a look
June 1st, 2009
Follow the latest news and meet other fans of Opera Idaho on the Opera Idaho Facebook web site. Resident Company and Marketing Committee member Stephen Price maintains the site. Join us now.
NEA Honors Opera Idaho
May 30th, 2009
The cast of Opera Idaho's Jacques Brel (2007)
The National Endowment for the Arts in its recent Annual Report featured Opera Idaho and its 2007 production of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.
The Annual Report featured two organizations from each state that were funded by the NEA. Opera Idaho received a $10,000 grant for Jacques Brel. Performances were at The Big Easy (now The Knitting Factory) in Boise’s BoDo District.
