Interview:
with - LISA JORDHEIM
Per Ron Bierman:
Coloratura Lisa Jordheim will be debuting in the role of Gilda with baritone Stephen Powell in a San Diego Opera production of Verdi's Rigoletto. He's sung the lead five times, the first time in a Cincinnati Opera production in which Jordheim had only a few lines as a page. She said, "I feel like I've graduated. That was in 2011, and I was a graduate student at CCM (the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music). It was a wonderful experience for me just to soak up everything in the rehearsal process. One of my favorite singers, Sarah Coburn, was the Gilda. Just getting to see her portray that character and to work with Stephen was a master class."
She said making a house and role debut in San Diego caused, "Some nervousness coming in. You know Stephen has done his role many times, and this is my first time.
Baritone Stephen Powell
But everybody's been wonderfully supportive and nurturing. I feel like it's a safe place for me to try out new things. Conductor Steven White has been wonderfully accommodating with tempos and different traditions of ending on the octave and other stylistic decisions."
In an hour conversation with Jordheim at the San Diego Opera's Civic Center rehearsal room I found she had an extraordinary diversity of activities and interests that extended to repertoire, operatic composers, teaching, travel, and even pop music. "I love having an eclectic mix of things in my life in all areas." On the way to a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance at CCM she became a State-Tested Nursing Assistant in Ohio. In her home state of Wisconsin she worked as a physician's record-assistant in the emergency room at Appleton Medical Center.
No matter how random her activities sometimes seem, they are always somehow interrelated. Her early interest in medicine and caring for others has given her a good understanding of how to deal with the taxing physical requirements of operatic singing, something she explains when coaching. Holding back during rehearsals (marking), for example, is one way to maintain vocal health. Because the role of Gilda is new to her, she finds a benefit in singing it at least once as she would in performance, but otherwise saves full voice strength for opening night. "When marking I take things an octave lower and sing a little softer to save energy. It's a matter of listening to your body-it's best not to sing it out when your vocal folds are a little tired. And you definitely just want to mime screaming at football games!"
The breadth of her interest in different musical genres is tied to her respect for the singers in each of them. "I enjoy singing different genres and styles of music. I love doing musical theater, I love doing art songs." In a previous interview she'd said she admired Jessica Vosk, the rock group Panic! At the Disco, and Astor Piazzolla, among others. Vosk starred in Wicked on Broadway, and Panic! At the Disco's Brendon Urie sang in the musical Kinky Boots. "Vocally he's got it figured out." She admires the stamina of Broadway singers who perform so frequently, but said, "My heart is in opera. It's a heightened way of telling stories. The unamplified voice is such a unique thing."
Piazzolla is a special case. Her mother and father are musicians and professors at Lawrence University where she studied for two years before transferring to CCM. Her father introduced her to the tango composer, and she sang his music in arrangements that included dad's saxophone.
Jordheim began voice training when she was 10, not necessarily a good age because the voice can be damaged if not used correctly, and it changes at puberty. She credits her coach for taking that into consideration. "My teacher Patrice Michaels was wonderful. She was masterful at introducing me to material that was appropriate. I started singing musical theater repertoire in a conservative range with nothing terribly high. I think my first aria was Barbarina's, and that was my first introduction to opera." She's now sung in the Marriage of Figaro three times. This is a brief clip from one of her performances as Barbarina.
Jordheim also credits Michaels for introducing her to vocal technique, styles, languages and the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the tool used to transliterate opera librettos into a form that helps singers with the accent and diction a composer had in mind, a skill necessary for correct musical phrasing. The early introduction to IPA influenced her subsequent degree track. As a Fulbright Scholar and Fellow of the American-Scandinavian Foundation, while earning her Doctor of Musical Arts she studied and conducted research on singing diction in the Scandinavian languages at the University of Oslo.
Because Jordheim's parents both taught at Lawrence, the University was the center of her early musical training. After ten years as her coach, including Jordheim's two years as a student at Lawrence, Michaels recommended a transfer to another school to broaden her educational experience. The soprano took that advice, and transferred to CCM where she met Bill McGraw, a baritone singer and professor of voice who became her primary vocal coach. "He helped me so much about technique and musicality and breathing. All the things one needs for longevity and career. When I'm in rehearsal or teaching myself, I always think back on what Bill would say. More recently I have a coach in Milwaukee where I lived for several years. Her name is Janna Ernst. She's actually from San Diego and went to San Diego State. She's helped me prepare for this role."
Alisa Jordheim in Candide
More experienced opera singers have also helped her develop and manage her career. "I shared a dressing room with Hei-Kyung Hong when we were in Dialogues of the Carmelites. She's a singer I've admired for a long time. I tried not to fan-girl her too much, but she told me how she got started and gave me some advice about how to balance career with personal life. The whole time I was thinking, oh my gosh! It was a wonderful experience. And then getting to sing with Denyce Graves recently in Candide was--I kind of had to pinch myself. She's such a glamorous woman and such an elegant singer."
Jordheim's performance as Cunégonde in Palm Beach Opera's production of Candide produced one of the most satisfying moments so far in her budding young career. "Glitter and Be Gay" is a key aria. "It's fun and terrifying at the same time, especially with props to worry about. I thought I'd done pretty well, but I'm never totally satisfied. Maybe this note could have been a little brighter. But the applause just kept happening." In this clip she sings the same aria in a concert setting.
Of course, things don't always go as planned. "Stephen Powell and I were talking about how entertaining it can be when things go wrong. It keeps you on your toes. You have to think of a solution, you know, when someone forgets a prop or starts spouting random nonsense at you." It turns out she was thinking of an example of the latter. "There was a Barber of Seville dress rehearsal. In a recitative with Doctor Bartolo the words just were not there for me. It seemed like about 25 minutes, but it was probably only 10 seconds, and I just sort of made up a language with no Italian, just random vowels." The singer in the role of Bartolo got a puzzled what's-happening expression. But, "You can't just stop! The show must go on, so you have to improvise."
A prodigious appetite for repertoire extends to contemporary composers. She's recorded Fresh Patterns, a song cycle written for her by Lori Laitman and also premiered works composed for her by Douglas Pew, Joanne Metcalf, Josh Deutsch, and Rodney Rogers. She sang Lola in the world premiere and commercial recording of Sister Carrie, written by Grammy award-winning composer Robert Aldridge and librettist Herschel Garfein.
The soprano's most unexpected role came as the voice of Bel in the animated short film Over the Horizon, written and directed by David Pierson. "I've sung quite a bit with the New Philharmonic in Glen Ellen, Illinois, and the gentleman who does the lectures said I'd be perfect for the animated film his son was working on. I thought, that would be fun! So I met with his son. It was odd to have just a microphone with no people. But it really was fun. It's a short film, around 15 minutes, about a robotic character who meets another robotic character in a kind of dystopian world. They each have a deep need to meet someone else like themselves."
Commenting on singing new music, Jordheim didn't seemed phased by the technical difficulties of odd leaps or unusual harmonies. "The hard thing is that you don't have a historical recording. But I love the challenge. There's something really wonderful about being the first. To put your stamp on a role as part of the original cast."
Jordheim has been relying on Guy Barzilay Artists in New York for bookings and career advice for nearly five years years, and recently moved to New York because she'd been traveling there so often for auditions. "They really have good ideas about repertoire and career trajectory for me. Repertoire is so important. It shows what you can do and what you can't." And as the voice changes over time, repertoire changes. "I used to feel super comfy hanging out in the stratosphere for a long period of time, and now, while I still enjoy hanging out up there. I really love singing low notes. I find that I get a little more richness in the low and middle-range and that's exciting." It expands the number of roles she can take on. "I hope to be able to sing anything." When I jokingly asked if she envisioned a progression from page to Gilda to the baritone lead in Rigoletto, she laughingly admitted there were limits.
Later this year Jordheim will be an artist-in-residence at Temple University, standing in for a friend while she's on maternity leave. And amidst teaching and coaching she'll be singing Ninetta in The thieving Magpie by Rossini. A Merry Widow is also in the works.
Jordheim at Rehearsal
I'm looking forward to seeing her as Gilda next weekend. For ticket information visit
the San Diego Opera website.
Candide photo credit Bruce Bennett, others compliments of San Diego Opera.
Coloratura Lisa Jordheim will be debuting in the role of Gilda with baritone Stephen Powell in a San Diego Opera production of Verdi's Rigoletto. He's sung the lead five times, the first time in a Cincinnati Opera production in which Jordheim had only a few lines as a page. She said, "I feel like I've graduated. That was in 2011, and I was a graduate student at CCM (the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music). It was a wonderful experience for me just to soak up everything in the rehearsal process. One of my favorite singers, Sarah Coburn, was the Gilda. Just getting to see her portray that character and to work with Stephen was a master class."
She said making a house and role debut in San Diego caused, "Some nervousness coming in. You know Stephen has done his role many times, and this is my first time.
Baritone Stephen Powell
But everybody's been wonderfully supportive and nurturing. I feel like it's a safe place for me to try out new things. Conductor Steven White has been wonderfully accommodating with tempos and different traditions of ending on the octave and other stylistic decisions."
In an hour conversation with Jordheim at the San Diego Opera's Civic Center rehearsal room I found she had an extraordinary diversity of activities and interests that extended to repertoire, operatic composers, teaching, travel, and even pop music. "I love having an eclectic mix of things in my life in all areas." On the way to a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance at CCM she became a State-Tested Nursing Assistant in Ohio. In her home state of Wisconsin she worked as a physician's record-assistant in the emergency room at Appleton Medical Center.
No matter how random her activities sometimes seem, they are always somehow interrelated. Her early interest in medicine and caring for others has given her a good understanding of how to deal with the taxing physical requirements of operatic singing, something she explains when coaching. Holding back during rehearsals (marking), for example, is one way to maintain vocal health. Because the role of Gilda is new to her, she finds a benefit in singing it at least once as she would in performance, but otherwise saves full voice strength for opening night. "When marking I take things an octave lower and sing a little softer to save energy. It's a matter of listening to your body-it's best not to sing it out when your vocal folds are a little tired. And you definitely just want to mime screaming at football games!"
The breadth of her interest in different musical genres is tied to her respect for the singers in each of them. "I enjoy singing different genres and styles of music. I love doing musical theater, I love doing art songs." In a previous interview she'd said she admired Jessica Vosk, the rock group Panic! At the Disco, and Astor Piazzolla, among others. Vosk starred in Wicked on Broadway, and Panic! At the Disco's Brendon Urie sang in the musical Kinky Boots. "Vocally he's got it figured out." She admires the stamina of Broadway singers who perform so frequently, but said, "My heart is in opera. It's a heightened way of telling stories. The unamplified voice is such a unique thing."
Piazzolla is a special case. Her mother and father are musicians and professors at Lawrence University where she studied for two years before transferring to CCM. Her father introduced her to the tango composer, and she sang his music in arrangements that included dad's saxophone.
Jordheim began voice training when she was 10, not necessarily a good age because the voice can be damaged if not used correctly, and it changes at puberty. She credits her coach for taking that into consideration. "My teacher Patrice Michaels was wonderful. She was masterful at introducing me to material that was appropriate. I started singing musical theater repertoire in a conservative range with nothing terribly high. I think my first aria was Barbarina's, and that was my first introduction to opera." She's now sung in the Marriage of Figaro three times. This is a brief clip from one of her performances as Barbarina.
Jordheim also credits Michaels for introducing her to vocal technique, styles, languages and the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the tool used to transliterate opera librettos into a form that helps singers with the accent and diction a composer had in mind, a skill necessary for correct musical phrasing. The early introduction to IPA influenced her subsequent degree track. As a Fulbright Scholar and Fellow of the American-Scandinavian Foundation, while earning her Doctor of Musical Arts she studied and conducted research on singing diction in the Scandinavian languages at the University of Oslo.
Because Jordheim's parents both taught at Lawrence, the University was the center of her early musical training. After ten years as her coach, including Jordheim's two years as a student at Lawrence, Michaels recommended a transfer to another school to broaden her educational experience. The soprano took that advice, and transferred to CCM where she met Bill McGraw, a baritone singer and professor of voice who became her primary vocal coach. "He helped me so much about technique and musicality and breathing. All the things one needs for longevity and career. When I'm in rehearsal or teaching myself, I always think back on what Bill would say. More recently I have a coach in Milwaukee where I lived for several years. Her name is Janna Ernst. She's actually from San Diego and went to San Diego State. She's helped me prepare for this role."
Alisa Jordheim in Candide
More experienced opera singers have also helped her develop and manage her career. "I shared a dressing room with Hei-Kyung Hong when we were in Dialogues of the Carmelites. She's a singer I've admired for a long time. I tried not to fan-girl her too much, but she told me how she got started and gave me some advice about how to balance career with personal life. The whole time I was thinking, oh my gosh! It was a wonderful experience. And then getting to sing with Denyce Graves recently in Candide was--I kind of had to pinch myself. She's such a glamorous woman and such an elegant singer."
Jordheim's performance as Cunégonde in Palm Beach Opera's production of Candide produced one of the most satisfying moments so far in her budding young career. "Glitter and Be Gay" is a key aria. "It's fun and terrifying at the same time, especially with props to worry about. I thought I'd done pretty well, but I'm never totally satisfied. Maybe this note could have been a little brighter. But the applause just kept happening." In this clip she sings the same aria in a concert setting.
Of course, things don't always go as planned. "Stephen Powell and I were talking about how entertaining it can be when things go wrong. It keeps you on your toes. You have to think of a solution, you know, when someone forgets a prop or starts spouting random nonsense at you." It turns out she was thinking of an example of the latter. "There was a Barber of Seville dress rehearsal. In a recitative with Doctor Bartolo the words just were not there for me. It seemed like about 25 minutes, but it was probably only 10 seconds, and I just sort of made up a language with no Italian, just random vowels." The singer in the role of Bartolo got a puzzled what's-happening expression. But, "You can't just stop! The show must go on, so you have to improvise."
A prodigious appetite for repertoire extends to contemporary composers. She's recorded Fresh Patterns, a song cycle written for her by Lori Laitman and also premiered works composed for her by Douglas Pew, Joanne Metcalf, Josh Deutsch, and Rodney Rogers. She sang Lola in the world premiere and commercial recording of Sister Carrie, written by Grammy award-winning composer Robert Aldridge and librettist Herschel Garfein.
The soprano's most unexpected role came as the voice of Bel in the animated short film Over the Horizon, written and directed by David Pierson. "I've sung quite a bit with the New Philharmonic in Glen Ellen, Illinois, and the gentleman who does the lectures said I'd be perfect for the animated film his son was working on. I thought, that would be fun! So I met with his son. It was odd to have just a microphone with no people. But it really was fun. It's a short film, around 15 minutes, about a robotic character who meets another robotic character in a kind of dystopian world. They each have a deep need to meet someone else like themselves."
Commenting on singing new music, Jordheim didn't seemed phased by the technical difficulties of odd leaps or unusual harmonies. "The hard thing is that you don't have a historical recording. But I love the challenge. There's something really wonderful about being the first. To put your stamp on a role as part of the original cast."
Jordheim has been relying on Guy Barzilay Artists in New York for bookings and career advice for nearly five years years, and recently moved to New York because she'd been traveling there so often for auditions. "They really have good ideas about repertoire and career trajectory for me. Repertoire is so important. It shows what you can do and what you can't." And as the voice changes over time, repertoire changes. "I used to feel super comfy hanging out in the stratosphere for a long period of time, and now, while I still enjoy hanging out up there. I really love singing low notes. I find that I get a little more richness in the low and middle-range and that's exciting." It expands the number of roles she can take on. "I hope to be able to sing anything." When I jokingly asked if she envisioned a progression from page to Gilda to the baritone lead in Rigoletto, she laughingly admitted there were limits.
Later this year Jordheim will be an artist-in-residence at Temple University, standing in for a friend while she's on maternity leave. And amidst teaching and coaching she'll be singing Ninetta in The thieving Magpie by Rossini. A Merry Widow is also in the works.
Jordheim at Rehearsal
I'm looking forward to seeing her as Gilda next weekend. For ticket information visit
the San Diego Opera website.
Candide photo credit Bruce Bennett, others compliments of San Diego Opera.
SD Opera Interview:
ALL IS CALM - Christmas Truce of 1914
Per Ron Bierman:
Will a musical drama set on a grim WW I battlefield make an audience feel good? Those working on the San Diego Opera's staging of All Is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914 are certain it can. The work tells the true story of the spontaneous unofficial truce between WWI enemies who left their trenches, and entered the no-man's land between them, to join in a celebration of the Christmas holidays. Peter Rothstein wrote the drama for his Minneapolis-based company Theatre Latté Da, and based it on material from the period - the most important of which, is the verbatim text of letters and war journals written by soldiers who participated in the truce. The cast sings many songs popular during the war, and a few traditional Christmas carols. All were arranged by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, and are sung a-cappella in the English, German and French languages of the soldiers. Vanessa Dinning has taken on the challenge of coaching in nearly 20 different dialects.
Will a musical drama set on a grim WW I battlefield make an audience feel good? Those working on the San Diego Opera's staging of All Is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914 are certain it can. The work tells the true story of the spontaneous unofficial truce between WWI enemies who left their trenches, and entered the no-man's land between them, to join in a celebration of the Christmas holidays. Peter Rothstein wrote the drama for his Minneapolis-based company Theatre Latté Da, and based it on material from the period - the most important of which, is the verbatim text of letters and war journals written by soldiers who participated in the truce. The cast sings many songs popular during the war, and a few traditional Christmas carols. All were arranged by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, and are sung a-cappella in the English, German and French languages of the soldiers. Vanessa Dinning has taken on the challenge of coaching in nearly 20 different dialects.
The San Diego Opera is co-producing All Is CALM (photo) Calm with SACRA/PROFANA, and Bodhi Tree Concerts. Further broadening the cooperative effort, it is the San Diego Opera debut of director Alan E. Hicks, who recently assumed a newly created position shared between the Opera and San Diego State University. SDSU is further represented by costume designer Professor Denitsa Bliznakova, and the university's Head of Lighting Design Anne E. McMills. Rehearsals had been underway for a week, when I met with David Bennett, the Opera's general director. Juan Carlos Acosta, conductor and music director of Juan Carlos Acosta SACRA/PROFANA, and Walter DuMelle, co-founder of Bodhi Tree Concerts. Tenor Chad Frisque, who will sing one of the roles, lobbied for the work with each of them a few years ago, and Bohdi Tree eventually decided to do a read-through which included SACRA/PROFANA singers led by Acosta. Bennett, who had been impressed by previous SACRA/PROFANA performances, decided to attend. An operatic baritone before switching to arts management, he even sang at times ... when the read-through included some of the Walter DuMelle music.
He told DuMelle, "This may be the only time you hear me sing in San Diego." Bennett was so impressed with what he heard (and sang), that he decided to help Bodhi Tree with costumes, scenery, licensing, marketing, and venue. The result was a success. All Is Calm has sold-out for multiple performances, each of the last two years at the 150-seat Balboa Park Veterans Museum. DuMelle, who sang in the production, said of its impact on veterans who attended, "We had 70, 80, 90 year-old guys sitting there just losing it during the show."
When Bennett realized earlier this year, that the scheduled Vancouver-derived production of Hansel and Gretel wouldn't fit comfortably on the Balboa Theater stage. All Is Calm was an obvious holiday-season alternative, and he'd already been thinking about it for the company's Detour Series.
David Bennett
Acosta said, "The city's opera has more resources for lighting, costuming, scenery and effects. The Bodhi Tree performance had a chorus of 10 singers from SACRA/PROFORMA, and six principle artists for vocal solos and spoken lines. In this production everyone has spoken lines and solos, so there's more interplay among performers." The Balboa Theater, though much higher in capacity than the Veterans Museum, will still accommodate the scaled-up version's desired intimate feel. The all-male cast of 16 includes singers from the chamber choir SACRA/PROFANA, and the San Diego Opera Chorus. Bass Walter Dumelle, who sang in the Bodhi Tree production and has appeared before with the San Diego Opera, will join them.
When Bennett realized earlier this year, that the scheduled Vancouver-derived production of Hansel and Gretel wouldn't fit comfortably on the Balboa Theater stage. All Is Calm was an obvious holiday-season alternative, and he'd already been thinking about it for the company's Detour Series.
David Bennett
Acosta said, "The city's opera has more resources for lighting, costuming, scenery and effects. The Bodhi Tree performance had a chorus of 10 singers from SACRA/PROFORMA, and six principle artists for vocal solos and spoken lines. In this production everyone has spoken lines and solos, so there's more interplay among performers." The Balboa Theater, though much higher in capacity than the Veterans Museum, will still accommodate the scaled-up version's desired intimate feel. The all-male cast of 16 includes singers from the chamber choir SACRA/PROFANA, and the San Diego Opera Chorus. Bass Walter Dumelle, who sang in the Bodhi Tree production and has appeared before with the San Diego Opera, will join them.
Bennett explained why he's feeling especially good about joining forces with other members of the San Diego arts community for the Detour Series production. It's part of his plan for making opera more relevant to a broader audience and more important to the city. "The opera industry was poised on the edge of a cliff in 2007, 2008 when the financial crisis hit. A lot of companies were depending on endowments that sank with the stock market. So survivors had to rethink the model. I knew one of the things I wanted to do here was find opportunities to work with other organizations in the area."
All Is Calm is another result of "rethinking the model." The Detour Series, with a shared emphasis on expressive singing, supplements main stage productions of grand opera ... with works beyond the traditional canon. Bennett especially wants to highlight, "Issues that speak to the groups that make up greater San Diego. People see themselves on the stage in the series. ... We want to both honor the traditions of opera and explore new pathways. I think it's a very exciting time." Juan Carlos Acosta
All Is Calm is another result of "rethinking the model." The Detour Series, with a shared emphasis on expressive singing, supplements main stage productions of grand opera ... with works beyond the traditional canon. Bennett especially wants to highlight, "Issues that speak to the groups that make up greater San Diego. People see themselves on the stage in the series. ... We want to both honor the traditions of opera and explore new pathways. I think it's a very exciting time." Juan Carlos Acosta
"But it's still a very expensive art form and everyone is always struggling. When people ask, is it safe to say San Diego Opera is saved? I say, well, we saved ourselves last year and we have to save ourselves again every year. It's a challenge, but still exciting." Acosta agreed. "We're in the most innovative time in opera history. There are more people doing more types of operas with different technologies and different ways of approaching the art form than ever before. We've seen so many new composers, and composers who use elements of other genres. Nico Muhly had a recent premiere at the Metropolitan Opera - but also collaborates with rock and pop musicians."
Remembering how director Arin Arbus reinforced the seedy atmosphere of her Chicago Lyric Opera production of Lulu, by tarting up the lobby with dancers on platforms. DuMelle summed it up. "Make it work. Make it vital. Make it relevant. There is no one way."
Remembering how director Arin Arbus reinforced the seedy atmosphere of her Chicago Lyric Opera production of Lulu, by tarting up the lobby with dancers on platforms. DuMelle summed it up. "Make it work. Make it vital. Make it relevant. There is no one way."
********
San Diego Opera:
INTERVIEW with
Elaine Alvarez
Per Ron Bierman
I spoke earlier this year with Elaine Alvarez who sang the lead in the San Diego Opera's production of Florencia en el Amazonas by Mexican composer Daniel Catán and librettist Marcela Fuentes-Berain. Alvarez told me that when she got a call from the San Diego Opera General Director David Bennett, "I was at a train station in France, and it was cold. I started jumping up and down!" And he was like, 'Do you think you're going to be ready to sing this? Is this in line now with where your voice is.' And I'm like, a hundred percent! "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Florencia appealed to her Latin heritage, she knew her voice was ready, and Spanish was her first language. She'd sung Beatrice in Catán's earlier opera Rappaccini's Daughter and was delighted with the opportunity to make her San Diego debut with another of his works.
I spoke earlier this year with Elaine Alvarez who sang the lead in the San Diego Opera's production of Florencia en el Amazonas by Mexican composer Daniel Catán and librettist Marcela Fuentes-Berain. Alvarez told me that when she got a call from the San Diego Opera General Director David Bennett, "I was at a train station in France, and it was cold. I started jumping up and down!" And he was like, 'Do you think you're going to be ready to sing this? Is this in line now with where your voice is.' And I'm like, a hundred percent! "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Florencia appealed to her Latin heritage, she knew her voice was ready, and Spanish was her first language. She'd sung Beatrice in Catán's earlier opera Rappaccini's Daughter and was delighted with the opportunity to make her San Diego debut with another of his works.
Elaine Alvarez
Alvarez enjoyed performing even as a toddler. Her mother, Yasmin Alvarez, was a music teacher in Cuba. She continued her studies in Miami where Elaine was born, going on to become a music professor. "There was always music in my house." Yasmin, intrigued by the "Mozart effect," experimented. She noticed her daughter was constantly singing and imitating her. And, every time Mozart's harp and flute concerto was played, "I would freak-out in my crib jumping up and down." A little later it became clear Alvarez loved the reactions she got when she was performing. Her mother plays classical piano and guitar, but learned early-on she wasn't comfortable playing for an audience. "She got all the stage fright and it skipped me (laughs). There are all these photographs of me as a toddler standing on the coffee table performing for my grandparents, and there were so many people living in my house, I always had a big audience!"
Alvarez enjoyed performing even as a toddler. Her mother, Yasmin Alvarez, was a music teacher in Cuba. She continued her studies in Miami where Elaine was born, going on to become a music professor. "There was always music in my house." Yasmin, intrigued by the "Mozart effect," experimented. She noticed her daughter was constantly singing and imitating her. And, every time Mozart's harp and flute concerto was played, "I would freak-out in my crib jumping up and down." A little later it became clear Alvarez loved the reactions she got when she was performing. Her mother plays classical piano and guitar, but learned early-on she wasn't comfortable playing for an audience. "She got all the stage fright and it skipped me (laughs). There are all these photographs of me as a toddler standing on the coffee table performing for my grandparents, and there were so many people living in my house, I always had a big audience!"
She's gone on to much bigger audiences after attending the Manhattan School of Music, the Music Academy of the West, the Academy of Vocal Arts, and studying with, among others, Renata Scotto and Marilyn Horne. She won the Marilyn Horne Foundation Competition and also spent two summers with Horne at The Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara that "were unbelievably informative" because of the high caliber of people she met and worked with.
Marilyn Horne
"My first voice teacher trained me as a lyric coloratura. [She continues to warm up with coloratura passages to maintain youthful agility.] The majority of what I worked on in undergraduate and grad school was
Bel Canto ... The great thing about that is it's quite healthy, as long as you're moving your voice flexibly, naturally, you're not going to do any damage to it. That era doesn't require a lot of weight in the sound." The teacher told her it was obvious she'd be a bigger voiced soprano - but, if she pushed too hard she'd risk blowing out her voice. "Of course I wanted to sing Puccini and Verdi, but my teacher said, 'Nope, nope. We're doing song literature, we're keeping it light.' Towards the end of grad school I sang Mimi for the first time ... Mimi was a perfect fit from the beginning. This was when I felt home for the first time. This was my voice."
Marilyn Horne
"My first voice teacher trained me as a lyric coloratura. [She continues to warm up with coloratura passages to maintain youthful agility.] The majority of what I worked on in undergraduate and grad school was
Bel Canto ... The great thing about that is it's quite healthy, as long as you're moving your voice flexibly, naturally, you're not going to do any damage to it. That era doesn't require a lot of weight in the sound." The teacher told her it was obvious she'd be a bigger voiced soprano - but, if she pushed too hard she'd risk blowing out her voice. "Of course I wanted to sing Puccini and Verdi, but my teacher said, 'Nope, nope. We're doing song literature, we're keeping it light.' Towards the end of grad school I sang Mimi for the first time ... Mimi was a perfect fit from the beginning. This was when I felt home for the first time. This was my voice."
Elaine Alvarez's (left) professional debut came as PAMINA in Oper Leipzig's 2006 production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. "Which has to be one of the most ill-fitting roles (laughing) that I've ever attempted. But it was a natural thing that you would give a 26-year old. Once I sang it I said I am never singing this opera again. It was a terrible fit, and I felt like a bull in a China shop." But it was a learning experience, she didn't sing badly, and the right fit wasn't long in coming.
The following year she was second-cast to Angela Gheorghiu as MIMI, and the famous soprano was released by the Lyric Opera of Chicago after missing six of ten rehearsals. Alvarez's stand-in performance got star-is-born reviews. The Chicago Tribune said, "The voice bloomed under pressure the way you want a Puccini voice to bloom, yet kept its warm tonal finish when she floated the high pianissimos opera lovers wait for in rapt anticipation." In addition to good reviews, Alvarez's performance led to a friendly relationship with the production's director Renata Scotto, who continues to offer career advice. "Scotto is part of a generation that knows how to spot talent when it is still in development."
At least she had a few days' notice before going on in Chicago. When she backed-up as VIOLETTA in 2009 at Munich's Bavarian State Opera, the singer in the role became ill at the last moment. "I had a quick costume fitting, a half hour with the conductor, and then it was, OK, this is where you're coming in, this is where you're going to exit. At the end of the second act you need to be in front of the curtain instead of behind it, and the stage is covered with leaves, so try not to fall!" There wasn't a whole lot of time to be nervous.
The following year she was second-cast to Angela Gheorghiu as MIMI, and the famous soprano was released by the Lyric Opera of Chicago after missing six of ten rehearsals. Alvarez's stand-in performance got star-is-born reviews. The Chicago Tribune said, "The voice bloomed under pressure the way you want a Puccini voice to bloom, yet kept its warm tonal finish when she floated the high pianissimos opera lovers wait for in rapt anticipation." In addition to good reviews, Alvarez's performance led to a friendly relationship with the production's director Renata Scotto, who continues to offer career advice. "Scotto is part of a generation that knows how to spot talent when it is still in development."
At least she had a few days' notice before going on in Chicago. When she backed-up as VIOLETTA in 2009 at Munich's Bavarian State Opera, the singer in the role became ill at the last moment. "I had a quick costume fitting, a half hour with the conductor, and then it was, OK, this is where you're coming in, this is where you're going to exit. At the end of the second act you need to be in front of the curtain instead of behind it, and the stage is covered with leaves, so try not to fall!" There wasn't a whole lot of time to be nervous.
Since then Alvarez has sung a wide variety of roles, lyric to dramatic, Verdi to Korngold and Catán. She believes you need to try a lot of different things before you can, "Figure out what you really do best. I don't want to be good in a lot of different areas. I want to be really excellent at something specific. In this part of my career I have a laser focus on Puccini, Verdi, and some French." Scenes (right & below) from SD Opera "Florencia en las Amazonas"
As her voice matured, it gained power without losing agility. At 37 it now falls into the relatively infrequently used soprano category of spinto d'agilitá. She can sing Puccini for lyric sopranos, but also "push" to heavier roles such as Bellini's Norma. Scotto told her, "Yes! That's where you need to go." Her close relationship with Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liege, Belgium has helped her move in that direction - and she's excited about the possibility of a role there next season (not Norma) that would be "a giant dream come true." She's also hoping for more Verdi, and is in talks with a company about Don Carlo.
Early Verdi operas such as Luis Miller also appeal because, "They really zoom in on the qualities that are unique to my voice, that I have a lot of power but I have a lot of agility ... When you look at the earlier operas though, they all have ridiculous plots. Ernani is one of the most ridiculous plots I've ever - I'm literally the entire show convincing the tenor not to kill himself. It's a very strange, strange opera. I end up being pursued by my uncle. I have an affair with the king. "But it's cool!" It's the beginning of the evolution of a genius. "The later works are more about the power and drama in the voice."
As her voice matured, it gained power without losing agility. At 37 it now falls into the relatively infrequently used soprano category of spinto d'agilitá. She can sing Puccini for lyric sopranos, but also "push" to heavier roles such as Bellini's Norma. Scotto told her, "Yes! That's where you need to go." Her close relationship with Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liege, Belgium has helped her move in that direction - and she's excited about the possibility of a role there next season (not Norma) that would be "a giant dream come true." She's also hoping for more Verdi, and is in talks with a company about Don Carlo.
Early Verdi operas such as Luis Miller also appeal because, "They really zoom in on the qualities that are unique to my voice, that I have a lot of power but I have a lot of agility ... When you look at the earlier operas though, they all have ridiculous plots. Ernani is one of the most ridiculous plots I've ever - I'm literally the entire show convincing the tenor not to kill himself. It's a very strange, strange opera. I end up being pursued by my uncle. I have an affair with the king. "But it's cool!" It's the beginning of the evolution of a genius. "The later works are more about the power and drama in the voice."
When our discussion turned to the current state of opera Alvarez said the recession caused serious problems, both economic and artistic. Many donors were lost and the recording industry collapsed. Marketing has reacted by pushing companies to rely more on youth and physical appearance. There's the "New element of HD broadcasting that requires us all to look like movie stars in addition to having the training that's required for a professional opera singer." She feels this has resulted in the loss of a whole generation of singers. Marketers and casting committees can seldom match a Scotto's eye for talent, artistry and potential. "Sopranos don't move into their best years until 35 or 45. At 27 I'm worlds away from moving into what my best repertoire is going to be. After I turned 30 and my voice started to change and gain weight, moving into roles such as early Verdi was a natural fit because I'd grown into them. I could wield the weight in my voice, I could handle the power and stamina that was required of me in thes roles."
The recession affected Alvarez directly. When work dried up in New York, to supplement her income, she worked as an assistant to a senior VP at Sirius radio for a year. "It was for the Howard Stern show. And it was wild, like joining the circus. At first I didn't want anybody to know I was an opera singer. But soon Howard found out, and it became a thing. I had to sing on the show almost every day. He loves individuality, things that are unique, and having an opera singer on hand all the time was amusing to him. I loved working with the writers there. They're real comedians, and hilarious. It got to be fun. In the beginning I cannot believe (laughs) - I'm like, don't put my name on anything! But he kept saying my name on the air, and the fans soon outed me on Facebook and Twitter."
Her career got back on track in the 2012/13 season.
The recession affected Alvarez directly. When work dried up in New York, to supplement her income, she worked as an assistant to a senior VP at Sirius radio for a year. "It was for the Howard Stern show. And it was wild, like joining the circus. At first I didn't want anybody to know I was an opera singer. But soon Howard found out, and it became a thing. I had to sing on the show almost every day. He loves individuality, things that are unique, and having an opera singer on hand all the time was amusing to him. I loved working with the writers there. They're real comedians, and hilarious. It got to be fun. In the beginning I cannot believe (laughs) - I'm like, don't put my name on anything! But he kept saying my name on the air, and the fans soon outed me on Facebook and Twitter."
Her career got back on track in the 2012/13 season.
Elaine Alvarez (left) was excited about the upcoming San Diego production of Florencia en el Amazonas. "It's not Verdi. It's not Puccini, but it's mine in a different way. I love that it is a Latin American composer writing in Spanish. Catán's ability to translate the Latin American experience into sound is exceptional." The entire cast is enthusiastic about stage director and choreographer Candace Evans' inventive approach. "The set is really cool. We're on a full-sized boat ... The chorus, of course, is the Amazon. They're the creatures. They're the river. Wait until you see what the chorus is doing. They are in head-to-toe leotards as lizards, frogs, birds. They're doing an amazing job, and sound amazing. And they seem to be having fun!" Some even lost weight when they learned they were going to be in leotards.
Elaine Alvarez has had hit lows and highs in her career, but in a sunken outdoor theater in Athens, it became crystal clear why she was doing it. "I wasn't singing in one of the movements. It was packed. Completely sold out. I look up and there's the Parthenon and a full moon behind it. The orchestra is playing, the chorus is singing, and Muti is there with his hair all over the place from the wind. And I thought, I can't believe this is my life. It's like a postcard. The realization of all of the dreams I had when I was kid."
Elaine Alvarez has had hit lows and highs in her career, but in a sunken outdoor theater in Athens, it became crystal clear why she was doing it. "I wasn't singing in one of the movements. It was packed. Completely sold out. I look up and there's the Parthenon and a full moon behind it. The orchestra is playing, the chorus is singing, and Muti is there with his hair all over the place from the wind. And I thought, I can't believe this is my life. It's like a postcard. The realization of all of the dreams I had when I was kid."
For ticket and season schedule information visit San Diego Opera.
Marilyn Horne photo from Broadway World archive, others courtesy San Diego Opera.
Marilyn Horne photo from Broadway World archive, others courtesy San Diego Opera.
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Per David Dixon
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The University of California, San Diego, is known for having a strong arts presence. A large number of unique and theatrical experiences are presented regularly, including events from The Visual Arts Department to performances presented by UCSD Theatre and Dance. One group at the university that offers a lot for students and adults is ArtPower. Several creative music and dance performances are going to be presented in the next few months at various venues on campus. Overseeing everything is Executive Director, Jordan Peimer. He goes out of his way to guarantee first-rate entertainment for audiences.
DD: What are your responsibilities as
Executive Director of ArtPower?
JP: There are a lot of different ones. Fundraising is a big part of what I do. The university funds a little more than 50 percent of ArtPower. All the rest has to come from either the box office or from fundraising. I assembled a programming team, and I set the direction for what is going to happen in any given year. I go to a lot of festivals and performances, so that I can see what we’re presented as much as possible. I’ve had some bizarre experiences where artists have pitched something and have come unprepared. I want to ensure high quality on our stage. ArtPower ... ON STAGE!
Executive Director of ArtPower?
JP: There are a lot of different ones. Fundraising is a big part of what I do. The university funds a little more than 50 percent of ArtPower. All the rest has to come from either the box office or from fundraising. I assembled a programming team, and I set the direction for what is going to happen in any given year. I go to a lot of festivals and performances, so that I can see what we’re presented as much as possible. I’ve had some bizarre experiences where artists have pitched something and have come unprepared. I want to ensure high quality on our stage. ArtPower ... ON STAGE!
DD: What are some of the ArtPower events coming
up that you’re looking forward to the most?
New Breed Brass Band
JP: I was really excited to have the New Breed Brass Band on February 28 at the Price Center East Ballroom. They are a New Orleans second-line brass band, and are typically the kind of people that would follow a casket in a jazz funeral. This group is really high energy and they create a party-like atmosphere. We do a lot of chamber music, and I’m also really looking forward to bringing the Harlem Quartet back to campus on April 13th, at the Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall. They are one of the few quartets out there made up entirely of people of color. The perceived general audience for chamber music is old and white. It’s great to bring people who are committed to the art form that don’t fit into that category.
up that you’re looking forward to the most?
New Breed Brass Band
JP: I was really excited to have the New Breed Brass Band on February 28 at the Price Center East Ballroom. They are a New Orleans second-line brass band, and are typically the kind of people that would follow a casket in a jazz funeral. This group is really high energy and they create a party-like atmosphere. We do a lot of chamber music, and I’m also really looking forward to bringing the Harlem Quartet back to campus on April 13th, at the Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall. They are one of the few quartets out there made up entirely of people of color. The perceived general audience for chamber music is old and white. It’s great to bring people who are committed to the art form that don’t fit into that category.
Harlem Quartet
DD: What are some of your biggest accomplishments
working as the Executive Director so far?
JP: One thing that always comes to my mind is bringing Brian Eno’s “Music for Airports” to the San Diego International Airport in 2015 with the Bang on a Can All--Stars. That was the first time it had ever been performed in a U.S. airport. That partly redefined what an airport could be. I think that event helped say that ArtPower was going to be cutting edge. Last October, we brought the Trisha Brown Dance Company to campus. The group took her existing body of work and remounted it around UCSD.
We had a number of students come up to us and said, that they would never look at several areas of school the same way again. We’ve done a lot of great events with all kinds of students as well. Last fall, we presented Jesus Alemany’s Cubanismo. Not only did the Latin orchestra perform an adult show, but they did a K-12 performance. They explained the history of Cuban song, and the students did a huge conga line all around the Price Center West Ballroom. It was amazing to see all these kids have such a great time with the music.
DD: What are some of your biggest accomplishments
working as the Executive Director so far?
JP: One thing that always comes to my mind is bringing Brian Eno’s “Music for Airports” to the San Diego International Airport in 2015 with the Bang on a Can All--Stars. That was the first time it had ever been performed in a U.S. airport. That partly redefined what an airport could be. I think that event helped say that ArtPower was going to be cutting edge. Last October, we brought the Trisha Brown Dance Company to campus. The group took her existing body of work and remounted it around UCSD.
We had a number of students come up to us and said, that they would never look at several areas of school the same way again. We’ve done a lot of great events with all kinds of students as well. Last fall, we presented Jesus Alemany’s Cubanismo. Not only did the Latin orchestra perform an adult show, but they did a K-12 performance. They explained the history of Cuban song, and the students did a huge conga line all around the Price Center West Ballroom. It was amazing to see all these kids have such a great time with the music.
DD: How do you hope ArtPower develops and grows in the future?
JP: I want to bump up the number of dance performances that we bring; they have been really popular with our students. I’d like to start a live performance arts series. There is so much interesting work happening that doesn’t fit the box of traditional theatres like The Old Globe and the La Jolla Playhouse, but would belong at a university like ours.
Recently - Mark Morris Dance Company
DD: Anything else you want readers to know about ArtPower?
JP: I often hear that people don’t know much about the purpose of ArtPower. I have to explain that it’s a performing arts organization on campus that does music, dance, and sometimes theatre performance art. That’s a big hurdle we have to educate people on. I also think there are those who are intimidated to park at UCSD and find their way around the school. We’re really good on sending out map coordinates and pins, that can be used for Google Maps. A great thing about ArtPower is, we are a reason to think of a campus as a part of people’s lives, even if you don’t have college-aged children.
JP: I want to bump up the number of dance performances that we bring; they have been really popular with our students. I’d like to start a live performance arts series. There is so much interesting work happening that doesn’t fit the box of traditional theatres like The Old Globe and the La Jolla Playhouse, but would belong at a university like ours.
Recently - Mark Morris Dance Company
DD: Anything else you want readers to know about ArtPower?
JP: I often hear that people don’t know much about the purpose of ArtPower. I have to explain that it’s a performing arts organization on campus that does music, dance, and sometimes theatre performance art. That’s a big hurdle we have to educate people on. I also think there are those who are intimidated to park at UCSD and find their way around the school. We’re really good on sending out map coordinates and pins, that can be used for Google Maps. A great thing about ArtPower is, we are a reason to think of a campus as a part of people’s lives, even if you don’t have college-aged children.
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California Ballet Company:
Interview with . . .
MICHAEL CURREY
Executive Director
(Left) - Associate Artistic Director Gerard Nelson
Per David Dixon:
Early in January, Michael Andrew Currey was officially announced as the Executive Director of the California Ballet Company. Currey grew up in San Diego, and served on the staffs of several local organizations, including the San Diego Opera and Moonlight Amphitheatre. Eventually, he left the city, and worked in leadership roles for organizations such as the New York City Opera, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet and, recently, the General Manager of Ballet West, Salt Lake City, Utah. He’s excited to be back in his hometown, and to be involved in the new chapter of the California Ballet Company’s history.
Early in January, Michael Andrew Currey was officially announced as the Executive Director of the California Ballet Company. Currey grew up in San Diego, and served on the staffs of several local organizations, including the San Diego Opera and Moonlight Amphitheatre. Eventually, he left the city, and worked in leadership roles for organizations such as the New York City Opera, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet and, recently, the General Manager of Ballet West, Salt Lake City, Utah. He’s excited to be back in his hometown, and to be involved in the new chapter of the California Ballet Company’s history.
"The Great Gatsby"
David Dixon: Can you tell readers a little bit about the history
of the California Ballet Company?
Michael Andrew Currey: The founding director of the company, Maxine Mahon, started the company in 1968. Company members, have performed at the San Diego Civic Theatre since its inception. Mahon is ready to retire, and she’s worked very hard to keep the company going. As an Artistic Director Emeritus ... Maxine Mahon will still be a part of the company.
Maxine Mahon
DD: What are some of your responsibilities as the Executive Director?
MC: The Executive Director, works on the business side of the company. I have to deal with vendors, donors, subscribers, members and money. Michael Currey
DD: What are some of the California Ballet Company events coming up soon?
MC: We have “The Great Gatsby” coming up, which will be on April 6th through the 8th. That is our final event for the 2017/2018 season. It’s a Septime Webre (the former Artistic Director of the Washington Ballet) choreographed piece. The story, is a great one closely based on the book - and there will be music performed by the Boston jazz band, The Blue Syncopators. We will be announcing next season around that time. We’re still working out the bones about that. We’re running a whole bunch of financial numbers, and making sure we can afford things and find sponsors.
MC: The Executive Director, works on the business side of the company. I have to deal with vendors, donors, subscribers, members and money. Michael Currey
DD: What are some of the California Ballet Company events coming up soon?
MC: We have “The Great Gatsby” coming up, which will be on April 6th through the 8th. That is our final event for the 2017/2018 season. It’s a Septime Webre (the former Artistic Director of the Washington Ballet) choreographed piece. The story, is a great one closely based on the book - and there will be music performed by the Boston jazz band, The Blue Syncopators. We will be announcing next season around that time. We’re still working out the bones about that. We’re running a whole bunch of financial numbers, and making sure we can afford things and find sponsors.
DD: What are a few of your favorite ballets that you hope will be
presented by the California Ballet Company?
MC: For better or worse, the full-length ballets sell well. I like them - but some people cringe. People want a story, and seeing a full evening of mixed reperatory work, is pretty much movement for the sake of movement. A few of those works, are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen - but, patrons tend to like stories better. I think stories makes it easier for them to connect.
I would love to see the company put on “Carmina Burana”, in the next few to seven years. It would be great, if we are able to partner up with some great arts institution, to have members perform in a nontraditional setting, like a warehouse with a full orchestra and chorus. Maxine Mahon
presented by the California Ballet Company?
MC: For better or worse, the full-length ballets sell well. I like them - but some people cringe. People want a story, and seeing a full evening of mixed reperatory work, is pretty much movement for the sake of movement. A few of those works, are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen - but, patrons tend to like stories better. I think stories makes it easier for them to connect.
I would love to see the company put on “Carmina Burana”, in the next few to seven years. It would be great, if we are able to partner up with some great arts institution, to have members perform in a nontraditional setting, like a warehouse with a full orchestra and chorus. Maxine Mahon
DD: Outside of the company, how do you stay involved
with the San Diego arts scene?
MC: I’ve already attended a number of things. I’ve set up coffees or lunches with Executive and Artistic Directors, of all the local dance companies. I recently had coffee with the Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Symphony, Martha Gilmer, since we use members of the symphony for our pit orchestra.
DD: How do you hope the company will develop and grow in the future?
MC: We’re hoping to offer more workweeks for the dancers. The work that they plan on doing in the future is going to be challenging, and they should have more time to get prepared. Having them employed longer, is great for them and great for us. I’m also staring a live music initiative, so that everything we perform, has an orchestra in the pit - instead of pre-recorded music. Some modern pieces, however, have electronic scores, which we will honor.
with the San Diego arts scene?
MC: I’ve already attended a number of things. I’ve set up coffees or lunches with Executive and Artistic Directors, of all the local dance companies. I recently had coffee with the Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Symphony, Martha Gilmer, since we use members of the symphony for our pit orchestra.
DD: How do you hope the company will develop and grow in the future?
MC: We’re hoping to offer more workweeks for the dancers. The work that they plan on doing in the future is going to be challenging, and they should have more time to get prepared. Having them employed longer, is great for them and great for us. I’m also staring a live music initiative, so that everything we perform, has an orchestra in the pit - instead of pre-recorded music. Some modern pieces, however, have electronic scores, which we will honor.
DD: Anything else you want readers to know about the California Ballet Company?
MC: Like all performing arts groups, tickets, make up about 50 percent of what is required to put on a ballet. We rely on corporate, family donations and individual giving, to make-up that other part. A challenge, is to find individuals from San Diego and beyond, who would like to see this company be on par with the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Opera. We need everyone’s support to make this dream happen. Another thing I want to mention, is we have a five-year vision, of where we want this company to be. As we find people that want to support our vision - new energy will be created, because they are working with us.
MC: Like all performing arts groups, tickets, make up about 50 percent of what is required to put on a ballet. We rely on corporate, family donations and individual giving, to make-up that other part. A challenge, is to find individuals from San Diego and beyond, who would like to see this company be on par with the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Opera. We need everyone’s support to make this dream happen. Another thing I want to mention, is we have a five-year vision, of where we want this company to be. As we find people that want to support our vision - new energy will be created, because they are working with us.
