In a rehearsal room at the Sarasota Opera House, dozens of young artists raise their voices together in support of a young boy who is forced to work as a chimney sweep to support his injured father and is treated cruelly by his employer.

The cast of Sarasota Youth Opera's new production of Benjamin Britten's “The Little Sweep” sings with verve, encouraged by music director Jesse Martins, who conducts from a chair and observes the action among the young singers, ages 8 to 18.

Director Martha Collins, who is bringing the show to its fourth year since 2005, occasionally jumps into the scene to replace a missing cast member and makes sure everyone has a partner to play and sing with. During a run-through of a wordless prologue in which the cast builds a child's room with building blocks, a rocking chair, a bed and toy horses, she encourages the performers to remember who they are and why they are on stage.

Anjou Burkmier plays Sammy, the title character in Benjamin Britten’s “The Little Sweep” at the Sarasota Youth Opera.

“It's a wonderful story, and the prologue we created gives the children a lot of opportunities,” said Collins, a former opera singer who stages at least one main production for the Sarasota Opera each season.

Years ago, the company received permission from Britten's estate to move the action from 19th-century England to Boston. “We rewrote some of the Britishisms,” Collins said. “We thought the kids might not understand them.” The original production began with a lengthy “Let's Put on an Opera” designed to teach audience members music, and Sarasota Opera wrote its own prologue.

“We have created a pantomime that is magical for non-theatregoers. It is amazing to see the children see the set come together,” Collins said.

Collins and Martens are working with 67 young singers and four adult performers, which marks a return to some kind of normality for the youth opera. The last production in 2018 featured 70 singers.

From left: Gabriel Magowan, Anjou Burkmier, Ara Martinez and Isabella Maltese star in the Sarasota Youth Opera production of “The Little Sweep.”

COVID “decimated our program,” but “we're really growing again. We missed a few years of continuity to have Maestro Jesse help develop their voices, but we have a wonderful new group of singers. This is a wonderful piece to grow that,” Collins said.

Among the cast is Sofia Scheck, a student at the Manatee School for the Arts, who sings the role of nanny Rowan, who is persuaded by her charges to help the little cleaner named Sammy.

Scheck, who has performed in youth opera productions since “Rootabaga Country” in 2017, said that in “The Little Sweep,” “the music is much more challenging to play.”

Singing a role normally played by adults was an educational experience, Scheck said.

“They treat me like an equal,” she said. “It's so nice to be treated like that and to feel respected by them. Usually I'm the one who has to respect my elders.”

Martens said Scheck took on a role that “requires a much more demanding vocal range, and the dramatic requirement requires a more mature voice. Her voice has those qualities.”

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Sarasota’s 2023-24 season: For the 65th season of well-known and rare works, the Sarasota Opera shortens its fall production

From left: Ara Martinez, Anjou Burkmier and Isabella Maltese are among the stars of the Sarasota Youth Opera production of “The Little Sweep” by Benjamin Britten.

Collins said it helps that Scheck is also physically larger than some of the other children. “It makes it a little more believable that she could be a governess.”

Scheck said she has made many friends in the Sarasota Youth Opera over the years. “I like the atmosphere and the opportunity to bring something to the stage. I love giving a character personality and emotion and understanding what they are saying and what it means to be that character.”

Two different casts will perform the opera over the weekend. The adult singers include Paul Hill, Jake Stamatis, Sarahann Duffy and Virginia Mims.

Collins said the show lasts just over an hour. “Because it's short and action-packed, it's a great opera to see with the family. Young children are fascinated by the colorful lighting and music.”

“The little sweeper”

By Benjamin Britten. Jesse Martens, music director; Martha Collins, stage director. Nov. 4, 5 p.m. and Nov. 5, 12:30 p.m., Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota. 941-328-1322; sarasotaopera.org

Follow Jay Handelman on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact him at jay.handelman@heraldtribune.com. And please support local journalism by subscribing to the Herald-Tribune.

This article originally appeared in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Youth Opera sings inspiring story “The Little Sweep”

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TV's “Supernanny” may correct bad behavior, but only a nanny adds magical powers and flying with an umbrella to her repertoire.

The musical “Mary Poppins” opened yesterday at the Detroit Opera House and promises to delight children and adults alike through January 2nd.

Directed by producer Cameron Mackintosh, the Disney musical is based on the fantasy book series by PL Travers and the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

The popular childhood story follows a magical nanny who works for the hapless family of a cold banker and features popular songs such as “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Step in Time” and “Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious.”

New songs by Olivier Award winners George Stiles and Anthony Drewe also grace the stage production.

The show premiered in London's West End in 2004, with a Broadway counterpart premiering two years later.

It received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical and Best Set Design.

A national tour began in Chicago in March 2009.

Nicolas Dromard takes on the role of chimney sweep Bert after spending the last 1 1/2 years as Fiyero in the San Francisco production of “Wicked.”

His enthusiasm for the plum part was evident during a recent telephone interview at a tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa.

“It’s such an incredible show,” Dromard said. “Of all the shows I have done, this is my favorite. I love performing it every night.”

He believes the timeless message speaks to everyone and still resonates today.

“Kids connect with the Disney magic and adults connect because they remember the movie,” he said.

“The story about the father trying to reconnect with his children and the mother feeling like she's lost her purpose – that's very timely, even though it's set in the early 20th century.”

The national tour is not Dromard's first foray into the role.

He was part of the original Broadway cast and understudy Bert before taking over the role of Gavin Lee.

While he realizes his performance will inevitably draw comparisons to Van Dyke's iconic performance, he's not worried about whether he can keep up.

“How great to have such a role model,” he said of the star. “I don’t try to copy anything he does, but rather put my own spin on it while staying true to the character.”

Born in Ottawa, Dromard began dancing at the age of six after being inspired by a film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

He studied music at De La Salle High School, a performing arts school in Ottawa, and participated in community theater and dance competitions in Canada and the United States.

After high school, he planned to study music in college, but while in New York City to compete in a dance competition finals, he auditioned for and booked “The Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in Branson, Missouri.

From there, his theater opportunities grew – “West Side Story” at the Stratford Festival in Canada, the North American premiere of “Mamma Mia,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Boy From Oz” on Broadway, “Hairspray” in Toronto, the first national Tour of “Wicked” and “Mary Poppins” on Broadway.

Dromard puts his talents to work in the role of the lovable Cockney Bert, taking the lead role in several songs, acting as narrator and dancing up a storm in the peppy number “Step in Time.”

“That’s my favorite number,” he said. “I get to knock upside down – how could you not like that?”

According to Dromard, new melodies, including Mary's introductory piece “Practically Perfect”, fit perfectly with the original numbers and flesh out the stories of the main characters.

“It's a perfect mix of favorite songs from the film and Travers' book and new songs that fit together so perfectly you'd think the entire score was written at the same time,” he said.

Bob Crowley's bizarre stage design provides a much-vaunted backdrop for the stage action.

“The tour set is incredible,” Dromard said. “We have a house that is more like a dollhouse or a pop-up book.

“It starts closed, then at the end of the show I come out and do a little intro and it comes to life.

“It is visually beautiful and amazes the mind.”

The magical world of “Mary Poppins” unfolds at the Detroit Opera House through January 2nd.

Tickets, starting at $25, are available at the Fisher Box Office, Ticketmaster locations, www.broadwayindetroit.com and by calling 1-800-982-2787.

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Nicolas Dromard has some high-flying fun as Bert the chimney sweep in “Mary Poppins” the musical on stage through Jan. 2 at the Detroit Opera House. Photo by Joan Marcus

TV’s “Supernanny” may reform bad behavior, but only one nanny adds magical powers and flying via umbrella to her repertoire.

“Mary Poppins” the musical descended yesterday at the Detroit Opera House and promises to thrill children and adults alike through Jan. 2.

The Disney musical helmed by producer Cameron Mackintosh is based on P.L. Travers’s fantasy book series and the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

The beloved childhood tale follows a magical nanny who comes to work for a cold banker’s unhappy family and features beloved songs including, “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Step in Time” and “Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious.”

New songs from Olivier Award winners George Stiles and Anthony Drewe also grace the stage production.

The show opened in London’s West End in 2004, with a Broadway counterpart debuting two years later.

It received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, winning for Best Scenic Design.

A national tour launched in Chicago in March 2009.

Nicolas Dromard takes on the toe-tapping role of Bert, the chimney sweep, after spending the last 1 1/2 years as Fiyero in the San Francisco production of “Wicked.”

His excitement about the plum part was evident during a recent phone interview from a tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa.

“It’s such an incredible show,” Dromard said. “Of all the shows I’ve done, this is my favorite. I adore performing it every night.”

The timeless message appeals to everyone, he believes, and resonates even today.

“Kids connect with the Disney magic and adults because they remember the movie,” he said.

“The story about the father trying to reconnect with his children and the mother feeling she’s lost her purpose – that’s very current even though it’s set in the early 1900s.”

The national tour isn’t Dromard’s first foray into the role.

He was part of the original Broadway ensemble cast and understudied Bert before taking over for Gavin Lee.

While he realizes his performance inevitably draws comparisons to Van Dyke’s iconic turn, he isn’t worried about measuring up.

“How great to have a role model like that,” he said of the star. “I don’t try to copy anything he does, but put my little spin on it while being true to the character.”

Born in Ottawa, Dromard began dancing at age 6 after being inspired by a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie.

He studied music at De La Salle High School, a performing arts school in Ottawa, and did community theater as well as dance competitions across Canada and the United States.

After high school, he planned to study music in college, but while in New York City for a dance competition final, auditioned and booked “The Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in Branson, Mo.

His theater opportunities grew from there – “West Side Story” at the Stratford Festival in Canada, the North American premiere cast of “Mamma Mia,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Boy From Oz” on Broadway, “Hairspray” in Toronto, the first national tour of “Wicked,” and “Mary Poppins” on Broadway.

Dromard puts his talents to good use as the lovable cockney Bert, taking lead on several songs, acting as narrator and dancing up a storm in the tap-heavy number, “Step in Time.”

“That’s my favorite number,” he said. “I get to tap upside down – how could you not love that?”

New tunes, including Mary’s introduction piece, “Practically Perfect,” fit in flawlessly with the original numbers, according to Dromard, and flesh out the main characters’ stories.

“It’s a perfect blend of favorite songs from the movie and Travers’s book and new songs that fit in so perfectly you’d think the whole score was written at the same time,” he said.

Bob Crowley’s whimsical set provides a much-ballyhooed backdrop for the onstage action.

“The tour set is incredible,” Dromard said. “We have a house that’s more like a dollhouse or a pop-up book.

“It starts off closed, then at the top of the show, I come out and do a little intro and it pops into life.

“It’s visually beautiful and boggles the mind.”

The magical world of “Mary Poppins” unfolds at the Detroit Opera House through Jan. 2.

Tickets starting at $25 are on sale at the Fisher box office, Ticketmaster locations, www.broadwayindetroit.com and by phone at 1-800-982-2787.

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Omar is a man, forcibly taken from his home in West Africa in 1807, and brought through the Middle Passage to America. He is sold into slavery in South Carolina and treated with brutality. He maintains his Muslim faith and eventually while in captivity, writes his autobiography in Arabic.

“Omar” is an opera created by MacArthur Fellowship recipient Rhiannon Giddens, and Pulitzer Prize winning and Emmy and Grammy-nominated composer Michael Abels. It opened at San Francisco Opera under the baton of John Kennedy. Kennedy led the world premiere at the Spoleto Festival USA in 2022.

The San Francisco Opera Orchestra performed the lavish production by Kaneza Schaal, full of vision and a compelling story. The lynchpin of the work is Omar ibn Said’s autobiography, which the production highlights in Set and Production design by Christopher Myers and Amy Rubin and Choreographer Kiara Benn. Omar’s autobiography is highlighted throughout the production by the Arabic letters on almost every costume, set decoration, scrim, and usable object. The message? Here’s a human being whose story we must never forget.

The Story as a Production

In addition to the luxurious production, an abundant array of scenes with large and centralizing objects, including buildings and a large tree with multiple roots dominated the telling. It was a startling choice for a story that aimed at conveying the intense and painful story of one man in his imprisonment. Yet, the display lifted the individual story into the larger societal world. A world in which enslavement of different kinds prevail. But instead of confinement, we see a vision of expansion; instead of fright and horror, we see possibilities of freedom and fulfillment.

However, the abundant production seemed to be a case of too many and too much. For instance, the big tree was excellent, but the stressing of all the activity at its base and its roots seemed too dominant. In addition to which, it seemed at one moment like an imminent Maypole dance was about to ensue, with intertwining strands. Also, the overall production experience remained in nearly constant motion, scrims rising and descending with text already on them or being written while other action was going on. Flats moving on and off stage, changing size or becoming vehicles for additional projections, or featuring in another configuration yet another perspective. Original yes, on the one hand, rich with ideas; on the other, a dilution of focus and intensity.

Another example was the jail scene in the first Act. Instead of a more conventional portrayal, there were suspended ropes for bars and abundant flowing fabrics for walls. Was this in fact a jail? Yes. It broke the mold by being luxurious instead of stark and murderous, and this was stimulating. It pointed to another perspective, but it also weakened the immediacy of the suffering. The slave block in the other hand, was clichéd and did not raise another perspective. In addition it showed too many examples and went on too long, with only bits of other lives and their tragedies. Did we need all?

The lighting, designed by Pablo Santiago, particularly in the second act was very effective as the extraordinary tree shifted from amber to golden, blue, to white. But then, did it need the ramps? Not really. Did it need the characters running through the audience, beyond the surprise factor? No. The last three shows at San Francisco Opera had characters in the aisles. Too much of a good thing, and questionable relevance, came to mind. Not for the sake of it. It was interesting to have the dressing of Omar on stage and the undressing. The thread of it was here now. It was a story and more than the story. While very important, the creators kept reminding us that this was a live issue for us and we must be engaged and move to action as a result of it. Sometimes, however, foreground and background needed more articulation, more distinction. In fact, the whole production kept reminding us of itself, from the scrims, the projections, the costume and set shifts, and the tactics of the feeling of endless movement.

This caused the drama to become more subdued than it might have been, for instance between the characters: mother and son, Omar and Julie, Omar by himself, talking, praying, invoking the god he devoted himself to. Also, the libretto itself could have used more editing. Repetition of idea and fragments of thought could have been reduced for dramatic emphasis. Dialogues were more talky than needed. Also, some of the pedagogical information could have been dramatized more, rather than repeated. In Act one, the repetition of structure of conversation as a narrative method dampened the drama. Comparison of Psalm 23, from the King James Version, with the Muslim text of Omar’s prayer remained very interesting, timely and relevant. To lay both out was very timely and useful. “The true God,” slave owner Owen said, “he needs to learn about and believe in,” not the idol he currently did. It might have been a point of departure for discussion, if this were a dissertation; theatrically it didn’t develop or go anywhere except as a suggestion. Over all alternative modes of exposition could have energized the conversations and created more impact. Much of the time the opera became like a piece from a book rather than a stage-fired, remaining illustrative rather than dramatized.

The costumes aimed to also enhance the stage design. Created by April M. Hickman and Micheline Russell-Brown, we see fabric and design that heightened the textual aspect of the visuals and reinforced the representation of Omar’s text.

Illuminating Musical Details

The music was richly textured, full of original sound, instrumentation, rhythms and excellent story-telling abilities. Harmonies were appealing and accessible despite the angularities and dissonance. It was music that one might emotionally relate to without strain. Never did it lose its connection to folk sound. Giddens, a two-time GRAMMY Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning singer, instrumentalist and composer is known for centering her work around American music that has been overlooked or erased, advocating for emphasizing musical origins. The opera made a mark in its feel, for then and now. Michael Abels, Pulitzer-Prize winning and Emmy and Grammy nominated composer, worked with Giddens on the opera’s creation, bringing his own originality to the score. The integration of text, story and sound was rich and fulfilling, even hearing it for the first time through. The orchestra of 62 instruments included a Tar, a North African drum frame, in three sizes, a Ghaval, similar to the Tar but with added metal rings and bells, a Talking drum with ropes, two Djembes, Goblet-shaped drums from West Africa. Victor V. Avdienko and Raymond Froehlich brought their musical creativity and knowledge of geographical and historical context to authenticate the African sounds of Omar’s world. The result was a score that was full of happy surprises all throughout.

The integration of Chorus, under the leadership of San Francisco Opera Chorus Master John Keene was essential to the whole production. Flexible and diverse, the Chorus served as lively human commentators on the narrative, enriching every scene they were in. The dancing was also a welcome addition. Noteworthy was the dancing scene when black and white projections danced behind the “present” chorus in full flight. Dancing at the Plantation – with projections of the modern world with the traditional was a good choice, even as a distracting shift rather than easy fluency between the two.

Of the cast, Julie was sung by soprano Brittany Renee, in her San Francisco debut with a mellifluous and radiant voice. As the scenes progressed, her voice became more and more comfortable, her sound increasingly gorgeous. Also she portrayed her encouragement of Omar increasingly well through her acting skills. Fatima, Omar’s Mother, was performed with touching beauty by Taylor Raven. In her San Francisco Opera Debut, Raven created a moving intimacy both in the life she lived and in the memories she conjured up after her death. Also notable was the costume when she stood on the ladder and the gown floated over it. A taste of Sisi, the great portrait hanging in Vienna. It was a lovely touch and served to accent her transcendent properties.

Omar himself, performed by tenor Jamez McCorkle, also sang the original production. He was plangent – lovely and lamenting. All throughout, he maintained his seriousness and earnest devotion. He sang to connect with the extraordinary.  He was a man apart, living within the walls of his own mind. His relationship with his god was primary. His pianissimi were deft and perfectly timed and so was his high register. He kept himself more planted in the world beyond the one before us, and one might have seen the world through him rather than what we and he were constantly shrunken into.

Other notable performances were by Daniel Okulitch, Norman Garrett and Laura Krumm, Rehanna Thelwell, also in their San Francisco Opera Debuts.

Honoring Omar ibn Said’s Message

“Omar” the opera tells an important and vital story. It aims to be a reckoning and reconciliation between the forces of darkness and light that one hopes for in human beings, and especially in the society of today. A large and eye catching production, a meaningful one in which much beauty came across the boards. “Omar” remained energetic and living. The creators did everything they could do to make it feel alive and relevant – from the presence of the cast in the audience, to the costume changes onstage, to the shifting environments, to the hybrid musical sounds, lighting, textural contrasts and juxtapositions of the sacred and the everyday.

It was a forward-looking production with use of some of the latest stage techniques, subject matter and vocal variety. At times, it reminded me of the Vienna production of Kirill Serebrennikov’s “Otello” in Vienna, with Otello’s younger self shadowed by his older one and how that compelled us to consider the text from a less static albeit dynamic text. Many left the theater with not only an awareness of the man Omar ibn Said, but with a view of a world that could spring someday from a new level of awareness. The tenacity of the human spirit in the midst of greed and brutality.

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Photo via SF Opera

San Francisco Opera’s popular Opera in the Park series is back with an exciting show on Sept. 10, 2023 at 1:30pm in Golden Gate Park’s Robin Williams Meadow. Enjoy masterful duets, solos, arias, and more led by music director Eun Sun Kim and starring some of SF Opera’s biggest players from the fall 2023 season. Bring a picnic and arrive early to snag a good spot in front of the stage, as the event is expected to draw up to 15,000 people.

Due to reserved parking for crew and staff, the usual street parking will be limited. It’s worth taking advantage of the complimentary bike valet on the east side of the meadow, free Golden Gate Park shuttle, and other modes of transportation. More on that here.

Photo via SF Opera

Opera in the Park performers

Get ready for an impressive roster of powerhouse vocalists from all over the world. If you’re already an SF Opera fan you may recognize some familiar faces including Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak who played Gilda in SF Opera’s Rigoletto; soprano Julie Adams of Burbank, who performs in Lohengrin this season; Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack from Argentina, who plays Rosmira in Partenope this season; and Korean mezzo-soprano Hyona Kim, who played Suzuki in SF Opera’s Madame Butterfly.

Male vocalists at Opera in the Park include Arturo Chacón-Cruz from Mexico who performed in SF Opera’s Rigoletto and Il Trovatore; tenor Roberto Alagna of France, who has performed with opera houses in Paris, London, Monte Carlo, Vienna, and Verona; and baritone Brian Mulligan from New York, who’s appeared in many SF Opera productions including Madame Butterfly and Lohengrin.

Several first-year Adler Fellows will also make an appearance: They include Canadian soprano Olivia Smith, tenor vocalist Moisés Salazar from Santa Ana, and bass-baritone Jongwon Han from Korea. The Adler Fellowship selects talented young musicians to train in an intensive residency with SF Opera in order to help launch their careers.

About SF Opera

San Francisco Opera dates back to 1923, making this year its Centennial Season. It’s housed in the historic War Memorial Opera House, which was built during the Great Depression as a memorial for San Franciscans who served in WWI. SF Opera continues to spread the joy of musical storytelling through seasonal performances, opera training programs, K-12 education programs, and community outreach. As a local nonprofit, SF Opera is sustained largely thanks to the contributions of donors and subscribers.

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Steve Jobs forever changed the world of communications. The opera, “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” composed by Mason Bates with libretto by Mark Campbell, opened at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House and brought the story of how Jobs gave birth to the computer with panache.

Although the opera’s premiere occurred in Santa Fe in 2017, and was the most popular new opera in Santa Fe Opera’s history, this was the Bay Area’s first view of it. “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” is a testament to Jobs as a California native and cultural icon. It also shows how opera is a smart forum for exploration. However, navigating a deep dive into who Steve Jobs was while fully-satisfying one’s consciousness with technology’s evolving revolution, it did not.

Who Was Steve Jobs?

Like Gutenberg, how does one person influence everyone in the world? This degree of impact is profound. To go and sit in an opera house and surrender to an aesthetic experience of the streets of San Francisco during the Folsom Street Fair, a significant expression of the city’s rainbow diversity and on the eve of the highest holy day in the Jewish world, audience members follow the story of a visionary who sent the world on a new course, like a comet. Steve Jobs is portrayed as an ordinary man using his extraordinary creativity to pursue a strange trajectory from which our society continues to move in struggle, protest, and further dynamic contest. The opera was set at the time when he himself had to confront his own mortality and circle back to the events that shaped his personal and professional life.

Composer Mason Bates was drawn to Steve Jobs as the subject for an opera because opera “can illuminate the interior thoughts of different characters simultaneously through the juxtaposition of individual themes. That makes it an ideal medium to explore a man who revolutionized how we communicate.” Librettist Mark Campbell also wrote in the program notes, “Learning that Jobs was a Buddhist his entire adult life lead me to the ‘ensō,’ the circle that is drawn in Japanese calligraphy to express enlightenment. I connected that with Jobs’ habit of taking long walks and the Zen practice of pacing in a circular pattern called ‘kinhin’ and began to develop a story in which Steve ‘circles back’ on his life. The title actually refers less to the revolution Jobs helped create in technology rather than the kinhin of self-reflection that propels the story.”

Staging the Machine of Machines

Conductor Michael Christie led the 65 member orchestra, including acoustic guitar and one synthesizer played by composer Mason Bates himself. The music created the perfect texture for storytelling. With ten scenes, plus prologue, no intermission, and in keeping with its subject, the production flashed and clicked through an orchestral score that both stimulated and provoked its subject in multiple ways. The stage’s six panels and lighting were made possible by twelve carpenters plus four members of props and sixteen stagehands. The panels had built-in lights inside and acted as surfaces for front projections. Lighting on stage was composed of thin LED tape and the effects were notably manipulated live.

The singing itself was not what made this opera stirring. It was the close following of Jobs’ life story that made this opera, beginning in Palo Alto and eventually becoming the voice of the second quarter of the 20th century and the leader of the electronic voice of the 21st century.  Still, the outstanding vocal performance was by Sasha Cooke as Laurene, the wife of Jobs, who appeared in an early scene to hear the younger Jobs lecture. Cooke sang with body and conviction. She was easy to believe. Her voice convinced with its lustrous sound, rich and ardent, its low registers and its high. Sasha Cooke was surprising. She was a solid and warm counterpoint to the ever-moving, ever-stimulated Jobs. Her performance resonated with what remained of humanity in the midst of the frenzy of electronic life.

Baritone John Moore performed the role of Steve Jobs. He looked the part, wearing Jobs’ characteristic black turtleneck and jeans. He had the characteristic spectacles and moved with quick, electric steps, deftly switching gears in the way he did apparently, in mind. Moore conveyed the drama Jobs was going through, and he did much to “tell” us what a stimulating challenge it was. Often it was hard to hear him over the orchestra. Sometimes it was easier to follow by reading the supertitles.

Soprano Olivia Smith as Chrisann Brennan, the girlfriend and mother of Jobs’ first child, gave a fine performance. Her rich soprano lured and attracted Jobs’ character and the audience as well. Her sound was new to the music’s vocal range up until this point. As was her message: “pay attention to her,” “listen to her,” “care for her and their child.” But, it went nowhere. Her message showed the wall that Jobs had built around himself as he pursued his vision of the “one device.” The machine of his dreams was the machine of machines. The fall-out was painful and her singing, as plangent and appealing as it was, rankled him, as did her presence.

While Brennan’s message conveyed her disappointment, and ours, it aptly reflected the critique so many women have voiced throughout the 20th and 21st centuries about men glued to their work, including their accomplishments, their identities, and their devices. This undoubtedly continues to contribute to the disappointments in relationships. If nothing else, the opera portrayed men in society achieving as per society’s demands and being “punished” and “guilty” for failing to become equal partners to their companions and their feelings. Lest we fail to put aside his particular achievement, Jobs the character was “guilty” of failing his partner – and their daughter. The scenic backdrop to the initial part of their encounter was an Apple orchard and the audience was left wondering perhaps if it gave rise to the name of Jobs’ company and the great machine itself. Too bad it couldn’t have done more to help keep the relationship from going sour.

More Cast Highlights

Tenor Bille Bruley as Steve Wozniak shined in both his dramatization of his partnership with Jobs – geek, technical genius, lighthearted lively friend, and playful –  but also in his voice. Bruley was lyrically satisfying. He could be heard through the orchestra. Their gamboling telephone pranks of using the computer to call the Pope, for instance, was a delightful bit of fun in the midst of the high-seriousness of their pursuit. It reminded us that high-minded works of expression are fed by play. Plaintively, Wozniak sings of “our machine, our beautiful machine” that has become a controller. This was poignant and all too true.

Baritone Joseph Lattanzi as Jobs’ father performed with conviction. Tenor Wei Wu as Kobun Chino Otogawa gave a welcome of relief to the frantic and driving thrust of the overall production. The depths that he reached with his low voice, however, disappeared the clarity of his words. His wit showed the counterpart to Jobs’ frenzy and conveyed so much of what gave Jobs’ ground as he dealt with the power of his mental pursuits. The moment when Jobs lay his head on Kobun’s shoulder showed not only his own humility, but his reverence to humanity. Also, a note about the costume: Was it necessary to include the “rakasu,” the blue handsewn bib that is a significant part of Zen practice, on stage? This literal presentation was distracting. A monk’s robe would have been sufficient.

(R)evolutionary Insight & Inspiration

The admixture of the story of how creation might occur and the combination of the joys and sorrows of its genesis and fruition created a lively journey through the process and biography of the man who made groundbreaking change. This is an inspiration for all to do something beyond even Steve Jobs’ wildest dreams.

Hurrah for the production. Hurrah for its creation. Hurrah for Jobs and Wozniak for their monumental and world-changing creation. Humanity is the better for it, or perhaps a little worse. We sit on the cusp of wrecking our own human dimension and possibilities by going at the speed of light. We are endangered, but not destroyed if we do not surrender to its power. Technology needs boundaries and “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” emphasizes this point: Technology is powerful and cunning. Hold it in your hand, but don’t trade your hand for it.

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“The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” by acclaimed San Francisco composer Mason Bates and Pulitzer-winning librettist Mark Campbell, is being performed at the San Francisco Opera, September 22nd – October 7th.

Under the baton of Michael Christie, Bates’ score takes us on an operatic journey through the fragmented memory of love, betrayal, obsession and death, weaving together classical lyricism and a techno soundscape informed by the audio of early computers.

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Image: San Francisco Opera)

Therese Poletti for MarketWatch:
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Along with his major influence on Silicon Valley, co-founding Apple with Steve Wozniak at age 21, and guiding the design of breakthrough innovations such as the Mac and eventually the iPhone to the iPad, Jobs the business genius was also well-known to often be cruel, maniacally focused and controlling. It is undeniable that there has always been much fascination with Jobs, his ouster from Apple and epic comeback, the myths and stories, versus his highly scripted public persona, potentially making him a worthy subject of one of the most complete art forms.

After seeing “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” a moving and accessible opera, Jobs proved to be a perfect protagonist by theatrical standards. He was a complex and contradictory force and his untimely death at age 56 was indeed tragic, no matter how you felt about him. With Jobs as the linchpin, the opera is a story about life and death in one act, sung in English, that is only 100 minutes long, a deeply layered look at the multi-faceted tech visionary…

“I made up the language,” Campbell said. “You don’t know what Woz and Steve were saying when they were making that prototype. We don’t know that. These are two stoner boys, a little bit older than teenagers, maybe in their parents garage, and not realizing at all that they were going to revolutionize the universe with what they were doing there.”

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MacDailyNews Take: Jobs certainly lived an operatic life. More info about “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs”here.
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On Saturday, August 19, from 12 to 2 pm, bring the whole family to a free “Family Day” event and come see what Sarasota Youth Opera is all about! The Sarasota Opera House will be abuzz with activities – you can hear the Youth Opera sing, attend a “Find Your Own Opera Voice” singing session, join in fun acting games, and stand on the opera stage when you take a tour of the opera house. You can even get creative and make some props, have fun at the wig and makeup demonstration, explore the beautiful costumes, and more!

This fall Sarasota Youth Opera will present Benjamin Britten’s The Little Sweep on the Sarasota Opera House stage, complete with professional sets, costumes, and orchestra. The opera tells the charming story about a group of children who join together to free a young chimney sweep apprentice from his cruel master and send him back to his family. 

The fall program starts up on August 15th, and auditions for the lead roles will be held on August 22 and 24.  No prior experience is necessary, all skill levels are welcome! To learn more about Youth Opera visit https://www.sarasotaopera.org/youth-opera-program.
 

What: Sarasota Youth Opera Family Day
When: Saturday, August 19, 2022, from 12 to 2 pm
Where: Sarasota Opera House: 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236
Tickets: This is a FREE event and no tickets are necessary. 

Details for the event can be found at Click Here

ABOUT SARASOTA YOUTH OPERA 

Since 1984, Sarasota Youth Opera has given thousands of young people ages 8 to 18 an opportunity to experience the joy of opera firsthand through participation in fully staged Youth Opera productions, Sarasota Opera main stage productions, summer camps, and concerts throughout the community.

Sarasota Youth Opera is the only program in the United States committed to both presenting an annual full-scale opera production for young voices, as well as accepting all who wish to participate regardless of skill level or ability to pay.
 

Youth Opera Choruses: Beginning at age 8, singers are placed in one of two chorus levels. Each chorus provides a setting for everyone to participate and progress at their own level as they gain greater skills and experience. Selections performed are made up of classical music, which includes opera and choral pieces in different languages. The choruses perform throughout the community in formal concerts and outreach events.
 

Opera Mainstage Season: Members of the Youth Opera are selected to join Sarasota Opera’s Winter Festival season, appearing in the mainstage children’s chorus, as supernumeraries (extras who perform non-singing roles) and for special roles written by the composer for children’s voices. In recent seasons these have included roles in La bohème, Tosca, and Carmen. Singers are involved in the complete production process – from early music and dramatic rehearsals to performing alongside opera professionals. 

Youth Opera Productions: Part of Sarasota Opera’s commitment to young people includes the commissioning of new operatic works written for children and young adults. Six new works have been presented as part of this mission: Deadline (1989), Polly Pen’s Her Lightness (1993), Tom Suta’s Eye of Ra (1998), John Kennedy’s The Language of Birds (2004), Daron Hagen’s Little Nemo in Slumberland (2012) and Rachel J. Peters’ Rootabaga Country (2017). Members take part in the making of each opera, complete with professional staging, costumes, lighting, sound, and orchestral accompaniment.

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norman lebrecht

August 09, 2023

Daniela Mack In Song – San Francisco Opera
 
Click here to watch

This is the latest In Song instalment from San Francisco Opera. It features mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack introducing us to her hometown, Buenos Aires, and singing tango! I love it.

In a moving journey of discovery, re-connection, and riveting music, this new episode unfolds on the streets of Buenos Aires, as mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack 

returns to the homeland she left at age 6.

Mack traces her roots, shares memories of her childhood, and reunites with her family, then delivers no holds-barred renditions of Piazzolla’s

“Yo Soy Maria” and “Los Pájaros Perdidos,” as well as Pauline Viardot’s “Havanaise.”

Husband/tenor Alex Shrader and their two children join her for this homecoming, just prior to rehearsals for her starring role of Frida in Gabriela Lena Frank’s El Ultimo Sueno de Frida y Diego in which Mack plays the iconic Mexican artist. 

Read more

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In the epilogue of composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell’s 2016 adaptation of Stephen King’s horror novel The Shining, Wendy Torrance takes the stage after witnessing her husband Jack’s attacks on her and their son and the destruction of the Overlook Hotel has survived quiet location on the lake shore. In the West Coast premiere of the work by Opera Parallèle, she carries a book which she sits down to read. Elsewhere, son Danny and his friend Dick Hallorann are fishing at the lake.

The book she’s carrying is a miscellany of King’s Carrie, Salem’s Lot and yes, The Shining, an Easter egg that caught the eye of the few viewers who noticed at the performance on Friday June 2nd elicited giggles. It’s a nice touch at the end of a tense opera about Jack’s disintegration.

Jack is a concerned man from an abusive family. He’s taken a job as a winter warden at the Overlook so he can resume his once-promised writing career, recover from alcoholism, and start a fresh start after certain events at the private school he taught. Instead, spirits from the past lurking in the Overlook sense his vulnerability and work to drive him insane in hopes that he will murder five-year-old Danny so they can steal Danny’s psychic abilities.

The Torrances on the way to the Overlook Hotel in The Shining by Opera Parallèle | Credit: Cory Weaver

In adapting The Shining, Moravec and Campbell rightly ignored Stanley Kubrick’s famous 1980 film that misrepresented the novel. They don’t see Jack as the monster that Kubrick and Jack Nicholson made of him, but as a man from an abusive family trying to be a decent husband and father. The opera also wisely eschews the book’s scarier episodes, such as the corpse from room 217 in the bathtub, and instead focuses on the human elements of the plot. For this production, the composer provided revised orchestration for a still colorful 22-piece orchestra, a move that makes the performance of The Shining accessible to opera houses on a tighter budget.

Campbell’s libretto is compact, fast-paced, and expertly constructed, beginning with the hopeful Torrances’ arrival at the hotel. The libretto occasionally alludes to the events that led her to the Overlook, providing the information you need to understand Jack’s behavior and Wendy’s fears. The lyrics are gracefully written and singable. Add to that Moravec’s sympathetic scoring and the excellence of the singers, and without the surtitles on Friday you could understand almost every word.

A co-production with the Hawaii Opera Theater and Portland Opera, Opera Parallèle’s performance deftly solves the problem of turning the Overlook Hotel itself into a character. The cauldron, which we are repeatedly told requires pampering to keep under control, is a three-dimensional model that constantly sizzles with steam. Projections of the Overlook’s plumbing bubble as if the plumbing were inhabited by insects.

A scene from The Shining by Opera Parallelèle | Credit: Cory Weaver

As the lights turn red, Jack is being haunted by the ghosts — or he’s hallucinating her. It is no coincidence that the color red is also clearly visible on Jack’s sweaters. Alina Bokovikova’s elegant costumes and Jim French’s lighting design unify the physical staging and enhance the surreal character of the plot. Wendy’s afro and outfits clearly transport the work to the 1970s.

Jacquelyn Scott’s clever sets are a perfect match for the needs of smaller opera houses. Each element, from the bed to the central staircase, is on wheels and moved by the costumed actors in the many small roles. Also hidden under these stairs is the pantry, where Wendy locks Jack when he tries to murder her and Danny.

Moravec’s colorful music carefully portrays each scene and character. When the Torrances are on their way to the Overlook, there’s a hint of Fifth Door majesty from Béla Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, and when they arrive, maybe a hint of Bernard Herrmann’s score for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Moravec writes great ensembles, from a brief trio set to the text “Alles wird gut” to the big party scene in Act II where Jack, pursued by the mocking spirits, has gone decidedly insane.

For Jack, sung strongly here and played by baritone Robert Wesley Mason, Moravec delivers music that grows harsher and more inharmonious as the opera progresses as Jack’s mental state shifts from hopeful to deranged. Kearstin Piper Brown’s beautiful, vibrant soprano paired beautifully with Wendy’s sweet and floating lines.

Kevin Deas as Dick Hallorann and Michael Thompson as Danny in The Shining by Opera Parallèle | Credit: Cory Weaver

Warm-voiced and avuncular bass-baritone Kevin Deas was an ideal Dick Hallorann, the psychic black chef who befriends Danny after noticing the boy’s abilities. Tenzin Forder was lively in the non-singing role of Danny, alternately vulnerable, haunted and brave. Not only does Danny not sing, he doesn’t have many words to speak either, yet Forder’s excellent physical acting skills express his state of mind brilliantly.

Brian Staufenbiel’s direction generally hits the fast-changing moods of The Shining. He is particularly good at showing the interactions of the torrances, although if he had shown more of the physical tics that Jack has in the book it would have added to the character’s underlying instability. Nicole Paiement conducted with her typical precision and attention to the dramatic course of the work.

The glow is a real crowd pleaser of an opera; human, dramatic, mysterious and with strongly written leads and multiple oversized conflicts driving the plot. Will Jack go completely insane? Will he kill Wendy and Danny before Hallorann arrives? Will Jack always remember to open the pressure valve on the kettle? It’s not a huge spoiler to say he doesn’t, and Moravec composes a nice blast for destroying the Overlook.

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