Category: Ariana L – NC Opera

My Favorite Topic and possibly the reason why opera is so powerful: it has the ability to vulnerably portray the whole spectrum of the human experience with a combination of instrument and voice. Attending an opera is like seeing a Psychologist, but much cheaper. Operas portray the effects of depression, home sickness, schizophrenia, love, long-distance relationships, infidelity, jealousy, rage, revenge, etc. and confront issues such as sexism (Ex: Marnie), and racism (Sanctuary Road). They span time from 1597 to present and are set in an uncountable number of times and places (Exs: 1800s Italy/France 1960s England 1000 Scotland, Slave South US and many more).

Operas next season! I spent the whole day copying the 552-page score for Porgy and Bess. Needless to say, we now have a love-hate relationship. Oh, what am I saying!? Nothing could take away from this American classic! I still love it and will make sure to attend more than once next year. I can only be thankful to NCO for promoting works of its kind and so bringing in outstanding diverse talent.

Tracking donations today and talking with fabulous Director, Eric Mitchko. The Director of the opera chooses the operas for each season and the castes the artists among many other things, including appeasing the ever eventful Board of Directors.

Organized every single production that the opera has done in about ten years. Now it looks so pretty!

Old-School Research from CDs. The opera houses MANY CDs of different productions from all over the world. (even esoteric ones) Thanks to the CD library I am listening to Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin starring my favorite baritone, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, as I write this.

Mozart’s Don Giovanni will be my favorite opera of the upcoming season. Romance, murder, affairs, the Devil, what could be better. hahaha.

Librettos for the upcoming season. Manon Lescaut, Don Giovanni, and Porgi and Bess (an English opera!).