Building the Carnival Masks for Das Liebesverbot: Amy Wright, Costume Crafts Manager

The Costume Crafts Department is responsible for constructing many of the accessories and special elements required by the costumes for each opera. This can include everything from belts and hats to more eccentric creations. Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot includes a carnival scene which required large-scale carnival masks to be built for the entire cast. Amy Wright discusses the challenges of building masks that meet the designer’s needs while also addressing the particular challenges of constructing pieces for opera.

Before constructing the masks we had to understand all of the potential hurdles. Originally the design concept was to create enormous masks that were two to three feet high and were supported on people’s shoulders. They were closer to puppets than masks in many ways. Unfortunately it wasn’t really feasible because I have a crew of six people to create all of the crafts materials for the entire season. For the Wagner, we needed to build 43 masks. We decided to scale them down so that they could be supported by only a singer’s head.

The fundamental challenges for creating these masks were that the singers needed to be able to sing, hear and see the conductor. Essentially, we had to construct masks that didn’t cover people’s faces. This was quite a predicament! They also needed to be light enough that the singers could put them on and move around easily. In addition, the blocking on stage was so quick that it was logistically impossible to create custom masks for each singer. The masks needed to be interchangeable between people.

We decided that the best course of action was to build large heads on top of hard hats so that we could take advantage of the adjustable bands in the hats. It also meant that each singer’s face would remain uncovered. The original idea was for the masks to be constructed of papier-mâché with wire framing. However, not only would this be too heavy, it would never hold up through six tech rehearsals and eight performances. Instead we built the masks out of foam, buckram and plastic hat brimming. We then covered them in masking tape to give the appearance of papier-mâché. This worked well because masking tape is essentially paper with a sticky surface on one side. We then covered that surface with canvas gesso to provide a paintable surface.

Initially we wanted to use tempera paint to give them a playful, child-like look. However, I was concerned that the paint would chip while being handled throughout the summer. We decided that acrylic was better since it creates a plastic coating that stays on solidly. The final step was to create unobtrusive screens that would partially cover each singer’s face so that they retained some of the characteristics of masks. The screening we used was the same material used on Disney character costumes because it can be painted various colors and can be easily seen through.

Ideally I would have shopped some of these masks out to other places, but because of the numerous specials considerations, we kept all of the construction here. To complete all 43 masks in time I had about half of the production team (including painters, carpenters and riggers!) working on them for a week. It was a little daunting to supervise that many people but in the end it worked out really well.

photos:
1. Lysh DeVries, Crafts Artisan, painting one of the Carnival masks for the Wagner.
2. Any Wright, Costume Crafts Manager, shopping for a motorcycle helmet for Kiss Me, Kate.

Video Clip: I Capuleti e i Montecchi

Sarah Coburn (Giulietta) singing "Oh! quante volte" in Anne Bogart's production of I Capuleti e i Montecchi. David Angus conducts the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra.

Creating the Look of Das Liebesverbot: Kay Voyce, Costume Designer

The piece is fundamentally about a struggle between established authority and rebellious youth. Nicholas Muni [director, Das Liebesverbot] had a strong impulse to make the authority figures in the piece look and feel parental in nature rather than controlling and fascist. Because of this, he felt that setting the opera in the 1950s was the right choice. In that period you find a very established conservative society with the early beginnings of what would become the 1960s flower-power rebellion. Nick wanted the Italian setting of the story to be reflected in the look of the show as well. Being a big film fan, I started looking at Italian filmmakers from that era such as Fellini. Although many of his works were made in the early 1960s, they had the same look and feel that we wanted for this production.

There are a few ways in which those films captured the mood we were after. The tailoring of the menswear in that era is slightly different in Italy than in the 1950s of America. There was also a sensuality Nic wanted from the character Isabella that I found represented very well in those films. Alongside the Italian look, we included a little bit of the American rock-and-roll rebellion of the 1950s. The result visually is a world that resonates with modern audiences but has enough distance from our present time that there is a small amount of fantasy to it.

There is a carnival scene in this piece which provided an interesting opportunity from a design standpoint. While researching, one of the things we noticed when we looked at photographs from various carnivals was the distortion of scale. Masks, stilts and costumes make people look surreal by exaggerating certain features. For this production we created large-scale masks that could be worn by the singers without covering their faces. We had to make sure they could sing and be heard.

I design for both opera and theater and find that there are similarities and differences. Many of the concerns are the same: What look will tell the story and reflect the characters? What period should we set the show in? How will the look of the costumes interact with the set? The music is the key difference. It is an undeniable force for the entire creative team. The director is forced into a very set timing based on the musical phrases. As a costume designer, it is impossible not to be influenced by the sound and emotional impact of the score.

photos:
1. Ryan MacPherson as Luzio and Lauren Skuce as Dorella. photo credit: Cory Weaver.
2. Mark Schnaible as Friedrich and Claudia Waite as Isabella. photo credit: Cory Weaver.

Coming Home: Sarah Coburn and Sandra Piques Eddy, I Capuleti e i Montecchi

Sarah Coburn and Sandra Piques Eddy play the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Giulietta in the fourth opera of the 2008 season: Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi. I had the chance to sit down and talk with these two long-time friends about their roles, the joys of working together and the difficulties of kissing your friend onstage.

Question: Both of you have had a long history with Glimmerglass Opera. What keeps bringing you back? What makes working here so special?

SC: We were both part of the Young American Artists Program here back in 2002. Both of us have returned several times as guest artists, but never in the same production! Coming here is always so comforting because it is like coming home. Artistically it is such a rewarding place to work. We are given a longer rehearsal period which allows us the time and the space to experiment. We can really sing it through and find the right way to do these roles! The fact that they are always new productions is great too. It is so fun to feel like you a creating a brand new piece from scratch.

SPE: We’ve both been saying that it is opera heaven. On this production everyone is so involved in the collaborative process. For example, in one rehearsal we were working on the fight sequences and all of the sudden Soon young Park [Lorenzo] perked up with advice because he has a lot of martial arts training. Ann Bogart [director] was completely receptive to it. She encourages a very collaborative atmosphere.

SC: It is the same with David Angus. He’s such a great conductor and treats all of us as true musicians. There is a lot of creative discussion about how best to do the piece, which is so rewarding.

Question: For both of you, this is your first time working with Anne Bogart. What has that process been like?

SC: Anne’s vision for the production is wonderful. She has really distilled the piece down to its central meaning. There are no gestures for the sake of theatricality. She really has a strong focus on telling the story in the most clear and compelling way. Nothing is extra or unnecessary.

SPE: We spent time going through the libretto and really understanding what we were saying and doing. With Anne, we retranslated our lines into contemporary English to get at the motivations of our characters. I think that will show on stage even though ultimately we are singing it in the original Italian. There is a clear intent in the acting that comes from doing that kind of work in rehearsal. I think audiences can sense it.

Question: For both of you this is the first time performing these roles. What is it like coming to a role for the first time?

SPE: It is so nice having a fresh work to explore. I’m fairly certain no one in the cast has worked on this show before, and I know it is Anne Bogart’s first time directing it. That is why it is so special. We’re all just bringing ideas into the rehearsals without preconceptions and really discovering what works.

Question: Bellini is one of the leading composers of the bel canto tradition. What is it like to work on a show from this repertoire?
SC: I think that all of Bellini’s operas, especially this one, are more than simply vehicles for singers. He’s certainly central to the bel canto tradition, but there is so much more to these pieces than showy arias! People sometimes forget that. The drama in this piece is just as compelling as the music.

SPE: David Angus [conductor] has been really helpful with getting that across. There are many repeats in the music and we’ve made sure that there are good dramatic reasons for them. When music returns we’re increasing the emotional intensity of the scene, or exploring a different idea.

Question: Sandra, in this opera you portray a male character. As a mezzo-soprano I’m sure you’re used to playing “pants” roles. How is playing a boy different from playing a girl?

SPE: I love pants roles! It is liberating in some ways because you can be a little broader and more brash than when you play female roles. Putting on the costume really helps me step into the character as well. Wearing those boots gives me the right attitude! Although I’ve done these types of roles before, this is the first one where I actually get to die onstage. Mezzo-sopranos hardly ever get to die!

SC: Wow. As a soprano, I die onstage all of the time! It is actually hard to think of a role where I don’t die!

SPE: I get to do everything in this show: fight tenors, die onstage and kiss sopranos!

SC: I’m sorry, but it is weird kissing her! We’ve been friends for so long!

SPE: The several months before coming into the rehearsals we joked about how weird that day in rehearsal would be when we would have to actually kiss! It has been fine, though. Let’s face it; it is easy to be in love with Sarah!

SC: Awww!

photos:
1. From left to right: Sandra Piques Eddy and Sarah Coburn in staging rehearsals for I Capuleti e i Montecchi. photo credit: Cory Weaver.
2. Conductor David Angus, director Anne Bogart, the rest of the creative team and Sandra Piques Eddy and Sarah Coburn in staging rehearsals. photo credit: Cory Weaver.

Directing Wagner's Das Liebesverbot

Director Nicholas Muni discusses his production of the American fully-staged premiere of Wagner's Das Liebesverbot.

Das Liebesverbot: Video Clip

This weekend the third opera, the American fully-staged premiere of Wagner's Das Liebesverbot, opened to a wildly enthusiastic audience. Here is a video clip from the orchestra dress rehearsal featuring Ryan Mac Pherson as Luzio and conductor Corrado Rovaris leading the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

Coauthors in the Drama: Directing Handel

Robin Guarino: Director, Giulio Cesare

When staging Handel, the director and conductor really get to be coauthors in the drama. Handel’s operas move from one aria to the next with few or no ensemble numbers. Because of this there are few restrictions regarding who must be on or offstage at any given time. This allows me to explore both overt and subtextual ideas with staging. How to tell this story clearly and interestingly is my principal concern and I’m fortunate to have a great collaborator in David Stern [Conductor, Giulio Cesare].

One of the wonderful things about working with David is that he puts a real emphasis on text. Text, of course, is my best friend. Our conversations about this production began not only with the musical structure of the piece, but also with the words of the characters. We started each staging rehearsal by having the singers sit in a circle to go through the libretto word-for-word, like a play. With that accomplished, we reduced the scenes to the 21st-century “street” version, distilling them down to primary emotions. This really put the drama into the hands of the singers because they were forced to bring it into a modern-day psychology. Once you get the piece up on its feet it results in a much more explosive kind of story telling. Moving into the theater for tech rehearsals and working on John’s incredible set allowed us to explore the story on an even deeper level.

Placing Giulio Cesare in a space that evokes the Globe Theatre allows for a beautiful fluidity and spontaneity to occur. We can move from one scene to the next quickly — the way that Shakespeare did — because there aren’t a lot of cumbersome set pieces to move. Entrances and exits of singers can be instantaneous. It also allows a rapid shift between a specificity of location — we’re in a tent, we’re in Cleopartra’s chambers, etc. — and a close-up into the mind’s eye of one of the characters. We can move from the physical world to a more psychological space in the blink of an eye. The sparseness of the set also puts a heightened focus on the text, allowing the words these characters sing to drive the work.

photo:
1. A staging rehearsal for Giulio Cesare. photo credit: John Glover

The Challenges of Designing for a Repertory Festival

Anne Ford Coates: Wig and Makeup Designer

Glimmerglass Opera runs in repertory, which means there are four shows alternating onstage throughout the summer. This poses an extra challenge when designing the wigs and makeup. The job is, obviously, a much more straightforward process at an opera house where you work on one show at a time. You can design a specific look for each actor and the character they are portraying. At Glimmerglass, many of the performers are in multiple shows. This means you have to design a look, especially if you’re using the actor’s actual hair rather than a wig, that can cross over many stylistic time periods and designs for the various shows. It may also mean that you have to make two to three different wigs for each person. The workload is enormous and the planning of how to get all of these looks to work consistently throughout the summer is incredibly important.

Another big challenge is, of course, time. While the first two shows are in tech rehearsals in the theater, the other two shows are in preliminary planning stages. So I’m having to divide my time between being in the theater to watch the actors and see how the looks are working with the other design elements (costumes, sets, lighting…) while also getting wig fittings, hair cuts and preliminary design meetings scheduled for the upcoming shows. It means making best friends with our fantastic scheduling manager, Eileen Diskin!

There are so many looks to execute in a very short amount of time. For Kiss Me, Kate, for example, there are 30 or so people in the cast, and each of them has at least two looks— in some cases chorus members have as many as six or seven. Beyond that, there are still three other shows to design!

photo:
1. Anne Ford Coates setting wigs in the studio before a performance.

Reclaiming the Art of Recitative: The Continuo Section in Giulio Cesare

David Stern: Conductor, Giulio Cesare

One of the most distinctive characteristics of baroque opera is the alternation between sung arias and half-spoken half-sung recitative. The arias often freeze the action of the story as the singer expresses their character’s feelings at that moment. Recitative helps move the plot forward, encompassing most of the dialogue between characters. The full orchestra plays during arias, but often only a small group of musicians will accompany the singers in recitative.

This small group of musicians is called the continuo group. While the audience may walk away humming one of the many memorable tunes, David Stern [Conductor, Giulio Cesare] has been paying a great deal of attention to the connecting recitatives as well. “Unfortunately, today,the recitative is often sort of rushed through to get to the next aria,” he said. “It is important to remember that opera began with dear Monteverdi. His works are mostly recitative interspersed with a few arias. The emphasis is on musical storytelling. How do we revive that art today? The answer is to have the continuo group in the rehearsals as early as possible.”

For Glimmerglass Opera’s production of Giulio Cesare, the continuo group has been in the rehearsal room for the majority of staging and at the theater for all of the onstage tech rehearsals. “We could certainly rehearse the musicians once briefly and then throw them into the mix at the last few rehearsals,” David commented, “but the result would be both musically and dramatically unsatisfying. Magical things happen between a really tight continuo group when they’ve had the time to develop a close connection with the singers.”

David describes the continuo section as behaving “much like a jazz trio. The harpsichord provides the harmonic foundation and functions as the rhythm section. The cellist plays the bass line and the theorbist is like a jazz guitarist.” Much like a jazz trio, the continuo group does not have fully written-out parts. Instead, they read from a score with the vocal line, chord changes and a bass line. It is much closer to the lead sheet a jazz player uses than the fully notated parts that most classical musicians play from. “In rehearsals they have been listening to every single word the singers are saying and delicately coloring them with their accompaniment,” David said. “They are continually experimenting with different musical ideas to support the action onstage. Should just the harpsichord play? Should everyone play the chord? Should it be played loud or soft? They truly pore over each word of the score to give a musical support for this text which is, in essence, improvised in each performance.”

photo:
1. The continuo section for Handel's Giulio Cesare in performance. photo credit: Cory Weaver.

The Art of Casting: Giulio Cesare

Don Marrazzo: Director of Artistic Operations

Each Summer Glimmerglass hosts a series of lectures for the Oneonta Center for Continued Adult Learning to give a behind-the scenes look at the current season. The second of these talks focused on our production of Giulio Cesare in Egitto. As part of the event, Director of Artistic Operations Don Marrazzo spoke about the challenges of casting a baroque opera:

One of the great joys - and challenges - of my job is casting. Often, an audience comes to the theater unaware of the planning that goes into creating just the right balance of voices to make the production a success. With Handel's Giulio Cesare in Egitto, the challenge was a bit greater than usual, as the title role can be sung by various voice types. In Handel's time, castrati portrayed many of the leading roles in baroque opera; for Giulio Cesare in Egitto, the title role was originally sung by a castrato, as were the roles of Tolomeo and Nireno. Obviously, the practice of castrating young male singers is no longer continued today, so, for modern stagings of this work, there are a couple of different approaches to casting the title role (although the roles of Nireno and Tolomeo are still, to this day, always cast with countertenors). The title role can be performed by a countertenor (male singers who perfect the use of their falsetto ranges), a mezzo-soprano, or, less frequently, a baritone.

When casting the role of Giulio Cesare, we briefly considered the idea of casting a baritone, which would very much have been a throwback to the 1967 production featuring Noman Treigle in the title role, Beverly Sills as Cleopatra and Maureen Forrester as Cornelia. As Glimmerglass is known for being a company which is not afraid to take artistic risks, we thought it might be an interesting choice to cast a baritone in the title role. This meant, however, that we needed to identify exactly the right singer, since casting a baritone would draw a good deal to the casting decision. Ultimately, we didn't find a baritone who would justify that choice. After working closely with General & Artistic Director Michael MacLeod, and our conductor (David Stern) and director (Robin Guarino) for the Handel, we ultimately decided to cast a mezzo-soprano. We heard nearly 30 singers in audition for the role, which included trips around the United States and as far away as the United Kingdom. Ultimately, we cast Laura Vlasak Nolen. She is a truly remarkable singer, and her physical presence onstage is quite extraordinary. Joining her is an exceptional cast, including Lyubov Petrova as Cleopatra, Gerald Thompson as Tolomeo, Aurhelia Varak as Sesto, Lucia Cervoni as Cornelia, and Jonathan Lasch as Achilla.

Casting Giulio Cesare in Egitto was an incredibly rewarding experience. In my early years of musical training, I was not a great lover of Baroque music. However, I have grown to appreciate the beauty of this music and the remarkable artistry and technical proficiency required of those singers who master the genre. Today, I would certainly put early music repertoire among my favorite genres of operatic music.

Photo:

1. Don Marrazzo speaking to the Oneonta Center for Continued Adult Learning. photo credit: Michael Manning.

Sightings: Glimmerglass Opera

Sometimes there is so much happening on the Glimmerglass Opera campus, the little things can get lost in the mix. Here is a quick photo essay detailing some of the goings on at Glimmerglass.

Photos:
1. Mask building for Wagner's Das Liebesverbot.
2. The season has kept everyone busy.
3. Stair construction with Heather (left) and Kash (right).
4. Grinding away.
5. The best view in the house. Jeff preparing to drop one of the pavilions that makes up the 2008 Festival Season set.
6. Coachings run constantly preparing performers for their upcoming roles.
7. A little extra help for mailings.
8. The rigging seminar gave everyone a chance to advance their knowledge in this field.
9. The evening of the summer solstice at Glimmerglass.
10. There is beauty all around the campus.
11. BQ (left) and Evan (right) finishing more stairs used for the 2008 Festival Season set.
12. No caption; just for looking at.
13. No caption; just for looking at.

all photos ©2008 Michael Manning/Glimmerglass Opera, all rights reserved.

"Another Op'nin', Another Show"

Glimmerglass Opera celebrated the opening of its 2008 Festival Season July 5 and 6 with new productions of Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate and Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto. Enjoying perfect weather, many audience members also attended a Cast Party following each opening performance. Hosted by the Glimmerglass Opera Guild, the parties encouraged audience members, artists and production staff to mingle and toast the production’s opening. Glimmerglass General & Artistic Director Michael MacLeod spoke at both Cast Parties, bringing special attention to the tireless and inspiring work of the productions’ creative, artistic and production teams.

The Glimmerglass Opera Guild will host a Cast Party on July 19 and again on July 26 following the openings of Wagner’s Das Liebesverbot and Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Admission is $15. For more information call (607) 547-2255.

photos:

1. The audience enjoys intermission during the opening of Kiss Me, Kate. photo credit: Cory Weaver

2. Cast Party attendants applaud as General & Artistic Director Michael MacLeod speaks. photo credit: Michael Manning

3. Lisa Vroman (Lilli Vanessi/Kate) and Kiss Me, Kate conductor David Charles Abell. photo credit: Cory Weaver

4. General & Artistic Director Michael MacLeod speaks to the Cast Party attendants. photo credit: Cory Weaver

5. The audience enjoys intermission with perfect weather during the opening of Giulio Cesare in Egitto. photo credit: Michael Manning

6. Giulio Cesare director Robin Guarino, costume designer Gabriel Berry and set designer John Conklin bow during the opening night curtain call. photo credit: Michael Manning

7. Audience members enjoy the Cast Party. photo credit: Cory Weaver

8. Laura Vlasak Nolen, Giulio Cesare and Lyubov Petrova, Cleopatra join Director of Artistic Operations Don Marrazzo at the Cast Party for Giulio Cesare in Egitto. photo credit: Michael Manning

"In the Pursuit of Opera"

The day before Glimmerglass opened its 2008 Festival Season, the Production, Artistic and Administrative staffs took a much-needed company day off to celebrate the 4th of July. For the past several years, Glimmerglass has enthusiastically participated in the Springfield, New York, 4th of July Parade.

In the days before the holiday, Design Intern Kate Foster developed the vision and coordinated the construction of the Glimmerglass Opera float. Using the parade’s theme of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” Foster designed an Elizabethan-inspired Lady Liberty marching confidently forward, pursuing happiness …on Glimmerglass Opera’s flat-bed truck. Twenty-five members of the Glimmerglass staff rode the float or marched alongside, throwing patriotic-colored candy and waving to the crowds.

photos:

1. "Happiness or Bust" - the 2008 Glimmerglass float designed by Design Intern Kate Foster. photo credit: Michael Manning

2. Kate Foster, third from left, and other Glimmerglass staff ride the float during the parade. photo credit: Michael Manning

3. The Glimmerglass Opera banner leads the float through the heart of Springfield. photo credit: Michael Manning

4. Parade participants toss patriotic candy to the crowds attending the parade. photo credit: Michael Manning

5. One of the marchers waves the American flag during the parade. photo credit: Michael Manning

Video Clip: Giulio Cesare

Early in the opera, Cleopatra taunts her brother Tolomeo for his ambitions to rule Egypt. Below is a video clip from the orchestra dress rehearsal of Giulio Cesare featuring Lyubov Petrova as Cleopatra, Gerald Thompson as Tolomeo, and Anthony Roth Costanzo as Nireno. Conductor David Stern leads the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra.
"Non disperar, chi sa? se al regno non l'avrai, avrai sorte in amor. Mirando una beltàin essa troveraia consolar un cor."
"Don't worry. You may never be king, but perhaps you'll be luck in love. Who knows? A beautiful woman should be challenge enough for you."

Brush Up Your Shakespeare: The Gangsters of Kiss Me, Kate

Today was the second performance of Kiss Me, Kate. After a stunning opening night, the show continues to pack them in and get plenty of laughs. Here is a clip from the production featuring Michael Mott and Bradley Nacht as the Gangsters and David Charles Abell conducting the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra. 

A Question of Style: A Musical at an Opera House

David Charles Abell: Conductor, Kiss Me, Kate

Opening night is here and the cast and crew of Kiss Me, Kate prepare for "another opnin' of another show" as this blog post goes up. Here is conductor David Charles Abell's take on the challanges and triumphs that come along with putting on Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate at an opera house:

I conduct both musical theater and opera and I find that it is, fundamentally, the same job. It is simply a question of style. Cole Porter has different stylistic challenges than Handel, who has different stylistic challenges than Wagner, and so on. For this production we’ve brought in seven or eight singers who are based more in musical theater than opera performance, which is exactly right.

It is important to note that there is not always a completely solid dividing line between musical theater and operatic performers. Lisa Vroman [Lilli Vanessi/Kate] sings musical theater, but also performs classical music regularly. Brad [Fred Graham/Petruchio] has a classically trained voice as well and can do anything. In fact, the other day in rehearsal we were working on “I’ve Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua” and he was singing a high note, a high G, and it sounded great. We did the number again and he brought a completely different sound to it that really surprised me. He came up to me at the break and said, “OK, which version did you like? The opera version or the rock and roll version?” He could do both!

The members of the Young American Artists Program involved in this production, who sing not only in our show but in many of the other productions this summer, are all primarily opera singers, but they have a lot of musical theater in their background. They’re really embracing this style with open arms. I haven’t had to spend time correcting them or stopping them from singing Porter like Puccini. They instinctively know what to do. I really believe that American singers have the musical theater sound in their blood. Musical theater singing is much closer to the way Americans speak than opera is.

Photos:

1. David Charles Abell [Conductor, Kiss Me, Kate] leading the Glimmerglass Opera orchestra in rehearsal. Photo credit, Cory Weaver.

2. Brad Little [Fred Graham/Petruchio] and Lisa Vroman [Lilli Vanessi/Kate] in the final dress rehearsal for Kiss Me, Kate. Photo Credit, Cory Weaver.

Handel the Dramatist

David Stern: Conductor, Giulio Cesare

Opening weekend has arrived at last! While two of the productions remain in rehearsal, Kiss Me, Kate and Giulio Cesare finally have their opening performances! Tomorrow afternoon will be the opening performance of Giulio Cesare. Below is a bit of insight from conductor David Stern on what the opera-going expereince was like in Handel's time, and why his works endure:

Going to the opera in Handel’s time was very different from our modern day experience. It was an all-day event. The audience arrived at about two or three in the afternoon and stayed until at least eleven at night. They came with friends, food, books and other pastimes to keep them occupiedI had the chance to talk with David Stern [Conductor, Giulio Cesare] about the challenges in mounting these sprawling works today — and why Handel’s operas have withstood the test of time.

“18th-century audiences were not necessarily looking for drama,” he noted. “They wanted to be entertained for brief amounts of time. Often they would wait for the star singers to perform the hit arias and in between go back to talking, eating and reading.” Creating a modern production with dramatic continuity from this genre of opera may seem daunting. Handel, however, was unique among opera composers of his time; his operas were more than a marathon-length parade of virtuoso arias. “He took this model and created unbelievably moving drama,” David said. “Handel not only thought about how one aria should flow into the next, but how each character’s arias created a dramatic arc through the duration of the work. The Cesare of the second act, for example, could never sing the music that he sings in the third act.”

David singled out Achilla’s aria “Tu sei il cor” as a perfect example of Handel’s musical flair for drama. “It is a kind of love/rape aria sung to Cornelia,” he said. “He’s a real thug, threatening the life of her son so that she’ll sleep with him. Despite this rough situation his aria is written as a love song. Handel pitches it very high for a baritone, making it very difficult to sing, which is precisely the point. Achilla is pretending to be this sensitive lover. He’s trying to channel the Dean Martin within him, but it isn’t really working. The clash between the musical setting and his words really communicates the psychological implications of the scene.”

Despite Handel’s theatrical brilliance, it is rare for his operas to be performed complete today. Clocking in at over four hours when done in its entirety, Giulio Cesare can be a long sit for modern audiences. “When trying to find a structure which speaks to the drama of the story,” David said, “we had to make very judicious decisions about what to cut and what to keep. The result is both a compelling story and one ‘hit’ after the next. This is the top 10 stuff! Every number is an absolute masterpiece. Frankly, even Mozart has his downtimes, but our Cesare never loses pace. Handel was an incredible musician. Every note counts. Every gesture counts.”

Photos:

1. David Stern conducting the final dress rehearsal of Giulio Cesare.

2. Lyubov Petrova [Cleopatra] at the final dress rehearsal.

Photo Credits: Cory Weaver.

Orchestra Dress Rehearsal: Giulio Cesare

This afternoon was the orchestra dress rehearsal for Giulio Cesare. Final adjustments to costumes, lights, and staging have been made and an invited audience recieved a sneak peak at the show before opening night. Below we've posted a few images from the rehearsal to give you a taste of this spectacular production:

"Non disperar, chi sa? Se al regno non l'avrai, avrai sorte in amor."

"Don't worry. You may never be king, but perhaps you'll be lucky in love. Who knows?"

"Va tacito e nascosto, quand'avido è di preda, l'astuto cacciator."

"Silently, stealthily, the hunter stalks his prey."

"Son nata a lagrimar..."
"I was born for weeping..."

"Giace il tiranno estinto;or padre sì, tu benché vinto, hai vinto."
"The tyrant is dead, in the name of my honored father."

Photo credits: Cory Weaver

A Familiar Face at Glimmerglass Opera: Sarah Coburn

Rehearsal Report: Wagner's Das Liebesverbot

There is never a dull moment when producing opera. At the end of each day, the stage manager e-mails a rehearsal report to the production staff summing the day’s events and discoveries. It often includes requests to the production departments for props, costumes, and set pieces needed for rehearsal. Here is an excerpt from a typical exchange between Reed Fisher [Stage Manager, Das Liebesverbot] and Anna Goller [Properties Master], whose responses are in red.

PROPS
- Please ADD 2 medical carts on which the blood testing stuff will ride. The carts should be identical. Each should have two shelves. Each cart should have the following blood testing equipment: 20 thin, 2-3” long vials with blank labels and in a vial holder similar to what you gave us for rehearsal; 1 finger pricker; 1 pen; and several misc. bottles for dressing. On the lower shelf, there should be a removable container large enough to hold 20 martini glasses. OK. 20 Martini glasses take up a lot of space. Does this container need to just hold the glasses piled on top of each other, or does this container need to hold them in an orderly up-right manner? I will talk with John about what these should look like.

- Please CUT two stethoscopes. OK

- Please CUT the cotton balls. OK

- Please CUT the syringes. OK

- I will return the photos to you on Monday morning with the ones he likes. We want to have incriminating photographs for both DORELLA (Ms. Skuce), and ISABELLA (Ms. Waite). Three photos of DORELLA, and 5 photos of ISABELLA. The photos should be period photos of them with other people and some should include fornication. Go with god. We will do our best. I just hope that Ray won’t revoke my internet privileges.

- May we please have a petite dinner bell to use in rehearsal as a doorbell? I need to speak with the maestro about what this is exactly, but we need something in the short term. We will see what we have in stock. If we don’t have anything, then we will buy something as soon as possible.

- Please ADD a flask for ANTONIO (Mr. Borichevsky) in Act I, Scene 1. OK.

- Please ADD 2 packs of Lucky Strikes for DORELLA (Ms. Skuce) and LUZIO (Mr. MacPherson). They should contain puff cigarettes, not real. OK.

Photo:

1. Properties Master Anna Goller working with Set Designer and Associate Artstic Director John Conklin. Photo Credit: John Glover

Images From the Theater: Lighting Focus

Finish, good lady; the bright day is done,
And we are for the dark.
Anthony and Cleopatra, Act 5 Scene 2.

Photo:
1. Jeff Harris [Lighting Director] focusing lights onstage. Photo credit: John Glover