Brian Dickie

Time for Elgar

Allyson McHardy and John McMaster at rehearsal this morning

All you who live in Chicago need to get to Millennium Park either this evening (at 6.30) or tomorrow (7.30) for Elgar's Dream of Gerontius.  Apart from the considerable beauty and the power to move of the piece itself, there are two central singing performances which we are fortunate to have here in Chicago this weekend.

Allyson McHardy's Angel is seriously special.  She was Hermia in COT's Midsummer Night's Dream in 2005.  And she was promising then.  She is now a major artist and her performance, on the evidence of the rehearsal this morning, will be something to be cherished.  Wonderful singing.  And her Gerontius, John McMaster, is another formidable Canadian tenor, in the tradition of Edward Johnson, Jon Vickers and Ben Heppner.  How good it is to hear this sung by a true spinto.  Its not that it is better, just different.  And thrilling in the hands and voice of John.

I will return tomorrow evening for as much of the performance as I can.  And you must all be there too.

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Two days with the Merolini

These last two days with the young singers on the San Francisco Opera’s Merola program have been as useful an experience for me I suspect as they have been for the singers.  The dialogue yesterday morning (a second three hour session – there had been one on Monday which I missed) was a valuable opportunity to observe the wit and wisdom of Matthew Epstein, a seasoned counselor of young singers who invariably hits the right spot in his advice, be it on repertoire choices, professional behavior, or general career management; he is also very good on fashion choices, hairstyle, and head shots.  And his words were complemented by the insights of Peter Kazaras, now director of the opera program at UCLA as well as the young artists program in Seattle.  During his long career as a performer he was a fine tenor of exceptional intelligence;  he is now bringing great inspiration as well as outstanding practical guidance to the many young singers fortunate to come under his influence.

Sheri Greenawald is to be congratulated and warmly thanked for giving these young people this unique opportunity, an indispensable add on to the many other activities provided by the Merola summer program.

It was good to spend some time with Matthew and Peter, as well as other colleagues including Peter Carwell of the Richard Tucker Foundation, Kevin Murphy (New York City Opera), Andreas Melinat (Lyric Chicago), Greg Henkel (SF Opera), Robin Guarino (Cincinnati CCM), Gayletha Nichols (Met), Alexander Neef (Canadian Opera Company) and Laura Canning (Houston Grand Opera) - and of course our hard taskmaster and animator of the enterprise Sheri Greenawald.  She made us really work yesterday – the afternoon session ran from 2 until after 7 with a single ten minute break.

I am now back in Chicago and plan to stay put until I go to Mexico City and Buenos Aires towards the end of August.  We still have around half a dozen places to fill for the final rounds of Neue Stimmen.  They will probably come from Mexico and Argentina if past experience is an indicator.  If not we have some excellent singers on the waiting list who in previous years might have already qualified by now. 

About today will be tomorrow

I am done for the day - and by done I mean DONE!  I have an early start and will be doing my narrative on the plane that leaves San Francisco ot 6.10 am and deposits me in Chicago at noon on Wednesday.  Sorry and good night!

An extra long one

I was up at 4.45 to get to San Francisco and was delayed and endlessly frustrated by the airlines - anyway I got to San Francisco just in time for the afternoon auditions - a mere 12 hours after I awoke this morning.

The format for this excellent event masterminded by Sheri Greenawald of the San Francisco Opera Center is thus - this morning there was a three hour conference with the the Merola artists and a panel of helpful and knowledgeable people who have dedicated themselves to the advanced development and training of opera singers, or who run companies who care about such things.  The afternoon was three and a half hours of auditions - 15 minutes per singer.  The extra time was given to instant feedback and helpful (one hopes) comment and advice.

The team included Andreas Melinat of the Chicago Lyric, Laura Canning of Houston Grand Opera, Kevin Murphy of the New York City Opera, Matthew Epstein of Columbia Artists Management, former tenor and now most effective stage director and teacher Peter Kazaras, Gayletha Nichols of the Metropolitan Opera, and Alexander Neef of the Canadian Opera Company. 

I arrived late so was not present for the morning session.  There will be another of those tomorrow.  But I was there this afternoon where we heard, and gave feedback to, some pretty remarkable young people.  There were some BIG voices too - not so easy to come by these days.  Matthew Epstein and Peter Kazaras were the star feeders back;  without them we would all have been lost.  I was exhausted and largely silent.  I do not feel so comfortable about saying what I really feel to singers, especially of course when it could be "unwelcome" .  This is in contrast to my candor with others!

However, encouraged by the boldness of my colleagues maybe I will get with it tomorrow.

And so we finished the evening with a delightful dinner as guests at the home of long time supporters of the opera here.  And now I am back with relief to the excellent Inn at the Opera. 

Chicago seasons

Lincoln Park July 26 2009

Another gorgeous Summer day today.  And a short walk in Lincoln Park just two blocks from where we live reminded me of the variety we have in the seasons.  And you too can see it above and below. 

I am off to an early start tomorrow - to save more than a few pennies I fly to LA first and get a connection to San Francisco.  But I will be there in good time for lunch, and then the afternoon session of Merola auditions, with feedback from the distinguished panel. And then a full day on Tuesday of the same with a conference and Q and A session for three hours in the morning.  I will tell you more when I know more.  But the first thing is to get some sleep, be up at 4.45 am and be alert for the challenges ahead!

Lincoln Park December 17 2008

Off for the weekend

Chicago from Lincoln Park - August 26 2007

I am in non-opera mode for the weekend.  But I am here in Chicago enjoying the summer, such as it is.  It looked today much as it did in August 2007.  Hot and beautiful.  Such days have been rare this year.

You may find me back in action next week - I will be in San Francisco again in Monday.  So watch out!

Back in Chicago

 
Downtown Chicago from Navy Pier

We do half day Fridays in the summer - a small compensation for the long hours put in by the staff during the height of our season, and for the low wages that they are paid.  And it is a quiet time anyway and the important thing is that they they get the job done.  And they do!

This morning quite early I joined two of my colleagues on a boat moored at Navy Pier which we are thinking of for an event in September; this will be intended to keep relationships with COT amongst our audience alive in a fun way, and to provide an opportunity to cultivate new fans for the company.  We will be looking at the most attractive way to put on a show that will be fun for young and old.  Our younger group, Opera Underground, will be catered for, and there will be music to suit all predilections.  But above all there will be fresh air out on the lake in September, food and drink and fun - and a unique view of the city.

The rest of my "half day" was some time in the office, a delightful lunch with colleagues to celebrate a special occasion, and a lengthy meeting with a board member to discuss the future of the company.  No small subject as you may imagine.

Now for the joys of the weekend.

A long walk for Mascagni

I walked all the way from the Inn at the Opera to Fort Mason for the Dress rehearsal of L'amico Fritz yesterday evening.  That is just over two miles and those of you who know that San Francisco is not as flat as Chicago can imagine what this was like.  Anyway I made it in 40 minutes.  And I was glad to sit down for the two short hours of this charming if light weight and old fashioned opera.  It was clearly and elegantly directed by Nic Muni with some nice touches as always with Nic - clever guy.  He did some lovely stuff for us in Toronto - a great Lulu and a spectacular George Tsypin designed Rigoletto.

And Warren Jones conducted the small orchestra in a virtually pitless theater in his ever scrupulous way - he is of course a peerless accompanist, as distinguished as there is around these days.  And its good to see him in the pit.  He started out as pianist for the chorus in Richard Bradshaw's time here in San Francisco all those years ago.  33?  Something like that I think.

I am rushing to the airport now to get home to Chicago.

A cold San Francisco

Alcatraz from Hyde Street Pier

We may have been complaining about the summer - but San Francisco is really chilly and a sweater is needed.  And as so often the city is overcast - the Golden Gate Bridge was invisible from Fisherman's Wharf this morning.  Or at best a ghostly presence.  Alcatraz on the other hand was very much there though a little shrouded.

You may gather that I took the morning off, and refreshing it was too.  I even got to Fisherman's Wharf by cable car, somewhat irritatingly crowded.  Its that time of year.

This was followed by an enjoyable lunch with Director of the San Francisco Opera Center and an old friend, Sheri Greenawald - our biennial ritual.  At Hayes Street Grill of course which I worked out I had first come to when it opened, the exciting new kid on the block, in 1979.  It is of course now an institution.

This evening I will be at the dress rehearsal of the Merola program's production of Mascagni's L'amico Fritz.  Its always good to hear something from Mascagni other than Cav.  Freni and Pavarotti breathed life into the piece some 40 years ago.  The Merola program is normally of a very high standard, so it will be a treat to see it again with a similarly young cast!  

About yesterday - San Francisco seems to be suffering from London syndrome - lots of singers signing up but 75% either canceling or not showing up.  They get bad marks from me!  Its a shame - we had winners from here in the past.  And maybe we will again - I bumped into young John Chest at the stage door as I left yesterday.  He is a COT and Chicago College of the Performing Arts alumnus who auditioned in Chicago in May.  He is through to the finals and I was relieved to hear from him that the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, which he joins in September, have agreed to release him from two performances so that he can participate.  He is singing Guglielmo in the Merola Cosi fan tutte which opens in August.

I am back in Chicago tomorrow - but there may be a further report from me from here before then.....