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President’s Message

November 17, 2022 by Frank Finkenberg

The Opera Guild’s first preview of the season, covering the Arizona Opera Company’s production of The Falling and the Rising and the UA Opera Theater’s current offering, The Marriage of Figaro, was an artistic success. However, the attendance was much less than we had hoped. To make sure you don’t miss any of the forthcoming previews, all the details are below, as well as on the enclosed bookmark. The previews are held at two locations on different days and times, and under different names.

Say Hello to Opera

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Friendship Hall, 7650 N Paseo del Norte, Tucson; Thursdays, 2:00-3:00 pm

  • December 1, 2022: Ariadne auf Naxos
  • January 19, 2023: Tosca
  • March 2, 2023: The Sound of Music
  • March 30, 2023: The Magic Flute
Brown Bag Opera

Grace–St.Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams Street, Tucson; Fridays 12:00 to 1:00 pm
(Bring your lunch; dessert and coffee are provided)

  • December 2, 2022: Ariadne auf Naxos
  • January 20, 2023: Tosca
  • March 3, 2023: The Sound of Music
  • March 31, 2023: The Magic Flute

Based on the students’ performances last month, we anticipate nothing less than the highest quality and truly enjoyable entertainment. It makes us all feel very good to know that, while we are enjoying the lively discussions and singing, we are also providing the students much-needed opportunities to perform for a live audience and to earn financial rewards. Supporting the students has been a key mission of the Guild since our founding in 1958.

Besides joining us at the previews, you can help us support opera education by renewing your Opera Guild membership. You can use the enclosed membership form, or renew on line at azogsa.org. If you have already renewed, you have our sincere thanks.

We look forward to seeing you at the previews, and bring your friends!

Rosie P. García, President

Filed Under: Free Opera Previews, News

Opera Preview Schedule for 2022-3

September 1, 2022 by Frank Finkenberg

Lively Discussions & Singing 
FREE ADMISSION
Donations are appreciated to support 0pera students.

Brown Bag Opera!

Fridays – Noon to 1pm 
BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH 
Dessert and Coffee Provided



October 14, 2022

The Falling and the Rising



December 2, 2022

 

Ariadne auf Naxos


January 20, 2023

Tosca


March 3, 2023

The Sound of Music


March 31,2023

The Magic Flute


HELD AT

Grace-St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church Hall
2331 E Adams Street
Tucson, AZ 85719

Presented by the Opera Guild
of Southern Arizona

Say Hello to Opera!


(Note days and times below)
 


Saturday,
October 15, 2022, 1:00-2:00pm

The Falling and the Rising


The following programs are on Thursdays from 2:00 to 3:00pm:

December 1, 2022

Ariadne auf Naxos


January 19, 2023

Tosca


March 2, 2023

The Sound of Music


March 30, 2023 

The Magic Flute


HELD AT  

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian 
Church Friendship Hall
7650 N Paseo Del Norte
(east side of street) 
Tucson, AZ 85704  

Presented by the Opera Guild of Southern Arizona 

Filed Under: Free Opera Previews, News

Live Opera Previews Return!

February 27, 2022 by Frank Finkenberg

After a long hiatus, OGSA’s Opera Previews are returning live!  We will be presenting previews of the final two productions of Arizona Opera’s 2021-22 season, A Little Night Music and  Cosí fan tutte. New this season is a larger venue for our previews, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church’s Fellowship Hall, which provides the space needed for best Covid practices for live performances.

As always, there is no charge for these community events, but donations of $5 or more per person are much appreciated, and go toward honoraria for our students. Also owing to the pandemic, no food is allowed in the church hall and masks are required.

St. Andrew’s is located at 7650 N Paseo Del Norte, Tucson 85704. The site is located on the east side of Paseo del Norte, north of Tohono Chul Park and not far from the intersection of Oracle and Ina. View a map and get directions.

Coming Soon: We preview A Little Night Music March 4

Our first live preview of 2022 takes place at St. Andrew’s at 2:30pm on March 4. Arizona Opera Company will present A Little Night Music in Tucson on March 12 and 13. A special draw is Metropolitan Opera soprano Patricia Racette. We’ll give you an advance peek, featuring student singers.

Here’s what Arizona Opera Co. has to say about this modern classic:

Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film, Smiles of a Summer Night, A Little Night Music focuses on a deliciously tangled web of affairs, all ripe with the possibility of new love and second chances. A comedy of manners with rapturous music, it is moving, witty, heartbreaking, and—most of all—a celebration of love. Among the songs in this groundbreaking theatrical piece is Send in the Clowns, one of the most recorded songs of all time.

Our presenter will be Darnell T. Roulhac, Assistant Professor of Practice in Musical Theatre Voice at the University of Arizona’s School of Theatre, Film and Television. Musical selections will be performed by four talented student singers, Hanna Hufford, Danny Bass, Lillie Langston, and Erin McDaniel; the accompanist will be Kyungsun Choi. Don’t miss this romp through the glorious music of America’s treasured composer Stephen Sondheim.

Mozart Gem Cosí  Rounds Out the Season

Our preview season concludes with Mozart’s Cosí fan tutte at St. Andrew’s on April 8 at 2:30 pm. As Arizona Opera puts it, Cosí “tells the story of two sisters who are falsely led to believe that their fiancés have been called to war. In truth, their lovers were only out to test their fidelity; they swiftly return home in disguise to seek the truth.” Oh, the perils of operatic love! We’ll give you further details as they are available.

Filed Under: Free Opera Previews, News

December 3: Live Highlights of UA Opera’s The Tender Land

November 20, 2021 by Frank Finkenberg

scene from UA's production of The Tender Land
UA’s Opera Theater’s production of The Tender Land

Say Hello to Opera! returns in a new venue, Friendship Hall of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. (See address in the box below.)

After a long hiatus due to COVID19, our very popular live presentations of opera highlights return with an American classic, Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land, at 2:30 p.m.on December 3. As noted in our previous Presto! the opera has already been performed by UA Opera Theater in Crowder Hall. If you missed it, here is your chance to learn about the opera and enjoy some of the arias. Future presentations of Say Hello to Opera! will take place before each UA production. (See operas and dates below.)

Please note our new location: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Friendship Hall, 7650 N. Paseo del Norte. UA Opera Theater Director Cynthia Stokes will narrate and UA opera students will sing arias. As always, there is no charge for these community events, but donations of $5 or more per person are much appreciated, and go toward honoraria for our students.

Also owing to the pandemic, no food is allowed in the church hall and masks are required. For the same reason, our Brown Bag Opera previews cannot be held this season.

Say Hello to Opera! 2021-22

(All events begin at 2:30 p.m.)

The Tender Land  December 3, 2021
Carmen  January 28, 2022
A Little Night Music  March 4, 2022
Cosí fan tutte  April 8, 2022 

Location:

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church Friendship Hall
7650 N. Paseo del Norte

The hall is located in the church complex on the east side of Paseo del Norte, which runs north from Ina Road to Magee Road just west of Tohono Chul Park. See a map.

Filed Under: Free Opera Previews, News

Opera Always! Number 3: Birth of a COVID Opera

May 14, 2021 by Frank Finkenberg

View our latest Opera Always! video: Birth of a COVID Opera

As readers of The Guild Voice will recall, during the 2020–2021 academic year we are supporting local opera students and bringing opera to the community in a different and COVID-safe way, since we cannot present our usual live previews of Arizona Opera Co. productions. Our student intern, DMA candidate Rebeckah Resare, under the direction of OGSA Previews Chair Susan Lane Stokes, presents her third video of this academic year, again featuring some of the most talented voice students at UA’s Fred Fox School of Music. 

The newest project comes in the form of a mini-documentary. On top of all her other DMA requirements, Rebeckah is writing an opera! She is the librettist and the composer is her fellow student Zach Bramble. Theater professor Claire Mannle is supervising the project, and the co-Artistic Director is Marie Teemant. Through interviews and musical numbers you will have a front seat on the creative process in the evolution of a new opera.  The work is tentatively titled, “Notes on a Pandemic, Masked with Hope.”

Rebeckah describes the opera as follows:

We follow the life of five different people and their experiences during the pandemic. They talk about going to school, teaching and furloughs, the joys and mishaps of online dating, being separated from family and a little of what we’ve seen in hospitals. They express fear, anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and then hopefulness. They express a need for compassion and love, inclusion, prayer, patience and peace to endure together.

The preview video contains an introduction by Rebeckah, interviews with her and Zach conducted by UA Opera Theater Director Cynthia Stokes, and selections from the opera performed by  baritone Suyoung Lee, mezzo Diana Peralta, and tenor TJ Simon. The accompanist is Bonnie Bird.

Filed Under: Free Opera Previews, Listen, News, Watch

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