Monday, May 23, 2011

2011-2012 Season


By now most of you have heard that we have hired James Marvel to head our program as the new Director of Opera Theatre.  We will also be welcoming a new Lecturer-Coach/Accompanist to take over the reigns from Patrick Harvey, who is heading off to do great things for Houston Grand!  It is an exciting time of transition here at UT, and the coming season is sure to be tremendously rewarding.


James has introduced himself, to those of you who are returning, by announcing the repertoire we have selected for this coming season.  While much more information will be forthcoming from both of us, I would like to get a bit of preliminary information out to you regarding these works (for those of you who wish to invest some time in acquainting yourself with these scores).


Our Fall production will be a double-bill featuring Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium and Puccini's Suor Angelica.  Incidentally, 2011 is the centennial of Menotti's birth!


The score to The Medium is published by G. Schirmer


http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/The-Medium/3168235?aff_id=453775

The preferred edition for Suor Angelica is the Ricordi edition.  

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Suor-Angelica/8111987?aff_id=453775




While you may use Schirmer, or any other edition you may already own, the source we will be referencing will be the Ricordi.  Page and rehearsal numbers used in notes and schedules will refer to this Piano/Vocal score.

Suor Angelica will be performed in Italian.  

You may access a literal translation, with IPA, by referring to Nico Castel's The Complete Puccini Libretti.   Music Library Reference ML49.P83 N53 1993

UTOT's Spring production will be Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro

This work will also be performed in Italian, and the Nico Castel translation can be found in The Libretti of Mozart's Completed Operas, volume two   
Music Library Reference ML49.M83 C315 1997

While any reliable score you may have in your library is acceptable, it is highly recommended that you consider investing in the Baerenreiter edition.  Baerenreiter is the most respected, authoritative edition of Mozart's works, and it will be the source referenced for questions concerning text, ornamentation, articulation, pitches, etc..  It is more expensive than other editions, but very much worth having in your personal library.

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Le-nozze-di-Figaro-The-Marriage-of-Figaro/2435211#?aff_id=453775
In addition to having a piano/vocal score, those who are cast in this production will be asked to purchase a copy of the full-score (Dover or other study score edition).  More information will be provided later, but plans are being made to incorporate group score study into the preparation process for this production.

Auditions for Le Nozze di Figaro will be held in October (date TBA).

There will be much more information to come throughout the summer.  I am working with James Marvel to plan and prepare our offerings for the coming season, so do make a point of checking in from time to time.

With all best wishes for a wonderful summer, I look forward to a fabulous season with UTOT.

                                                                              --- K. Class

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