Departure is a musical journey that gives a departure from the traditional repertoire on stage on the Ellie Caulkins Opera Home and a departure for our 2023-24 Artists in Residence. Delight on this expertly crafted program that includes items you understand, and others you’ll uncover on this exploration of opera, artwork music, musical theatre, and extra.
Followers of our annual American Track program, which debuted ten years in the past, will love this subsequent iteration. The primary half of this system options the one-act opera The Companion by Robert Paterson. The second half of this system will discover relationships by way of items by composers together with Alan Menken, Cole Porter, and Stephen Sondheim.
Earlier than you see the stay efficiency, hear from the Director, Cherity Koepke, in a Q&A about how Departure got here to be and get a glimpse into probably the most thrilling moments of this system!
Get tickets for Departure right here>>
American Track has advanced into Departure. How did this transition come about?
Photograph: Opera Colorado/Jamie Kraus
We used to have two separate occasions: American Track, which centered on works by completely American composers, and an end-of-year celebration for the season’s Artists in Residence. After some consideration, the Ellie Caulkins Common & Creative Director, Greg Carpenter, and I needed to do one thing extra substantial for the Artists’ in Residence remaining efficiency. This 12 months marks the tenth anniversary of American Track, so we knew we have been at a pivotal level. American Track has at all times been a program that was designed to progress, to develop and alter, whereas connecting our audiences to new repertoire. To proceed that spirit of development, we knew it was time to embrace one other imaginative and prescient of this system to maintain it vibrant. We preferred this concept of a “departure from the norm,” and needed to increase on it.
What’s Departure and what makes it particular?
Every year, Departure could have full scenes from an opera, or a one-act opera mixed with complimentary particular person items. Like American Track, Departure will proceed to give attention to repertoire sung in English. Nonetheless, we’re now not limiting ourselves to American composers so we are able to discover extra numerous repertoire. When creating this system, I attain out to composers and choose their brains on their work to grasp precisely what they supposed. This chance is uncommon in opera since so many composers of traditional repertoire have lengthy handed. Departure will characteristic items that will not have been carried out earlier than. The composers are so excited once I inform them Opera Colorado is performing their work.
As an organization, we have now a accountability to maintain this artwork kind alive and showcase items by new composers. The operas we placed on on the Ellie Caulkins Opera Home are unimaginable, and we do have alternatives to premiere works or create new productions on the mainstage. Departure is a further manner of presenting opera to maintain individuals curious and engaged.
What’s the theme this 12 months?
This 12 months’s theme is relationships and far of the repertoire will take you thru the levels of being concerned with one other particular person. There are numerous levels in a relationship to discover: discovering new love, making a dedication, dealing with challenges, and discovering the impacts that these relationships have by yourself life.
The thought started with a want to do one thing extra comedic. Opera Colorado stuffed the 2023-24 Season with dramatic tales, so we needed to provide our audiences one thing lighter. Greg Carpenter urged a GRAMMY-award-winning trio of one-act operas known as Three Manner by Robert Paterson, and from there, I selected The Companion. This one-act opera is a darkish, satirical tackle how relationships may evolve with the affect of expertise. The story includes a love triangle between a girl, a robotic, and the technician who comes to repair the robotic. I had by no means heard something prefer it. As soon as I chosen The Companion, I selected particular person items so as to add to this system to enrich it.
Within the programming, I need to spotlight a number of items which were forgotten and items that almost all audiences don’t know. There was a musical from 1989 known as Nearer Than Ever which has largely been left within the final century. Nonetheless, I assure audiences will establish with the piece we’re performing known as “Fandango” and have it caught of their heads. I’m additionally very excited to characteristic a lesser-known work of a well known composer, Claude-Michel Schonberg, the composer of the worldwide sensation Les Miserables. The piece I chosen for Departure, an excerpt from his musical revue titled Personals, is hilariously humorous. As this piece will not be carried out in the USA, we have now an opportunity to convey it to our viewers and present them a special facet of this famend composer.
What’s going to Departure sound like?
Departure will sound fashionable with flairs of the classics. Many consider fashionable opera as jarring, but it surely incorporates extra acquainted components from musical theater. In The Companion, you’ll discover the very best of each worlds. Some items will really feel very fashionable and others are extra conventional arias with beautiful composition.
Via the sort of intimate efficiency expertise, the viewers will join at first with the textual content and the feelings of the story. The viewers is a part of the expertise and the artwork when it comes to the vitality they offer the artists. I’m most excited to create this night of comedic programming. Shared laughter is an unimaginable present and enhances the efficiency for everybody.
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Departure is an excellent technique to expertise opera like by no means earlier than and witness the expansion of the Artists in Residence over the previous season. The director chooses these items particularly for the Artists after a complete season of studying about their voices. It’ll really be a efficiency for the ages!
Be part of us on Might 30 on the Studio Loft on the Ellie Caulkins Opera Home for Departure. Get tickets right here>>
