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One of last year’s newspaper reviewers put her finger on it: “singers and musicians performances here rival any in the metropolitan theaters.” Opera North’s audiences are consistently amazed that a rural/small town environment can contain a professional opera of national caliber. Typical comments on the 2004 audience response card: “A fabulous resource for the community. Totally marvelous.” “worth the drive up from western Massachusetts” “..I hope to see more performances in future years. Thank you!” and just plain “Wow!” And professional critics agree. As long ago as 1997, Money Magazine named Opera North one of the best summer opera festivals in the world. The national magazine Opera News has been consistent in its praise, in 2003 citing the orchestra as “best on the summer circuit.” In 2004, we received seven awards in various categories from OperaOnline, for being tops in summer season opera productions. Opera North began life in 1981 as an offshoot of Parish Players, a local community theater. The late David Strohmeyer directed such standards as The Mikado and HMS Pinafore with the able musical assistance of the young director of the Dartmouth Glee Club, Louis Burkot. After Strohmeyer’s departure from the area, Burkot developed the company into a highly competent community-based group, adding to the Gilbert & Sullivan repertoire such works as Così fan tutte, The Marriage of Figaro, Brigadoon and Die Fledermaus. Performances were in English, with piano or chamber orchestra accompaniment, in grange halls and town halls as well as local theaters. Since 1987, Burkot has been artistic director of the company. The 1988 production of Iolanthe brought two important additions to the artistic roster: producer Flo Klausner, who has just retired as executive producer, and opera director Ron Luchsinger, now director of productions. With this team in place, Opera North began to move toward being a true regional opera company. Completing the senior staff, Patricia Compton became executive director in 1996. In ensuing seasons, the repertoire now included such masterpieces as Carmen, The Magic Flute, Tosca, La traviata, Madam Butterfly, The Barber of Seville, The Tales of Hoffmann, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, The Marriage of Figaro, and Romeo and Juliet. Twentieth century operas have been represented by Ariadne auf Naxos, Susannah, The Medium, The Tender Land, Albert Herring, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Beginning in 1999, the season expanded from one to two fully-produced pieces each August, a huge challenge to the Board and the public in terms of logistics, marketing, and financial development. Artistic development has paralleled the growth in repertoire. Opera North’s principal singers are frequently on the roster of the New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and major regional houses. Orchestra members, most returning year after year, hold prominent positions in important symphony orchestras. One of the company’s greatest assets has been the Young Artist Program, an apprenticeship for young opera professionals studying at the country’s finest conservatories and universities. This year, twenty-eight singers and two pianist-coaches were selected from over six hundred applicants, with Maestro Burkot traveling to sixteen cities to audition them. Apprentice directors and technical personnel have been chosen by Ron Luchsinger. Young Artists sing supporting and chorus roles and understudy the principal singers. This year they sing all of the roles in The Gondoliers and in the Family Matinee of Tosca, an outstanding opportunity for young professionals just building their résumés. Opera North has become prominent on the national stage. In 2003 we were selected as a model company for a major research program sponsored by Opera America, the service organization of American opera companies. Executive Director Patricia Compton serves on the board of Opera America, and her 2003 application to the National Endowment for the Arts was selected not only for funding, but also for public demonstration of what a small company can accomplish artistically and administratively. Opera North is also known nationally as the exclusive agent for Sonya Friedman supertitles (those helpful lines projected above the stage that help audiences tell a valkyrie from a gypsy). Opera North stays active during off-season as well. The winter series Sherry & Sopranos presents informal talks on opera topics at private homes. As spring comes to northern New England, a team of Young Artists visits schools and public venues throughout Vermont and New Hampshire introducing children, teens and adults to the wonders of opera. This year’s program brought scenes from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville to twelve schools and four public venues, all free and open to the public. Our fall series of dialogues about opera, Lunch & Learn, and the corresponding spring series, Opera, Italian Style, also gave the public a lot of education about opera, again free of charge. Volunteerism is the heartbeat of Opera North. Our Board of Trustees not only oversees the company but, through a complex committee structure, runs many of the programs and events that support the musical effort. Other volunteers do everything from singing in the chorus to housing artists, providing rehearsal snacks, and putting up posters. A single season entails the efforts of more than 350 volunteers in various capacities. |
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