Tag Archives: Hawaii Opera Theatre

HANA HOU | MARCH 2024

Ridi, Pagliaccio, e ognun applaudirà! Laugh, Pagliaccio, and everyone will applaud! 

Those words from the famous aria, “Vesti la giubba”, sung by Canio in Leoncavallo’s opera Pagliaccio, express his desperation in facing the real possibility that his wife is having an affair. For now, the audience is waiting, so he has to get dressed and put on a good show. 

That sentiment, though obviously for very different reasons, seemed highly relatable to all those who nearly tore hair out in creating a powerful theatrical experience last month at the Blaisdell Arena. I’m proud of what we achieved, but it certainly was a bumpy ride! 

As you know, HOT is without our longtime performing venue, the Blaisdell Concert Hall, this season due to renovations. [As of this writing, the hall will remain closed until early 2025, which means our fall production will also need a different home. More on that soon. And fingers crossed it will be done in time for February 2025…we’re slated to be the first group back following the closure.] That has required us to do what any good arts organization does: get creative! So, we started at the Moanalua High School Performing Arts Center for An American Dream last October. That powerful chamber opera fit perfectly in the beautiful new theatre. Those of you who managed to find it discovered a true gem: a beautiful facility with excellent acoustics and free parking. 

But HOT has a long history of grand opera, and finding suitable spaces for something with cast, chorus, and an orchestra of 60+ musicians presented us with few options. So, the Arena for Pagliaccio, and the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell for Puccini’s beloved La Bohème at the end of April.  

These three venues have presented many challenges, including a “fear of the unknown” reaction from some of our longtime patrons, multiple seating configurations for each, and more. But the biggest hurdle really has been from the technical side at the Arena and Shell – questions we don’t normally have to ask ourselves: Do we need sound amplification? How do we light the stage? How do we create a stage? Are there dressing rooms? How do we (and more, can we) display supertitles? And so much more. 

For Pagliaccio, director Jamie Offenbach wanted to present the piece in the round. It was a brilliant move dramatically, allowing the audiences to be as close to the action as possible in that huge space and fitting the “post-apocalyptic” carnival-like atmosphere he wanted. But it created nearly as many technical challenges as it addressed. 

Unlike the Concert Hall, the Arena does not have theatrical lighting permanently installed, so everything has to be rented, with a structure built and suspended over the performing area to hang the lights, etc. [The Shell has a similar issue.] Our Director of Production, Gordon Svec, worked with our own amazing crew and staff from Onstage Hawaiʻi to create and suspend (in theatre, it’s called “flying”) the large, square framing that held all the lighting. Our partnership with set designer Michelle Bisbee once again proved to be a gift that keeps on giving, as she designed the multi-level platform structure where all the action took place.  

At the Concert Hall, the orchestra goes in the pit, with the conductor facing the stage so they can easily connect with the performers, ensuring everything goes smoothly musically. But in a wide-open space like the Arena, that’s not possible. With the audience seated on all four sides of the stage, that placed the orchestra and conductor behind one section of seating. Elizabeth Askren, our newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor, was raised up enough so she could watch the action and the singers could see her…but only when they were facing in that direction. So that meant placing large TV monitors on all four corners of the stage, facing in, so they could see her beat. But that didn’t help her when singers were on the opposite side of the stage. She likened it to steering a large ship without being able to see where you’re going. There were definitely some tense moments in rehearsal, but thankfully came together beautifully by the two performances. 

Speaking of rehearsal, we normally have two weeks at the Concert Hall – and that’s without having to build stages and hang lighting equipment on structures that aren’t already in the venue. With all three spaces this season, we have just one week. So, there’s definitely been more “burning the midnight oil” that usual, which is why we haven’t been able to open up dress rehearsals for students this season like we’ve done for many years. (Instead, they’ve been invited to attend the actual performances, which has proven popular.) 

Sound. Oh, sound! Opera is an art form for singers who can fill up a theatre with the sheer dramatic power of their voice. But when you are presenting in a space as cavernous as the Arena, or even the Shell, we have to take a different approach. So that meant bringing in experts from Rhema Services, a Honolulu-based company that specializes in sound reinforcement for rock concerts, conventions, and more. We own “body” microphones (units that attach to an individual performer in some way and transmit a signal to a sound board and then speakers), which are usually limited to operas with spoken dialogue. So, we started with our own mics, paired with equipment from Rhema, and they seemed to be working fine. Until they weren’t, just three days before we opened. So Rhema came to the rescue with a whole new set of mics for the singers which we had for exactly ONE rehearsal prior to opening. Oh, and the entire orchestra had to have sound amplification too…though in the end, we decided to use it just for the strings as the brass and winds carried quite well in the space. But wait…there’s more: we also had to have monitors (speakers facing the performers, and speakers facing the conductor) so everyone could hear each other. I have no idea how many yards of cable we ended up using, but it was a lot! 

Supertitles…our Achilles Heel. For months and months, we wracked our brains on whether or not we could provide supertitles for Pagliaccio. With audiences on four sides, hanging (flying) screens would have been prohibitively expensive (four screens, four projectors, more structure built to hold them), and to keep them low enough so audiences sitting in sections on the floor could see them without breaking necks would have gotten in the way of the lighting. But the idea of four large monitors set on the floor seemed like the only possible solution. We knew they wouldn’t be visible to some audiences, but we didn’t know how bad the sight lines would be until the last rehearsal when chairs had finally been set up for our seating configuration. And at that point, it was too late. We considered raising the monitors a bit, but to really solve the issue it would have created a new – and we thought, worse – issue by blocking the stage. 

We will be back in the Arena next fall but will be using a different seating configuration that will make supertitles much easier to deliver. And I promise that they’ll be viewable from all seats for our April performances at the Waikiki Shell! 

Opera is never easy to produce. It is big and expensive with many moving parts. But that is absolutely what makes it the most powerful artform there is to me. Opera is truly the most complete and collaborate of all artforms, and there is nothing else like it. 

Mahalo nui loa for making the magic possible! 

 A hui hou! 

Andrew 

Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou! 

The start of a new year is always exciting to me. It is a time for both reflection and dreaming; for examining the successes and challenges from the previous year – learning and growing from both – and making plans for the year ahead of us.  

There’s a lot in store for your Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre in 2024 – Pagliacci at the Blaisdell Arena in February, La Bohème at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell in April, new adventures in Studio101, and engaging education programming that impacts keiki across the state. But I want to take a moment to look back at our many accomplishments from 2023.  

Image from An American DreamThe arts continue to struggle as we adjust to a “new normal” following the pandemic, and HOT is no different in that. But there is so much that gives me hope! 

Although audience numbers continue to trail behind pre-Covid seasons, we have seen a tremendous number of first-time attendees. Indeed, over 60% of single-ticket buyers for our October production of An American Dream had never been to a HOT production before, and that is a trend that continues to build from Madame Butterfly in April 2022, which saw 50% new attendees. 

We also created two new productions – The Elixir of Love and An American Dream – that were designed and built right here on Oahu. And even more, both operas spoke to our renewed commitment to being of Hawaiʻi, with Elixir set on the islands and Dream telling a story that was all too real for the many Japanese who were incarcerated in the days and weeks following the attack on Pearl Harbor. 

We also continued to build interest in our Studio101 shows, all created by Artistic Director Jamie Offenbach, ending the year with sold-out performances of HOT Blue Hawaiʻi in NovemI'll Be Seeing Youber and I’ll Be Seeing You in December – and again, with many new faces in the audience! 

Our Education Department also had a banner year, with new schools partnering with us in our immersive Opera Residencies as well as Opera Express touring shows and other keiki-friendly programs. A personal highlight was the culmination of our firstever joint residency featuring Kaʻaʻawa and Waiahole Elementary Schools. To see over 50 keiki from two schools come together to perform an opera they’d written and rehearsed with our dedicated staff before an auditorium packed with enthusiastic teachers and parents was exhilarating!

Truly, the power of opera is alive and well right here in Hawaiʻi! And that would not be possible without the dedication of our board, staff, patrons, volunteers, and so many more. 

Mahalo nui loa for all you do. I am truly humbled to be a part of this amazing cultural institution.  

A hui hou! 

Andrew

HANA HOU | DECEMBER 2023

Happy Holidays!

It seems like the holiday season begins earlier and earlier every year. And it’s not just the décor, gift cards, wrapping paper, and more that seems to pop up in stores even before Halloween. But the older I get, the faster the days, weeks, and months speed by me. Seriously, how did it get to be December when I barely remember the fall? Tempus fugit, indeed! 

Part of it is just how busy our lives have become. That is certainly the case for the staff at your Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre! But like singing, it’s all about learning to breathe. It’s important to take time to reflect on the year that has passed and to anticipate the new year that is about to start. There is so much to be thankful for in my life: the love of family and friends; the dedication and camaraderie of staff and board; the amazing support of our patrons; the joy in witnessing the power of opera in our performances and education programs; and so much more! 

The holidays are also a time for traditions. For me, things get rolling over Thanksgiving weekend: decorating the house (my husband, Danny accuses me of having “Martha Steward disease”) and watching one of my favorite seasonal movies, Miracle on 34th Street with Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O’Hara and a very young Natalie Wood. It has also included a myriad of singing gigs – including annual performances of Handel’s Messiah and caroling in Dickensian outfits (yes, even a top hat!). And of course, spending time with friends and family. 

Music will always be a vital part of the holidays for me, so I’m especially excited that HOT is bringing back I’ll Be Seeing You this month, in a completely reimagined program created by HOT Artistic Director Jamie Offenbach. The December 2021 edition has a special place in my heart because it was our very first live performance coming out of Covid – in fact, we just squeaked it in between two major surges. Those who attended the second show on the Friday will also remember it as the night the lights went out in Georgia…or rather, Hawaiʻi Opera Plaza. It was literally minutes before curtain when the entire building went dark! We held for about 15 minutes, but ultimately decided the show truly must go on…even without lighting and sound. So, we scrounged up a couple battery-powered lights and got the program going. Power came back on about 20 minutes in, right in the middle of one of Blythe Kelsey’s songs. She paused for a second, started it over again, and the crowd went wild! That was an experience I will never forget. 

The music continues December 16 when singers from the Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio will be featured in concert at Kawaiahaʻo Church. You won’t want to miss this free event! And it’s the perfect excuse to wander through the beautiful Honolulu City Lights exhibit at Honolulu Hale right across the street. 

Whatever your traditions, I hope your holidays are filled with family, friends, good food, and amazing music! 

With Warm Aloha,

 Andrew

The Elixir of Love Set Design

(Set Design mock-up by Designer Michelle Bisbee)

The set for “Elixir” is currently being built in HOT’s Waipahu scene shop, the first production in over 15 years both designed and built locally. HOT’s talented design team recently toured Hawai’i Plantation Villages for inspiration and historical background.

“We wanted to create an authentic, Hawai‘i-centered set, specifically here on O‘ahu. It was decided early on that this would be a sugar cane farm, so we started our research on what the environment would look like. Green fields, red dirt, blue skies, the valley between the Wai‘anae and Ko‘olau mountains, and traditional plantation-style homes – this led us to our preliminary research at Hawai‘i’s Plantation Village,” said HOT Scenic Designer Michelle Bisbee.

The design team is working with other production members on the project to honor Hawai’i’s culture and to recreate this classic story on the island of O’ahu. Come February, you can step into the Blaisdell and be transported to the emerald-green mountains, which tower behind dim streetlamps, an old farm truck, and a charming country store in this loveable opera.  For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.hawaiiopera.org

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

The Elixir of Love
Friday, February 17 | 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 19 | 4:00 pm

All performances at the Blaisdell Concert Hall
Sung in English with English supertitles
Approximately 2 hours 20 minutes with 1 intermission

Melody Moore

#HOTSpeaks: Melody Moore on The Letter Scene

For most people, singing loud enough to project to a hall of 2,000 seats without amplification sounds impossible. Imagine doing it for nearly half an hour straight. In Russian. 

That was Soprano Melody Moore’s challenge as she began prepping for her character Tatyana’s famous Letter Scene in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. When the curtain rises for the opening night of HOT’s upcoming co-production of the opera this Friday, it will be her first time performing the role for a full audience. Preparing for the role was no easy feat, Melody shared. 

“When I was first looking it over, I already knew that the Letter Aria was 17 minutes,” she said. “What I didn’t realize was that it’s book-ended with two other scenes. So when it really comes down to it, it’s about 27 minutes of non-repetitive Russian. That meant brand new Russian words for me to learn on every page, for 27 minutes of singing. That’s when I started to sweat.” 

Melody has sung plenty of intensely challenging roles on some of the world’s leading opera stages before. She has performed at San Francisco Opera in the title role of Tosca, English National Opera as Mimì in La bohème, Washington National Opera in the title role of Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas, and more. She has been praised worldwide for  her impressive phrasing and control. Opera News reported that she could sing from the “highest forte expression of desire and anger to the lowest pianissimos without any seeming strain.” So it wasn’t her vocal stamina she was concerned about.

Even the Russian language didn’t intimidate her. Despite the fact that it was her first time singing in Russian, she had already been challenged more by learning Czech during for her performance in Leoš Janáček’s Katia Kabanova.

Instead, she was worried about the capability of her mind. Could she memorize and perfect the pronunciation of each Russian word, put it to music, act, and move around the stage all at once and for that long? When she began rehearsing the role, she couldn’t.  

“I wasn’t able to really make the scenes stick together at first. At one point it seemed insurmountable.” [pullquote]At one point it seemed insurmountable.” [/pullquote]

Melody Moore at Hawaii Opera TheatreMelody’s character of Tatyana, too, begins the opera with a troubled mind and much to learn. As she falls for Onegin, she battles internally about what to do about it. And when she decides to write him a letter, she agonizes over what to say.  

To prepare for the emotions she would portray in acting the role, Melody read Pushkin’s novel, which the opera is based on. She then read Tchaikovsky’s lines, paying close attention to the feelings expressed by her character in each.

“I got to the section about her letter, and [the interpretation of Pushkin] is almost word for word. So I understood that Tchaikovsky was really trying to stay pure to what was written,” She said. 

She then brought the script to a Russian coach to confirm her interpretation. Melody began to understand who Tatyana was. She thought of her as not only a somewhat serious teenager, but as a dreamer who was hoping for the best in life. In the letter scene, Melody saw that Tatyana embraced her vulnerability and trusted in Onegin’s honor as she began to find the right words to say. Melody decided to take a page from Tatyana’s book.  

The more she practiced the Letter Scene, the more Melody’s own words came to her. Soon, she got to the point where she could put down her well-worn script and say every word of the monologue straight through. 

“The words finally came,” she said. “It just took a lot of patience, a lot of homework outside of the rehearsal room, and a lot of help from the staff.” 

During the last final dress rehearsal of HOT’s Eugene Onegin on April 18, after more than 100 hours of rehearsing, Melody’s readiness was put to the test. And her efforts paid off. In a captivating performance , the letter scene appeared effortless. 

Melody attributed her success in part to the pace of Hawaii, which eased her mind, and to the HOT staff’s support and trust in her capability. But most of all, it was Melody’s own determination that pulled her through.  

Tatyana isn’t as lucky in the immediate aftermath of her emotional efforts. In the opera, Onegin rejects Tatyana after reading her heartfelt letter. Tatyana ends the First Act hurt and embarrassed.  

“But she doesn’t throw herself off a cliff or over a church balcony,” Melody notes. “She just says, ‘Well, this didn’t work out, and that’s okay, and I wish you all the best.’ That’s so rare for a woman in opera. Tatyana knows what she wants. She doesn’t compromise herself, and she makes it out of it all doing well.” 

In a way, Melody said, she can relate to Tatyana. She was inspired by the character. The two both faced great mental strain, grappled with the potential for failure, but wound up triumphant.  

“I’m ready to perform Tatyana,” Melody said. “Opening Night couldn’t come soon enough!” 

HOTEugeneOnegin

10 Reasons to see HOT’s Eugene Onegin

Still looking for reasons to come out and see HOT’s Eugene Onegin? Here’s 10!

1: It’s GRAND

Eugene Onegin

Courtesy of Erhard Rom

The magic and power of the local, volunteer HOT Chorus collides with a full symphony, magnificent sets and scenery, and world-class opera singers for truly grand opera! Eugene Onegin is “a deeply moving tale packed with big tunes, dances, and a heart-stopping duel,” according to Opera 101. See all of the arts – music, theatre, staging, literature, etc. – come together in perfect harmony for HOT’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin.

2: It’s RUSSIAN

Russian

In a time when all we seem to hear about Russia is bad news, experience Russia’s best. Iconic Russian literature by Pushkin brought to life with one of Russia’s most famous composers, Tchaikovsky, and performed in the beautiful Russian language. But don’t worry, there are English supertitles!

3: It’s RARE

Eugene Onegin

Courtesy of Erhard Rom

Sure, you can see Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Ballet every year in Hawaii. But how often do you get the chance to hear his most loved opera, Eugene Onegin? The last time HOT produced the opera was 2003. Don’t let another 15 years go by without hearing the opera live!

4: It’s STAR-STUDDED

Ryan McKinny and Melody Moore

Opera stars Ryan McKinny (Onegin) and Melody Moore (Tatyana) are back together for the first time in years! They were last onstage together for HOT’s 2015 production of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman.  Joining them onstage is a multi-national cast, including singers making their debuts from Serbia, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

5: It’s EMPOWERING

Eugene Onegin

Courtesy of Erhard Rom

Some have said that Eugene Onegin should be named Tatyana. Her character transforms from an impressionable, quiet country girl to a confident, powerful young woman. And though she begins the opera downtrodden, she finishes triumphant.

6: It’s LITERARY

Pushkin

Pushkin’s poetry, which is the basis for the opera, has been likened to Shakespeare. The character of Eugene Onegin is the original ‘superfluous man,’ or anti-hero, influencing Anton Chekhov and countless other narratives since its inception. The story of Eugene Onegin can be compared to Romeo & Juliet, Pride & Prejudice, and more literary and theatrical favorites.

7: It’s DRAMATIC

Eugene Onegin Drama

Passion. Revenge. Regret. And an action-packed duel. Get ready for even more drama than “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”.

8: It’s NEW

HOT Co-Production

Be one of the first audiences to see this ALL-NEW production, co-produced by HOT in collaboration with Seattle Opera, The Atlanta Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

9: It’s TCHAIKOVSKY

Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer of the romantic period. His works are among the most popular music in the classical repertoire, including his 1812 Overture, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and more. His music is regarded as some of classical’s most beautiful. And his opera Eugene Onegin is considered near-perfect among opera lovers.

10: It’s LIVE

Live Opera

Courtesy of Erhard Rom

This is an experience you can’t catch on Netflix or DVR for later. Each and every HOT performance is different from the next, and there’s only one opportunity to catch it live! Hear vocal acrobats reach the back of the 2,000-seat Blaisdell Concert hall with absolutely no amplification. Get your tickets today!

Eugene Onegin Co-Production

HOT Opera Preview – Eugene Onegin *NEW TIME*

April 11, 2018
* NEW TIME* – 1:00 PM
at the Honolulu Museum of Art, Doris Duke Theatre

HOT’s Opera Preview event features an in-depth lecture from distinguished musicologist Dr. Lynne Johnson about the opera, filled with surprising facts and fascinating background information. But the real highlight is an opportunity to hear from the Stars of the production! Plus, it’s FREE to HOT and HMoA members!

Hear from the cast of Eugene Onegin, including:

  • ONEGIN:
    Ryan McKinny
  • TATYANA:
    Melody Moore
  • LENSKY:
    Viktor Antipenko*
  • OLGA:
    Tara Venditti*
  • LARINA:
    Katharine Goeldner
  • FILIPPYEVNA:
    Suzanne Hendrix*
  • PRINCE GREMIN:
    Sava Vemic*
  • TRIQUET:
    Timur*

*HOT Debut

Haven’t bought your tickets yet? Click the button below to reserve your seats!

No RSVP necessary. For more information about the Eugene Onegin Opera Preview, contact HOT at (808) 596-7372.

Eugene Onegin Co-Production

Hawaii Opera Theatre Music in our Schools Month

#HOTSpeaks: Music Connects Us

March is officially designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) as Music In Our Schools Month.  NAfME has challenged educational organizations to share how “Music Connects” them to their students and communities. In this month’s #HOTSpeaks, we’re sharing how the HOT Education team connects us to communities throughout the state.

Last week, Waikele Elementary School sixth graders performed an opera they created  through a HOT School Residency Program. Residency programs are the most immersive program that HOT Education offers. The program brings HOT’s education staff into a school to lead students and teachers through the process of producing and performing an opera. In Waikele Elementary’s case, the students produced the opera from scratch.

“The students create the script, the students create the props, the students create the costumes, and we work directly with the artists in residency through Hawaii Opera Theatre to create the music,” Waikele Principal Sheldon Oshio said. Waikele Elementary School has partnered with HOT for 12 years, and Sheldon has been Principal for seven of those years.

Each year’s production is different. This year, the school integrated the students’ history lessons with the opera. With the title The Keepers, the original opera takes the students on a journey from the Great Wall of China to meetings with various key historical figures, such as Confucius and Socrates, to learn more about different civilizations.

Hawaii Opera Theatre Residency Program

Waikele Elementary School second and third grade students performed “The Keepers” on March 16, 2018, culminating their HOT Education Residency Program.

Sheldon said the teachers have noticed a greater interest in regular curriculum studies when the students are engaged through the opera production. He also noticed that the music education program could improve performance and achievement in core academic activities for nontraditional students, such as those with learning disabilities. But most of all, the school makes the choice to bring the program back year after year, Sheldon said, because it brings the school or grade level together.

“Through the program, the students gain a strong sense of teamwork and collaboration,” he said. “All of the students’ voices are all being heard. Everyone is on an equal playing field in putting this production together.”

In past years the school has created various operas with different curricular concepts. A couple years ago, they wrote a D.A.R.E. opera along with the Honolulu Police Department to help teach decision-making and drug resistance. And before that, the school wrote an opera that HOT has adapted and taken on for this year’s annual Opera Express touring show, which is performed at schools throughout the state.

“We feel that it was very complimentary to the students and the grade level for Hawaii Opera Theatre to come back and ask to use the production No More Mr. Bad Wolf for the road show,” Sheldon said. “That was really touching for the kids and the staff.”

Participants in HOT’s Residency Programs also have the opportunity to experience a backstage tour and a professional grand opera at the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall, plus a visit from HOT Opera Express.

HOT Backstage Tour

Waikele Elementary Students learn more about props from HOT Prop Master Rick Romer during their backstage tour of Donizetti’s The Daughter of the Regiment. Backstage Tours are a part of each HOT Residency Program.

After years of watching students produce operas with HOT, Waikele Elementary School administration approved funding for the construction of a new fine arts stage in the school. Construction for the stage begins this summer, and HOT Education staff are serving on the project’s advisory committee.

Through the experience of HOT’s residency productions, HOT is connected with schools and students throughout Hawaii. And, in turn, the schools and students connect with their own community through each production.

“The experience is something inspiring, I think,” Sheldon said. “Our students should feel proud that they reach a larger community.”

View more photos from the Waikele Elementary School Residency Production here.

For more information on HOT’s Education programs, click here. To book a program for your students, contact HOT Director of Education Erik Haines by phone at 808-596-7372 or email e_haines@hawaiiopera.org.

To make a donation in support of HOT’s Education programs, click here. 

HOT's Daughter of the Regiment

10 Reasons to see The Daughter of the Regiment

Still looking for reasons to see HOT’s production of Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment? Here’s 10! 

Photo by Brian Kuhlmann

1. Metropolitan Opera Star Audrey Luna 

Hawaii’s own Grammy Award-winning Soprano Audrey Luna stars as Marie! Audrey broke the record for the highest note ever sung on the Metropolitan Opera’s stage earlier this year. Opera News has said that she “has power and a blazing coloratura facility that most lyric sopranos can only dream of.” Read Audrey’s thoughts on returning to Hawaii in this #HOTSpeaks post
 

2. The Tenor Aria With 9 High C’s 

With no less than 9 high C’s, Donizetti’s “Ah, Mes Amis,” sung by the character Tonio, is famously considered an impressive vocal feat for a tenor. Listen to this recording of HOT’s Tonio, Italian-American Tenor Michele Angelini, flawlessly performing the aria. Then come see him sing it live in his HOT debut! 

Photo Courtesy of Fort Worth Opera

3. It’s a Comedy 

“It’s a rollicking combination of esprit de corps, slapstick antics and innocent romance — not to mention intoxicating music highlighted by spectacular vocal writing.” ~ NPR 
Few associate comedy with opera. But the Daughter of the Regiment is filled with parody, irony, and eccentric characters. Even the premise of an army brat adopted by the French Regiment is comical. So get ready to laugh! 

Opera History in Hawaii
 
4. The Local Historical Significance 

A rich history of opera in Hawaii dates back to the 1800s. Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment was the first known operatic performance in Hawaii in 1854. Learn more about opera’s local history in this #HOTSpeaks article


 
5. The French Language 

The French language is regarded as beautiful and romantic when spoken – imagine it sung! But don’t worry, HOT provides English supertitles, so you’ll always know what’s going on in the plot. 

 
6. HOT Debuts 

Tenor Michele Angelini Debuts with HOT in the role of Tonio, along with Mezzo-Soprano Jenni Bank, who debuts in the role of the Marquise. Michele is heralded by the Dallas Morning News as an artist who “displays a voice of silken loveliness as well as graceful agility.” The Baltimore Sun has said of Jenni that she has a “deep, dark, penetrating tone… that can extract Verdian richness.” 


 
7. The Duchess Guest Appearance 

HOT recently announced surprise guest as the Duchess of Crackenthorpe in Donizetti’s comedy, Daughter of the Regiment: Soprano Jill Gardner. “The Southern Songbird” joins a long list of guest stars to play the non-singing role of the Duchess, including US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 


 
8. HOT Favorites Jake Gardner and Jamie Offenbach 

HOT is thrilled to welcome back Baritone Jake Gardner and Bass-Baritone Jamie Offenbach, singing the roles of Sulpice and Hortensius, respectively. You’ll remember Jake from the 2008 production A Little Night Music, and Jamie most recently sang in the 2016 HOT production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  


 
9. It’s Donizetti 

Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, Donizetti was a leading composer of the bel canto opera style during the first half of the nineteenth century. He penned some of opera’s most famous shows, including LElisir dAmoreDon PasqualeLucia di Lammermoor, and Anna Bolena

Photo Courtesy of Fort Worth Opera

 
10. There’s a Happy Ending 

Opera can be pretty grim. La Bohème, Macbeth, Roméo et Juliette, and more end with death, insanity, or both. We won’t spoil the ending of The Daughter of the Regiment for those who haven’t seen it, but rest assured that every character lives to see the end! 
  

 

As One Opera Hawaii

Operawire names HOT’s As One in Top 5 Operas to See

The international online publication OperaWire named HOT’s production of As One in its Top 5 Operas to see This Weekend in North America for the weekend of Friday, January 12, 2018!

Read the Full Article

As One will be performed this weekend, January 13 and January 14, at 4 pm, along with a closing performance on Tuesday, January 16, at 7:30 pm at the Aloha Tower Terminal, Pier 10.

As One
A chamber opera for two singers and string quartet
Music and Concept by Laura Kaminsky
Libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed
Film by Kimberly Reed
 

“A piece that haunts and challenges its audience with questions about identity, authenticity, compassion and the human desire for self-love and peace.” ~ Opera News

Created by Laura Kaminsky, Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed, As One depicts with empathy and humor the journey of a transgender person named Hannah as she achieves self-fulfillment in her life. The 75-minute opera stars Sasha Cooke and Kelly Markgraf, who are married in real life and created the roles of “Hannah after” and “Hannah before” at the 2014 premiere. 

Don’t miss out! Tickets from $35 at Tickets.HawaiiOpera.Org, by phone at 808.596.7858, or at the door.