Thanks for a great season!
Produced in collaboration with Aperi Animam
June 9-12, 2022
Calvary Presbyterian Church
935 W Wisconsin Ave, 53233
Calvary Presbyterian Church
935 W Wisconsin Ave, 53233
Music by Claudio Monteverdi | Libretto by Alessandro Striggio
English Translation by Danny Brylow and Joseph Krohlow
English Translation by Danny Brylow and Joseph Krohlow
Sponsored by Jan Serr and John Shannon
In 1607, Claudio Monteverdi, then working for the Duke of Mantua, presented the first truly great surviving opera, L’Orfeo. 415 years later, Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Aperi Animam are joining forces to share an original English translation of this masterwork. Spoiler alert: This one has a happy ending.
A Barefoot Opera in Denim on Wooden Floorboards
~Russ Bickerstaff, The Small Stage
~Russ Bickerstaff, The Small Stage
A Glimpse of Eternity
~Jeff Grygny, PlayOnMke.com
~Jeff Grygny, PlayOnMke.com
Gorgeous Music Brings "L'Orfeo" to Life
~Gwen Rice, GwendolynRice.com
~Gwen Rice, GwendolynRice.com
Aperi Animam's voices brings Gen Z, millennial passion to 'L'Orfeo' and Renaissance Music
~Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
~Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Opera Theatre Visits 'The Source' with 'L'Orfeo'
~David Luhrssen, Shepherd Express
~David Luhrssen, Shepherd Express
Photo Credits: Mark Frohna
Cast
La Musica: Elizabeth Blood High Priest: Austin Bare Orfeo: Jackie Willis Euridice: Kaisa Herrmann The Messenger: Jennifer Jakubowski Speranza: Brett Sweeney Caronte: Jack Rutter Proserpina: Xylia-Sophia Conn Pluto: David Guzmán Apollo: Nicole McCarty |
Creative Team
Stage Director: Danny Brylow Music Director: Jackie Willis Early Music Advisor: Dr. William Hudson Costume Designer: Demian Glas Lighting Designer: Jim Padovano Lighting/Projection Assistance: Mike Van Dreser Stage Manager: Sarah Acker General Factotum: Amy Kaczmarowski |
Chorus
Austin Bare, Xylia-Sophia Conn, Danielle Gedemer, David Guzmán, Deme Hellwig, Jennifer Jakubowski,
Jack Rutter, Katelynn Rutter, Amelia Spierer, Brett Sweeney, Lee Stovall, Coltyn VonDeylen
Austin Bare, Xylia-Sophia Conn, Danielle Gedemer, David Guzmán, Deme Hellwig, Jennifer Jakubowski,
Jack Rutter, Katelynn Rutter, Amelia Spierer, Brett Sweeney, Lee Stovall, Coltyn VonDeylen
Orchestra
Harpsichord: Fumi Nishikiori-Nakayama
Viola da Gamba: Charlie Rasmussen
Theorbo: Danur Kvilhaug
Violin: Heidi Barker
Sackbut: Adam Dillon
Recorder/Cornetto: Chris Armijo
Harpsichord: Fumi Nishikiori-Nakayama
Viola da Gamba: Charlie Rasmussen
Theorbo: Danur Kvilhaug
Violin: Heidi Barker
Sackbut: Adam Dillon
Recorder/Cornetto: Chris Armijo
L'Orfeo Artwork: Andrea Klohn
It's the final installment of The Aria Project!
This month, dazzling mezzo-soprano Colleen Brooks sings
"Non…vous n’avez jamais" from Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots.
"Non…vous n’avez jamais" from Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots.
Directed by Catie O'Donnell
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From Colleen...
My COVID pandemic experience was ... awful, beautiful, terrifying, and magical. I had made the decision to cut back from full time to part time work just prior to the onset of the pandemic as I realized that I wanted to spend more time with my family, and wow did the universe grant that wish in spades! ha! It wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but for every moment that Larry and I were missing our friends, cleaning up yet another potty training disaster, or screaming at the top of our lungs for the kids to stop yelling at each other (that makes sense, right?) there was always an equal,
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matching moment of crying in a parking lot exchanging Xmas gifts with family because I had actually forgotten how much I had missed them, building forts and hiking through snowy forests, and having exciting scavenger hunts for suffixes during evening story time. ha!
The scene you are about to view includes the sentiments expressed above and specifically focuses on the unshakable desire for adult interaction that results when one is constantly surrounded by a storm of kid craziness. Through sheer will power, I often blindly committed myself to telling Larry a story, when I knew that it was, in fact, impossible that he would actually be able to follow it. Likewise, the loving kindness that Larry exerted in pretending that he had actually listened and followed the story was equally heroic.
My most sincere thanks to pianist Kayoko Miyazawa, production assistant Moira Shaughnessy, MOT's very own Catie, Danny, and Jill Anna, and my courageous family who let me rope them into this project in exchange for Skittles and a trip to Bounce MKE. Vocal ornamentation was lovingly stolen from the incredible Marilyn Horne.
Congratulations on surviving whatever the COVID pandemic forced you to face, and we hope you enjoy!
Love,
Colleen
The scene you are about to view includes the sentiments expressed above and specifically focuses on the unshakable desire for adult interaction that results when one is constantly surrounded by a storm of kid craziness. Through sheer will power, I often blindly committed myself to telling Larry a story, when I knew that it was, in fact, impossible that he would actually be able to follow it. Likewise, the loving kindness that Larry exerted in pretending that he had actually listened and followed the story was equally heroic.
My most sincere thanks to pianist Kayoko Miyazawa, production assistant Moira Shaughnessy, MOT's very own Catie, Danny, and Jill Anna, and my courageous family who let me rope them into this project in exchange for Skittles and a trip to Bounce MKE. Vocal ornamentation was lovingly stolen from the incredible Marilyn Horne.
Congratulations on surviving whatever the COVID pandemic forced you to face, and we hope you enjoy!
Love,
Colleen
Explore a translation for "Non...vous n'avez jamais" here!
And in case you missed it, check out the
previous installments of The Aria Project here!
previous installments of The Aria Project here!
Help bring this season to life!
Can’t wait to see you inside, outside and online!
Our season was supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board
with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Our Mission
We are Milwaukee’s micro-brewery for opera, proudly producing small batches of high quality, local lyric theatre.
We tell stories through music...unconventionally.
We tell stories through music...unconventionally.
Milwaukee Opera Theatre is a registered 501(c)(3) organization.