Apprenticeship Program Starts Third Season

The Madison Opera High School Apprenticeship Program kicked off its third season last night with a new round of participants. We could not be more thrilled to have 8 new apprentices joining us for this exciting season! Coming from a wide range of local and regional schools, these impressive juniors and seniors in high school are all interested in learning about how opera is produced and what it takes to become a professional opera singer, or in one case, conductor. Without further ado, the 2010-2011 Madison Opera High School Apprentices are:

• Sami Elmer (Oregon High School)
• Claire Lamberty (Waunakee High School)
• Kelly Noltner (Monona Grove High School)
• Tiffany Orr (Abundant Life Christian School)
• Joshua Sanders (Sauk Prarie High School)
• Alannah Spencer (Verona Area High School)
• Mikko Utevsky (Madison East High School)
• Bayley Waters (Edgewood High School)

At last night's staging rehearsal for The Marriage of Figaro, the apprentices met each other for the first time and reviewed the story of the opera. They also heard from our stage manager Jill Krynicki and director A. Scott Parry before observing our chorus and principal singers at work. The night finished off with Figaro's famous aria, "Non piu andrai."

Over the next few weeks, the apprentices will see the evolution of the staging and learn about the production process by attending a variety of rehearsals and the final full performances, in addition Opera Up Close: The Figaro Preview this Sunday. They'll also get to have dinner with a guest artist, and learn about the many paths one can take to become an opera singer. It's always a ton of fun, and we're looking forward to an exciting year ahead!

Eye on the Cast: Jeff Mattsey

Jeff Mattsey makes his Madison Opera debut as the Count in The Marriage of Figaro in just a few short weeks. Renowned worldwide for the signature baritone roles that have defined his career, Jeff made his operatic stage debut at the age of 21 as Marcello in La boheme, opposite Luciano Pavarotti at the Opera Company of Philadelphia (photo, right). He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1998 and can be seen at the MET this season as Marco in Gianni Schicchi, Hermann/Schlemiel in Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Paris in Romeo et Juliette, and Joe Castro in La Fanciulla del West. In recent seasons, Mattsey has also been a frequent guest at Vancouver Opera and the San Diego Opera. Of one recent performance, the San Diego Tribune says, "Baritone Jeff Mattsey was an extraordinary Marcello: extraordinary because he created a character so rich and textured with so little apparent effort - and sang the role with such an outpouring of warm, burnished sound..."

But wait! There's more...Any "Real Housewives of New York City" fans out there? Mr. Mattsey appeared on the notorious reality show to grace the ladies with an excerpt from The Barber of Seville at a charity event:



Now that's drama of operatic proportions.

Eye on the Cast: Jason Hardy

American bass Jason Hardy is well-known as an exceptional Figaro, so we're pretty excited that he'll be joining us here in Madison starting this weekend to rehearse for The Marriage of Figaro. He's recently performed Mozart's title role with Opera Birmingham, Opera Omaha, and Cleveland Opera, with the Cleveland Plain Dealer writing that Hardy "turns in a Figaro of charismatic allure, with an elegant bass." Jason also garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of Leporello in Don Giovanni last season at the New York City Opera. Just listen to samples of his CD "Youth and Love" on iTunes, and you know this is a lustrous, rich voice, perfect for Figaro.

There's also the fact that Hardy earned official "barihunk" status after going shirtless in NYCO's Don Giovanni, with even the New York Times noting his "buff" physique. But ladies, we have to tell you, this Figaro is already on his way to getting married! Hardy made waves again when he proposed to fellow opera singer Carrie Kahl onstage during the curtain call of a performance of The Marriage of Figaro at Opera Birmingham. Here's the proof:



Don't miss Jason in The Marriage of Figaro, Nov. 5th and 7th in Overture Hall!