Rehearsals have started for our production of Otello (January 22-25) and I want to give you a first hand look at the rehearsal process.
Musical rehearsals have ended – this is where the singers rehearse just with Maestro Aprea and work out the musical aspects of the show. Staging rehearsals have started – this is where the singers work with the director and Maestro Aprea to physically stage the show.
First the director (here is our director Bernard Uzan) talks to the cast about the scene that they are about to stage:
Then, he works with the cast and shows them where to go on the stage:
Then, the singers practice the directions they have just been giving while singing the music:
All of these rehearsals are accompanied by piano – in this case our Assistant Conductor & Chorus Master Greg Ritchey is playing:
Stay tuned for more exclusive rehearsal photos from Otello!
RT @MadOpera: critical reaction to carmen in 1875…not exactly a good indicator for the legs on this opera! http://tinyurl.com/ycjwghj#
WOOT! RT @ArmoryArtCenter: RT @ShinySheet: Armory Art Center's After Hours aims to draw younger working people: http://bit.ly/2zkvuW #fb#
Toi Toi Toi! RT @cincinnatiopera: Toi toi toi to @nycOpera for a great opening night! #
@nonprofitorgs This is interesting but I'll rejoice the day that we can get donations via SMS w/o paying hundreds of $$ in fees to set up. in reply to nonprofitorgs#
Palm Beach Opera: Tell us a bit about your hometown.
Vale Rideout: I grew up in Fort Collins, CO. It’s a town halfway between Denver and Cheyenne, WY. I was very fortunate to have a very musical family and a musical/theatrical community there. The school system was very supportive of the arts and I created many lasting friendships in the performing opportunities that were provided me. Fort Collins was a wonderful place to grow up for many reasons – my favorite reason being the accessibility of the mountains and all activities associated with them: Skiing, hiking, camping, canoeing, biking, etc.
PBO:What is your first musical memory?
VR: I remember singing with my parents and sister when I was very young. We would sing songs together as my parents would play instruments. I’m not sure of an exact moment, but singing around the campfire was always one of the strongest memories of mine growing up.
PBO: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
VR: I knew when I was 12 that I wanted to be on the stage. My parents got my sister and me involved with theater in school and in the community and I knew from an early age what I wanted to do.
PBO: What is your favorite music to sing?
VR: This is a difficult question to answer because I have grown to appreciate so many types of music. I also have performed quite a few different styles in my college education and the time since. In opera, my favorite composers are Mozart, Britten, Donizetti, Gounod and some of my favorite roles are Edgardo, Romeo, Peter Quint, Tom Rakewell, Belmonte, Rodolfo and Faust. I’m sure I’ve forgotten many, but the difficulty in coming up with a few favorites is that with the fantastic quality and variety of operas, the one you’re seeing or performing at the time has the tendency of becoming my favorite.
PBO: If you weren’t a singer, what career would you try?
VR: I have thought about this a number of times and there are a few careers I think would give me satisfaction (though not like being on the stage). I would enjoy being an architect, a sound designer, computer programmer, photographer, teacher of music or a lawyer. It is quite a varied list, but it reflects the range of things I think would challenge me like being a singer challenges me.
See Vale in our production of DON GIOVANNI in February 2010.
