April 2012
31 posts
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“Yet it was clear from the first notes that the real star of this performance was...”
– Richard S. Ginell, Los Angeles Times
Read the review
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“Maija Kovalevska (Mimi)…. gave the role a slightly regal air with her...”
– Tim Mangan’s OC Register review of Pacific Symphony’s “La Bohème.”
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“I know that it’s going to be a very memorable operatic experience, just...”
– says Music Director Carl St.Clair in an interview with the Daily Pilot on the Symphony’s production of “La Bohème.”
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ARE YOU A MIMI?
Our story’s tragic heroine.
Sweet, kind and dreamy, Mimi is sensible and handles conflict by finding ways to distract her from her pain. She enjoys solitary pursuits, like needlework, and attracts others to her by asking for help, such as when she asks Rodolfo to light her candle. She has a passionate nature and is not afraid to declare her feelings.
What to Listen for during “La...
ARE YOU A RODOLFO?
Our story’s hero.
Others would describe him as a sensitive soul with a burning passion. He obsesses over the cause of conflict, rather than dealing with it head on. He enjoys creative pursuits, like writing poetry and plays. When he meets someone he is interested in, he offers help and guidance rather than flirting outright, just as when he meets Mimi in the first act. He loves deeply and without...
ARE YOU A MUSETTA?
The opera’s saucy temptress with a heart of gold.
Others would describe Musetta as a real spitfire and when faced with conflict she easily wraps others around her little finger in order to achieve a positive outcome. She loves to go out and enjoy herself and is fine with having someone else take care of the bill, just like in the second act of “La Bohème.” Musetta often provokes jealousy in her...
ARE YOU A MARCELLO?
The opera’s passionate painter.
Others describe Marcello as someone who drives them crazy, but who still leaves them wanting more. He is creative and passionate and tends to get angry when faced with conflict. He will do anything for the ones he loves, but also holds others up to his high standards, which can lead to jealousy. This being said, if circumstances are right, he will forgive and...
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BRINGING OPERA BACK
The mastermind behind the effort to bring opera back to Orange County after the unfortunate loss of Opera Pacific two years ago is Maestro St.Clair, whose stellar reputation as an opera conductor in Europe sets the ideal stage for such a venture. St.Clair recently concluded his tenure as general music director and chief conductor of the German National Theater and Staatskapelle (GNTS) in Weimar,...
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Meet Musetta: The Flirt
Soprano Georgia Jarman has been hailed by the New York Times for her “luminous, appealing and agile voice.” On the concert stage, she has appeared with Robert Spano conducting Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in performances of Musetta in La Bohème (released commercially on the Telarc label) and returned for Orff’s Carmina burana and excerpts of Il Barbiere di Siviglia. She made her Avery...
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Meet Marcello: The Painter
Korean-American baritone Hyung Yun has performed on some of the most prestigious stages in the United States, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Los Angeles Opera and the Santa Fe Opera. Yun is a recipient of the Sullivan Award and was a national finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
“Hyung Yun’s abundant baritone and explosive physicality make him a...
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Meet Mimi: The Seamstress
Latvian soprano Maija Kovalevska made her operatic stage debut in 2003 at the Latvian National Opera in Riga, her native city. The very next year, she won the Riccardo Zandonai first prize at the International Competition for Opera Singers in Riva del Garda and the Latvian Grand Music Award. In 2006, she sang the part of Mimi in “La Bohème” at the Palau de les arts Valencia and...
