Opera
Opera students make a scene at UIUC—in fact, lots of them. They have sung leading roles in almost every major opera in the repertoire, in national or regional premieres, and in minor masterpieces. That experience is part of the professional training that makes UIUC graduates complete vocal artists. Using the outstanding facilities of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, singers learn the backstage operations of their craft first-hand. Ludwig and Laura Zirner, whose innovations in “unit” costumes and sets were copied at Tanglewood and many other opera centers in the mid-20^th century, initiated the full participation of UIUC Opera Workshop students in both singing and staging of works. As three-time Grammy Award Winner tenor Jerry Hadley said of his education at UIUC, “The nurturing, encouragement, and support given [me] continue to serve as the foundation of everything I’ve been able to accomplish.”

The 2006-2007 season included two performances in October of MASS, by Leonard Bernstein, in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. This was a collaboration of Opera, Theatre, and Dance Departments of FAA. There were four performances in February of the immortal Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini (sung in Italian). The final production in April included four performances of The Scarecrow by Joseph Turrin (who was in attendance for the production), based on a story by Nathaniel Hawthorne and sung in English.

The 2007-2008 season began with four performances of La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini (sung in Italian). February saw performances of the fantastic and immortal comedy by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Così fan tutte (sung in Italian). The third and final production of the year was four performances of Armide (sung in French) by Jean-Baptiste Lully, with Dr. Charlotte Mattax-Moersch conducting the The Concerto Urbano in collaboration with the Dance and Choral departments. In addition to our regular performances, a collaboration between the Opera, Orchestral and Choral departments as well as a number of prominent guest artists created a memorable event. The memorial concert for Illinois Alumnus, Jerry Hadley, included performances by Elizabeth Futral, Thomas Hampson, Richard Leech, Samuel Ramey and Frederica von Stade.

November 13, 14, 15 & 16:
Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod
Sung in French; Edition: Schirmer

Conductor - Eduardo Diazmuñoz
Stage Director - Henson Keys
Chorus Master – Fred Stoltzfus

February 19, 20, 21 & 22:
Rappacini's Daughter by Daniel Catán
Sung in Spanish; Edition: Schirmer

Conductor - Eduardo Diazmuñoz
Stage Director - Stephen Fiol

April 30, May 1, 2 & 3:
Hansel and Gretel by Neely Bruce
Sung in English; Edition: Composer's Edition

Conductor - Sergei Pavlov with the UI New Music Ensemble
Stage Director - Ricardo Herrera
Choreographer - Rebecca Nettl-Fiol

Tuesday, September 2, 2008: 3 - 10 pm
Thursday, September 4, 2008: 3 - 9:15pm
Tryon Festival Theatre Stage, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

Please be prepared to sing 2 arias - one in French and one in Spanish. To be considered for the following roles, please prepare the excerpts listed below:

Roméo et Juliette
Juliette - Ariette, "Je veux vivre"
Roméo - Cavatina, "Ah, leve toi soleil!" with introduction
Capulet - "Allons jeunes gens!" until rehearsal 17A
Friar Laurence - No. 11 in Act III: "Dieu, qui fis l'homme a ton image!"
Stephano - Chanson, "Depuis hier je cherche en vain . . ."

Rappaccini's Daughter
Excerpts are available online (please click the name of the character for the appropriate excerpts). Excerpts need not be memorized.

Beatriz - "Unión de contrarios . . ." from W to 10 bars after Y, Act I (pages 57-62 piano/vocal score) AND "Adiós Giovanni" from one bar before No. 79 to No. 83, Act II (pages 187-191)
Giovanni - "Beatriz, puerta del mundo", Act I (page 96)
Dr. Rappaccini - "Belladona, cicuta, mandrágora . . ." from P to R, Act I (pages 44-47) AND "Todo va sucediendo como por si solo . . ." from No. 40 to 3rd bar, No. 42, Act II (pages 143-145)
Dr. Baglioni - "No, no, un simple ataque de curiosidad científica" from four bars before No. 49 to three bars after No. 54, Act II (pages 153-161)

Hansel and Gretel
Excerpts are available online (please click the name of the character for the appropriate excerpts). Excerpts need not be memorized.

Hansel - "Don't worry, Gretel . . ." (pages 60-65 piano/vocal score) or "Why am I in this cage?" (pages 119-124)
Gretel - "Hansel, we are totally lost" (pages 185-189)
Stepmother - "I was beginning to enjoy . . ." (pages 185-189)
Father - "Chop the wood . . ." (pages 17-21)
The Witch - "As everybody knows . . ." (pages 125-132)
A Duck - "Hansel and Gretel, are you ready to get on my back . . ." (pages 167-173)

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Maestro Eduardo Diazmuñoz (edzmz@illinois.edu) and/or Thomas H. Schleis (tschleis@illinois.edu)

Building on the firm foundation set by Prof. Jerold Siena, Professors Ricardo Herrera and Dawn Harris are co-directors of the Opera Studio for the second year. Serving as musical director is Prof. Thomas H. Schleis.

This course is an intensive training program for the young singer-actor. It acquaints the student with a variety of opera, operetta and musical theater literature in contrasting styles and historical periods, culminating in one operatic scenes performance each semester. Develops skills as both a solo and ensemble performer. Introduces skills related to the field of operatic performance, including but not limited to stage movement, mind-body awareness, character development, score and text analysis, diction, acting and improvisation techniques. Forms and integrates a performing operatic ensemble to serve as an outreach group which will perform in some K-12 schools.