You are here

CANCELED: Vocal Theatre Works: Works in Process: American Portraits in Songs & Scenes   

Saturday, March 7, 2020 - 2:00pm
FREE
  • Vocal Theatre Workshop participants (Photo: Steve Korn).

This event has been cancelled.

Visiting artist Deanne Meek leads students from the UW Vocal program in performances of songs and scenes of the American Experience, including highlights from the American Songbook and both classic and contemporary operatic repertoire.

Deanne Meek, stage director
Beth Tankersley, piano
Richard Carrick, conductor*
Rhonda Kline, additional musical preparation

The Old Maid and the Thief (1939)*
Music & Libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007)

Opera in One Act:
Duet: Sc. 1 “Good Day”
Aria: Sc. 4 “Steal me, Sweet Thief”
Aria: Sc. 8 “Bob’s Bedroom Aria”

Athena Beebe, mezzo-soprano (Miss Todd); Eun Ju Vivianna Oh, soprano (Miss Pinkerton); Lorraine Pagán, soprano (Laetitia); Christopher Benfield, baritone (Bob)

Vanessa (1956-57)
Music by Samuel Barber (1910-1981) Libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti

Aria/Scene: Act 1, Sc. 1 “Do Not Utter a Word”
Aria: Act 1, Sc. 2 “Outside This House”

Jingjing Qi, soprano (Vanessa); Joseph Muriello, tenor (Anatol);
Madison Lombardo (Erika)

Wuthering Heights (1958)
Music by Bernard Herrmann (1911-1975)
Libretto by Lucille Fletcher (after book by Emily Brontë)

Aria/Scene: Act I, Sc. 1 “I HaveBeen Wandering…”
Aria: Act 3, Sc. 1 “Now Art Thou Dear”

Kathryn Leland, soprano (Catherine); Kuoran Li, baritone (Heathcliff); Nicholas Klein, tenor (Edgar Linton)

Glory Denied (2006)
Music by Tom Cipullo (b. 1956)
Libretto adapted from Oral History gathered by Tom Philpott

Aria: Act 2, Sc. 20 “My Darling Jim”
Aria: Act 2, Sc. 11 “After You Hear Me Out”
Aria: Act 2, Sc. 18 “Congregation Aria”

Lorraine Pagán, soprano (Young Alyce); Eun Ju Vivianna Oh, soprano (Old Alyce); Christopher Benfield, baritone (Old Thomson)

Starbird (1979-80)
Music by Henry Mollicone (b. 1946) Libretto by Kate Pogue

Opera in One Act:
Aria/Scene:
Sc. 1 “Miserable and Hideous…”
Aria/Scene:
Sc. 1 “I’ve Had Worse Than You, Honey…”

Joseph Muriello, tenor (Dog); Tina Trn, mezzo-soprano (Cat)

Dead Man Walking (2000)
Music by Jake Heggie (b.1961)
Libretto by Terrence McNally (after book by Sister Helen Prejean)

Aria: Act 1, Sc. 2 “This Journey”

Madison Lombardo, mezzo-soprano (Sister Helen Prejean)

The Scarlet Letter (2008)
Music by Lori Laitman (b. 1955)
Libretto by David Mason (after book by Nathaniel Hawthorne)

Aria: Act 2, Sc. 1 “This Canopy of Trees”
Duet: Act 2, Sc. 1 “Our Eden Here is Love”

Sarah Fantappié, soprano (Hester Prynne); Nicholas Klein, tenor (Arthur Dimmesdale)

A View From the Bridge (1997-98)
Music by William Bolcom (b. 1938)
Libretto by Arnold Weinste (after book by Arthur Miller)

Aria: Act 1, Sc. 4 “New York Lights”

Joseph Muriello, tenor (Rodolpho); Kathryn Leland (Catherine)

Little Women (1998)
Music & Libretto by Mark Adamo (b. 1962)  (after book by Louisa May Alcott)

Aria: Act 1, Sc.2 “Things Change, Jo”

Athena Beebe, mezzo-soprano (Meg March); Eun Ju Vivianna Oh (Jo March)

Speed Dating Tonight (2013)
Music & Libretto by Michael Ching (b. 1958)

Six Songs:
“I’ve always Liked this Bar”
“Origami”
“Lurking”
“Love me, love my cats”
“Leaving”
“Campaign Consultant”

Kathryn Leland, soprano; Jared White, baritone; Tina Trn, mezzo-soprano

The Face on the Barroom Floor (1978)*
Music by Henry Mollicone (b. 1946)
Libretto by John S. Bowman

Opera in One Act:
Trio: Sc. 2 “He Paints the Portrait of His Love”

Sarah Fantappié, soprano (Madeline); Nicholas Klein, tenor (Matt); Jared White, baritone (John)

Lauded as a “splendid mezzo-soprano” by the Wall Street Journal, Deanne Meek has performed leading roles at home and abroad to critical acclaim. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she began her career as Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanna for Dublin Grand Opera, Ireland, followed by seasons with New York City Opera in such roles as Suzuki in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Cherubino in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel

Subsequent New York appearances included debut solo performances with the Metropolitan Opera in productions of Mozart’s IdomeneoMadama ButterflyParsifaland Rusalka.  Equally comfortable in the baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary repertoire, the mezzo continues to sing principle roles with many of the great opera companies throughout the world, including Washington Opera, Dallas Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Opera National du Rhin in Strasbourg, Madrid’s Teatro Real, and in Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colon.  Under the direction of acclaimed director Sir David McVicar, Deanne’s British debut performance in the role of Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier for Opera North was praised as “breathtaking” by Opera Magazine, and her interpretation of Ruggiero in Handel’s Alcina for English National Opera shortly thereafter received equally strong praise. In another signature role, the mezzo’s performances as Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream have brought her to further collaborations with Sir McVicar for La Monnaie in Brussels, and under the direction of Robert Carson, to the Opera de Lyon in France, Teatro alla Scala, Milan, and from the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, in a performance that can be seen on Virgin Classics DVD.

 A champion of new music, the mezzo is frequently heard with the 21st Century Consort at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C, where she recently premiered and recorded Algebra of Night, a new song cycle for mezzo and chamber ensemble by composer Eugene O’Brien. In New York she has also premiered songs by composer Sheila Silver under the title Beauty Intolerable at Symphony Space, and in the Northwest, has performed composer Jake Heggie’s song cycle Camille Claudel: Into the Fire with the Methow Valley Chamber Music festival.  Deanne has also curated and performed several recitals in conjunction with exhibits at the Frye Art Museum. She can be heard in both DVD and Audio format under the BBC, Virgin, PS Classics and Telarc labels.

 Ms. Meek is a graduate of Whitman College and of the Peabody Institute of Music, Johns Hopkins, and holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College.  She is an AmSat certified teacher of the Alexander Technique and Associate Teacher of the Fitzmaurice Voicework, and has trained extensively in New York City with the Ping Chong and SITI acting companies. She has been a visiting artist with the University of Washington School of Music since 2016, where she gives vocal master classes, directs, and teaches both movement and acting technique to opera singers. In addition to directing Ravel’s L’enfant et le Sortiléges for the University of Washington School of Music Opera Workshop, upcoming 2018 engagements for the mezzo-soprano include return performances with the Frye Art Museum, the Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival, and her company debut performance with Des Moines Metro Opera in Jonathan Dove’s opera Flight

Richard Carrick, choral conducting

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Richard Carrick is a conductor, singer, and educator. He is currently pursuing a D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington where he studies with Dr. Geoffrey Boers and Dr. Giselle Wyers. Richard completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. At Cal Poly, Richard studied conducting with Dr. Tom Davies and Voice from Jackie Bauer Kreitzer. During his time in San Luis Obispo he worked with the Central Coast Childrens Choir as the Apprentice Choir director and assistant director to the Boys Chorus. He also conducted the choirs at the Community Church of Atascadero. Richard Continued his education at the University of Oregon where he earned a M.M. in Choral Conducting under the direction of Dr. Sharon Paul. While at the University of Oregon, Richard continued to study voice with Eric Mentzel. Following his time in Oregon, Richard returned to his home town and worked with the San Francisco Boys Chorus as the Director of the Apprentice Choirs and served on the educational outreach team.

From 2012 until 2018 Richard lived in the Twin Cities and served as the Artistic Director of the South Metro Chorale and Artistic Director of Calliope Women's Chorus. He also served as Assistant Conductor of the Oratorio Society of Minnesota under the direction of Dr. Matthew Mehaffey. As a church musician, Richard served as Music Director at Hamline Church in St. Paul as well as Music Director at Glendale United Methodist Church. Richard taught music at Burroughs Community School and Hope Academy in Minneapolis, and operated a thriving private voice studio. Richard has sung professionally with the Minnesota Chorale and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Chorale, the Oregon Bach Festival, and professional chamber choirs including Magpies and Ravens, and IMPLS.

Rhonda Kline is Artist in Residence and Director of Collaborative Piano at the University of Washington School of Music. An accomplished and versatile pianist cited as a “tour de force at the piano” (Klarinet), Rhonda’s passion is collaborating with others in sharing music. International highlights included a weeklong residency at the American University of Sharjah near Dubai in partnership with baritone Victor Benedetti and soprano Juliana Rambaldi;  and a recital tour with Metropolitan Opera soprano Joyce Guyer, performing in Florence, Budapest, and Kyiv. Current projects include music direction for one-act operas by local composer Sterling Tinsley, Tacoma Opera online presentations, and a performance with Bellingham Chamber Chorale of Mozart’s Requiem arranged for piano duet (partnered with pianist Emily Gantt). Passionate about fostering both the young emerging professional and veteran performer, Rhonda serves as general director and music director for Northwest Opera In Schools, Etc. (N.O.I.S.E., www.noiseforkids.org), an opera education program serving elementary schools and retirement communities in Washington state. Summer months find her in Italy, where she is a pianist and coach with Canta in Italia, a program for singers to study opera and Italian language and culture. Her operatic coaching repertoire includes more than 60 titles, including traditional operas, contemporary works, and musical theater.

Share