Each September opera companies begin a new season enticing audiences into the theater with either standard operatic fare or a new production featuring some of the best singers around. I am happy to report that I am in full swing of what promises to be a whirlwind of a season filled with company debuts and new roles!
In September I made my debut with Long Island Opera in a wonderful production of Carmen featuring some great singers. Singing Escamillo was a fantastic challenge as the role needs a great deal of vocal and physical swagger. With a stupendous cast and directing/coaching staff, I was able to bring the Toreador to vivid life and even have a great time singing, jumping and fighting my way through this great part.
I am now in the midst of rehearsals for a unique production of La bohème that will be in English and presented in a cabaret format with updated references. The goal of the production is to introduce new audiences to opera in an accessible format and what better story than the starving artists of Paris who fall in and out of love and face life with a care-free lifestyle? I am looking forward to this production as I get to work with some old colleagues from grad school who are now out and about making a name for themselves.
January brings a new role and a role debut with Bronx Opera. Rossini is one of my favorite composers and any chance I get to sing his music brings a smile to my face. His fantastic opera, La Gazza Ladra (The Thieving Magpie) tells the story a young servant named Ninetta who is accused of stealing until it is revealed that a magpie is taking everything. I will play the role of Ninetta’s father, Fernando and am looking forward to learning this role filled with Rossini’s brilliant vocal writing.
I jump forward to the 20th century in February as I make my Opera Naples debut in their production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream singing Theseus, Duke of Athens. I have had some wonderful Britten experiences having sun his cantata “Rejoice in the Lamb” and Sid in Albert Herring in college. Shakespeare experts Cecil Mackinnon and Philip Watson will bring this production to the stage and I look forward to being part of this enchanted world so well captured by Shakespeare and Britten.
On my way back to Columbus after singing in Long Island Opera’s Carmen, I made a stop in Harrisburg, PA to audition for Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Artistic Director Stuart Malina. Four arias later, an offer was made and I am excited to say that I will be singing Marquis D’Obigny in their upcoming concert version of La Traviata in March.
In May and June I will return to one of my favorite companies, St. Petersburg Opera to sing a new role, the Music Teacher in Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos. My first professional role was as the Cappadocian in Strauss’ Salome and since then, I have been a huge fan. The role will be another great challenge as it is mostly recitative in style (quick sung text that is more speech-like and quite rhythmic in nature) and is littered with a mouthful of German. I have already begun my study of this role as I want to give myself ample time to learn it.
It’s hard to believe that summer is over and that fall has fallen and I have already started a new season, but in the fast-paced world of opera, there is always a new role to learn (and quickly), auditions for future seasons and the joy of discovery as a role begins to fit the voice and personality like a glove.
Peace,
Eric McKeever
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