Opening program lets spotlight shine on 'Pagliacci'.Byline: The Register-Guard CORRECTION (ran 11/01/02): Mark Beaudert, a tenor singing in Eugene Opera's "Pagliacci" today and Sunday, was incorrectly listed Sunday in an Oregon Life story as a former Eugene resident now living in Vienna, N.Y. His home is in Eugene, but he also has residences in Vienna, Austria, and New York. ALTHOUGH it is one of the world's best known operas, Ruggiero Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" is so short (75 minutes) it needs to be paired with another short musical presentation - most often Pietro Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" - to provide a complete evening's entertainment. But the Eugene Opera's "Pagliacci Plus" program is forsaking that coupling in order to concentrate squarely on "Pagliacci." The "Plus" part is a 20-minute sketch about Commedia dell'arte (a stylized styl·ize tr.v. styl·ized, styl·iz·ing, styl·iz·es 1. To restrict or make conform to a particular style. 2. To represent conventionally; conventionalize. art form that began slightly before opera, both in the Renaissance Period) that will open the program. In it, several of the opera's principals will appear as participants at an opera audition in which soprano Katie Harman (Miss America 2002) will sing the aria "O Mio Babbino Caro O mio babbino caro ("Oh my dear daddy") is an aria from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini. It is sung by Lauretta after tensions between Schicchi and his prospective in-laws have reached a breaking point. " from Giacomo Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi," with the Eugene Opera orchestra, conducted by Eugene Opera artistic director and conductor Robert Ashens. In addition, all hands will explain to her the roots of opera and the beginnings of Commedia dell'arte, which is utilized in the full production of "Pagliacci" that follows. More information about opera styles will be available at lobby displays, or stations, that can be accessed during intermission. While major attention will be on Harman, who will play several small roles in the opera itself, the program's focus is "Pagliacci," a tragicomedy that explores the world of a group of traveling actors where fantasy and reality collide and secret love affairs reveal themselves on a public stage. In placing the spotlight squarely on "Pagliacci," maestro Ashens says the opera is allowed a chance to shine. "In my entire career, this has been the most exciting process," Ashens says. "Maybe it was a great thing not to pair it with another work simply because the work is much more complex and deep than people realize." Besides Harman, the performers will be: Brad Keating (Tonio) - Baritone from Los Angeles making his Eugene Opera debut. Performed with Opera Santa Barbara, Chicago Chamber Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Light Opera Works Light Opera Works is a resident professional not-for-profit musical theatre company in Evanston, Illinois. It was founded in 1980 by Philip Kraus, Bridget McDonough (still managing director), and Ellen Dubinsky. (Chicago), Los Angeles Opera The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California, United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center. , Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1954. Production history In addition to the standard operatic repertoire, Lyric also presents contemporary works. . Sang in national tour of "Phantom of the Opera." Winner of Bel Canto Foundation's Carlo Bergonzi Award. Suzan Hanson (Nedda) - Soprano from Hollywood, Calif., making her Eugene Opera debut. Performed with Globe Theatre (San Diego), Arizona Opera, Mississippi Opera, Sacramento Opera, Connecticut Opera, Artpark (Lewiston, N.Y.), Lincoln Center Festival, San Diego Comic Opera, Opera San Jose Opera San Jose is the professional opera company in San Jose, California, USA, founded in 1984 by Irene Dalis. In 1988, it formed a resident company of principal artists, for which it has purchased fourteen apartment units to provide rent-free accommodation. . Toured in national company of "Master Class" with Faye Dunaway. Joel Weiss (Beppe) - Tenor from New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . Played Nanki-Poo in "The Mikado" and Lil' Bat in "Susannah" at Eugene Opera. Performed off-Broadway in "Many a Good Hanging Prevents a Bad Marriage," "That's Life" and "George!" Sang with Ohio Light Opera The Ohio Light Opera is a professional opera company based in Wooster, Ohio that performs the light opera repertory, including Gilbert and Sullivan, and American, British, and continental operettas of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. , Opera Shawnee, New York Chamber Opera, Operaworks. Todd Donovan (Silvio) - Baritone from San Francisco making his Eugene Opera debut. Performed with Nevada Opera, San Francisco Symphony  This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.You can assist by [ editing it] now. , Berkeley Symphony, Bayshore Lyric Opera, Pacific Repertory Opera, West Bay Opera, West Marin Music Festival, Cincinnati Opera, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is a San Francisco-based orchestra dedicated to historically-informed performance of Baroque, Classical and early Romantic music on original instruments. , San Francisco Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is the second largest opera company in North America. It was founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881-1953). The Opening Night Gala of the San Francisco Opera is widely considered to be one of the most memorable events of the year for opera patrons. Guild. Mark Beudert (Canio) - Tenor of Eugene , who also lives in Vienna, Austria, and New York. Sang in Eugene Opera's "Cavalleria Rusticana." Performed on Broadway in "The Pirates of Penzance pirates of Penzance surrender only when charged by the police to yield in the name of their beloved Queen Victoria. [Br. Opera: Gilbert and Sullivan The Pirates of Penzance] See : Loyalty pirates of Penzance " (Frederic) with Kevin Kline; studied with Franco Corelli; won the Pavarotti Competition. Sang at London's Old Vic Theater (winner, Olivier Award; BBC film); sang Sam in "Street Scene" at British, Portuguese and Italian debuts. The stage director is Ellen Douglas Schlaefer of Columbia, S.C., who recently did "The King and I" and "The Merry Widow" (Artpark), "Faust" (Washington Opera), "Fidelio" (Cleveland Opera), "The Ballad of Baby Doe" and "Porgy and Bess" (Connecticut Opera), "Master Class" (Workshop Theatre of South Carolina), "The Magic Flute" (Opera Memphis), "La Dolorose" (Santa Fe Opera Tour). - Fred Crafts |
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