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Austin Lyric Opera
April 16, 2012
Review: Austin Lyric Opera's 'Turandot'
There was a palpable buzz in the air on Saturday night as the Austin Lyric Opera opened Puccini’s “Turandot,” its season finale.
Those of us who, ahem, arrived late, caught the first act from a balcony that was standing-room-only, and the packed house that spilled out at each intermission was lavishly dressed and having a blast. It was as if everyone had collectively decided that recession-era opera was over.
Opera patrons typically dress up, especially on opening night. Even so, this weekend’s sartorial choices stood out.
Prominent in the crowd were a top hat and a man in riding boots. You know it’s serious when the men break out the props.
In a happy coincidence, the stylish opera goers were rewarded with a bold and stylish opera.
After a season of solid productions with lean sets, the opening scene of “Turandot” was packed with energy and activity. The setting is pre-modern China, with a chorus of villagers in rice paddy hats, mingling amongst large stone walls carved with dragons. The walls were lit in vivid red and dark orange, and as the executioner grinds his sword sharp, sparks fly out, dramatically.
The sword is for princess Turandot’s latest victim, another suitor who’s failed to answer her riddles. The penalty is death, but it doesn’t stop the next prince, our hero, from trying to win the quiz and Turandot’s hand in marriage.
The story is hokey in places, but it’s saved by Puccini’s brilliance for musical drama and a big chorus — the villagers who are always ready to pop in with their opinions. Oh, and a few blockbuster arias.
On opening night a few scenes stood out. The ministers Ping, Pang and Pong make stunning use of the library’s rolling ladder, as the trio pines away for better times with exquisite timing, tone and movements.
The show’s musical highlight is Elizabeth Caballero’s turn as Liu, the play’s most sympathetic character. Caballero nearly steals the show with a prodigiously beautiful voice, that shimmers with emotion, volume and nuanced shades of color.
The crowd positively fawned over her, with an applause several orders of magnitude above the others (a wave of gratitude that topped any I’ve heard at the Long Center, for any concert). It plainly floored the young soprano.
The other principals, Lise Lindstrom as Turandot and Frank Porretta as the Prince, bring fine voices, though Porretta was often drowned out by the orchestra and chorus. His “Nessun Dorma,” the heart-stirring aria, fared much better.
A great deal of praise belongs to the sprawling sets by Keith Brumley (which premiered last fall at Kansas City’s stunning new Kauffman Center), and some deft direction by conductor Richard Buckley and choreography by stage director Garnett Bruce.
Aside from what has always been an awkward finale (it’s hard to feel kindly towards the murderous princess), “Turandot” is certainly this year’s best night at the opera, and a brilliant finish that puts recession-era sets to rest.
“Turandot” continues 7:30 p.m. April 20, 3 p.m. April 22 at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. See www.austinlyricopera.org
Luke Quinton is an American-Statesman freelance arts critic.
Photos by Mark Matson.
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February 24, 2012
Austin Lyric Opera names new general director
Austin Lyric Opera has chosen Joseph Specter as its new general director.
Specter is currently the director of institutional relations at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, a position he has held since 2010. Prior to the Met, he was an associate at the investment firm Lord Abbett & Co.
A former professional baritone, Specter earned an artist diploma from Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts and is a graduate of the double-degree program between Tufts University and the New England Conservatory of Music.
Specter replaces Kevin Patterson exited from the opera leadership position last May amid news that ALO had at least $2 million in debt. Kevin Smith, former president and chief executive of the Minnesota Opera for nearly 30 years, has served as the opera’s interim director since then.
Specter begins his new post April 16. He joins ALO as the organization simultaneously marks its 25th anniversary season and tackles its fiscal crisis.
Last summer, ALO leaders cut back the number of performances for this season’s three production, running three shows per production rather than the usual four. It also relinquished its box office to the Long Center for the Performing Arts, cut staff and jettisoned its Armstrong Community Music School. The school has since become a separate organization.
And in December, ALO sold its purpose-built headquarters to a local TV and film production company for $5.45 million. Built specifically as a music facility with soundproof studios and a large rehearsal space, the building at Barton Springs Road and Bouldin Avenue across from the Long Center opened in 2000, after the opera raised $4.5 million from donors for its construction.
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January 31, 2012
Austin Lyric Opera, music school formally split
The previously announced split between Austin Lyric Opera and its Armstrong Community Music School will be official Feb. 1, opera officials announced today.
In June, ALO announced that it would jettison its music school as a cost-saving measure amid news that the opera was nearly $2 million in debt. At the same time, the opera announced that it would selling its purpose-built facility on Barton Springs Road. ALO sold its building in December for $5.45 million.
“This change allows the Austin Lyric Opera and the Armstrong Community School of Music to focus on their core missions and to expand their services to the community,” said Ernest Auerbach, ALO board president, in an official statement.
Founding school director Margaret Perry will remain as the school’s leader.
Martha Rochelle, who chaired ALO’s task force that worked on a strategic plan for the future of the school, will serve as Armstrong Community Music School’s chair.
The Armstrong chool opened to much celebration in 2000 along with the new building, much of which was devoted to school activities.
Both the opera and the school will maintain their programs and operations at the Barton Springs Road facility through April after which each will establish separate facilities.
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January 17, 2012
Austin Lyric Opera announces 2012-2013 season
Leoncavallo’s ‘Pagliacci,’ Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ and Gounod’s ‘Faust’ will constitute Austin Lyric Opera’s 2012-2013 season, the organization announced.
Richard Buckley, ALO artistic director and principal conductor, will lead all three productions.
And also starting next season, ALO performances will be scheduled on Thursday nights (7:30 p.m.), Saturday nights (7:30 p.m.) followed by a 3 p.m. Sunday matinee. This season ALO reduced the number of performances from four to three in order to cut costs.
‘Pagliacci’ is designed by Roberto Laganà; the production of ‘Figaro’ was originated by the Opera Company of Philadelphia and ‘Faust’ is a coproduction of Arizona Opera, Lyric Opera Baltimore and Opera Lyra Ottawa.
ALO recently sold its building on Barton Springs Road in an effort to pay off nearly $2 million in debt.
ALO presents ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ next with three performances Jan. 28, Feb. 3 and 5 at the Long Center.
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November 7, 2011
Review: Austin Lyric Opera's 'The Magic Flute'
Forget the shadow of financial difficulty that’s been cast over Austin Lyric Opera in the past year or so.
Or at least put that shadow aside for the three hours of ALO’s sunny, delightful turn with “The Magic Flute” which opened Saturday at the Long Center in a production by Milwaukee’s Florentine Opera This “Flute” trades deftly on lightness, maximizing and modernizing the comic content of Mozart’s masterpiece without sacrificing any of the essentials.
Against a spare yet fluid all-white set of platforms, ramps and moving panels that captured projections and lighting designs, an energetic and solidly good cast delivered an animated, fresh-feeling production of the opera that ALO began with 25 years ago.
With his spot-on comic timing and physical antics, David Adam Moore is the show stealer as Papageno, and his strong rich baritone nicely balance the shenanigans. Likewise, tenor Doug Jones comically amps up his turn as Monostatos while also never forsaking his very good vocal performance.
The lovely, clear-voiced lyric soprano Hanan Alattar gives her Pamina just enough of moxie to modernize the classic sweetheart role. And as Tamino, tenor Arthur Espiritu garnered a bravo Juliet Petrus does well as the Queen of the Night, competently delivering the challenging and famous Der Hölle Rache aria. James Moellenhoff makes a commanding Sarastro with his full round tones.
If the set by Noele Stollmack actd as a simple white canvas, Christianne Myers’ inspired, whimsical costumes — with sartorial quotes from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” among other contemporary references — more than supply the visual gratification.
Conductor Richard Buckley expertly took a “less is more” approach to Mozart’s beautiful score Stage director James Marvel gives the cast plenty of waggish gestures and movements with just the right hints of camp to make for a terrifically performed fantasy.
A sparkling, joyful performance from start to finish, this “Magic Flute” has plenty of aplomb.
“The Magic Flute” continues 7:30 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. Tickets: $19-$135. www.austinlyricopera.org.
Image: David Adam Moore as Papageno and Jamie-Rose Guarrine and Papagena. Photo by Mark Matson for Austin Lyric Opera.
October 4, 2011
And now it's official: Richard Buckley re-appointed artistic director to Austin Lyric Opera
Austin Lyric Opera officials announced to today that they have officially appointed Richard Buckley, longtime principal conductor and former artistic director, as the opera’s new artistic director.
Or maybe that should be officially re-appointed Buckley as artistic director.
Buckley served as artistic director from 2003 to 2007. Then he stepped down, citing the need for wider creative opportunity but remained ALO’s principal conductor. The opera hired Kevin Patterson shortly thereafter, making him general director and the number one in charge.
But when ALO officials announced in April that they had dismissed Patterson amid reports of the organization being $2 million in debt, it was also announced that Buckley would be heretofore make artistic decisions for the company.
Now, Buckley’s title has been added to and his role as artistic director officiated. Or maybe re-officiated.
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August 11, 2011
Austin Lyric opera to sell headquarters, jettison its music school.
Confirming rumors that have been circulating for weeks, officials with the Austin Lyric Opera announced Thursday that the organization plans to sell its headquarters on Barton Springs Road and will also jettison its music school.
Opera representatives said in June that both moves were under consideration as money-saving strategies for the financially troubled organization.
Built specifically as a music facility with sound-proof studios and a large rehearsal space, the building at Barton Springs Road and Bouldin Avenue across from the Long Center opened in 2000, after the opera raised $4.5 million for its construction. It was designed by Lake Flato Architects of San Antonio. It is on the market for $5.6 million. Commercial Texas will represent the sale.
“(The building) is the only asset we have,” said Jo Anne Christian, chairman of the opera board. “This is a long-term, strategic move in order to gain efficiency and sustainability.”
The Armstrong Community Music School, which opened to much celebration in 2000 along with the new building, will also separate formally from the opera and incorporate as an independent entity. The school is the first of its kind to have opened in the Central Texas region.
Christian said that no timeline for the school’s separation from the opera has been set and that a task force has been appointed to incorporate the school as its own non-profit organization. The music school will also have to find its own new facility, she said.
A new facility for opera staff offices and for rehearsals has also not been identified yet, Christian said.
Thursday’s announcement is just the latest of the organization’s austerity moves in the last several months.
In May, Kevin Patterson, the opera’s general director, left his post amid news that the opera was in nearly $2 million of debt. The opera’s current annual budget is $4 million.
Since Patterson’s departure, the organization has trimmed the number of performances it will offer next season from four per production to three. The opera also closed its box office and consigned its ticket sale operations to the Long Center for the Performing Arts. The opera’s 25th anniversary gala planned for the fall was also canceled.
An emergency fund-raising campaign launched earlier this summer has so far netted $1 million in donations and pledges, Christian said. Kevin Smith, former president and chief executive officer of the Minnesota Opera, joined the opera this month as the interim director.
June 15, 2011
ALO announces new strategies
After announcing that it was more than $1 million in debt and that its managing director had departed, Austin Lyric Opera revealed its newest fundraising and austerity plans Wednesday.
In a release, the ALO board said that it had adopted several strategies for the organization to move forward.
- Effective July 1, Kevin Smith, former president and CEO of the Minnesota Opera, will begin as ALO’s interim director. He will assist the board in a search for a general director.
- Wednesday performances have been canceled for the upcoming season. Each of ALO’s three productions will run for three shows, instead of four.
- The Long Center for the Performing Arts will take on all of ALO’s box office functions.
- An aggressive emergency fundraising campaign has netted nearly $1 million in donations and pledges.
In May, ALO leaders announced that they accepted the resignation of general director Kevin Patterson and that organization faced more than $1 million of debt.
Story developing. Updates to come.
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May 2, 2011
Austin Lyric Opera managing director resigns; organization facing $1 million debt
Update: Read the full story here.
Leaders of the Austin Lyric Opera announced Monday that they were accepting the resignation of general director Kevin Patterson and that fundraising plans were being made to eradicate the organization’s more than $1 million of debt.
“We decided that we needed to address the deficit,” said Jo Anne Christian chairman of the opera board. “We’ve cut costs, but it’s not improving.”
Christian said that board president Ernest Auerbach will assume the role of volunteer CEO for the organization while a search for a permanent director is underway. Auerbach is a retired corporate executive who held senior positions at Xerox, CIGNA, New York Life Insurance International and AIG.
Austin Lyric Opera principal conductor and former artistic director Richard Buckley will assume responsibility for the company’s artistic decisions.
Full story to follow.
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