Confessions of a set designer

Join resident set designer R. Keith Brumley for an At Ease with Opera presentation that will include drawings of the Tosca set to be used in the upcoming Lyric Opera production. Keith will confess his scenic design secrets for building dramatic sets in this uncertain economy. And, there may be other surprises!

 These preview lectures are sponsored by the Lyric Opera Guild. Tonight’s will be held at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library, and begins at 7 p.m.

See you there!

Puccini’s “shabby little shocker”

Join the Lyric Opera Guild for two At Ease programs, designed to educate and entertain casual opera-goers. The following preview the upcoming Lyric Opera of Kansas City production of Tosca.

Opera as History: How Operas Portray Historical Events
Monday, August 24 – 7 p.m. at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center

Guild member Don Dagenais will discuss history as told through the eyes of opera, and in particular, Tosca. Tosca is just one of the operas that portray (or areplaced against the background of) real historical events. How good are opera composers as historians? Come find out!

Confessions of Set Designer: How to be Creative in Trying Times
Monday, August 31 – 7 p.m. at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library

Join resident set designer R. Keith Brumley for a presentation that will include drawings of the Tosca set to be used in the upcoming Lyric Opera production. There may be other surprises!

Why I support the Opera: Tom Brandt

Tom Brandt

I’m a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area. Professionally, I’m a Captain with the Overland Park Fire Department. Recreationally, I’m an avid outdoors-man. Most of my spare time is spent renovating a 120 acre farm that was abandoned in Jefferson County, KS.

I was introduced to the opera by a high school music teacher, Mrs. Denihan. She offered a generous amount of extra credit for attending a Lyric Opera production. My best guess is that it was La Traviata, but to be honest I’m not sure as I don’t remember a thing about it! However, it must have made an impact because I occasionally returned.

I’ve skipped a few years here and there, but I believe I’ve been a member of the Guild since the mid 1980’s. A 1989 performance of La boheme sealed the deal and I’ve been a season ticket holder for most of the time since then.

About 7 years ago, the Guild introduced an associated organization for young professionals, the Bohemians. I volunteered to assist Nikki Browning, Bohemians’ founder, with Bohemian activities. She soon invited me to become a regular board member of the Guild. In that role I’ve assisted other board members with hosting in the Guild Room, supported organizational activities, participated in the annual fashion show, and hosted presentations for the Guild Speaker’s Bureau.

I’d encourage Lyric Opera fans to join the Guild because it presents so many opportunities for fun, friendship, activities, personal reward, and fringe benefits for membership.

My favorite LOKC production was the Carmen before last. I think Victoria Livengood sang Carmen and it was fantastic. I’m not a musically educated or particularly well travelled opera-goer, so I can’t explain technically why I liked that one production over the others. But I remember being especially moved by it.

My favorite opera? Musically, there too many styles that are my favorite in their own right to select one overall, but not so with the libretto. Tosca is my favorite, hands-down. Despite her beauty, her fame, her talent, Tosca is still “just” a woman, and Cavaradossi is “just like” a man. She’s subject to jealousy, she possesses unyielding (though not unwavering!) faith, she has tremendous strength of will, but all is subordinate to love. He is idealistic, honorable, steadfast, and also in love. Scarpia, well, he’s just plain evil. The story that unfolds between them is first class drama intensified by first class music.

Guild wins international award

Congratulations to the Lyric Opera Guild for winning a “projects of special merit” award for its preview CDs from Opera Volunteers International. The Guild will receive the award at the annual OVI meeting in Santa Fe this July.

Orginally distributed in the late 1990’s as cassettes, the preview CDs involve extended hours of research, writing, recording, and production by Guild members and are intended to educate and enhance the appreciation of listeners prior to attending Lyric Opera performances.

The preview CDs are a special benefit of membership in the Lyric Opera Guild at the Sponsor level or higher. Want to join? Click here!