Tracy goes over the edge

We’ve heard of method actors, but with Tosca rehearsals beginning, did our director of production try to identify with the opera’s title role too much?!

Friday morning, director of production Tracy Davis went over the edge — literally! As a fundraiser for Special Olympics, Tracy rappelled down the side of a skyscraper. Tracy raised more than $1,200 for the charity. Way to go!

You can watch Tracy’s outstanding feat here:

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.

Opera aids rehabilitation

According to a new Italian study team, listening to opera music can aid in physical rehabilitation after an injury. Pretty cool! Check out the full report here.

Share your stories!

We hope you’ve enjoyed some of the backstage stories and interviews we’ve shared on the blog this past year.

Now we’d like to hear from you! What is your fondest Lyric Opera memory? What was your favorite Lyric Opera production? Why do you enjoy attending the Lyric Opera?

Post a comment to this post to share your story!

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!

Lyric Opera apprentice stars in Civic Opera production

Lyric Opera of Kansas City apprentice Benjamin Hilgert is starring in the Kansas City Civic Opera production of Don Pasquale, opening this week. Break a leg, Ben!

Add this to your beach reading list

The composer is dead, and every member of the orchestra — even the instruments! — is a suspect. This delightful new book by children’s author Lemony Snicket is a must-add to your summer light reading list. Enjoy!

Culture crunch

Time magazine has a nice feature article this week about the impact the economic crisis has had on the arts. Check it out here.

Want to help support the Lyric Opera? Consider making a contribution here.

Vote today: KC Visitors’ Choice

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City has been nominated a finalist in the 2009 KC Visitors’ Choice competition. You can vote multiple times through August 31, so send this to some friends and make the Lyric Opera a visitors’ favorite!

Cast your vote here.

Putting supertitles in their place

For the last 10 years, Kansas City patrons have become accustomed to enjoying opera in its original language, aided by supertitle translations of lyrics and dialogue projected above the stage at the Lyric Theatre.

At the Kauffman Center, audiences will have an even more personalized way to enjoy opera through an advanced titling system now being used in many theaters around the country.  Each patron can choose to see the titles right at their seat.  Or not.  How’s that possible?  “Figaro!  Figaro!”

Read more about the Figaro supertitle system here.