Spotlight on: Shelley Jackson

Interview

"Trust your instincts, combined with these few people you trust. At the end, it is you getting up onstage, and you alone are responsible for working out your issues. Feed your person, love your life and live it fully, and that will be all come out onstage."

4 myths from music school

Editorial

Like in any industry, there's only so much one can learn in school. In conservatories and post-secondary music programs, musicians hone their technique and prepare as best they can for their potential career as a performer; yet there are a few details that simply don't translate well between academic and professional environments. We're big advocates of schools and institutions, and it's important to know what they can and can't offer aspiring musicians. A few myths, debunked:

A little Mozart, a little murder, a lot of fun

Editorial

The audience congregates with the Marshalls as they arrive, and they follow the family inside for the gruesome discovery. As the family goes their separate ways throughout the gallery, audience members are invited to follow specific characters along their journeys. The entire show is performed twice, giving an opportunity for listeners to follow a different character the second time around, and gain some new information on the mysterious murder.

Elevated opera: the Crested Butte Opera Studio

Interview

"The Crested Butte Music Festival was particularly attractive to me because there aren't many paid summer young artist programs where you have the opportunity to sing a leading role. This summer, I'm eager to learn the role in a safe environment with amazing music staff and peers."

Spotlight on: Vanessa Oude-Reimerink

Interview

"Normally, the voice in my head would say things like 'you're running out of air' but instead I try to hear 'you have all the air in the world and you WILL make it through this phrase!' I really believe that sending out positive energy and thoughts will not only make your life more enjoyable, but you will notice a difference in the people who surround you. "

Michael Christie: new opera that the box office loves

Interview

It seems, when an audience is left to decide what they deem "opera", that they respond positively to hearing new works; Christie credits the community surrounding Minnesota Opera for the consistent support. "In some communities, new music doesn't go over quite as well," he explains. "Minnesota is a very particular community; I feel very lucky to be there."

Heavy scenes: the fast lane to a great rehearsal room

Editorial

Rehearsing comedy is a picky thing, and at least it comes with work-mandated jokes. Rehearsing tragedy can really underscore an artist's maturity, willingness to be vulnerable, and the respect that is the inevitable cornerstone of any collaborative work. It's an odd thing, to be grateful for a rape scene. Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that the heaviest of onstage stories are the best at fostering offstage relationships.

Spotlight on: Naomi Eberhard

Interview

"Good singing is an honest, unobstructed release of beauty. Our body is our instrument. It must be healthy and in tune constantly. We must sing sincerely and only with a technique that we know is correct for us. Do not sing in a way that does not feel right, just because someone tells you it is the 'right' way to sing."

Toni Castells: new operas, & new science

Interview

"Science and technology have always fascinated me but at times I've wondered if they are slowly distancing us from our true nature and true purpose. My work is a diary of my existence, about what issues interest or trouble me at a particular stage of life, so I use my music as a cathartic experience to deal with these issues and try and understand them."

New programs: Opera at Tanglewood

Interview

"The main goal is to give these promising artists a taste of what a professional career in opera is like. They are held to very high expectations; each of them is assigned a full role and they must arrive with it 100% memorized. They are expected to be well prepared and eager to learn, show that they are team players, and act in a professional manner throughout the program."