Texapolitan Opera comes to Birmingham

Hello There Birminghamians,

Is that what they call the good folks of Birmingham? Or is is Birminghammers. I like Birminghammers, it has a very authoritative ring to it, and after the way Auburn hammered Oregon last night, I think it's incredibly appropriate.

You know who else gets hammered this month? The chorus of Faust, during one of my favorite opera moments, Mephistopheles' aria, Le Veau d'or. One sip of Vin de Bacchus 1832, and the chorus begins a Mephistophelean jig that is a great metaphor for the way that I believe this opera will charm you all at the end of this month. I've not sung with anyone in this particular cast before; led by the incredible duo of Dona Vaughn and Israel Gursky, but after the first sing through, I can assure you that you will be as captivated and enchanted by this group of artists as the villagers are by Mephistopheles' famous Ode to the Golden Calf.



I believe as well, that if you get to know each of these artists, beyond the 150 word bio that will undoubtedly be found in the program, you will enjoy this production all the more. It's what I call the soccer effect. Bear with me.

I hate soccer. I've never been able to get into it~ try as I might, especially given that futbol is THE international sport, and the easiest subject for small talk when it comes to singers of other nationalities. However, there was a time, when I was interested in soccer. When my nephews were young, they all played, and I found myself actually getting interested in the games...at times, even leaping to my feet and cheering. Now, that would never have happened under any other circumstances; you give me front row tickets behind the goal of a Team USA game, and I might muster a enthusiastic clapping fit, or even a lackluster cheer... but aside from that, I really have no vested interest. And therein lies the key. When you have a personal, vested interest, in the lives and careers of the people involved, your interest in a game instantly skyrockets. If you have an office mate or husband who has joined a fantasy football league (or as I call it, Dungeons and Dragons for Jocks), you understand exactly what I am talking about.

Fortunately, we live in a time when there are so many tools out there that make that information readily available. The recession, while forcing a huge contraction in our business, has led to singers taking a more proactive role in their marketing. Opera professionals are developing a more broadbased appeal, so that now, you as an audience member can really get to know them. Between Facebook Fan Pages, Twitter, and Blogs it's easier than ever to find out interesting tidbits about your favorite artists. Trust me, once you get into really knowing your singers, it will become a delightful hobby, and one that will enhance your experience as a consumer of the art-form.

So, if you are going to come to the opera this month, I encourage you to upgrade your opera experience to Birmangham Opera v2.o. I guarantee that if you take the time to understand who your artists are, beyond their resumes and press kits, you will find yourself perched 2 inches further on the edge of your seat than normal.

Let me invite you, as one of those singers who has taken full advantage of all the free social networking and internet resources that are out there, to visit my website and podcast, The Texapolitan Opera Roadshow. Obviously, this is a real passion of mine, which has developed into a podcast where I sit down, once a week, with a new opera professional and go beyond the lines of a short bio, into the interesting world that takes place behind the curtain. If you have an iPod, the podcast is also available for free through the iTunes store. You can also find me on Facebook, and on Twitter, where I will be tweeting live from every performance and dress rehearsal (please wait till the intermission to turn on your phones. ;-) I love to expose people to all the behind-the-scenes action that goes into the production of such incredible performances~ such as in this video, where I compressed a 45 minute make-up session down to a minute and 30 seconds to show the incredible work that Sondra Nottingham, a fantastic make-up artist based in Nashville, TN, puts into making Don Giovanni really look like Don Giovanni...


So, this week, while you are sitting down to enjoy the warm relaxing glow of you laptop monitor, take a few minutes to check out your wonderful cast and artistic team. I promise you, it's ten times more interesting than TMZ....