Hi everyone! Michael Wade Lee here! Am just getting ready to drive to Birmingham from my family home in San Antonio, TX, and I can't wait to see what the new year has in store for us. I'm so excited to sing the Duke again, especially with an old friend, Jan Cornelius and our new friend, Todd Thomas. Im also looking forward to working with Mr. Astafan and maestro White for the first time.
It's always such a pain for us to pack to go anywhere because we usually have to pack for multiple seasons and multiple continents. And flying everywhere is no picnic. The rules/price for luggage, eating at airports and on planes, recycled dry plane air, the cabin pressure for up to 8 hours at a time, plus lugging around one or two 50 lb suitcases... it's not easy! But to drive a car for the twelve hour trip?!? No problem!
We'll blog again soon once rehearsals start up. I've never blogged before but it sounds like this could be fun and/or interesting! Talk again soon!
Michael

Opera Birmingham in the News!

Production week is here and the media is abuzz with news of the upcoming "Magic Flute!" Check out the Birmingham News article (linked) below, and mark your calendar to tune in to Fox 6 "Good Day Alabama" this upcoming Wednesday, March 13th, beginning at 6 am for an exclusive Opera Birmingham interview! This is going to be a "Flute" you'll never forget!

http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/03/opera_birmingham_channeling_th.html?utm_source=Magic+Flute+Fri+3%2F8&utm_campaign=Magic+Flute+3-8-13&utm_medium=email

Jan Cornelius on ABC 33/40's Talk of Alabama!

We are thrilled to have had Jan Cornelius, our Pamina in the upcoming "Magic Flute," represent Opera Birmingham on ABC 33/40's Talk of Alabama this week!
Check out her interview below. Thanks, Jan!

http://www.abc3340.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8554088

Making Magic in Birmingham

Had a few minutes this morning and decided there was no better way to spend it than blogging!  To say it's been an eventful first week back in Birmingham would be an understatement.  After arriving from Philadelphia the first day of rehearsals, I unfortunately totalled my rental car that very same rainy night.  Those confusing one-way streets in downtown B-ham are NO joke!  It was a pretty severe wreck, but thankfully, no one was seriously injured.  Other than a sore neck and some shaken nerves, the process here has gone off with out a hitch.  Everyone here has been VERY accommodating and understanding, and I couldn't be more thankful for all the love and support I've received these past few days.

The show must go on though, as they say, and it certainly has.  We are onto to Act 2 today and I'm pretty sure with our director Marc Astafan's efficiency, we'll be done staging the opera in a total of 5 days.  I like this approach very much.  Get the animal on it's feet, and then teach it to walk!  It really allows the actors to develop the material we've been given.  And in all honestly, it's nice to know that you've tackled the entirety of the piece so early on.

I'm very excited to be back in Birmingham after last year's Carmen.  I always have a blast here.  The people, the food, the Southern hospitality.. makes a Texan gal feel right at home!  Tomorrow is Birmingham Opera's Annual Gala and I couldn't be more excited to sing, eat, and frolic with friends and patrons!  Hope to see you there for what I'm sure with be a MAGICAL night!

What a great first week of rehearsals we've had for THE MAGIC FLUTE here in Birmingham!  The cast is terrific and we've staged the entire first Act in three days.  Having a swell time here making my Opera Birmingham debut directing this production.  More soon!   -Marc

Greetings from your Queen (of the Night, that is)

None of the singers has posted on the opera blog yet, so I thought I would be the first. I'm Erica, and I'm in town to sing Queen of the Night, pretty much my favorite role to sing in all of opera. Short, sweet (well, maybe not too sweet), and memorable! I arrived in Birmingham on Sunday night, and thanks to singing a character who is only on stage for 10 minutes, I've had some free time already to explore. Yesterday, I went to the art museum, which I really enjoyed. It's not overwhelmingly large, so I was able to see everything in about two hours. I especially liked the Hip, Hippo, Hooray! exhibit, with images of hippos painted on dishes. Super cute! Then I went to the botanical garden, which was practically empty since it was so cold yesterday (who am I kidding - I'm from NJ!). I'd love to see it all in bloom, but I definitely had a lovely walk. And last night, I had my first taste of B'ham barbecue at Jim 'n Nick's. They were out of pork!! I look forward to trying all the different bbq joints, and hopefully the pork shortage won't happen again!

Today is my first staging rehearsal with Marc Astafan, the director. He won't remember this, but 13 years ago, he directed me at the Bay View Music Festival in Marriage of Figaro. I was singing Barbarina, and it was my first opera role ever. I'm looking forward to working with him again.

I actually know quite a few people in the cast, and I'm very excited to get to work with them. I was at the Des Moines Metro Opera Young Artist Program in 2006 with Kori Jennings, the Third Lady. I was a young artist at Chautauqua Opera with Jan Cornelius, the Pamina. Corey McKern was a groomsmen in my wedding. And the person I know the best is the Sarastro, Harold Wilson, whom I have been happily married to since May of 2010. This is our first time in a production together, and I hope that there are more to come!

Well, time to eat some lunch and warm up the voice!

5-Star Review by Birmingham News!!!

5-Star Review by Birmingham News!!! "...Opera Birmingham's production of Puccini's masterpiece is a triumph of drama, music and staging...For anyone who is still shy about attending opera, this will surely be the icebreaker."

 

Be sure and check out the full article: great job everyone!

 

http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/01/opera_birminghams_madame_butte_1.html