The Ice Princess Cometh

Columbus is a buzz with excitement over everyone's favorite opera ice princess, Turandot!

This week we've been thrilled to have articles in papers like The Columbus Dispatch, This Week News and Suburban News Publications. We've visited Sunny 95's morning show and chatted about opera with Dino and Shawn:
And we've had fun visiting our friends at NBC 4 this morning (and Monday) and telling them about our exciting production. Here we are (feeling like the stars we are) waiting to go to the set:


It's been a blast chatting with folks and telling them about this great production! Know what would be even better? Seeing you there! Just in case you missed it, tickets are $10 - $102.50. Call CAPA at 614.469.0939 or click here to buy your tickets.

As my fabulous friend Othalie Graham says in the Dispatch article, "It's such an exciting story that is easy to follow. If you've never gone to the opera, this is the opera to go to."

There you go people, listen to the lady and get yourself to the opera!

$10 Tickets - Doesn't get better than that!

Just in case you haven't purchased your tickets (tsk, tsk)... I want to remind you that Turandot opens this weekend at the Ohio Theatre. And guess what? You can see this world-class production for as little as $10. Yes, you read that right - $10!!! Basically, for the price of a movie ticket you can see LIVE opera in the beautiful Ohio Theatre. Details about the offer are below:

Opera Columbus is offering $10 rear mezzanine general admission tickets to its upcoming production of Turandot on Friday, February 20 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, February 22 at 2 p.m. at the Ohio Theatre.

“The economy is affecting us all,” said Executive Director Press Southworth. “During these tough times we want to continue to make sure the opera is accessible to all.”

The $10 rear mezzanine general admission tickets are available by calling 614.469.0939 or visiting TicketMaster.com. Tickets are also available at the door; however, the $10 tickets will stop being sold one hour before each show. The box office opens two hours before each performance.

Reserved seating with ticket prices ranging from $27.50 - $102.50 is also available at the above locations.

Sung in Italian with English Supertitles, Turandot will be performed at the Ohio Theatre on Friday, February 20 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, February 22 at 2 p.m. WOSU’s Christopher Purdy will be giving pre-curtain talks starting an hour before the show. Tickets are available by calling 614.469.0939 or visiting TicketMaster.com.

I heart Carl (and Turandot)

The most dashing blogging livestock this side of the Mississippi

Moooooooo! There aren't words to describe the excitement and it's not just because Turandot opens in three days. It's because I got to meet Carl, Opera Cleveland's blogging chicken (Ohio has talented livestock). We decided to get together to dictate... I mean help with the set assembly. Enjoy the pictures from my day with Carl.

Meet Marv. He plays the Price of Persia's head.
Who says Opera isn't exciting?

We took some time to discuss stage managing Turandot with Kevin.

I don't think he was responsive to the suggestion of adding
some cows and chickens into the crowd scenes.

Just making sure Kevin had all his notes in place.
He did. Man, talk about organization. Kevin rocks!


Here we are reenacting the kiss between Turandot and Calaf.
(NOTE: While I heart Carl, my heart still belongs to Stinger.)
We really feel there should be more roles for chickens and cows in opera.

The set was shipped in a huge semi-truck in lots of pieces.
Each piece is marked by scene so you know how to put it
back together. It's like a big, fun, opera puzzle!

A little to the left gentlemen!

Singing our hearts out to the beautiful Ohio Theatre and imagining the
standing ovation that we would surely receive (if there was an audience).

Behind the Scenes

One of my favorite reasons for working at the opera is seeing all the magic that goes on behind the scenes to make the show come together. There's costumes to fit and tailor (and sometimes to build), wigs to fit and style (this show has over 50 wigs/hair pieces!), lights to position, sets to come together...the list can go on and on. What some people don't realize is that this happens in three (sometimes less) short weeks! *sigh* I heart opera.

Here's my picture recap from the last week. Enjoy!

Trying on one of the many masks used in the show.

Ever wondered how the opera singer know where to

stand/move if there's no set with which to practice?
We tape the floor. The different color tape is
for the different sets. Here are some stairs.

Here I am helping Eric (playing the Mandarin)
and Wayne (our costumer) with costume fittings.

Here's our fabulous hair & makeup guru, Chris.

He's fitting Bob Murray (Prince of Persia) with his wig (poor Bob,
the Prince of Persia loses his head - literally - during the show).

Tickets are still available (but going fast). Get yours today by calling 614.469.0939 or clicking here.

Drinking & Singing

I can't imagine a more perfect evening - opera and cocktails.

Opera Columbus hosted another fabulous Meet & Greet on February 6. Guests were able to watch a Turandot rehearsal then were invited to La Chatelaine to enjoy drinks and fantastic food. Special thanks to Jeryl, OC's Activities Coordinator, and Gigi, La Chatelaine's owner, for such a great night!

Want your chance to mingle with the cast? Well then, buy your tickets to Turandot! To order call 614.469.0939 or visit TicketMaster.com. Use code FRIEND for 20% off single tickets! (Yes, this is a shameless plug, but it's my blog, so I'll plug away!). After the February 20 show join us for the after party at Due Amici ($40/per person). Call 614.461.8101 x31 to RSVP.

With funny man Mark Andrew Baker, the lovely
Diana McVey and the talent pianist Ed Bak.

Here I am with the amazing stage director, John Hoomes.

Special shout out to my Nashville Opera fans. You guys rock!

With the oh, so beautiful (and funny) Othalie Graham.

Here I am with the amazing Jay Kromalic, our board president.

I'm starstruck in this picture! I got to meet my favorite
Buckeye, Ryan Pretorius, and his lovely friend, Jessica

So excited to have my picture with ALIVE's
Miss Bella and Sir Thomas.

I Will Sing the Song of Purple Summer

Have I mentioned (lately) how much I love Columbus? What a wonderful town we call home! Beside the opera, there are so many cool things to do and see. We have a world-class arts scene right here in our own back yard.

Helping that arts community thrive is Broadway Across America. They are wonderful partners for us and are always anxious to help us out. Basically, we love them & what they do.

This week the touring Broadway show, Spring Awakening, stops in Columbus. Last night I was lucky enough to see the show and meet the very talented cast (um, have I mentioned that I also really, REALLY, love my job).

Besides winning the 2007 Tony Award and learning that Blake Bashoff (who played Karl on LOST) was in the show I was pretty unfamiliar with it. I think that was a good thing for me because I saw the show with fresh eyes and no preconceived notions (Phantom of the Opera was totally ruined for me when I knew all the special effects before evening seeing it).

Set in Germany in 1891 (but dialogue and songs are performed using modern day language and slang) the musical focuses on teenage self-discovery. The characters yearn for more information but are denied by their puritan parents and elders in their quest for answers. This results in the audience seeing all the trials and tribulations of the teenagers' journey through puberty. The characters explore their sexuality, abuse, suicide, abortion and everything in between (there's also some brief nudity). This is a show for mature audiences.

While the subject matter is serious the energy from the cast, the amazing voices (especially that of Steffi D, a top five finalist on Canadian Idol) the indie-rock style of singing and the catchy tunes will have you tapping your toes and glued to your seat (and trying to resist the urge to get up and dance!).

See it before it's too late (it's in town through Sunday). Click here to buy your tickets now! It's a show you don't want to miss.

(Special thanks to @BroadwayAllison for my udderly awesome backstage experience!)

Just Another Day at the Office

I love my job. The other day I got to hang out and chat with our two awesome Turandot leads - Othalie Graham and Randolph Locke. Can I just say that they are fab-u-lous! Opera singers are so cool (I mean, not as cool as blogging opera cows, but pretty darn close).
Here I am posing with our talented and marvelous stars. "Mimi, why on earth are they wearing sunglasses inside," I hear you asking. Well, let me explain:

1. The sun (that bright object in the sky that usually provides heat) actually made an appearance in Columbus (shocking, I know).
2. We have a real problem with Opera paparazzi outside our office (they often want to snap our photo as we dash off to another exciting Opera Columbus event *sigh*) so the glasses helped to disguise our artists.

From what I hear, practices are going extremely well. In just two days (TWO DAYS!) they already have act one blocked. Needless to say, it's gonna be a good show. Have you bought your tickets yet? NO? Get on it! Call 614.469.0939 or visit Ticketmaster.com to buy tickets today. Enjoy 20% off single tickets by using the code: FRIEND.

Turandot - Day 1

Moooooooo - opera makes me so excited!

Here I am. Excited & waiting for rehearsal to start.

This is one of my favorite days during production time - the first day of rehearsal. This is the first time all the singers have come together to sing for this production. I was lucky enough to sit in on today's rehearsal. Let me tell you - these amazingly talented artists did not disappoint. Powerful and beautiful voices filled the rehearsal space (which is a church community room - ha, you thought opera was so fancy!).

Press greets the artists. From Left to Right: Gene Allen (Emperor Altoum),
Mark Andrew Baker (Ping), Dean Anthony (Pong), Eric Johnston (Pang),
Othalie Graham (Turandot), Randolph Locke (Calaf), Diana McVey (Liu),
Sun Yu (Timur) & Eric McKeever (Mandarin).

Day one is the only time where the artists sit and sing through their parts. Speaking of parts, they come with their part memorized so they can dive right into the rehearsal process. Which they do almost instantly. Can you believe we mount a full-scale grand opera in only three weeks? That's pretty incredible!

These are the incredible folks that help make the opera magic happen.
From back to front: Ed Bak (Pianist), Bill Boggs (Artistic Director/Conductor/Chorusmaster),
John Hoomes (Stage Director), Kevin Lohr (Director of Production/Stage Manager)
& Alicia Boggs (Assistant Stage Manager).