Thank You Columbus!

If you missed Turandot (and shame on you if you did), you missed an amazing production! We had an awesome cast, chorus, stage crew, production team and audience. It was our best attended show since moving back to the Ohio Theatre. Over 4,000 people saw our production of Turandot (4,602 to be exact). All I can say is, "WOW!" Thank you so much for your support of Opera Columbus. We literally wouldn't be here without you.

Besides a great production, we also had an amazing party after the show (special thanks to Activities Coordinator, Jeryl). I think this proves how cool opera really is. Now, aren't you sad you weren't there?

And I'm thinking now would be a good time to buy your tickets to our next production, The Mikado. Get on it.

Happy Weekend!

OC Board Member Lori with her husband Bob who

made his Opera Columbus debut playing a great Prince of Persia

Getting some love from ASM, Alicia

Othalie's mom, funny-man Dean Anthony
and the fabulous Othalie Graham

Mark Andrew Baker and I share a slice of yummy pizza

Eric, who played an amazing Madarin and his friend Jay

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.

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).