Author Archives: Megan Leung

Aloha mai kākou:

It’s hard to believe we’re already into October, yet here we are! It’s even harder to believe that, after months and months of planning HOT’s 2023-2024 season – a season “on the road” – we’re about to open our first production, An American Dream by composer Jack Perla and Jessica Murphy Moo. 

To say that this is a powerful opera is truly an understatement. I attended what we call the “final room run” – the last rehearsal before moving into the performance venue – on Friday afternoon and was brought to tears multiple times. 

OK, I admit that I’m an easy cry. I can start watching “It’s a Wonderful Life,” my favorite holiday movie, five minutes before the end and I instantly become a blubbery mess.  

But An American Dream is truly an amazing piece of theatre. Even though it clocks in at just over one hour, the emotional journey is real – moments of joy and laughter, of tenderness and affection, and of heart-rending pathos. The beautiful score and libretto are brought to life by an absolute knock-out cast led by Chinese-born soprano Helen Zhibing Huang, in her HOT debut, and Honolulu-based mezzo-soprano Sarah Lambert Connelly.  

And we are blessed to have the production lovingly led by director Richard Gammon and conductor Lance Inouye, who together are creating what I believe to be a stand-out production of this opera – a piece that was commissioned by Seattle Opera with subsequent performances at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Virginia Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, and several others. 

If you don’t have your tickets, please do consider attending – you will not regret it! And if you’re already attending, consider coming twice. It’s one of those pieces that will reveal new details with each encounter. With five performances through October, you’ll have plenty of time to catch it at least once.

You also won’t want to miss our special concert in Studio101 on Wednesday, October 18 at 6:00pm. The program, curated by HOT’s Artistic Director Jamie Offenbach, features the entire cast of An American Dream along with soprano Leslie Goldman and mezzo-soprano Blythe Kelsey, all of whom are donating their services. Tickets are $50 and proceeds will go support relief efforts on Maui. 

It’s easy to take the arts for granted, but institutions like Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre, Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, Manoa Valley Theater, and more would not be here without the dedication and support of individuals like you. I believe the arts are what make a community. I’m grateful that you do too! 

Mahalo nui loa for all you do.  

With much aloha, 

Andrew 

Aloha mai kākou:

With the summer officially over, things are heating up at HOT!  

Our education team back at it with HOT’s extensive in-school programs, including Residencies programs and Opera Express touring shows, sessions have started with our Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio and Orvis Young Voices, and we’re finalizing plans for our Opera for Everyone student dress rehearsal series – which will be different for our 2023/2024 Season due to our moving out of the Blaisdell Concert Hall for renovations. Watch your emails and our website for more information or send an email to education@hawaiiopera.org. 

The set for our first production of the season, An American Dream, is being built right now in our shop in Waipahu. The simple but effective design (see artistic rendering) is by Michelle Bisbee, who created the beautiful Hawaiian setting for our Elixir of Love last February and is creating the looks for Pagliacci and La Bohème this season.

Michelle, Associate Professor of Scenic Design at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, received her MFA in Scenic Design from the University of Arizona and her BFA in Technical Theatre from Kent State University. Prior to joining UH, Michelle worked as faculty, designer, and artisan at Trinity University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Kent State University and for theatres across the U.S. She is also a truly delightful person – someone we are proud to have as part of the HOT ʻohana!  

September also sees the launch of our second full season of Studio101, curated once again by HOT’s Artistic Director Jamie Offenbach, with two free events. For our HOT 23-24 Season Preview (Wednesday, September 20), Jamie and I will guide you through the mainstage and Studio101 seasons, including some musical samples. Then on Friday, September 22, we present HOT Young Artist bass Robert Ellsworth Feng and HOT Orvis Opera Studio Artist soprano Emily Vidler in a recital of arias and duets with “a little something in between”. Click here to reserve your seats. 

There’s still time to be a HOT hero and subscribe to our 23-24 Season! Two- and three-opera subscriptions are available now and offer you the best seats in the house. Call our box office now at 808.596.7858 to learn more. You won’t regret joining us on the complete journey! 

Mahalo for all you do to ensure that opera has a home here in Hawaiʻi. We can’t do it without you! 
 
A hui hou! 

Andrew  

Question Corner: Do you have an “aha!” moment with opera? That performance where something clicked and you thought, “NOW I understand what all the fuss is about”?   

For me, it was a performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore I attended with my father at Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1987. Shirley Verrett sang the role of Azucena, and her rendition of the famous aria “Stride la vampa” absolutely sent chills down my spine. I’m chagrined to say I don’t remember much else about that production, but I will never forget her performance. I didn’t see Trovatore again live until many years later, at the San Francisco Opera. Dolora Zajick was Azucena for that production, and the chills came back stronger than ever…  

Scroll down to the Comments field to let us know about your “aha” moment!