HANA HOU | APRIL 2024

April may bring May flowers with all the showers…but it also brings a lot of activity for your Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre!

As I write this blog, rehearsals for our staged concert production of Puccini’s most iconic work, La bohème, are kicking into high gear. Our amazing HOT Chorus begins rehearsals with Nola Nāhulu, then artists arrive on the 14th for an intensive period of staging and music with director Kyle Lang and conductor Dane Lam – both of whom are making their company debuts! (Dane of course is in his first season as Music Director with our friends at Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. I’m proud to say that I began talks with him about leading an opera for us before I knew was being considered for his current role with HSO.)

As I noted in my March blog, the technical challenges of presenting an opera at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell are not to be underestimated. But I know we are more than up to the task and will create a memorable experience for our audiences. Now join me in praying for clear skies! (And watch your email for information on the most hotly discussed pain-point with that venue: parking.)

But before we get to opera at the Shell, we have Opera Ball at the Sheraton!

Saturday, April 13 is the big day, and as always proceeds go to support our powerful education programs that reach over 15,000 keiki and families each year.

Our theme for 2024 is Under the Big Top, a nod to the circus-like atmosphere of Pagliacci, and it is shaping up to be another “don’t miss this” event for us!

Shameless plug: single tickets are still available. And the Silent Auction – packed with some really amazing experiences, including an exclusive wine tasting event at my house! – is live!

We also have two exciting announcements to make this month.

The first will actually come second: the launch of HOT’s 2024/2025 Season, which will be mostly back at the Blaisdell Concert Hall! I can’t reveal titles quite yet, but I will say that the October production will be back at the Blaisdell Arena (with sightlines for supertitles fixed…promise!), and the other two operas will be held at the Concert Hall.

One additional teaser: the February production will be directed by yours truly! I am so excited to share this very funny opera with you all and get to stretch my staging muscles again.

We’re starting to tease the second announcement this week: a bold, new look for HOT!

After we completed updates to our Mission, Vision, and Values statement (click here to read more), it became clear that we needed to refresh our brand to match the bold vision of being a company that is not just IN Hawaiʻi but is also OF Hawaiʻi. I hope you’ll agree that this fresh, modern take on our logo does just that. Stay tuned for more details, including fun swag we’ll have available for sale so you can show off your love of opera wherever you go.

Mahalo nui loa for everything you do to keep opera alive and well here in our island communities. We could not do it without you!

A hui hou!

Andrew