Tag Archives: Audrey Luna

HOT's Daughter of the Regiment

10 Reasons to see The Daughter of the Regiment

Still looking for reasons to see HOT’s production of Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment? Here’s 10! 

Photo by Brian Kuhlmann

1. Metropolitan Opera Star Audrey Luna 

Hawaii’s own Grammy Award-winning Soprano Audrey Luna stars as Marie! Audrey broke the record for the highest note ever sung on the Metropolitan Opera’s stage earlier this year. Opera News has said that she “has power and a blazing coloratura facility that most lyric sopranos can only dream of.” Read Audrey’s thoughts on returning to Hawaii in this #HOTSpeaks post
 

2. The Tenor Aria With 9 High C’s 

With no less than 9 high C’s, Donizetti’s “Ah, Mes Amis,” sung by the character Tonio, is famously considered an impressive vocal feat for a tenor. Listen to this recording of HOT’s Tonio, Italian-American Tenor Michele Angelini, flawlessly performing the aria. Then come see him sing it live in his HOT debut! 

Photo Courtesy of Fort Worth Opera

3. It’s a Comedy 

“It’s a rollicking combination of esprit de corps, slapstick antics and innocent romance — not to mention intoxicating music highlighted by spectacular vocal writing.” ~ NPR 
Few associate comedy with opera. But the Daughter of the Regiment is filled with parody, irony, and eccentric characters. Even the premise of an army brat adopted by the French Regiment is comical. So get ready to laugh! 

Opera History in Hawaii
 
4. The Local Historical Significance 

A rich history of opera in Hawaii dates back to the 1800s. Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment was the first known operatic performance in Hawaii in 1854. Learn more about opera’s local history in this #HOTSpeaks article


 
5. The French Language 

The French language is regarded as beautiful and romantic when spoken – imagine it sung! But don’t worry, HOT provides English supertitles, so you’ll always know what’s going on in the plot. 

 
6. HOT Debuts 

Tenor Michele Angelini Debuts with HOT in the role of Tonio, along with Mezzo-Soprano Jenni Bank, who debuts in the role of the Marquise. Michele is heralded by the Dallas Morning News as an artist who “displays a voice of silken loveliness as well as graceful agility.” The Baltimore Sun has said of Jenni that she has a “deep, dark, penetrating tone… that can extract Verdian richness.” 


 
7. The Duchess Guest Appearance 

HOT recently announced surprise guest as the Duchess of Crackenthorpe in Donizetti’s comedy, Daughter of the Regiment: Soprano Jill Gardner. “The Southern Songbird” joins a long list of guest stars to play the non-singing role of the Duchess, including US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 


 
8. HOT Favorites Jake Gardner and Jamie Offenbach 

HOT is thrilled to welcome back Baritone Jake Gardner and Bass-Baritone Jamie Offenbach, singing the roles of Sulpice and Hortensius, respectively. You’ll remember Jake from the 2008 production A Little Night Music, and Jamie most recently sang in the 2016 HOT production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  


 
9. It’s Donizetti 

Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, Donizetti was a leading composer of the bel canto opera style during the first half of the nineteenth century. He penned some of opera’s most famous shows, including LElisir dAmoreDon PasqualeLucia di Lammermoor, and Anna Bolena

Photo Courtesy of Fort Worth Opera

 
10. There’s a Happy Ending 

Opera can be pretty grim. La Bohème, Macbeth, Roméo et Juliette, and more end with death, insanity, or both. We won’t spoil the ending of The Daughter of the Regiment for those who haven’t seen it, but rest assured that every character lives to see the end! 
  

 

Audrey Luna at HOT

#HOTSpeaks: Hawaii’s Opera Brings Audrey Luna Home

Audrey Luna at Hawaii Opera Theatre

Photo by Fay Fox

Hawaii’s own Soprano Audrey Luna raised a lot of eyebrows last month when an archivist reported that she had unknowingly broken the record for the highest note sung on the Metropolitan Opera’s stage during Thomas Adès’ new opera The Exterminating Angel.

The note, an A above high C, is written into the opera’s score, so to her she was just doing her job. But to everyone else — from The New York Times to Seth Meyers — the feat was worth sharing. Now, after the whirlwind of all that publicity, she’s back in Hawaii. In February, Audrey will star as HOT’s Marie in Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment. And she couldn’t be happier to be back.

“This is where I want to live forever,” she said. “I love Hawaii. From the first time I arrived here, I knew I wanted to make it my home.”

Audrey’s most recent flight over the Pacific followed some of the busiest years of her professional life. But when she first landed on Oahu about ten years ago, her career was just taking off. Fresh out of school and looking for a job, Audrey landed the lead female role in HOT’s 2008 production of Romeo & Juliet.

“I never wanted to leave after that,” she said. “So I made it happen.”

For the next two consecutive seasons, Audrey returned to HOT.  After her third role as Blondchen in The Abduction from the Seraglio, she began to make to move to Oahu.

Her role as Leticia in The Exterminating Angel took her around the world, including theatres in London and Salzburg. It’s been great for her career, she said, but she is looking forward to her upcoming season singing standard repertoire, including her role as Marie with HOT.

“For the last five years or so, I’ve been doing a lot of contemporary opera — most with very serious and tragic plots,” she said. “I’m really glad to break out of that and do this comedic role. My voice missed singing Bel canto.”

This month, Audrey has also begun teaching voice lessons at HOT. Some of her students include singers from the Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio.

“My schedule hasn’t allowed me to teach as much as I want to, so I’m glad that I’m starting that back up again,” Audrey said.

Before singing with HOT in February, Audrey is enjoying her downtime. Aside from teaching voice lessons, she will be spending time with her family and preparing for future roles.

“And laying on the beach,” she said with a laugh.