Opera is Everywhere!

Opera seems to be everywhere, all of a sudden. In addition to the weekly radio broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera (KUNR 88.7 on Saturday mornings at 10:30, but KUNR is airing four telecasts from the MET - this Saturday, April 22) will be Eugene Onegin, an incredible production with definitive performances bu Renee Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Ramon Vargas. Set your TIVO or VCR - you will want this opera in your collection.

Although I haven't tried it, The Met is also brocasting performances on Sirius radio network - some of these are historic performances from the past and some are live. And you still can see the MET in a movie theater in Sacramento -- information is on the MET's website. It does seem like everywhere I turn around, opera is happening.

And Nevada Opera is producing Orpheus in the Underworld next week - April 27 and 29 -- this show is unlike anything you've ever seen here -- it is screechingly funny, a bit risque and the double and triple entredres fly by fast and furious. In the read through the other night, cast and chorus alike were laughing hysterically. This show will certainly lift your spirits after tax day and the snow!!

-William Russell, Executive Director

Are You A Carpenter?

Well, folks... you may want to know WHY an artistic director would want to build his own set. I'm not sure I can fully answer that... except to say that Orpheus in the Underworld has been one of my favorite shows, and designing it has been very rewarding. I've always seen this show as somewhat cartoonish... bright colors, bigger-than-life props to match bigger-than-life personas on stage. I'm not a carpenter, but I have to say I've learned much on this journey... I've seen plenty of sets to know what works and what doesn't, and that's been an enormous help to me. Feel free to ask questions... I'm in Boise at the moment doing an opera concert, then I'll hit the ground running when I arrive back in Reno this Sunday with a sing-through of Orpheus with the entire cast in the afternoon, then staging begins that evening. I'll be in the shop early mornings, sawing and painting... I look forward to any questions you might have... and I'll keep you posted on how it's going...

Michael Borowitz

Building Orpheus in the Underworld

Come back often to check out the progress on the Orpheus in the Underworld set we are using on April 27 & 29. Our Artistic Director Michael Borowitz and our Nevada Opera Chorus are creating it from scratch, since this version has never been performed before in the United States!