Opera News & Press

NOOA Celebrates National Opera Week Nov. 13-22

Celebrate Opera in New Orleans - America's First City of Opera!

Opera has become such a vital part of the American musical fabric that over 90 companies/organizations (nationwide) are participating in and celebrating the FIRST EVER National Opera Week. The New Orleans Opera offers a range of free programs for the public that demonstrate the allure and accessibility of this most multi-media of the arts.

National Opera Week is nationally organized by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts and locally by New Orleans Opera Association.

NATIONAL OPERA WEEK will officially launch with the presentation of the 2009 NEA Opera Honors to Marilyn Horne, John Adams, Frank Corsaro, Lotfi Mansouri and Julius Rudel on November 14 at the Harman Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

National Opera Week in New Orleans sponsored by

LIST OF CONTEST AND EVENTS

Contests:

Children’s Art Contest: Topic – Opera!

Kindergarten – 12th Grade
Two curators from NOMA have agreed to judge; Lisa Rotondo-McCord, Assistant Director for Art and Curator of Asian Art and George Roland, Curator of Prints and Drawings.
Submissions no larger than 11 x 14 must be received by Friday, November 13th at the opera office:
New Orleans Opera
1010 Common Street, Suite 1820
New Orleans, LA 70112
ATTN: Art Contest

Two dimensional art works in any media accepted – for inspiration watch some samples on YouTube or visit the opera website at www.neworleansopera.org and take a look around.

The competition consists of 3 categories with one winner from each:

• Kindergarten – 3rd Grade
  Rembrandt Lyra Colors
  Alphacolor Pastels
• 4th Grade – 6th Grade
  Sketchbook
  Design Drawing Set
  Rowney Cryla Color Sets
• 7th Grade – 12th Grade
  Rowney Cryla Color Sets
  Complete painting set with easel
  "Impressionist Landscapes"

By submitting a drawing to the contest you are agreeing to have the image published and your name mentioned as winner in printed materials, on the opera website and any future opera promotional pieces.

Prizes generously donated by Dixie Art Supplies
5005 Bloomfield St
New Orleans, LA 70121-1006
(504) 733-6509

YouTube contest: Topic - Opera!

Unveil your opera side, Be creative! No need to sing, tell the story if you wish, animate or just narrate your favorite opera story but the quick edited version of course! Winning links will be posted on our website and in a special announcement on our National Opera Week page.
Grand Prize winner will receive 2 tickets to Romeo and Juliet, The Verdi Requiem and The Flying Dutchman.
Send link to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by November 13 for your chance to win.

Events:

November 11: Pre-Celebration Opera on Tap at the Rusty Nail, 7-8:30 PM

Now in its 3rd season, Opera on Tap - New Orleans is attracting people from around the world. The Rusty Nail is the OOT-NO home base, and this season OOT-NO has expanded to The Inn on Bourbon, in the French Quarter and to the Northshore at the Abita Brew Pub. Visit the opera website for the remaining dates.

November 11th, 14th, and 15th: Bang the Law

St. Ferdinand Church
725 St. Ferdinand Street
New Orleans 70117
November 11th at 7pm, November 14th at 9pm, November 15th at 5pm

BANG THE LAW is a comic opera about New Orleans lawyers perusing local bars.  They let us into a world of their vestigial class conflicts from a crumbling society as the audience meets the women at the receiving end of their litigious leers.  Come be exposed to three hilariously interwoven forms of art; as theatre, dance and opera collide in one satirical evening.

JONATHAN FREILICH has been an active part of the New Orleans music scene since his arrival in 1989.  He played with the Kermit Ruffins, Michael Ward and The Reward, and Michael Ray and the Kosmik Krewe.  Additionally, in 1992 he co-founded the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars (NOKAS), a pioneering klezmer ensemble that infused that music with the vibrancy and energy of the funk, jazz and brass music of New Orleans.

November 14: Dr. Bazan book signing at the Maple Street Book Store, 1-3 PM

7523 Maple St.
New Orleans, LA
70118
Support for Romeo and Juliet comes from A.E.I. and Dr. Kenneth Atchity, producer/literary manager, in honor of Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Professor and Director LSU Neuroscience Center of Excellence, for his contributions to eye and brain research, and to the New Orleans community, on occasion of the publication of his novel, Una Vida, a Fable of Music and the Mind.

November 15: “Opera a la carte" performs at the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Covington, 2:30 PM

“Opera a la carte” is a component of MetroPelican (the Education Department of NOOA), wherein two singer/actors invite students to join them onstage during a lively 40-minute journey through opera's "greatest hits." Using famous excerpts from The Barber of Seville, Carmen, Hansel and Gretel, Il Trovatore and The Magic Flute, this program explores the history of opera, foreign language terms and even career opportunities. Best of all, MetroPelican's most popular offering proves that opera can be FUN!

November 18: Northshore Opera Orientation for Romeo and Juliet, 6-7:30 PM

Everyone is invited to the St. Tammany Parish Library in Covington for this free lecture but reservations are required. Call 985-893-6280 to reserve a spot. Enjoy Mr. Salvatore Cimino’s informative talk before you come and see the opera.

November 18: Student Preview of Romeo and Juliet, 7:00 PM

Student Groups are invited to attend our "Preview Performances" - the final dress rehearsal of each opera - FREE OF CHARGE! Choose one or all of the operas, which are at The Mahalia Jackson Theatre for the Performing Arts. For K-12 groups, the suggested ratio of students to teachers is 5/1, to comply with the wishes of our generous patrons. Please note that all productions will feature English Supertitles (translations) projected on a screen above the stage, so the action of the opera can be understood at all times. To register your group call the Opera's education director at 504.529.2278, ext. 222 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

November 19: Opera night at the Hornets

The Hornets have partnered with the New Orleans Opera to offer Opera members access to discounted tickets when the Hornets take on the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:00pm at the New Orleans Arena.Opera patrons receive discounts to the game: $35 tickets for $30 - $25 tickets for $20 - and Club seats $173 for $125. Joe Akin and Mary Penick Akin are scheduled to sing the National Anthem.

For tickets to the game and to get the opera discount go to this link. Enter the special offer code OPERA, create a new account, select the price level and number of tickets, review the seats selected, you will then receive a confirmation email with your tickets attached – simply print them out and enjoy the game!

Joseph Akin is a resident of Metairie, La, who has performed on various stages throughout New Orleans. In theater, he starred in The Glass Menagerie at the Contemporary Arts Center, Pericles and Ubu Roy at Tulane University, and Amadeus at JPAS. In Musical Theater, he starred in many different shows at Tulane Summer Lyric and Loyola such as: West Side Story, Showboat, Pirates of Penzance, My Fair Lady, Annie Get Your Gun, The Gondoliers, Fiddler on the Roof, and Carousel. Since he has joined the New Orleans Opera community, he has performed in various shows, including: Rigoletto, Lucia de Lammermoor, Faust, and the New Year Opera Galas. He is working on finishing his nursing degree at Our Lady of the Lake College’s Accelerated Nursing Program at West Jefferson Hospital, is happily in his second year of marriage, and is very honored to have the opportunity to sing our national anthem with his wife during National Opera Week. GO HORNETS!!!!!

Mary Penick Akin, mezzo soprano, is a graduate from Loyola University’s School of Music. Ms. Akin’s dramatic stage presence and golden vocal qualities have graced many stages in the greater New Orleans area. In the Loyola Choral productions, Ms. Akin was a featured soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, and most recently sang the beloved Habanera in the fall 2008 concert. She has been featured in Loyola operas in the roles of Giulia in The Gondoliers (2007) and Venus, in Orpheus in the Underworld (2008). This past spring, she sang the title role of Dido in Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and as a result of winning the 2008 Loyola Concerto/Aria Competition, she sang the highly acclaimed Mon coeur s’ouvre a ta voix with full orchestra. An active member of the New Orleans Opera, she made her solo debut with the company as a bridesmaid in Le Nozze di Figaro, and in the past year, she performed the roles of Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto, and The Singer in Manon Lescaut. Ms. Akin is also a frequent performer for the New Orleans Opera on Tap program and most recently performed in NOOT’s debut performance on the Nachez Riverboat. Ms. Akin is also a member of the newly acclaimed musical group, Bon Operatit, a trio of three classically trained singers that have received both local and national press.

November 20: Backstage tour: First come first serve – limited to 20 people

November 21: Dr. Bazan book signing at Octavia Books 5:30 – 7:00 PM

513 Octavia St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
Support for Romeo and Juliet comes from A.E.I. and Dr. Kenneth Atchity, producer/literary manager, in honor of Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Professor and Director LSU Neuroscience Center of Excellence, for his contributions to eye and brain research, and to the New Orleans community, on occasion of the publication of his novel, Una Vida, a Fable of Music and the Mind. (read more)

November 21: Children’s Choir to sing at the Latter Library 11:00 AM (a 20 minute program)

Latter Library
5120 St Charles Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70115
CCL was founded as Summer Stages in 1993 by New Orleans Opera chorister, Julie Condy, to bring talented children together from across the metro New Orleans through the professional production of a musical written for young performers. CCL has produced over 30 musicals with casts of young people ages 9 to 17, empowering young lives through the magic of musical theater. Many CCL alums go on to study the arts in college and beyond. CCL cast members work under the direction of talented local professional artists including New Orleans Opera costumer, Charlotte Lang and Ms. Condy. Children from CCL have performed as the children’s chorus with the New Orleans Opera since 1999. Since 2006, CCL is proud to be a partner with the New Orleans Recreation Department and presents 3 to 4 annual productions per year.
Visit their website at www.crescentcitylights.org or call (504) 598-3800 for more information.

November 21: Words and Music

LSU Opera and The Shakespeare Festival at Tulane perform selections from Romeo and Juliet for the Faulkner Society Festival, 5:30 PM at the Hotel Monteleone

November 20 & 22: DVD of Opera Honors playing in lobby

In Partnership with The Inn on Bourbon

• Bon Operatit! to perform in the Puccini Bar November 13, 7:00 PM
• Specialty opera-themed drinks to be served during the week
• The Historic New Orleans Collection Opera Collection on display at the Inn
• John Magill with the Historic New Orleans Collection to speak about the history of the opera houses in New Orleans, opera performances and opera today in Salon de Gallier on November 19, 12:30 PM

History tours available (opera, music, architecture, etc.) departing from the Inn on Bourbon. A brief introductory video will be shown at the hotel prior to each tour. Call the hotel concierge at 504-524-7611. Rates, fees and time vary per tour.