Arizona Opera Orchestra Musicians Association (AZOOMA) Blog

Testing 1...2...3

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:15:00 +0000

This is a test from AZOOMA just to see what is what.Please visit our main site

Opera Prompters

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:30:00 +0000

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the opera prompter. Prompter helps singers get back in the groove Please visit our main site

Congratulations

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Kudos to Arizona Opera bassist Claudia Botterweg who was recently mentioned on the Phoenix Symphony Blog in recognition of her devotion to the Armonia program. Translated “Harmony,” the Armonía program brings private music lessons to students in South Phoenix. In partnership with the Espiritu Community Development Corporation, the goal of Armonía is to build musical and life skills of students...

Out of the Pit: Post Concert Thoughts

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Nine members of the Arizona Opera Orchestra were joined by 4 guest players, as well as conducting intern Jackson Warren and the voice of the Arizona Opera broadcasts- radio personality Michael Dixon, for a concert on the Arts Alive! Series at OrangewoodPresbyterian Church on Sunday, April 26. The program included OperaSnatches for Solo Trumpet by Schuman, Melodie for bassoon and piano byGluck,...

Arizona Opera Chorus and Orchestra in the Spotlight

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:23:00 +0000

AGMA-AZ Presents BACKSTAGE AT THE OPERA Arizona Opera Chorus and Orchestra in the Spotlight The Arizona chapter of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA-AZ) announces the fifth annual "Backstage at the Opera" fundraising concert to benefit Arizona Opera. This year, members of the Arizona Opera Orchestra Musicians Association (AZOOMA) will be joining members of the Arizona Opera Chorus...

Out of the Pit: Sunday April 26 at 4:00 PM in Phoenix

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:17:00 +0000

Musicians of the Arizona Opera Orchestra climb out of the orchestra pit to present a concert Sunday April 26 at 4:00 PM in the sanctuary of Orangewood Presbyterian Church, 7321 N. 10th St. in Phoenix. The program will begin with a violin duet and Beethoven's duo for viola and cello entitled "With Two Eyeglasses Obligato." The second half will feature Stravinsky's L'histoire du Soldat (A...

Isola Jones Performs in Phoenix

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:38:00 +0000

ISOLA JONES, renowned mezzo-soprano and former Metropolitan Opera leading artist, will perform SONGS OF THE HEART AND SOUL on Friday, Nov. 21, at South Mountain Community College. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the SMCC Performance Hall, 7050 S. 24th St., just north of Baseline Road. Ms. Jones is a voice instructor at SMCC and continues to perform throughout the world. Tickets are...

Bridging the Gap

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:13:00 +0000

Interesting comments from Yo Mama . At the Butts in the Seats blog, the author writes about recent comments by Yo Yo Ma as televised on The Colbert Report. This stood out to me: He commented that the blame doesn't flow in one direction, "Most American artists, intellectuals, and academics have lost their ability to converse with the rest of society. We have become wonderfully expert in talking...

MOT Cancels Spring Production

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:50:00 +0000

In a response to the weakening economy and falling ticket sales, the Michigan Opera Theater has a cancelled its spring production of Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci." They have also announced staff layoffs and other budget cuts. Read the full article here. Please visit our main site

Arizona Opera Summer Film Series

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Sun, 25 May 2008 15:25:00 +0000

The Arizona Opera Film Series is in its fourth year and is presented in partnership with Phoenix Art Museum's "Movies at the Museum." The summer series is composed of three films that connect to the company's upcoming season, which runs October 2008 to April 2009. Films are free with museum admission and begin at 1 p.m. at Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave. Films include: Tosca's Kiss,...

Nathan Gunn on Colbert Report

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:16:00 +0000

Comedian Stephen Colbert interviews hunka-riffic baritone Nathan Gunn on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report." Please visit our main site

Rumanian Rhapsody

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:42:00 +0000

The musicians of AZOOMA wish to express their support for a colleague in the Phoenix Symphony who is gravely ill. The members of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra are performing a free benefit concert for Ioana Dumitru at Symphony Hall on May 16th to help defray the costs of her medical bills and treatment. Ioana and her husband, Dan, are émigrés from Romania and have been members of the orchestra...

It's Official - We Have a New Contract!

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:07:00 +0000

After 17 long months of preparation and negotiation, we are happy to report that AZOOMA, the Arizona Opera Board Chair and Executive Committee have all ratified our new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Full details of the agreement may be found at our main web site. In brief:AZOOMA has secured a long-term commitment through the 2011-2012 season. It is a three-year agreement with a side letter...

Fare Well Old Friend

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:30:00 +0000

The 2007-2008 Arizona Opera season is winding down, and after Saturday evening's Arizona Opera performance of "La Traviata," the Maestro, musicians and opera administrators gathered to wish a fond farewell to comrade Keith Johnson. After 33 years as Principal Horn, Keith has decided to move on and enjoy his retirement. A post-performance party gave all the opportunity to express gratitude. After...

Local Issues Can Have National Impact

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:41:00 +0000

Consultant Drew McManus has noted today that as time goes on, more and more musician associations are using the Internet to broadcast their messages and empower their causes. In Columbus, the patrons have taken the bull by the horns and have launched their own website to support its local orchestra during its difficult times. The situation there is complicated and as noted both here and at a...

Juan Diego Flórez sings "Ah! Mes Amis"

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:08:00 +0000

If you are an opera fan, this must be seen.Video at the NY Times, Juan Diego Flórez in dress rehearsal. Please visit our main site

Victory on the High C's

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:04:00 +0000

The lead tenor role in Donizetti's comic opera "Daughter of the Regiment," which made a star of Luciano Pavarotti in the 1970's, is known for its plethora of high C's. Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez as the lovesick Tonio brought the Metropolitan Opera crowd to its feet late in Act 1 on Monday night by sailing through the nine high Cs in the aria, "Pour mon ame." He then did it a second time as...

Tod Machover and the Future of Music

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:27:00 +0000

Tod Machover (the brain behind Guitar Hero) of the MIT Media Lab gives a fascinating 20-minute lecture/demonstration on new frontiers in music, including a new opera, "Death and the Powers." Please visit our main site

Florida Grand Opera Fires Orchestra Redux

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:38:00 +0000

A recent article in the Miami Herald appears to confirm that the Florida Grand Opera has indeed opted to not renew its contract with its orchestra contractor, Sunset Entertainment. Far from wrong, Mr. Johnson seems to have scooped the story and has gotten it absolutely right. His scoop however does raise some questions from an outsider's perspective.Where did Mr. Johnson get the scoop from?Why...

Old Rivals Unite in Cleveland

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:41:00 +0000

A recent article in Cleveland's newspaper The Plain Dealer chronicles the recent ups and downs at Opera Cleveland. A revolving door in administration has added an extra dramatic element. "It seems like we've been dealing with one crisis after another or searching for new leadership," said Pauline Ramig, who recently took over as Opera Cleveland's board president. Opera Cleveland is a merger...

Six Degrees of AZOOMA

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:07:00 +0000

Ordered in a free-associative manner - similar to the popular trivia game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon - six general topics address current issues of interest in the classical music community, from famous opera houses to the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra. At Bloomberg.com, an new 800 million dollar opera house opening in Oslo, Norway is described as resembling a sloping iceberg. A monumental...

Bombs Away

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:55:00 +0000

British critic and author Norman Lebrecht really, really doesn't like Herbert von Karajan, one of the most renowned orchestra and opera conductors of the 20th century. Mr. Lebrecht assigns all sorts of blame on Karajan for ruining the classical music recording industry and holds back no pejoratives in the process. At the 100-year anniversary mark for Karajan's birth Mr. Lebrecht, who is known for...

In the Eye of the Beholder

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:25:00 +0000

Arts critic Lawrence A. Johnson of the Miami Herald makes his opinions loud and clear. On the one hand, this is the duty of a critic - to call it as s/he sees it. On the other hand the opposing opinions of other press critics and representatives from the musician's union, as well as comments made by the general public make one wonder - to what purpose is Mr. Johnson's campaign against the Florida...

A Shell Game Exposed

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:04:00 +0000

This story has been updated. In a previous AZOOMA blog, "Florida Grand Opera Fires Orchestra," a story was posted based on an article from the Miami Herald. As it turns out the Herald story got the facts wrong - and consequently so did we. However, the Herald may have done so with purpose, according to sources in the American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Representatives from the South...

Stepping Up From the Pit

brucehembd@hotmail.com (Bruce Hembd) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:41:00 +0000

Funny, unexpected things can happen at the opera. Stage props can drop and roll into the pit. Lights go out. Fire alarms can go off. Sometimes a lead singer falls ill or loses their voice. Many companies hire understudies or have backup plans for when this happens. In recent performances of Tristan and Isolde at the Met, the lead singers almost seemed cursed to not perform together until the...