Bach Festival, April 4–6

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Next month I will be traveling for the first time to South America, Bolivia specifically.  Last fall, while on tour, The Rose Ensemble received an invitation by the US Embassy in La Paz to perform at the Festival Internacional de Musica Renacentista y Barroca America “Misiones de Chiquitos.”  If you don’t know anything about this international festival, I’ll do my best to give you a little history.

Over 800 musicians from Europe and Latin America take part in approximately one hundred concerts. Each year, more than 100,000 people attend and enjoy the festival, which takes place in eleven municipalities in the region of Santa Cruz., Bolivia. These concerts provide an opportunity for social entrepreneurs, government officials and business leaders to build bridges and alliances in a relaxing and enjoyable setting. –

The festival is unique because it celebrates a vibrant and dynamic cultural heritage in the towns where it originated and is still maintained. For the musicians, the festival allows them to step back through history to a time brimming with historical and cultural significance. Oftentimes the music they perform was composed or arranged by natives of the area, for whom this music plays a fundamental role in their cultural identification. Each festival is accompanied by a scientific conference, the International Symposium of Musicology (ECSIM), in which historians, researchers, and musicologists discuss topics relevant to ancient music. APAC’s Publishing Fund disseminates everything presented throughout the ECSIM.

The Festival runs April 24-May 4th.  The Rose Ensemble’s participation will be on April 27th, 28th, 30th.  See my calendar for details!

I look forward to sharing photos from our week in Bolivia!

We are on our third tour of the program and are having as much fun with the music as when we first recorded the music. During the life of Saint Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) the social, economic and political climates of the North Italian city-states in Umbria and Tuscany were undergoing profound shifts. The explosion of trade in Florence and Assisi led to the growth of an entirely new social class and the emergence of a new set of social values. Out of this (new) urban merchant class sprung Francis—pampered in music, art, science, material wealth and all the delights associated with cultural aspiration.

Virtuosic instrumentals, lavish vocals, plaintiff chants and dramatic readings make up this wonderful concert experience.  To hear selections from the show, you can listen here:  http://www.roseensemble.org/music/il-poverello-medieval-renaissance-music-saint-francis-assisi

The Rose Ensemble touring schedule:

Sadly, early this morning I found Holly across the street from my house in the park’s wooded area by the creek.  She had only been missing over the night and had a violent death.  I can only assume she fell victim to a raccoon or other large animal and was unable to fend for herself.  She was not de-clawed and was rather quick.

We shall miss you very much, my Silly Little Girl…

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So, 50+ hours of consecutive travel time, and then having to perform didn’t seem like the healthiest option for us.  We also wouldn’t know what the new schedule would be when we arrived and of course the uncertainty of how to get back to Buenos Aires when half our group needed to catch a return flight home on Monday morning.  We would probably have to hire a bus to take us back on Saturday.

It’s all rather disappointing.  The women worked up a couple of impressive concert programs that truly showcased our versatility and artistry, and we were excited to present it to the world.  We decided that we would still perform our programs and held a very impromptu “concert” this past Sunday evening to a small invited audience.  It gave me a sense of closure to the week, and I’m glad we had this opportunity.

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The eruption in the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic chain, about 575 miles south of the capital, Santiago, also prompted authorities to close a busy border crossing into Argentina.It was not immediately clear which of the chain’s four volcanoes had erupted because of ash cover and weather conditions. The chain last saw a major eruption in 1960.Local media said the smell of sulphur hung in the air and there was constant seismic activity.

I just have to say that this was such a fun experience!  I’ve performed a lot of opera in my days, but this was a first.  We had an awesome crowd on the lawn in front of the Walker Art Center last night.  The weather broke just in time, and temps were a comfortable 73 with dew points in the 50s for the first time in a week.

Our cast of 5 singers and string quartet performed without a hitch and our conductor kept everything in perfect sync with the film.

We had dogs of all shapes and sized attend with their owners in tow.  The opera, in my opinion, was the perfect length – 10 minutes with 3 acts total.  According to our director, Elizabeth Cline, the movie actually came before the score which I found most interesting.

This was the Midwest debut and I hope The Machine Project can take this delightful show to other parts of the country.

A big thank you to The Walker Art Center for adding this to their summer Walker Open Field lineup this year!

If you were at the show last night, I welcome your comments and observations!

Next up: Tales from the World Choral Symposium in Puerto Madryn, Argentina!

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This year’s theme focuses on the music of the New World entitled, “El Nuevo Mundo: The Age of Exploration in the New World”, and we will be bringing our “Celebremos el Nino” show to the festival stage.  Ten voices accompanied by vihuela, viola de gamba, and baroque violin will bring a little “Christmas” to the summer heat.

If you in or around the Madison area this week, check out the Festival’s concerts!  TRE will be performing Sunday evening at 7:30pm.  All concerts are on the University of Madison’s campus in Mills Concert Hall.

For more information, visit the Madison Early Music Festival’s website.

Yep. You saw that headline correctly. The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis will be host to the Midwest Premier of “Tragedy on the Sea Nymph” a dog opera in three acts.

Written and directed by Elizabeth Cline, “Tragedy on the Sea Nymph” is a 10 minute silent film starring dogs who perform the romance and tragedy of clandestine lovers shipwrecked at sea. The film will be accompanied by five opera singers (I get to be the voice of a mermaid) and the Cedar String Quartet.

Dog lovers, share the trailer with all your friends. And mark your calendar now so you and your dog aren’t left standing in the dog park when you could be at the opera.

Two performances only! July 21st at 9:15pm and 9:30pm at Walker Open Field. Plastic baggies will be provided.

Click here for the Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=222579947774654&view=wall

Tragedy on the Sea Nymph from machine project on Vimeo.

On Saturday evening, May 21st and Sunday afternoon, May 22nd, I will be singing the alto solos in the Vivialdi Gloria with The Basilica of St. Mary’s chamber choir and full chorus and orchestra. The program promises to be one fit for Spring and I’m looking forward to singing this music once again.

In between these programs, I go back into full swing with The Rose Ensemble. We will be presenting our Hawaiian program in Sandstone & Finlayson, MN on May 11th & 12th and begin our rehearsals for our final local show of the season, SONGS OF TEMPERANCE AND TEMPTATION: 100 Years of Restraint and Revelry in Minnesota which will be performed at Weber Hall in Duluth on June 17th and at The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on June 18th & June 19th. This promises to be a lively show with audience sing-alongs and a great band.

It looks like spring has finally sprung in Minnesota – I hope I’ve seen the last of the ice in the bowl of my bird bath in my garden. Wishing you a lovely day in everything that you do. As always, I encourage your comments and invite you to “like” me on Facebook.

Take care!