Five Questions for Emily Douglass

In between rehearsals, one of our stars in "The Barber of Seville", Emily Douglass, was gracious enough to let us poach some of her down time to respond to our period column of questions.


When did you know you wanted to be an opera singer?

It was during my freshman year in college.  Up until then, I was studying the French Horn.  My professors noticed my voice and encouraged me to pursue vocal studies. I’d heard from my family, “Oh, you have a nice voice” but I never took them seriously until the college professors started to say something.

Did you have a mentor?  Who was it and what did he or she do to encourage you?

I had many mentors, however it was my voice teacher who encouraged me to “seize the moment.”

What’s the most unusual or useful advice you’ve ever received concerning your career?

That’s difficult to answer as I’ve received a lot of advice.  As a singer, it was difficult to really take any advice provided, since each singer will have different opportunities afforded them and varied career options.  But I did pick a lot of brains in the within the industry and have made my own decisions based on the experiences I’ve gone through.  I do recall that my voice teacher, Natalie said “Sing with meaning!” and I’ve taken that to heart.

What do you think most people would be surprised to know about working in opera?

It’s a constant financial struggle to make it as an artist.  There’s a lot of truth to the “starving artist” perception.

If you could have a different career, what would it be?

I love to teach, but this [singing] is what I’m called to do.  It’s what I’m compelled to do.

What’s on your iPod these days?

Hmm…let’s see.  My favorite sopranos: Sills, Sutherland, Callas, Fleming, Te Kanawa.  I love Yo Yo Ma, so I have some of his music on my iPod.  I also love ABBA, John Denver and Joni Mitchell.

What’s your funniest dressing room recollection?

Nothing really funny per se, but it’s pretty typical to have to share a dressing room with at least four other artists in this profession.  I do recall one production where I needed to make a quick change of costume and it had to be done offstage in the wings. Typically, this is not an issue since these types of productions have a prepared dressing area with screens or drapes with which to make the change quickly and in some semblance of privacy.  There was this one occasion where an opera conductor, who was considering hiring me for a future role, came to watch my current production performance.  He was observing my performance from the wings at the opposite end of the stage.  Unfortunately, due to the set up of the costume change area, the conductor was able to watch nearly all of my costume change in full view. 

If you could live in any other country, what would it be and why?

Italy!  I’m drawn to everything about it – the culture, art, people, food and fashion.

How has raising a child changed your approach to performing (or has it)?

It has enriched my performance.  Getting older changes your body and subsequently, your voice.  You notice your instrument gets richer; particularly for sopranos as you get to your 30^th birthday.   For bases and baritones, they reach their full vocal maturity at 40 years old.  As far as acting goes, you now have more experiences to draw upon as you perform.  There’s more texture and nuance to your stage work.

At the end of your life, how would you like to be remembered?

Wow…that’s a tough one.  I’d have to say that I’d like to be remembered as a true artist for my singing.  But more importantly, I’d like to be remembered for good human qualities.  It’s more about me as a person and how I may have helped others in a positive way.

“Jazz in North Park” Series presents the Cannonball-Coltrane Project on Oct. 6

North Park jazz addicts – your monthly fix is almost here! Lyric’s Jazz in North Park Series, presented in conjunction with Holly Hofmann, continues at the Birch North Park Theatre with the Cannonball-Coltrane Project on October 6, 2010.

Led by bassist Luther Hughes, the Cannonball-Coltrane Project was formed as an homage to the 1959 Cannonball Adderley-John Coltrane landmark album, “The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago.” The band pays tribute to these jazz giants with arrangements and original compositions related to or inspired by Cannonball and/or Coltrane. Besides Hughes, the band includes Glenn Cashman on tenor, Bruce Babad on alto, Ed Czach on piano, and Paul Kreibich on drums. “If Cannonball and ‘Trane were here I’m sure they would have given (the band) two thumbs up,’’ says legendary guitarist Mundell Lowe about the Cannonball-Coltrane Project.

The last Jazz in North Park show features The Ken Peplowski Quartet on November 3.

Details and tickets for all shows are here.

Jazz in North Park is presented by Lyric at the Birch in collaboration with Music Director Holly Hofmann, in association with KSDS 88.3 FM) radio.

Five Questions for Leigh Scarritt

San Diego theatre veteran Leigh Scarritt is appearing with Lyric for the first time this season, as Aunt Alicia in Gigi. Leigh is a regular on San Diego stages including Starlight and the Old Globe. She’s an actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, director, writer, and composer, who also teaches voice and is a personal exercise trainer (whew). Leigh wrote, composed, and directed the play Angels Among Us at the Coronado Playhouse. She has appeared in television shows including Three's Company, Too Close for Comfort, General Hospital, and The Jerry Lewis Show. Her movie appearances include Used Cars with Kurt Russell and In Search of My Son with Richard Thomas. She took a break from rehearsals to answer our Five Questions.

When did you know you wanted to be in musical theatre? 

I think I did my first prossional show when I was maybe 4. I was Gretel in The Sound of Music. My grandfather was dying at the time and he came to see the show. It felt like a gift for him and it was such a gift for me that even though he was ill, he came to see it. I remember the power of his love from the audience and my love for him, and that anchored me in the power of love as it transferred over the pit lights.

Also, I was a very painfully shy kid. I always felt the most free and the most myself on stage.

Did you have a mentor? Who was it, and what did he or she do to encourage you?  

My mother’s a brilliant musician herself, and really planted in myself and my siblings the love for art in every different form, whether painting or sculpting or instrumental music, theatre… She birthed that and fostered it. Then there was a wonderful woman here in San Diego named Deanne Johnson, who picked my out of a lineup for a show at Lyric Dinner Theatre when I was 16 -- the lead in Babes in Arms. She saw something in me that she thought was worthwhile. It was my first lead role as an adult, and I got my Equity card from that. I must have done 20 shows for her in the next 20 years.

What’s the most unusual or useful advice you’ve ever received concerning your career? 

Don’t try to be someone you’re not, be exactly who you are, so you get hired for the right projects. Don’t try to chase your tail.

What do you think most people would be surprised to know about working in musical theatre?  

It ain’t all that glamorous backstage! Sometimes there’s only one toilet.

If you could have a different job, what would it be? 

I wouldn’t have a different job! My first job is being a parent, and I would completely content if that was all I had ever been. But any other profession -- no.

Tenor Benjamin Robinson Chats about “Gigi” and More

 After a triumphant Lyric debut as Frederic in last season’s Pirates of Penzance, young tenor Benjamin Robinson tenor returns this season Gaston LaChaille in Gigi and will be back in spring as Marco in The Gondoliers. This year he also makes his debut with the Cape Cod Symphony in a program of Viennese operetta alongside former co-star and Lyric favorite, Megan Weston, and sings Lieutenant Joe Cable in South Pacific with Anchorage Opera. 

1. What was it about the role of Gaston that interested you? What do you like best about performing with Lyric?

This role is really different from what I usually do; he's grown up and sophisticated.  He can have anything he wants, but he is most moved by Gigi, who is an unlikely choice. 

Working at Lyric is great not only because of the beauty of San Diego, but because this theatre offers me a chance to grow when I come here. Jack and Leon are very insistent that I get something out of my experience, and expand on what I bring to the table.

  

2. There is an iconic performance of Gaston on film, by Louis Jourdan. How will your portrayal be different or similar to his? With a famous role like this, is there pressure to either copy his style or be completely different?

Louis Jourdan certainly oozes confidence, class, and style and I would be lucky to get away with one of those three in my own life. I think the audience wants to see similarities to Mr. Jourdan's performance, but I think that this lies mostly in the "nuts and bolts" elements: my deportment, my "charm," and my likability. Personally, I see Gaston as someone who has been waiting a lifetime to get out of the rut that his social life has presented to him. I really want to work up to riding this wave of discovery that Gaston experiences as he and Gigi begin to have a romantic chemistry. 

3. What do you like about being a traveling artist? What habits have you developed to make life on the road easier?

Certainly coming to places like San Diego make being a traveling artist a nice lifestyle. I haven't been in "the biz" for a long time, but already I look forward to returning to places I've previously worked so I can see the friends I've made, eat at restaurants that I remember, and try new things. I really love getting to know a place thoroughly, and you do when you get to stay there for a month at a time! 

Life on the road for me is FULL of bad habits- I can never remember what to pack!  It has helped to condense my traveling life to as little stuff as possible. I think the thing that helps the most though is contacting old friends or family in the area and making arrangements to see them. I have family in Huntington Beach that I rush up to see when I get my first break from rehearsals. Reconnecting with people has really been a highlight of this kind of travel. 

4. What's on your iPod? How do you pass the time when not working?

I'm a complete opera geek- I've been listening to the fabulous Carol Neblett (a southern California native) in La Fanciulla del West lately. When I stray from classical music, I really appreciate singers who can sing! Christina Aguilera, Norah Jones, Beyonce. 

When I'm not working, I love gardening- don't have a garden in Boston, but I love going home to my parents in Michigan and working outside. In high school I was a swimmer, so if I can get to a pool, I do. Other than that, I occasionally subject people to my cooking experiments (never baking!). Sometimes that ends up being better than bad.

Don’t miss Ben and the rest of the talented cast of Gigi - tickets are on sale now.

Challenge Grant: You Can Help Lyric Get “Back in the Black”

Every now and then generous donors to nonprofit organizations will come up with what is known as a Challenge Grant. These grants are a promise to match donations – that is, for every dollar the organization raises, the donor will match it. If you’ve been considering making a donation, doing it as part of a Challenge Grant is a great opportunity to increase the value of your gift at no cost to you.

To kick off the Lyric season right, a special group of our board members has offered a Challenge Grant, above and beyond their normal contributions. They want to help raise enough money to let Lyric start getting back to where we were a few short years ago, when Jack Montgomery used to be able to announce in his pre-show introductions from the stage, “We're in the black.”

This is how it works: for every two dollars we raise, our board group will match it with one dollar up, to $50,000. For example, if you donate $50, the board will add $25 to your gift. Fulfilling this grant will provide us with an additional $150,000 toward the bottom line. While we rank among the most efficient of performing arts organizations, earning 66 percent of our costs through selling tickets, ticket sales simply don’t cover all our production costs, or the fixed costs of maintaining our beautiful building, the Birch North Park Theatre.

We’ve now been open at the Birch for five years. Did you know that we have hosted approximately 800 events during this time, nearly half of them sponsored by Lyric? Or that there are around 70 new businesses in North Park that weren’t there before the Theatre opened? Or that hundreds of people now have new jobs in North Park? And (nearest to our hearts) dozens of tweens and teens have had the opportunity to enhance their performing arts skills at our summer Academy?

Gifts from supporters like you have helped propel these achievements. Please help us get back to being “in the black,” so we can continue this work. The more generous you can be, the better off we will be in the end. Donating online is easy: just click here. If you prefer, you can send in a check or call the office to make a donation over the phone. Thanks in advance for your support!

Five Questions for Laura Bueno (“Gigi”)

We’ll soon get to see local singer Laura Bueno return to Lyric for her first ever lead role, as Gigi. Laura most recently stole all her scenes as Petra in Lyric’s production of A Little Night Music and as Hope in Anything Goes. She regularly performs with musical theatre companies all over town and in the San Diego Opera Chorus, and somehow finds time to teach ballroom dance to kids.

Laura was nice enough to inaugurate our new “Five Questions” feature. Watch this space to see featured artists answer these same questions all season long.

When did you know you wanted to be in musical theatre?  

Thanks to my parents, I grew up watching the classics, such as The Music Man, Carousel, Meet Me in St. Louis, The King and I, and Gigi. I was hooked on them. When my high school did The Music Man my freshman year of high school, that was it - I knew I was in it for life! As a junior and senior, I had the opportunity to star in No, No, Nanette and State Fair, two musicals that aren't done very often.

Did you have a mentor? Who was it, and what did he or she do to encourage you?  

I've always been inspired by my grandmother, who sang professionally for several years in the 1930s here in Southern California, but who died when I was 8 years old. I have always felt a closeness to her and I know that she's looking down and approves of my career choices. I'd also have to say that my mother has been my biggest cheerleader. She's been to every single one of my performances and has encouraged me to follow my dreams.

What’s the most unusual or useful advice you’ve ever received concerning your career?  

Hmm... I'd have to say that the most useful is that people have always said to not give up. Rejection is part of the process, regardless of how good you might be. Also, don't ever stop studying your craft. There is always room for improvement.

What do you think most people would be surprised to know about working in musical theatre?  

It truly is a tricky and complicated job. You've got to be able to sing, dance and act and completely become a character and make that character your own regardless of how cheesy the plot might be. There are no second takes like in television and film. You've got to go out there and make every single performance better than the last. I'm not sure if that's really surprising, but it sure is true!

If you could have a different job, what would it be?  

I wouldn't want a different job! If I could be in a show all the time, I'd be in heaven. I'd pretty much pick starring in a show over anything else.

Got your tickets yet? See Laura dazzle on stage in Gigi, opening at the Birch on Sept. 24.

High-Tech Innovations Add to Success of Summer Academy

The fifth annual Summer Academy at the Birch North Park Theatre concluded on July 29. Each year middle-school and high school students who are seriously interested in performance careers attend this prestigious program. The Academy offers extensive, in-depth training in every aspect of musical theater performance, from the basics of vocal performance, dancing, and acting to how to prepare for an audition.

This year’s Academy students were from schools all over San Diego, including Canyon Crest, La Jolla High, Corriea Middle, Francis Parker, Dana Middle, Bell Middle, Valhalla High, High Tech Middle Media Arts, The Bishop's School, and Golden Valley High. “They were big on talent,” says Academy director Shirley Giltner. “Everyone was very impressed with the talent level of the students and how much we were able to teach them in such a short amount of time.”

An exciting innovation this year was to make use of technology to add to the students’ learning experience. Teachers conducted a master class with baritone Christopher Johnstone via the free online video chat service Skype.  Board member Alex Tiscareno volunteered his time and expertise to set up a computer link in the classroom so the students could have a live video chat with Johnstone, who was in Denver rehearsing for the national tour of “South Pacific” (he will soon take over the role of Lt. Cable). “It was a wonderful way to expose the students to someone who is currently out there in the thick of it,” said Giltner. Artistic Director J. Sherwood Montgomery led the students in a question-and-answer session and then the students had questions of their own. The Skype master class went so well that Giltner plans to repeat it next year with soprano Andrea Huber.

At the end of the Academy’s month of lessons and training, the students performed “Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr.” on stage at the Birch North Park Theatre for a packed audience of family, friends, and the public.

For more information about Lyric’s Summer Academy please visit the website.

Jazz In North Park Series: Four Women Only, Sept. 1

Lyric’s Jazz in North Park Series, presented in conjunction with Holly Hofmann, continues at the Birch North Park Theatre with Four Women Only on September 1, 2010.

Gathering from across the country, Four Women Only is a stellar quintet of players brought together by a common love of jazz. Led by Holly Hofmann on flute, Four Women Only includes Mary Fettig on alto sax, Mimi Fox on guitar, Kristin Korb on bass, and Sylvia Cuenca on drums. All of these artists are top players on their instruments, each with an extensive background in jazz performance and improvisation. This is a rare opportunity to hear this talented group of players in Southern California.

Next up in the Jazz in North Park series: 

October 6: Cannonball-Coltrane Project

November 3: The Ken Peplowski Quartet

All performances begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $22 for seniors, KSDS 88.3 FM members, and Lyric  members, and $27 for general admission. Student discount tickets for $15 are available on the day of the show. For tickets call (619) 239-8836, or order online.

Jazz in North Park is presented by Lyric in collaboration with Music Director Holly Hofmann, in association with KSDS 88.3 FM) radio.

Lyric at the Birch: What’s in a name?

The more sharp-eyed among you may notice that our company is changing the way it refers to itself.

Instead of “Lyric Opera San Diego” or “LOSD,” our various materials will now refer to us as “Lyric at the Birch,” or often simply “Lyric.” Our logos will also be modified to reflect this change.

As a company, we have been evolving since our creation in 1978. Then, we were called the San Diego Gilbert & Sullivan Company, because that’s what we exclusively performed. Over the years we have changed our name: to San Diego Comic Opera, then to Lyric Opera San Diego. Each time the change heralded a shift in repertoire, mission, or focus; each change brought us a little closer to what we believe is our true calling. We are San Diego’s affordable, accessible musical theater company; the emphasis has never been on opera above other musical theater genres, and we feel our new name rightly focuses the attention on what we are really about: lyric theater. That means musical theater of all kinds, not just opera.

In addition, as a result of our hard work and your undying support, we have had the great good fortune to move into our fabulous new home and take over ownership of the Birch North Park Theatre. Councilman Todd Gloria said recently that this glorious building is the “economic engine” that drives North Park, the heart and soul of a thriving arts community, and we find it only fitting that we include it in our name as a reminder that we are a part of this community, and dedicated to its success.

This is who we are; this is where we are: we’re Lyric at the Birch. Doesn’t get simpler than that.

Looking for an Angel

We are looking for an “Angel” to underwrite the upgrade of our two web sites. Alonso Creative, a local Web designer consultant, is donating their design skills to complete the upgrade of the Birch North Park Theatre site. They are further offering their services at a significant discount to upgrade the Lyric site and fully integrate both sites. (Check Alonso Creative out on the web and you’ll understand how fortunate we are to have their support.)

We need about $10,000 to purchase software our office needs to maintain and interface with the new site – and to pay Alonso’s reduced fees. This upgrade will make it easier and quicker for us to respond to you, our patrons, and will reduce the time needed to regularly update our event calendar from several hours to a few minutes. If you know anyone who can help us, please contact Pam Arnold at 760-738-9079. Thanks for your support!

Jack’s Notes: Gigi

Observations on Lyric’s season from our Artistic Director, J. Sherwood Montgomery

Well, here we are about to open our thirty-second season, and the very fact that we are still here is more than a miracle. We are grateful to all in the community who continue to allow us to bring you music for everyone, at a high artistic level, at the lowest ticket price for this kind of entertainment in town. No other company gives you a full orchestra and chorus for every show in an attractive and intimate setting, with no seat farther than sixty feet from the stage, in an historic movie palace that is an ideal “house of dreams.” This season we are on a journey that we have never taken in this way before: four shows that are each a classic in their own right, that seen together, promise to give you thrilling music making and memorable theater.

We open with our first ever Lerner and Loewe show, Gigi, which represents the final collaboration of this great team of music theater masters. The stage version of their 1958 film was the final time they worked together. The show has California roots as it was presented by Edwin Lester, the fabled producer of the Los Angeles and San Francisco Civic Light Opera, which guaranteed eighteen sold-out weeks of tryout to any new show or national touring company that was lucky enough to get the gig. The stage production featured a cast of music theater marquee names, Alfred Drake in the Maurice Chevalier role of Honoré, Agnes Moorehead in her final role ever (she died of cancer during the run), Daniel Massey as Gaston, and Lila Kedrova as Mamita. This is the first time the show will have been mounted in San Diego in twenty years, and it will feature Laura Bueno as Gigi, J. Sherwood Montgomery (myself) as Honoré, Benjamin Robinson as Gaston, and two debuts of local stage personalities, Leigh Scarritt as Aunt Alicia, and Rita Cantos Cartwright as Mamita.

The film Gigi represented the last hurrah of the Freed unit at MGM and Vincente Minnelli pulled out all the stops in casting and sets and costumes to bring this French novel by Colette to vivid life. Maurice Chevalier himself gave the composer and lyricist the idea for one of his songs on the occasion of their first meeting. Lerner and Lowe met with Chevalier in Paris to sign the contract and talk about the film. They began by sharing some hot Hollywood scandal gossip and Chevalier smiled and said: “I'm glad I’m not young anymore.” Immediately a hit number was added to their canon of great songs, and we look forward to bringing this charming diversion to our stage for the first time in all its splendor and sophistication.

Gigi runs from September 24 to October 3. Tickets and season subscriptions are available online so please make a plan to join us today!

Behind the Scenes at Lyric: The Singing Chef

You already know that Lyric’s General Director, Leon Natker, is multitalented onstage and off. The talented singing actor also conducts and directs, and runs the company and the theatre. But did you know he happens to be a gourmet cook as well?

Leon calls cooking “a hobby I started at Juilliard because I was tired of eating canned tuna and hamburger all the time.” In those days, Leon explains, college students didn’t have computers and videogames to take up their spare time, so he thought he’d take some cooking classes to see what he could do on a tight budget.

Leon’s Juilliard roommate was the actor John de Lancie (now best known for his recurring role as Q on “Star Trek: The Next Generation”), whose father, the late John de Lancie, was the principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. De Lancie the elder helped pay for Leon and John to take cooking classes, in part, Leon thinks, because he was tired of constantly taking the perpetually broke students out to eat during his frequent visits to New York.

Cooking has remained a lifetime passion for Leon, who has continued to take every opportunity to learn new techniques and recipes. In Chicago, he was even the sous-chef for a time at the Halsted Street Fish Market, the first fish-only restaurant in Chicago. “I learned how to fillet a fish, shuck oysters, open clams, you name it.” Leon has also planned vacations around cooking classes, including a cooking school tour of Thailand and another in China. Although he says his favorite type of cuisine is “whatever I’m doing at the moment,” he has a special fondness for Chinese cooking. “I love the variety of Chinese cuisine, it’s imply amazing,” he says. “I also love what you might call Continental cooking – French/Italian, what the Italians would call ‘cucina povero,’ simple, poor people’s food. You can make a lot with a very little if you just know some techniques.”

Anyone who’s been lucky enough to be invited to a dinner party at Leon’s house can attest to his skills, which came in handy during the years of fundraising for the restoration of the Birch North Park Theatre. Intimate dinners for six or eight, with Leon as chef, proved a popular auction item at fundraising events. “Jack and I really enjoyed those dinner the most, although we also love giving large parties for the cast of whatever show is currently in production,” Leon says.

Here’s one of Leon’s favorite recipes of the moment:

Summery Grilled Pork Chops

4 thick cut boneless pork loin chops

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped

2 teaspoons prepared Chinese mustard (you can use Dijon if you can’t find the Chinese variety)

Mix to the marinade together well, place the chops and marinade in a

sealed plastic bag for at least two hours.

Sauce:

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tsp sugar

4 - 6 dried prunes, chopped

Grill the chops so that they are still juicy and just a little pink inside. The time will depend on your grill, five minutes to a side is a good judge. Place them on a plate and cover while you prepare the sauce.

In a skillet, bring the vinegar, sugar and prunes to a boil, lower the heat and reduce the liquid by 1/3, pour over your chops. They are ready to serve.

Serves 4

Members Only! Join the Club

Admit it, you’ve always wanted to be a Maestro, an Impresario, or a Wandering Minstrel. Perhaps a Pirate King or even a Grand Poo-Bah? Or perhaps you have your sights set higher – President, CEO, or Chairman of the Board. Thanks to Lyric’s many levels of giving opportunities, you have the chance to attain one of these exalted titles, no matter the size of your donation.

Lyric is committed to providing outstanding musical theatre performances while keeping ticket prices at an affordable level, so that the performing arts may be enjoyed by all San Diego’s citizens. This has been especially difficult over the past two years, as the recession has hit everyone hard. Attaining our goals is only possible with the help of our loyal supporters. We welcome your help!

If you’re already a Member, please renew your membership, if you haven’t already. If you’re not a Member, you can become one when you purchase tickets or a subscription. There are other ways to help, but Membership is the best way to show your commitment to musical theatre in your community.

There are, of course, perks and benefits among the various ways we show our gratitude for your support. These begin at a $50 donation level, and the sky’s the limit from there. But let’s get real – you won’t donate to Lyric for a free coffee in the lobby or a chance to have your photo taken with a tenor. You’ll donate because you believe in what we’re doing and you want to help. Everything else is icing on the cake. (Mmm… cake.)

It’s easy to become a Member or make a donation. All the levels, details, and benefits can be seen here.

Online donations by credit card are safe and secure with payment processing via PCCharge. To donate by check, please make your check payable to Lyric Opera San Diego and mail to
2891 University Avenue, Ste. 1
San Diego, CA 92104. You can also donate by phone using a credit card:
call 619-231-5714, ext. 110.

For information on Underwriting Opportunities or Endowment contributions, please call our Development Director, Pamela Arnold at 619-231-5714, Ext. 108 or email pparnold@cox.net.

All donations are 100% tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Tax ID 95-3426868.

“Jazz in North Park” Heads Into Summer with Denise Donatelli and the Geoffrey Keezer Quartet

Lyric’s series of jazz concerts, “Jazz in North Park,” heads into summer at the Birch North Park Theatre with Denise Donatelli and the Geoffrey Keezer Quartet, on Wednesday, July 7, 2010.

“The love for jazz is evident when Donatelli sings, as each note opens with the vibrancy of a lush flower and holds with the precision of a long-time student of the art. With picture-perfect pitch and a crystalline quality to her higher notes, she presents a vocal palette that is appealing, energetic, enticing, and sensual.” – Jordan Richardson, blogcritics.org

Born in Allentown, Penn., Denise Donatelli was drenched in music from an early age. She has performed in jazz clubs and jazz festivals across the country. Her first CD, “In the Company of Friends,” was released in 2005 on the Jazzed Media label and her 2008 release, “What Lies Within” on the Savant Records label, debuted on the National Jazz Week Chart at #15 and peaked at #11. Her upcoming release with pianist, composer/arranger, Geoffrey Keezer, who will join her on this double bill, is scheduled for a spring 2010 release. 

Keezer, who now lives in San Diego, is an immensely talented pianist who, at 17, joined the great Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, then went on to perform with Art Farmer, Ray Brown, Christian McBride, Jim Hall, and countless others. His own projects cover a wide range of musical expression from acoustic jazz to electronica to diverse world-music collaborations including his 2009 Grammy-nominated CD “Aurea.” Joining the quartet for this performance is San Diego’s favorite guitarist, 
Peter Sprague.

Jazz in North Park is presented by Lyric Opera San Diego in collaboration with Music Director Holly Hofmann, in association with KSDS 88.3 FM) radio. Tickets are $27 for adults, $15 for students. Show Lyric or KSDS membership card and save $5 off single show tickets. Tickets and information: www.birchnorthparktheatre.net or (619) 239-8836.

July 15 is Single Ticket On-Sale Day!

July 15 is a big day around the Lyric box office. It’s the day single tickets to all our shows in the coming season go on sale.

That’s right – starting on July 15, members of the general public will at last be able to get their hands on individual tickets to all our coming shows. With a season like ours, we anticipate they will be knocking down the doors to the box office. What does this mean to you? If you’re a returning subscriber, and you haven’t renewed your seats yet, on July 15 you might LOSE THEM.

We don’t want this to happen, and we know you don’t want it to either. So don’t wait until the last possible moment – if you haven’t already, renew your subscription today to keep your great seats for Gigi, The Barber of Seville, The Gondoliers, and Fiddler on the Roof.

What about if you’ve never ordered before? Well, if you’re considering buying a subscription – and you should! – don’t miss out on this final chance to reserve great seats at a great savings over single ticket prices!

Click here to renew or buy online.

A Constellation of LOSD Stars Take the Stage in 2010 Season

Have you renewed your Lyric Opera subscription yet?

Just in case you needed more motivation, here are some casting tidbits from next year’s shows. We think you’ll see some of your LOSD faves in this list!

Benjamin Robinson made his LOSD debut as Frederic in last season’s fabulous Pirates of Penzance and we couldn’t wait to bring him back, so you’ll enjoy him as Gastone in Gigi alongside our own J. Sherwood Montgomery as Honoré (the Maurice Chevalier role) and Laura Bueno (last seen as Hope in 2009’s Anything Goes in the delightful title role of Gigi!

Another Pirates debut last year was the wonderful bass Ashraf Sewailam as the Pirate King. We’re bringing him back in The Barber of Seville as Don Basilio, and the beauteous Emily Douglass (last seen in Daughter of the Regiment, 2008) returns as Rosina. Robert Boldin gets to let his hair down as Count Almaviva, after pouring out his suffering on stage as Henrik in last season’s A Little Night Music. Our own Walter DuMelle will crack you up as Doctor Bartolo.

As the dashing leads Marco and Giuseppe in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Gondoliers, Benjamin Robinson steps in again, well matched with Jordan Miller (Mr. Lindquist from last season’s A Little Night Music). These two are definitely easy on the eyes AND ears!

Oodles of talent and decades of experience will collide on stage in Fiddler on the Roof as our own Leon Natker as Tevye, Broadway star Jimmy Ferraro as Lazar Wolf, and LOSD’s hometown girl Fan Hartshorn as Golde. Another reason to cheer: alumni from our Summer Academy will fill children’s roles in both Gigi and Fiddler on the Roof. With all this to look forward to, what are you waiting for? Renew or buy your subscription today.