If you’ve come to our concerts you’ve probably seen a tall man, all in black, taking photos with a really staunch looking paparazzi-worthy camera. Those of you who come early see him all over the place — on top of chairs and benches, and practically in our faces. He’s almost disruptive. Except he’s not, because he’s there by invitation.
Jim King, VCS’ photographer of choice
Meet Jim King, VCS’ photographer of choice. [Read more…]
The Reston Chorale’s director, David Brian Lang …. when he’s not being Jedi-like.
And finally, ladies and gentlemen, we bring you David Brian Lang. Director of The Reston Chorale – our partner in this week’s concert of Opera For The People – and the show week quiz contestant who injects a whole other level of humor. Grace Gori and Pablo Talamente actually talked about the music, Jennifer Rodgers Beach informed us about Star Wars trivia (and so, your life is now complete). Mr. Lang however, keeps it real. Read on!
VCS: What you love most about being on stage…
DBL: Not only the excitement, but also the mystery of “live” performance.
VCS: I say “opera” and you think…
DBL: Diva.
VCS: Opera is better than…
DBL: Being opera-less.
VCS: Before you go on stage you …..
DBL: ….go to the bathroom.
VCS: Things you wish the audience would do when the lights go down….
DBL: Have had two drinks already. [Read more…]
Grace Gori, mezzo soprano, soloist for “Opera For The People,” and apparently, donut lover.
So, we decided to have some fun with our soloists and staff for Opera For The People. Because we’re like that.
First up, Grace Gori, mezzo soprano. Ms. Gori will sing several pieces this weekend. Tickets are available online now.
VCS: What you love most about being on stage.
GG: When things are really “working” and we performers are really communicating with our audience, it’s as if there’s electricity in the air, sort of like an energy feedback loop between the audience and the performers. It’s really exciting to feel that people are being touched by what we are creating on stage.
VCS: We say “opera,” you think?
GG: I think the world’s greatest music creating bigger-than-life drama.
VCS: Opera is better than ….?
GG: Donuts. [Read more…]
Show week breakfast of champions. Hey, don’t judge. (image by V31S70)
And that quickly, we are in show week!
Tickets are still available online for Vienna and Reston. (We always have them at the door, but we encourage you to get your tickets ahead of time. Online = less waiting at the door!) But we digress….back to show week. Which means: [Read more…]
The Reston Chorale’s David Brian Lang, in full arm wavery!
VCS’ Jennifer Rodgers Beach, about to make the choir flip castanets – sorta.
Good monday morning!
Just a quick reminder that the clock’s ticking on your opportunity to buy early bird tickets for Opera For The People – our season-ender and joint concert with The Reston Chorale. And you do not want to miss this!
Two choirs, two performances, four fabulous soloists, 150 voices, and a big wall of sound full of rich, well-known, sometimes not so well-known, storied, funny, and much beloved pieces.
Opera for the People (artwork by Steven Keen of Keen Method LLC)
Of course, being that we are who we are, we’re calling this BHAG a “double-the-trouble-double-the-fun” event, one to challenge your assumptions about opera. All the while, paying tribute to its iconic moments and immense emotions from Verdi to Copland. And it wil be accessible and enjoyable, whether you know opera or not – in fact, you might actually find sometimes rather contemporary surprises! To quote our artistic directors for this event, VCS’ Jennifer Rodgers Beach and TRC’s David Brian Lang:
Together, we can create a wall of sound for Boris Godunov, a triumphant end for Turandot and that electric feeling of potential when a huge chorus finds their pianissimo!
Please join us, won’t you?
In which Karen Akers, Alto, President of the VCS Board, and person of acute and hilarious wit, holds forth on opera as we head into the last two weeks of intensive rehearsal for Opera For The People. (Early bird tickets still on sale, available until Monday, May 6, 2013.)
Swallow all food and drink before reading this on your electronic device of choice, you have been warned.
What we think when we think of opera…..(image courtesy The Worm-Stung God)
Here’s the deal – a lot of people think they don’t like opera because it’s stuffy. An audience of over-dressed people, withstanding the assault of large men and women singing at them, at decibel levels that can induce deafness. The language is incomprehensible, the choruses never seem to end, and singers wander up and down the stage like a rather unfocused staff meeting. If staff meetings featured singing. And maybe hats with horns on them. And what’s up with the horns?
Nope. We won’t be wearing horns. (image courtesy Operagasm)
Note-pounding includes lots of written notes. And why yes, we are doing Bridal Chorus. (image by John Attebury)
Don’t know if you noticed but we kinda went quiet last week. No, we didn’t go off to enjoy the outdoors (although if you hear warbling in your backyard, that’s probably one of us note-pounding).
Instead, we’ve been very busy rehearsing our hearts out for what we affectionately refer to as the seasonal BHAG – “big hairy goal.” And we do mean that in the most affectionate way possible, because we couldn’t be more excited about “Opera for the People,” our big upcoming season ender and joint collaboration with The Reston Chorale! Two choirs, 150 voices, and a huge wall of rich sound. This is going to be fabulous, so get your tickets now! Early Bird Tickets are on sale for one more week.
But we have to be honest with you. We need your help to make “Opera” a success. Which is why we’re running our opera(tic) fundraiser on Razoo. [Read more…]
We’re five weeks out from our joint performance of “Opera For The People” with The Reston Chorale – do you have your tickets yet? They’re available online, and early bird prices end in three weeks!
But here’s the thing – there will be two choirs, and we don’t usually rehearse at the same time. Huh?! Let us explain.
TRC also rehearses Tuesdays. But they began rehearsing for this performance two weeks before us because their calendar’s slightly different. And they rehearse in Reston. We, meanwhile, began rehearsing after “Music of the Storms” and we rehearse in Vienna. And we’ve all practiced the same pieces of music.
So how do we bring it all together? [Read more…]
Now that we’re done with open rehearsals, it’s time for us to really dig in to the music. And in fact, we’re excited about a joint rehearsal – our first so far – with The Reston Chorale, coming up this week.
In case you’re wondering, we have done joint choir performances before – like The Requiem in May 2011 when Jen’s choir from UUCR and Mark’s UUCF Chorale joined with VCS for a huge sound of 175 voices. But everyone knew Mark and Jen, while that’s not the case this time. Jen and David Brian Lang, who directs The Reston Chorale, know each other. The choirs? Not so much! So we’re looking forward to rehearsing with them this week over breakfast and (very strong) coffee.
It’s going to be fun to sing with another group of people who’ve all rehearsed the same music, just not in the same room, for the last few weeks. Uncertain? Yes. A lot of “you zig while I zag?” Probably. Some version of “wait, what?!” as we sing? Definitely. A great deal of “Hey I didn’t know you sing here!” and “Don’t I know you from…..?” Most definitely. But hey, we’re adventurous like that….isn’t that why you come to see us? Because we take these huge creative chances?
We are very excited about this concert. It’s simultaneously fun, exciting, and nervy to have a whole other choir, with its own dynamics and back-bench kibbitzers add another layer of interestingness to your weekly wall of sound. And truly, the music is so great – you’ll recognize some of it, be alternatively amused (oh yes) and swept away (hey, it’s opera). We can’t wait to bring it to you.
Early bird (aka, lower priced) tickets are online, and available until May 6, after which they go up to full price. Don’t wait, get your tickets now!
