Remembering Roger Andrews

Roger Andrews with his wife, violinist Marilyn Reynolds.

Saturday night, the Met Opera Chorus lost one of its own. Roger Andrews, who sang in the chorus for over 2,000 performances and performed solo roles 152 times at The Metropolitan Opera before retiring 4 years ago, passed away suddenly at the age of 67 of an apparent heart attack. Fellow chorister Rebecca Carvin writes:

I first met Roger when I was a new chorister during a List Hall rehearsal. I was carrying a book by Robertson Davies, a favorite author of mine, and as it turns out, one of Roger’s too. Thus commenced a long conversation about books, music, food, travel, family and personalities. Roger was often my partner on stage, and the conversation continued during breaks in the action. Funny, articulate, with a wealth of knowledge, Roger was a wonderful conversationalist. Our conversation was picked up over the years, never skipping a beat, and when he retired, it continued via the occasional email. Our last conversation was over dinner in Montreal, where my husband and I took a mini-vacation a few years back. We picked right up where we had left off, with Roger full of information about the joys of retirement, encouraging me to do it as soon as was reasonably possible. To Roger, life was full of fun and possibility. He is sadly missed, fondly remembered, and gone way too soon.

Roger (on the left) during a curtain call for La fille du regiment.

From Roger's bio:

Roger was trained in theory and composition at Queens College (NY), graduating cum laude with highest departmental honors. He has appeared as a baritone soloist in the opera houses of New York, San Francisco, Cleveland, and Caracas, Venezuela. While a professor at Kenyon College, he founded the Opera Program and honed his skills as a lecturer on a variety of musical topics. He has written program notes for orchestras and chamber groups around the country. A stage director as well, he was completing a doctorate at NYC in Theatre History when he was invited to join the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, where he performed over 2,000 performances, both as a chorister and as a soloist. After retiring from the Metropolitan Opera he began began working as a stage director and piano accompanist, in Northern New York State and Montreal. 

Choristers Jason Hendrix and Dustin Lucas with Roger Andrews.

Choristers Mary Hughes and Rebecca Carvin with Roger Andrews.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, and his son, Rory. Rest in peace Roger.

The Met Opera Chorus Goes Back to School!

The Met Chorus Artists got out of the opera house and into the schoolhouse twice in February to interact with their youngest fans!

Met Chorister Karen Dixon, Met Orchestra Musicians Kari Docter, Dov Scheindlin, Katherine Fong, and Bruno Eicher, and NYC Council Member Helen Rosenthal enthralling a group of Kindergartners at PS 166.

 By Edward Hanlon

     This month, members of the Met Opera Chorus had a couple performances.  Nothing unusual there: we perform up to seven times a week! But these were different; for one, they were in the morning (and I can count the number of musicians who are morning people on one hand) but, more importantly, the average audience was younger… much younger. As you can probably guess, this was not a performance in the Met Opera House. In one, we went to Castle Bridge Elemementary for an Opera Ambush, and, for the other, members of the chorus and orchestra teamed up at The Richard Rodgers School of Arts and Technology, P.S. 166, to perform a “Musical Read-Aloud” — an original score composed to accompany Buzzard and Wren Have a Race, a story from the book A Ring of Tricksters, by Virginia Hamilton. The music was composed by Robert Miller, husband of violinist Elena Barere, and the story was read aloud to children and teachers by New York City Council Member Helen Rosenthal and chorus soprano Karen Dixon.

    I’m happy to report that the Musical Read-Aloud was a huge success!  It was a joy to give these children a chance to see how words and music come together to tell a story, and show how musicians listen to each other and work together to create something beautiful! “We’re very excited to play for these young students at PS166!” said cellist Kari Docter. “Countless studies have shown a strong link between music and a strong education. As musicians, parents and teachers, we are committed to strengthening the role music plays in the education of our children, as well as the role the arts play as part of a healthy, inclusive and positive society.”

The Opera Ambush at Castle Bridge Elementary School, up on 169th and St. Nicholas Avenue, was also a huge success with yet another group of kids. Chorister Mary Hughes organized the event, inviting members of the full-time chorus (and some of the extra chorus) to sneak up on a room of students during their regularly scheduled music class with a rousing rendition of "Libiamo" from La Traviata. They have plans to come back later in the season to teach the kids another opera chorus favorite, "Va, Pensiero" from Nabucco.

The teachers seemed to enjoy it as much as their students did! Music teacher Sally Cleaver raved: 

"My fave was hearing Miguery (Grade 1) singing in the bathroom a Dominican, child version of the song...it was so moving and so wonderful and we could have listened to you all day.  More than one teacher told me they 'teared up' when the chorus swelled from behind the kids.  Simeon high fiving one of your singers at the end, Quyen scaring the stitches out of a chorus member her neighbor, Thomas nearly passing out, all day hearing the song sung in various ways in various places. What you guys gave us had and continues to have endless ripples."

She even offers this adorable exchange between a student and teacher during the performance: 

Kindergartner: (turning to teacher after the singing started) "Look!  They are singing Mariachi!"

Teacher:  "I know..so exciting...but it's called opera!" 

Members of the Met Opera Chorus with teachers from Castle Bridge Elementary School.

Why Dancer Bradley Shelver Wrote A Book

by Bradley Shelver

I have always believed the mark of a successful artist is versatility. At least, this is how I have always approached dance. I believe dance picked me, at the tender age of 4 years old, born in South Africa during the apartheid era. The possibilities for us internationally were all but none, and thanks to an observant and incredibly supportive father, my flare for movement was noticed and it was arranged for me to audition for the newly established Performing Arts Workshop, founded by a deeply passionate American by the name of Jeff Corey. The workshop was a gateway to everything artistic, from Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Contemporary dance, to singing, theater arts, stage crafts and lighting: a playground for talent and an overly energetic 4 year old.

I loved every minute and soon went on to audition for the National School of the Arts, the preeminent Performing Arts High School based in Johannesburg. This journey, and exposure, to all manner of glorious and dedicated youngsters from every race, creed and background instilled in me the importance and gift of the arts to the human condition.

My final year in high school offered me the possibility to take a Modern Dance class from (and audition for) the inspiring dancers of the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. I thought I already had my trajectory since, the previous year, I was offered a position with the Netherlands Dance Theater 2, and I asked them to hold my spot until I graduated. However, after seeing the Ailey Company perform, I knew New York City was where I wanted to be.

I arrived in New York City in January of 1998, two weeks after graduating high school, scared, excited and slightly overwhelmed by all that I experienced.

After spending 5 months studying under full scholarship, I was asked to join Ailey 2, a young and vivacious company that toured extensively and further opened my eyes to a world with dance in it; this world was a much better place.

During my time with the Ailey organization (of which I am now a full time faculty member and choreographer) I was submerged in a technique called Horton, a precise and codified way to train dancers in the shortest amount of time. With exercises for every part of the body, from the face to the feet, I trained under the guidance of master teachers Milton Myers and Ana-Marie Forsythe. Under their mentorship, I started to investigate and develop my own teaching style and principles using this technique.

After leaving the Ailey organization as a dancer, I went on to perform with companies like Elisa Monte Dance, Ballet Hispanico, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Limon Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theater in the U.K., and as a guest artist with Mark Morris Dance, Universal Ballet and Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane. I am now in my tenth season with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, being constantly fed by all styles and genres, and I continue to develop my own thoughts and ideas for how to teach and train with the Horton Technique. As a choreographer, however, my style and vocabulary is not derived from Horton, but instead my ideas feed and evolve the technique.

I started to teach workshops and classes throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the U.S., and was approached by the University of Rome to write a book on the technique as part of a series on Modern Dance they were working on. I was living in the U.K. at the time and decided to delve more into putting my thoughts on paper, finding a way to make the physical elements verbal. This was not an easy task, and took me two years to write and photograph. After a severe economic crisis in Italy, the publishing of the series was delayed indefinitely, even though two of the books had already been translated into Italian. I managed to get out of my publishing contract with the international L’Epos publishers and decided to publish the book in English, under the title, “Performance Through The Dance Technique Of Lester Horton.”

As of January 2018, my book is available in almost every county worldwide, and has been requested by universities and conservatories to include it in their teaching curriculum.

Being one of only three books published on the topic of Horton, my book seeks to connect the prior two texts, and shine a light on how to carry the ideas forward in an ever-changing and versatile dance world.

This is the artist's way; this is why I love what I do, and love to teach. If it wasn’t for that modern dance class with the Alvin Ailey dancers back in Johannesburg all those years ago, I never would have come to live the dream that I do today. As Alvin Ailey once said, “Dance came from the people, and should always be given back to the people," so I wrote a book.

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If you are interested in purchasing Bradley's book, you can check it out here and here.

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What Are We Up To? - The April Edition

Do April showers really bring May flowers? Why yes, they do! (At least, one hopes!) April ALSO brings us the comedic and oh-so-charming new production of Massenet’s Cendrillion, and the return of two operatic jewels: Tosca (after a winter break) and Gounod’s tragic and romantic Roméo et Juliette (which was a new production last year). As the season winds down, there certainly is no rest for the chorus! We have been practicing our French diction, that’s for sure...

Joyce Di Donato & Alice Coote in a scene from Laurent Pelly's Cendrillon. Photo: Billy Cooper/Royal Opera House

by Liz Sciblo, with contributions by Lianne Coble-Dispensa

Cendrillon: This is, of course, the famous story of Cinderella, and its exciting to have this production finally mounted at The Met, after having successes at the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, and Santa Fe Opera. Between the fanciful costumes (designed by director Laurent Pelly), the magical music, and the fabulous cast (Joyce DiDonato, Alice Coote, and Stephanie Blythe, just to name a few), this is definitely one to see.  The chorus is extremely active in this production (with many choristers making their solo debuts on the Met stage as servants and fairy godmother spirits), and it's safe to say that it's been a long time since we've had this much fun in the staging process of a show! (Let's just say we've all dusted off our dancing shoes and are upping our weekly cardio sessions to prepare...) [Opens April 12th]

Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

Roméo et Juliette:  Reprising Bartlett Sher’s acclaimed production from last season, Roméo et Juliette is, of course, based on Shakespeare’s classic tale of tragic love. This gorgeous opera offers passion, jealousy, poison and most importantly, epic sword fights! The cast is absurdly good: Bryan Hymel and Ailyn Pérez are the star-crossed lovers, and Maestro Placido Domingo conducts (just days after finishing his run of Luisa Miller performances! Nothing can stop this man.). [Returns April 23rd]

The 'Te Deum' scene from Tosca. Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera.

Tosca: Sir David McVicar's smashing success of a production returns with international superstar Anna Netrebko in the title role. If you missed this production the first time around, then you'd better get your tickets fast, because there are only six more opportunities, and the first two are sold out! The Act I finale (often referred to as the 'Te Deum', pictured above) is worth the price of admission (though being a member of the chorus, I might be a little biased!). [Returns April 21st]

Intrigued? You should be. The clock is ticking! Grab those tickets before it’s too late...

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Recipe Corner: Stephanie Chigas's Prescription for a Delicious Easter Meal

It seems crazy to say this, but we're at that point of the year where Easter has become a (not-so-distant) memory. The ham has been sliced, the Cadbury eggs have been demolished, and the Easter Bunny has gone back into hiding for another year. (Where does the Easter Bunny actually live between holidays? Does anyone know?) If you're already missing the season of pastels and egg-shaped confections, fear not: you get another chance! While Western churches celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the vernal equinox, Orthodox faiths follow the Julian calendar, and this year, Greek Orthodox Easter falls on April 8th! Here to help you plan your Orthodox Easter menu is our beloved Greek mezzo-soprano, Stephanie Chigas! 

Name: Stephanie Chigas      
Hometown: Chicago, IL.
Years at the Met: 8.
My favorite opera is: I have 2 favorites: Così fan tutte and Werther.
One of my most memorable experiences at the Met so far is:  Dmitri Hvorstovsky’s surprise performance at the Metropolitan Opera’s 50 years at Lincoln Center Gala Celebration last spring.
Other than opera, my favorite type of music is:  All kinds! I am obsessed with the 80’s and Christmas music, and I absolutely LOVE the Beatles, Elvis Costello, Olafur Arnalds, and Radiohead.  I also like early jazz, gypsy jazz and mellow indie music.  
When I’m not at the Met, you can find me: At home in Astoria, watching "Golden Girls" marathons or cooking with my daughter, Zoe.
The most outrageous thing I've ever cooked (or eaten) was: I once made a turducken for Thanksgiving.  It is a turkey stuffed with a duck that is stuffed with a chicken. I don’t recommend it.  It was a pain to assemble and in the end it just felt very weird to me. 
The three things in my kitchen I can’t live without are: My wooden spoon that I’ve had as long as I can remember that I use for almost everything; my coffee pot; and my manual pasta maker. 
If I had to choose, my three (current) favorite ingredients are: Butter (a close tie with olive oil), mushrooms of all varieties, and tarragon.
Again, if I had to choose, my “last meal” would be: My last meal would be what I like to call the "Trifecta of Deliciousness,” which is a slice of Chicago style pizza, a Chicago style hot dog, and an Italian Beef sandwich with giardiniera on the side.

by Stephanie Chigas, with contributions by Lianne Coble-Dispensa

"My dad was a chef and restaurateur, as is my one of my sisters, and my mom is a phenomenal home cook, just like my Yiayia (or grandmother in Greek).  So naturally, they instilled in me a deep love of cooking, sharing traditions, eating, and having fun with family and close friends. I love that I am passing this down to my daughter and seeing her love for cooking grow, too.  It is my absolute favorite pastime (aside from watching "Golden Girls"!).

That being said, spring is here and Easter is right around the corner, so I’d like to share one of my favorite dishes that I make often this time of year: Salmon En Croute.  It’s light and springy, but can be enjoyed at any time.  It goes best with great company!

To make it, you’ll need:

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 leeks, washed and sliced
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons dried tarragon
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 1 egg plus 2 teaspoons water, for egg wash
• 1 (3-pound) salmon fillet, skin removed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, red onion and tarragon and sauté until the onions and leeks are soft, which should take about 10 minutes. Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Let the liquid cook off, add the salt and pepper, and remove from the heat and set aside. Let this cool before using. 

Unfold 1 thawed pastry sheet and lay it on a lightly floured surface. Brush 1 edge with the egg wash and overlap the other sheet by 2 inches. Roll the pastry out until it's big enough to fold around the salmon. Spoon the cooled leek mixture down the center of the pastry, place the salmon on top of the leeks and fold the pastry over the salmon. I like to shape the pastry around the salmon so it looks like a fish. :) Egg wash the edges to seal, and press firmly. Place the salmon parcel seam side down on a sheet pan. Brush with egg wash and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing. 

I like to serve this with some grilled asparagus and Dijon mustard.  Enjoy!"

Stephanie's finished creation! Photo by the chef herself. 

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Meet Dan Hoy, Chorus Administrator

The Met Chorus's schedule is, in a word, a nightmare for administrators. Between musical rehearsals, staging rehearsals, solo coachings, costume fittings, and the fact that at any given time we're rehearsing (and performing) no fewer than 6 shows at once, you might wonder how we keep it all together? Well, meet Dan Hoy, who performs the unsung role of Chorus Administrator with aplomb (thanks, in part, to his experience in the extra chorus!). 

Photo: Miles Davis

by Sara Heaton

Seeing a high school performance of Annie Get Your Gun was what did it. Daniel Hoy was only in kindergarten, but he walked out of that show knowing he was destined for a life in the theater. He developed his baritone voice and built an impressive singing career in both opera and musical theater. But he never could have imagined that his pursuits would land him his current role as the Administrator of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus.

Met audiences have heard Dan in the Extra Chorus for the past 11 years. His first performance was Lohengrin in 2006, and he has joined the chorus for countless others since then, including the Japan Tour in the summer of 2011, which he called, “one of the best three weeks of my life. I never thought I would get to Asia or have that opportunity.”

This might not be a particularly exciting picture until you realize where it was taken! Dan's caption states: "With some fellow Met Choristers the first morning in Japan – and we went to Denny’s! It was close to the hotel, don’t judge…" (from 2011)

Then, last spring, a new opportunity at The Met presented itself. Former administrator Steve Losito was soon to retire, and Dan decided to throw his hat in the ring for the position. Given his love for the stage, Dan surprised even himself by considering a job that would take him behind the scenes, but soon realized that it was meant to be.

“I thought about it and decided to take a leap of faith. It was an opportunity I never, ever considered. But I love helping. I really enjoy being around people. It can be a stressful environment here, and I like to be able to keep it calm, keep things in perspective.”

Dan's first week at work. His name is on the door and everything!

One of his strongest deciding factors was the chance to work with Chorus Master Donald Palumbo. “I have huge respect for him, and to work with him everyday is a true pleasure. He really cares so much and works so hard, it’s kind of unbelievable. I’ve learned a lot.”

In less than a year, Dan has proven himself more than fit for the monstrous role of Chorus Administrator. Every week he coordinates with the Rehearsal Department, Maestro Palumbo, and the two chorus managers (Kurt Phinney and Stephen Paynter, who are also members of the chorus) to solidify the following week’s schedule. Once that is finalized, he builds the document that will be distributed to the choristers so everyone knows where, and when, they need to be (I would bet that every chorister carries a copy of this with them at all times!). He also communicates and schedules all fittings with the costume department, and communicates daily with stage managers and directors regarding chorus attendance. Dan manages the yearly chorus auditions, fielding submissions from over 500 singers at a time, and is the auditioners’ main contact. If that wasn’t enough, he also builds and maintains most of the supporting documents for the upcoming season schedule (which is already in the works!), and disseminates all relevant information to the Regular and Extra Chorus.

All this work that Dan is in charge of is just one small part of the inner workings at the Met. There can be six operas being rehearsed in the building at any one time, each one with sets, costumes, props, technical requirements, stage directors, stage managers, and more. “The amount of planning to coordinate all those schedules is mind-melting. There are so many moving parts, it’s like a Swiss watch.”

No, this isn't a picture of Dan after a particularly grueling day of chorister-herding (though it could be). It's his costume from the opera "The Wreckers", performed at the Bard College Summerscape Opera in 2015.

He continues singing as his busy schedule allows, but there is no denying that taking on this job was a huge transition from his past life as solely a freelance singer. Yet, it has yielded some unexpected and profound realizations. “I feel like I have a much bigger impact on the Met as an institution in this role than I ever would as a chorister. In the chorus, you obviously have an incredible legacy and what you do is highly important, but I didn’t expect this opportunity to have an impact on the institution in this way, and that’s very exciting.”

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Sara Heaton began her Met career in 2014 in the Extra Chorus, and joined as a full time member in 2016. When not singing, Sara enjoys cooking, gardening, exploring the outdoors, and tasting her husband’s cocktail creations. They’re proud to make their home in Beacon, NY in the beautiful Hudson Valley.

Staff Performer Spotlight: Mike Gomborone the Globe-Trotter

by Mike Gomborone

Mike's Mediterranean sunset.

"Mike! You have so many stories! You should write them down."

"Ah, yes," I thought, "I missed the ship once, Mom came to visit me, I've hit a third of the world's countries...I could write a book."

Before becoming a full-time supernumerary at the Metropolitan Opera, I sailed for three years all over the world as a singer/dancer on cruise ships. I worked for several years based in New York as a musical theater actor, and one of my gigs happened to be as a part-time supernumerary while I was in-between musical theater jobs. Finally, after a whole year under contract at sea, I had had enough time afloat and longed for some solid ground again under my feet. Plus, the Met Opera welcomed me back after the year away, and I was longing for something more permanent in my life.

Mike, on top of Mt. Juneau in Alaska.

By luck, I landed my job as a unionized member of the Metropolitan Opera, but after a while, I started to long again for my carefree, adventurous days at sea. But how could I give up my amazing job at the Met? I get to wear fantastic costumes! I listen to the best singers and musicians in the world on a daily basis! I have DENTAL coverage! These are the things you just don't appreciate as an eager 20-something, freshly-graduated-out-of-college lad. My next best option was to go back and relive all of my photos, videos, and journal entries from my numerous ship days. I realized I had plenty of stories (75 chapters' worth, in fact!), and I figured I could put them all into a book!

Well, that's a really cute idea until you realize just how much work goes into something like this. Who's going to help me edit this monster? How do I make it interesting enough for people to want to read? And how am I going to sell this thing, my baby??

The project took close to an entire decade to pull off and I'm still learning as I go, but my Met Opera family has been very supportive, as well as my many other generous friends. I had several people read my manuscript and offer their suggestions over the years, and one friend encouraged me to add maps to my chapters so that my readers know where they are in the world for those few pages! That added so much to my book because I ended up drawing those in cartoon form, adding a bit more humor into the mix. Then, I discovered the world of self-publishing. Before I knew it, I held all of my tales in one neat little bound book.

Who knew that I would end up as an actor in an opera company? Who knew that I'd be able to relive my wonderful years on ships in book form? Who knew that I would get so much joy from the support of friends, and the experience of learning a new craft? My book and I have just begun our adventure together (I was even reviewed in the local paper back home!), and I think we are in for a fun ride.

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Mike Gomborone is originally from Rochester, NY and got a BFA in Musical Theater from Syracuse University before moving to New York City. Besides his work entertaining on ships, he toured around the country for a year in the musical GREASE and did a lot of regional and summer stock contracts before settling permanently at the Metropolitan Opera as a full-time supernumerary in 2006.

If you would like to order Mike's book, SINGING MY WAY AROUND THE WORLD: An Entertainer's Life at Sea, click here. It is also available as an e-book and audiobook.

Photo: Dan Demetriad

Who are the Met Chorus Artists?

You've probably noticed that this article you're reading is hosted on the Met Chorus Artists website. One might think, "Well, that's just another name for the chorus, right?" But Met Chorus Artists, Inc. is much more than that. Chorister Meredith Woodend, the president of the MCA, Inc. board, is pleased to introduce you to the outreach arm of the Met Chorus...

Photo (and effect) by Daniel Clark Smith

by Meredith Woodend

In the last few years, there has been a great deal of discussion within the Metropolitan Opera Chorus about how we could give back to our community as a group. By community, we mean: the people that live and work in the borough of Manhattan, the people within the tri-state area, and, of course, those that support us by attending performances in New York and world-wide through our Live in HD broadcasts.  After a ton of research, as well as guidance from the Met Orchestra Musicians (an already established not-for-profit which is comprised of members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), we embarked on this journey to create a 501(c)(3).  Thus, Met Chorus Artists, Inc. was founded.  

Met Chorus Artists, Inc. was created for many reasons.  Most importantly, we wanted a way to raise tax-deductible funds to generate outreach and education opportunities within our community.  Our goal is to foster a love and appreciation of music, especially opera, during a time when we could really benefit from the beauty and escape that only music can provide.  This is what we hope our audience experiences every time they come to see us.  

We also needed a way to effectively partner with other non-profit organizations in the tri-state area that are helping those who need it the most.  Currently our focus is on elementary, middle and high schools students, but we plan on broadening that focus in the near future.  We want to encourage the next generation of opera lovers, ensuring that this incredible art form continues for many years to come.

We are also looking for volunteer opportunities to help make a difference right here in our own backyard. This past October, as you might recall, we participated in the Lincoln Center Kids Halloween event. We set up a booth to promote kid-friendly operas at the Met and get the word out about Met Chorus Artists and the programs we are working on. (Plus we gave away a TON of candy!)  Recently, some of our Met Chorus Artists completed a program called "Opera Ambush" at a school in the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights.  It was a huge success that was spearheaded by our very own Mary Hughes.

Additionally, we have an ongoing collaboration with Culture for One, which offers students in foster care the opportunity to take voice lessons with a Met Chorus Artist and attend a performance. Chorister (and MCA Inc. board member) Nathan Carlisle is the man responsible for this mission, and it is starting to garner its own press. 

Despite our busy performance schedule, we are continuing to work hard to create more opportunities. We are hoping for future opportunities to create scholarships for high school students, partnering with the Metropolitan Opera Education department to create an Opera Junior Club for elementary or middle school students, and the creation of a fund that can offer tickets to families that might not otherwise be able to experience opera with their children due to financial hardships.  These projects are still in the planning phases, and we are open to anything that can help better our community. 

If you have an opportunity for the Met Chorus Artists to participate in, please let us know. We're ready to work, and are looking forward to hearing from you! If you’d like to provide monetary support, we will gladly accept your donations, which are tax-deductible, and the money will be put right into our ongoing projects or into funding a program that is waiting to be realized.  We are excited to get to know more of you in our community and look forward to seeing you at our house, the Metropolitan Opera.

For more information or to offer a project idea, please contact:
Meredith Woodend, President
Met Chorus Artists, Inc.
info@metchorusartists.com
 

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Meredith Woodend has been a chorister with the Metropolitan Opera since 2013. Prior to that she worked in public relations and finance. She is currently the president of Met Chorus Artists, Inc., and is looking forward to giving back to the community that supports us through every production. She was adopted by a snuggly, toothless cat named Pico in 2011. 

What Are We Up To? - The March Edition

Photo: Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera

by Lianne Coble-Dispensa

March, as the saying goes, comes in like a lion… though, for the Metropolitan Opera chorus, orchestra, staff performers, directors, stage managers, and stage crew, it pretty much stays lionesque until the bitter end! We have FOUR new shows opening this month, with one making its triumphant return after a few months off.

Photo: Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera

Elektra: Set in an unspecified modern setting by the late director Patrice Chereau, Strauss’s stark, psychologically imposing masterpiece unfolds without impediment, allowing the audience to truly experience the staggering beauty of one of Strauss’s densest, most complex operas. Christine Goerke is in her wheelhouse as the grieving, vengeful Elektra, and is supported by a fantastic cast of Elsa van der Heever, Michaela Schuster, Jay Hunter Morris, and Mikhail Petrenko. The orchestra will be at its astounding best under the baton of our incredible new music director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin. [Opens March 1st.]

Photo: Martin Smith/English National Opera

Così fan tutte: Possibly the most operatic fun you’ll have all year. Set in Coney Island in the 1950s, the Mozartian tale of the foibles of Venus & Mars, not to mention the presence of actual circus performers (think fire eaters, strongmen, and a lady with a snake), will thoroughly delight you. (And the lucky small group of chorus members- 24 altogether- have the benefit of riding the carnival rides!) The cast is full of young, vibrant Mozart singers: there’s Amanda Majeski, Susanna Malfi, and Adam Platchetka (all three veterans of the Met’s Le Nozze di Figaro production), not to mention Ben Bliss and Christopher Maltman (both veterans of the Met’s The Magic Flute). Kelli O’Hara is taking a break from her successful Broadway career to play the role of Despina, Fiordiligi and Dorabella’s sassy servant. You won’t want to miss this one! [Opens March 15th.]

Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

Lucia di Lammermoor: Less fun than Così, but certainly containing far more drama, deceit, and death, Pretty Yende & Olga Peretyatko-Mariotti (most recently seen on the Met stage playing Gilda in Rigoletto) split the demanding, coloratura tour-de-force role of Lucia. Two Met favorites, Vittorio Grigolo and Michael Fabiano, split the role of Edgardo, her doomed lover. Come for the drama, stay for the wedding day murder and the iconic mad scene aria (which contains a challenging, but beautiful, duet between Lucia and the first flutist in the orchestra). [Opens March 22nd]

Luisa Miller: Boy, we’ve got some doozies this month! A rarely-performed Verdi opera, Luisa Miller is similar in plot to Lucia (people in love with other people, but engaged to marry people they don’t love), only in this case, the male lead, Rodrigo, the son of a local lord, is the one secretly in love with another woman (that woman being Luisa, who is the daughter of an old soldier, and not in the same social class as Rodrigo). Spoiler alert: things don’t end well, though this time there’s less blood, and more poison. Nevertheless, the score sparkles, the choral writing is lithe and lyrical, and the duo of Sonya Yoncheva and Piotr Beczala are bound to be impressive. Plus, the unstoppable Placido Domingo graces the stage as Luisa’s father. [Opens March 29th.]

Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera

Turandot: If you haven’t gotten enough death and/or dismemberment from Elektra, Lucia, or Luisa Miller, then fret not! Turandot is here to chop the heads off all her hopeful suitors! All except one, that is! Chorus participation is at an all-time high in one of Puccini’s most stunningly written works. The classic Zeffirelli production is an audience favorite. Who can resist applauding the over-the-top opulence when the curtain rises for the 2nd act? The colorful characters, soaring voices, famous arias ("Nessun Dorma", anyone?), and a stage packed to the hilt with singers, actors, and dancers makes Turandot a great choice for anyone looking to attend a Met Opera performance for the first time. [Returns March 21st.]

Hope to see you at one of the shows this month! Click here to get your tickets!

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Lianne Coble-Dispensa joined the Metropolitan Opera as a member of the extra chorus in 2010, and went full time in 2015. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Met Artists Newsletter, and is a member of the Met Chorus Artists executive board. When she's not singing opera or furiously copy editing this month's newsletter, she enjoys spending the lion's share of her free time cooking various delights in the kitchen, reading non-fiction, Crossfitting, and running (you may see her in this year's NYC Half Marathon). She is married to fellow chorister (and ultramarathoner) Scott Dispensa, and they live in Teaneck, NJ with two ostentatiously-named cats (Maximilien de Robespierre and Charles Hubert Hastings Parry).

Photo: Joshua South Photography

Outreach Spotlight: Patricia Steiner's Global Mission

Pat and the 5Cees kids taking some quality selfie time!

by Lianne Coble-Dispensa

On a random Sunday in the spring of 2017, Mezzo-soprano Patricia Steiner attended church, as she often does, at Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City. That particular morning, an organization called Christ Church Christian Care Center (more commonly known as 5Cees) made a presentation and appealed to the congregation for volunteers to travel to their compound in Johannesburg, South Africa for short-term mission trips.

Pat has been a member of the full-time chorus for 26 years, and it may be no surprise to hear that the rigorous, demanding rehearsal and performance schedule often makes it very difficult to find time to volunteer. For years, she had been interested in giving back on a larger scale, and up until recently, her volunteer experiences had mainly been local, serving Thanksgiving dinners in soup kitchens, and performing recitals in nursing homes. Now she felt a tug to give back on an international level, and was particularly interested in working with children.

The mission of 5cees fit with Pat’s volunteering desires: on its website, 5Cees states it was founded with the goal of “providing hope, help, health, [and] home to hopeless, homeless, hungry, hurting children from previously disadvantaged black communities in South Africa.”

While she had some reservations about traveling to Johannesburg (mainly due to safety concerns), she was inspired by the work of the organization, and was compelled further to make the trip after hearing that her niece was moving to Johannesburg to teach.

After completing the application process, which included a background check, a meet-and-greet with the US-based portion of the 5Cees team, and some fundraising, Pat, joined by 3 other congregants from Redeemer Presbyterian, was on a flight to Johannesburg.

Pat Steiner, tutoring 5Cees children in math and English.

Christ Church Christian Care Center, located in the Hillbrow area of Johannesburg, provides housing, education, medical care, and socialization to children from Johnannesburg and the surrounding townships. Social workers from 5Cees would go out into these underserved communities to identify children in high-risk situations, many of whom were homeless, orphaned or fleeing from abusive families, HIV positive, and living in unimaginable poverty. Currently, 65 children between the ages of 6 and 18 live on the compound, and the organization has plans (with the help of generous donations) to expand that number to 90. 

Before departing for her 10-day mission trip over the summer, Pat was warned by the staff that “you can’t make plans, and you can’t be rigid with your schedule or your expectations. You have to be totally open to change.” So she wasn’t surprised when her responsibilities varied on a daily basis. She would often act as one of the chaperones to the kids when they went off-campus for field trips to the Apartheid museum, to the park, and to Johannesburg. “Some of the kids had never been on an elevator or escalator, never used money or bought anything themselves, and had never seen a tall building”, Pat said, and it was amazing to observe the kids’ excitement during trips outside the compound. She even was roped into tutoring the 4th and 5th graders in math and English, which she described as “scary” since she didn’t feel prepared for the task, but “the kids were really bright, and could pick things up well.” Besides these special daily assignments, she spent much of her time playing with the kids in the yard, drawing pictures, doing art projects with them, and even singing in talent shows! (Pat, of course, was begged to participate, since they all knew she was an opera singer and loved hearing her sing.)

Nail painting with the girls!

Incidentally, Pat’s niece ended up moving to Johannesburg the week AFTER Pat left, but Pat was nonetheless thankful she had made the choice to volunteer with 5Cees, and hopes to continue her work with them in future summers (with the option of staying for longer periods after she retires from the Met Chorus). She loved being involved in the lives of those bright, magnetic kids (“I think I got more out of the experience than they did!”) and was astounded by their strength and indomitable spirits. “We have so many things that we take for granted, and this level of poverty is something we don’t understand. Their happiness with nothing is incredibly humbling.”

For more information, or to donate to 5Cees, please visit http://www.5cees.co.za.

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Lianne Coble-Dispensa joined the Metropolitan Opera as a member of the extra chorus in 2010, and went full time in 2015. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the Met Artists Newsletter, and is a member of the Met Chorus Artists executive board. When she's not singing opera or furiously copy editing this month's newsletter, she enjoys spending the lion's share of her free time cooking various delights in the kitchen, reading non-fiction, Crossfitting, and running (you may see her in this year's NYC Half Marathon). She is married to fellow chorister (and ultramarathoner) Scott Dispensa, and they live in Teaneck, NJ with two ostentatiously named cats (Maximilien de Robespierre and Charles Hubert Hastings Parry).

Photo: Joshua South Photography

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A Very Special Cocktail Corner, featuring a Toast to Turandot!

To celebrate Turandot's thrilling return to the Met stage later this month, we have a special treat from chorister Sara Heaton's husband, Justin Keller! Justin, a talented mixologist and accomplished musician, was titillated by Turandot's slightly gruesome undertones, so he created an appropriate cocktail to pair with the evening. Enjoy responsibly, and try not to spill blood on your shirt...

A cocktail fit for an ice princess hell-bent on beheading her suitors. Or, you know, just a nice drink for a Friday evening. Either works. 

Here's what Justin has to say about his delicious creation:

"I was honored with the task of coming up with this. Hope it does the trick!

I got the plot summary from Sara. Sounds like things start off bitter and bloody, and end sweetly.

So, I basically made an extra bitter negroni (I added some lime juice, and used dry vermouth) and shook it with an egg white. That way there was foam on which to drip some “blood.” It’s poured over a berry jam sitting at the bottom, which gives a sweet finish to what was a pretty bracing drink."

1 1/2 oz gin
1 oz Campari (gotta have something Italian in there!)
1 oz dry vermouth
1/2 oz lime juice
1 egg white
Dark berry jam
“Blood” (dark berry jelly, sans seeds, mixed with angostura bitters)

Dry shake everything except the jam and “blood,” then shake with ice and pour over a small dollop of jam. Gently place a few drops of “blood” on the foam.

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Justin Keller is a teacher, lecturer in Jazz & Classical music history, and an accomplished freelance multi-instrumentalist who has performed with such varied artists as Sufjan Stevens and Gunther Schuller, among countless others. His wife, Sara Heaton, joined the extra chorus in 2011, and became a full-time member in 2016. The two lovebirds live in Beacon, NY, and love hiking, cooking, and, of course, mixology. You can learn more about Justin here and here.

Recipe Corner: Rebecca Carvin's Savory Onion Tart

Last month, we introduced you to a sweet chorister with an equally sweet treat to share! This month, mezzo-soprano Rebecca Carvin offers us a tasty, customizable tart that's great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! 

Rebecca Carvin, looking lovely at her desk in the dressing room!

Rebecca, in costume for Andrea Chenier.

Name: Rebecca Carvin
Hometown:  I have now lived in NYC longer than anywhere else.  I guess that makes my hometown NYC!
Years at the Met: I joined the extra chorus in 1995, and the full time chorus in 1999.
My favorite opera is: Vanessa, by Samuel Barber. I think I know every note. 
One of my most memorable experiences at the Met so far is: There are so many incredible moments, it’s hard to choose just one. In general I have to say the performances of Satyagraha, Dr. Atomic and The Death of Klinghoffer are some of the most memorable performances. Each one of them moved and changed me in different ways.  
Other than opera, my favorite type of music is: Vocal chamber music. 
When I’m not at the Met, you can find me: in Riverdale.
The most outrageous thing I've ever cooked (or eaten) was: I ate brain in Morocco, and it was DELICIOUS! 
The three things in my kitchen I can’t live without are:  my cast iron pans, my large cutting board and a sharp knife ( I would add a fourth....my apron!)
If I was forced to choose, my three (current) favorite ingredients are: Olive Oil, Rosemary and Raspberry preserve...throw some garlic in there and we’re good to go. 
Again, if I had to choose, my “last meal” would be: A grilled american cheese sandwich on Wonder Bread served with catsup.  Dessert would be ice cream. Any flavor. 
 

contributions by Rebecca Carvin and Lianne Coble-Dispensa

Rebecca Carvin’s culinary credentials are known far and wide, and the photographic evidence is on display on her entertaining Instagram account, (@mybackstageopera), which chronicles not only her adventures in the kitchen, but, as the handle suggests, her experiences as a veteran of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus! If you’re interested in seeing the day-to-day of a professional opera chorister, this is a great place to start.

Our talented Rebecca has brought a delicious “recipe without a recipe” to the table (pun pretty much intended), and is thrilled to be able to share it with you. It’s simple, savory, and possible for anyone with an oven and an empty stomach!

“So, I guess I will share my Onion Tart recipe…but it's not really a recipe. It's just really good.  

You take about 6 Sweet Onions (sliced thinly into rings) and sauté them in butter until caramelized. (You want enough to fill the tart pan, as they will collapse as you bake the tart.)  

Put them in a tart pan lined with a pie crust (use your favorite pie crust recipe, or use pre-made), sprinkle with some thyme, rosemary, or whatever fresh herb you might have on hand, and bake until the pie crust is golden. (Note: Bake at the temperature your pie crust recipe recommends.)  

If you want to make it more like a French Pissaladière, put some anchovies and black olives on top before you bake it!

This is GREAT as a side dish for roasts or stews, or as an appetizer.  I often make these in individual tart sizes to sell at the annual Met Chorus AGMA Relief Fund bake sale.”

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Chorister Spotlight: Liz Brooks Wentworth, Spreading Joy One Pomeranian at a Time

by Liz Brooks Wentworth

“Ok Sandy, this is it! This is what we’ve been waiting for!”

This was the moment my pomeranian Sandy and I had trained for for weeks and weeks. We were about to participate in our first pet therapy visit to the New Jewish Home in Manhattan.  Though Sandy wasn’t nervous, I sure was. What if, after all the time we spent working with the Good Dog Foundation, something went wrong? We would be devastated.

Fortunately, the visit went off without a hitch. Sandy was absolutely wonderful, and the residents of the New Jewish Home were smitten with her. I have never been so proud of my sweet panda bear (our ‘pet name’ for Miss Sandy. Doesn’t she look like a red panda?) and I was thankful for the opportunity to share her sweetness with so many lovely people.

I have always been a huge lover of animals, especially dogs. I grew up with at least three dogs (and a rabbit) and loved every minute of my pet-filled childhood. I truly believe in the healing powers of animals, and have wanted to be a part of a pet therapy program for a long time. It takes a special dog to be able to train and participate in a pet therapy program. When my husband, Nathan, and I adopted Sandy from Bideawee in Manhattan, we knew that we had found that special dog. Sandy makes everyone around her smile. She’s filled with love and shares that love willingly and profoundly. We make friends on every walk, every subway ride, and every adventure we go on. I knew that she would be a great therapy dog, so the next step was to find a program that would correspond with my hectic (and often unpredictable!) work schedule. I did a bunch of research online and discovered the Good Dog Foundation. They offer a five week training program in various locations around New York City. The first step is to bring your dog in for an evaluation to make sure that she, and you, have the right temperament. The next step is to choose a corresponding five week course, where you and your dog are taught how to provide a fun and safe therapeutic visit to the facility of your choice.  Once you have graduated from the training course, you are free to schedule therapy visits.

Along with my work through the Good Dog Foundation, Nathan and I have fostered dogs through Rescue City and adopted other dogs through Bideawee. Currently, we have three dogs: Sandy, our sweet panda bear; Mojo, a senior papillon/pomeranian mix; and Sally, a feisty senior pomeranian. (Yes, we are the maniacs with three dogs in New York City.) But I have to say, I would have it no other way. Sandy, Mojo, and Sally bring us so much joy and love everyday, and we give it back to them in return. Sharing our home and lives with them are the best decisions we’ve made. There are so many animals in need of a home, and we are so happy to help that process in any way.

If you are interested in pet therapy, fostering, or animal adoption, check out these links:

The Good Dog Foundation: http://thegooddogfoundation.org/overview/

Rescue City: https://www.rescuecity.nyc/

Bideawee: https://www.bideawee.org/

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Liz Brooks Wentworth is originally from Dallas, TX, and joined the Metropolitan Opera Chorus in 2013.

She received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and her Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music. Ms. Brooks has performed with many wonderful opera companies including Opera Colorado, Des Moines Metro Opera, Utah Festival Opera, and Baltimore Concert Opera. In her spare time, you can find her volunteering with her adorable brood of animals, spending time with her husband, Nathan, or sweating it out at Pure Barre! 

Lincoln Center Kids’ Halloween: Spooktacular Fun for the Whole Family!

Happy Met choristers enjoying themselves immensely at the Lincoln Center Kid's Halloween Event! (Photos by Dan Smith, Jason Hendrix, and  Patrick Miller.)

by Meredith Woodend

Met Chorus Artists (MCA) was thrilled to participate in the 2017 Lincoln Center Kids’ Halloween event.  With the help of the Metropolitan Opera’s Education department, we were able to put together an exciting booth for this event overflowing with great literature about kid friendly operas, as well as information about the Met Chorus Artists and how we give back to our community.  Armed with buckets upon buckets of candy, coloring pages and pencils, we were quite the attraction on the plaza.  Over 250 families stopped by our booth and inquired about upcoming operas, learned about what MCA does within our community, and signed up to win tickets to a performance of Hansel and Gretel that took place during the Metropolitan Opera’s Open House Family Day on December 28th.  The Storic Family, winners of the raffle, were extremely excited to attend the event and performance.

Chorister Greg Warren handing out candy to costumed kiddos.  (Photos by Dan Smith, Jason Hendrix, and  Patrick Miller.)

We ran into many fully costumed members of the Metropolitan Opera Family and their kids on the plaza. They were excited to see a Met Opera presence for this event. (Note: It was the very first time that the Met has participated!)  Word spread around the opera house, and many departments of our Met Family are interested in joining us for next year. This means that we’ll be able to make our booth bigger and better, and it also means we’ll have more hands on deck for maximum candy distribution!

Choristers Dan Smith and April Haynes hanging out with a precious Raggedy Ann & her mom!  (Photos by Dan Smith, Jason Hendrix, and  Patrick Miller.)

MCA is excited to add this to our list of annual events, and looks forward to getting more of our Met Family involved in such a fun, family-friend outreach opportunity.  We hope to see you on the plaza next year!

Chorister Laura Fries was a great ambassador for the Met, giving out lots of information on our family-friendly productions!  (Photos by Dan Smith, Jason Hendrix, and  Patrick Miller.)

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Meredith Woodend has been a chorister with the Metropolitan Opera since 2013. Prior to that she worked in public relations and finance. She is currently the president of Met Chorus Artists, Inc., and is looking forward to giving back to the community that supports us through every production. She was adopted by a snuggly, toothless cat named Pico in 2011. 

What Are We Up To? -- The February Edition

Photo Credit: Daniel Clark Smith

Written by Liz Sciblo, with contributions by Lianne Coble-Dispensa

February 2018 will be an exciting month for the chorus! We’re opening two big shows and will be returning to a third after a short hiatus: Wagner’s, er, lengthy, but truly stunning Parsifal, and Rossini’s rarely-performed Semiramide, as well the audience favorite (also the chorus’s favorite!), Puccini’s La Bohème!

This is, however, a light month for openings compared to a particularly busy January where we opened Tosca, Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci, L'Elisir D’Amore, and Il Trovatore.

Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

Parsifal: As previously mentioned, this is a long one (6 hours, approximately) and in true Wagner fashion, this piece is a HUGE undertaking for the chorus, especially the men’s chorus. Not only are all of the regular men’s chorus members involved, but they’re joined by a large group of male extra choristers to round out their beautiful sound both in the onstage and offstage choruses. There is a particularly scintillating scene that includes a smaller group of female choristers, dancers, and six principal soloists that involves white, flowing slip dresses, bare feet, and a LAKE of blood. This is known as the Flower Maidens (or Blumenmädchen) scene, and it’s quite beautiful!

Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

Semiramide: This piece is not performed often, so it’s a treat and a welcome challenge for the chorus to work on! Packed with a stellar cast (Angela Meade, Javier Camarena, Ildar Abdrazakov, Elizabeth DeShong, and Ryan Speedo Green!), you’ll be inspired by the thorny story of murder, family secrets, love triangles, and a ghost with a giant sword, not to mention the vocal fireworks!

Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

La Bohème:  We originally opened this jewel of an opera in October 2017, and now it’s returning for a second run that ends on March 10th. Of course, it’s a fan favorite and a true pleasure to perform! The chorus shines in the bustling marketplace scene that opens Act II!

Click here to check out the Met Opera website, and then grab some tickets! We look forward to seeing you!

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Liz Sciblo has been a full-time member of the Metropolitan Opera chorus for four and a half seasons. Prior to joining the group, she worked for 13 years as a Human Resources Manager for a law firm in Philadelphia, PA. She spends her (very little) spare time with her husband, J.P. and her two fur babies, Louis Michael (a beautiful pit bull) and Beatrice Rose (a sassy bull terrier), in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania. 

Chris Schaldenbrand's Favorite Cookie Recipe

Are you experiencing mealtime ennui? Does the idea of scrolling through Pinterest yet AGAIN for recipe inspiration fill you with dread? Well, look no further! The Met Artists Recipe Corner is here to provide you with monthly doses of delicious inspiration, featuring the many talented chefs who also happen to work at the Met! This month, meet chorus member Chris Schaldenbrand!

Chris  Schaldenbrand, looking particularly relaxed in this photo.

Name: Chris Schaldenbrand
Hometown: Farmington, Michigan
Years at the Met: Debut- 1992
My favorite opera is: Elektra
One of my most memorable experiences at the Met so far is: Verdi’s Requiem.
Other than opera, my favorite type of music is: Club/Electronic music.
When I’m not at the Met, you can find me: At the gym or in the kitchen.
The most outrageous thing I've ever cooked (or eaten) was: Macrobiotic food; I was raised on it, actually. I would take thermoses of seaweed and brown rice to grade school!
The three things in my kitchen I can’t live without are: Sugar, butter, and eggs.
If I had to choose, my three (current) favorite ingredients are: Cinnamon, cardamon, and Maldon sea salt flakes.
Again, if I had to choose, my “last meal” would be: A jar of Nutella.

Contributions by Chris Schaldenbrand and Lianne Coble-Dispensa

Bass-baritone Chris Schaldenbrand is the kind of gentleman you want in your life. Besides being a kind, talented, hard-working colleague, he is also an extraordinary baker. His professional-level cakes inspire the fiercest competition at the AGMA Relief Fund Bake Sale’s silent auction, and anything he bakes for a Met Chorus gathering is destined to be both admired, photographed, Instagrammed, and, well, quickly demolished. (Check out how Chris made one of his spectacular Christmas creations here.)

However, Chris doesn’t expect you to roll out the fondant and commit to 5 hours of pastry sculpting. In fact, the recipe he’s recommending today is a delicious riff on everyone’s favorite standby: the chocolate chip cookie. Here’s what he has to say:

“I have many favorite cake recipes, but I thought a cookie recipe would be more accessible to the casual baker who doesn’t want to commit to making a cake.

This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. It comes from the famous chocolatier Jacques Torres. It uses both bread flour and cake flour that gives it an amazing multifaceted texture. For the chocolate chips, I usually use Trader Joes 72% Dark chocolate pound-plus bars and chop them up into bite sized chunks. I love to make these cookies oversized (around 8 oz or more per scoop of raw dough) so you can get substantial chunks of chocolate.”

Enjoy!

Legendary Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies

(This recipe was originally posted on the blog Dinner Then Dessert, and can be found here)

Prep Time 1 day 12 hours

Cook Time 13 minutes

 Total Time 1 day 12 hours 13 minutes

 Servings 55 cookies

·       INGREDIENTS

·       2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

·       1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

·       1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

·       1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

·       1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt

·       2 ½ sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

·       1 ¼ cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

·       1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

·       2 large eggs

·       2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

·       1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves , at least 60 percent cacao content 

·       Sea salt.

Instructions:

1.       In a bowl, combine the two flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

2.      Using your stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together for 5 minutes. You want the mixture to be significantly lighter than when you started.

3.      Add the eggs in one at a time, making sure they are mixed in well after each one. Don't worry about over-mixing yet, there is no flour in the bowl.

4.      Add in the vanilla. Lower the speed and add in the flour mixture for just a few seconds until it is mixed in. This is when you should worry about over-mixing,

5.      Add in the chocolate fèves and mix carefully with spatula to prevent breakage.

6.      Take the bowl off the stand mixture and cover the dough with plastic wrap as if it was a guacamole. Letting air get to the dough will dry it out in a bad way.

7.       Refrigerate for 36 hours. Technically you could for 24, but trust me go for 36.

8.      Preheat your oven to 350 degree F or 176C.

9.      Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, put them onto a baking sheet.

10.   Sprinkle the tops with sea salt. I love Maldon Sea Salt.

11.    Bake for 11-13 minutes.

12.   Let them cool for 5-10 minutes.

13.   Best enjoyed warm.

14.   This made 55 cookies for me, 39 of which we froze for later use! It is the gift that keeps on giving.

15.   Alternately, here is text from the original recipe for larger cookies: Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes

An Extra Chorister's Guide to Getting Lost

You trained, applied, auditioned, and were hired to sing in the Met Opera Chorus, but are you ready for the biggest challenge of working at the Metropolitan Opera... finding your way around the building!?!?

Photo: Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera

by Abigail Mitchell

You just got your first extra chorus contract at the Met—congratulations! You’ve worked your butt off and gotten very lucky and now here you are. You might be a little nervous as well as excited. But what might surprise you is that the most stressful thing about singing in the extra chorus is not trying to make a good impression (you’re a pro!) or making friends with the regulars (they’re nice!). No, the most stressful thing—by far—about being an extra chorister is figuring out where to go.

An extra chorister must present herself in only a small few of the Met’s myriad locations: List Hall, the costume fitting room, the dressing room, the stage. There’s a place called “the hardwood” and another called “the rear wagon” and these may or may not actually be the same thing. Finding the cafeteria is helpful, but not obligatory, though locating at least one restroom is. At your audition for the chorus, volunteers from the full-time chorus were probably on hand to walk you from the waiting area to List Hall (and—crucially—back again afterwards). Similarly, on your first day, Daniel Hoy ¹ will probably meet you at the stage door and show you to the room where you’ll fill out your HR paperwork.

After that, you’re on your own. Considering the small number of places an extra chorister needs to go, you would think that wouldn’t be so bad, that it wouldn’t take that long to get one’s bearings and find those places. You would be wrong.

Just when you thought you knew where you were going... a dead end and a Magic Flute prop! (Photo: Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera)

I was disadvantaged from the start because I have something of a history of getting lost. When I first came to New York for auditions, I walked back and forth along 54th Street between 8th Avenue and Broadway, despairing that there was no sign marked “Nola” ² . A few years later, still in the pre-cell-phone universe, I went on a run in Rome, failed spectacularly at “keeping track of where I turn”, and ended up having to go to a police station to look up the address of my hosts. This dubious history of wayfinding did not set me up for success at navigating the Metropolitan Opera House. Clean lines and sweeping curves of the façade and foyer notwithstanding, the Met resembles nothing more than a rabbit warren or an ant hill, with dozens of workers scurrying to and fro in endless diverse tasks. Everyone except you seems to know exactly where they are going.

The best thing to do in the beginning is simply follow other choristers around. You can either try to be subtle about it or just admit that you don’t know where the heck you are and can you please just tag along with them? Eventually you’ll memorize a route from at least one place (say, the stage door) to another (say, List Hall). For a while you breathe easy, until one day when the loading dock is blocked off or the lobby is closed for an event and you find yourself cut off from the one path you know.

You will not be aided by signage, of which there is precious little, or by niceties such as elevators that go to all floors. Most recently I found myself in an elevator which did not go to the 2nd floor, though it seemed to go to all the others (I wouldn’t be surprised if the elevators, like the staircases in Hogwarts, go to different places on different days). Thankfully one of my fellow riders was kind enough to walk me around a narrow and winding hallway to a different elevator which did go to the 2nd floor.

Not to be fooled again, next time I checked the elevator before getting in to make sure that it went to my destination: C level. It did! So down I went, feeling confident. But when I stepped out I found myself in some sort of creepy, deserted basement. Large pieces of lighting equipment were piled around, and after I wandered a bit I discovered—safely at a distance, thankfully—that I must be by the lift, for the floor gave way in a sheer drop off. It was, I’m convinced, the place where the monster in Stranger Things lives.

I started to panic. It was so clearly the wrong place I was hesitant to wander around, but there was no one nearby to help me. I took out my phone—maybe I can send Daniel Hoy a desperate SOS? No reception. Increasing panic clouded my reasoning and for a moment I couldn’t even find the button to call the elevator back. I’ll be stuck here forever! I’ll die here! Someone will find my body in seven years when they’re looking for those old lights from that ’95 production of The Ghosts of Versailles!

That obviously did not happen. The elevator button was not missing, simply a few inches farther to the side than normal. And when it arrived there was another extra chorister within, who took one look at where I was and said, “Well, this can’t be right.” We made our way back upstairs and chanced upon a full-time chorister. Phew. Now we’d be ok. But I was somewhat gratified when even she—a decades-long veteran—got turned around and we ended up having to cut through the room where the orchestra was rehearsing.

I’d wager that any extra chorister you meet has a tale or two about getting lost in the Met’s depths. The nonsensical floor plan can even best the most seasoned company members from time to time. So allow yourself a lot of extra time to get to rehearsal, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. And if you are that rare person who navigates easily, who can find your way around a labyrinth like the Met on your first visit, please identify yourself as such when we meet. I’d love to know your secrets, or, at the very least, follow you around.

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Abigail Mitchell is a graduate of Indiana University and the Royal College of Music, London, and a former apprentice at the Santa Fe Opera. One of the best phone calls she ever got was the offer to join the Extra Chorus for the 16-17 season. Favorite roles include Fiordiligi, Norina, Rosina before and after marrying Count Almaviva, and Marzelline. When she’s not singing she enjoys exploring the great outdoors with her husband, Oliver, and savoring the great indoors with her cat, Earl Grey.

1. Editor's Note: Dan Hoy is the Met Chorus Administrator, former extra chorister and all-around good guy. ↩

1. Editor's Note: To those that might not be familiar, Nola Studios is an extremely popular location to rent studio space for auditions, and just about every young opera singer in the past 20 years has spent time there at one point in their career! ↩

Giving the Gift of Voice to Those Who Need it Most

Met Chorus Artists are out in the community providing singing lessons for children in New York City's foster care system with Culture for One.

Belinda Oswald and Shanise at a Culture for One voice lesson.

By Edward Hanlon

It can be easy to take opera for granted while singing in the Met Opera Chorus; we are at the opera house six days a week and are consistently exposed to the greatest musical and artistic talent in the classical music world.  But it's important to remember that few are so lucky.  Many of our close New York neighbors have never had a chance to feel up close the power of live music and theater as we do.  With this in mind, the Met Chorus Artists are making it our mission to bring this operatic art form that we love to communities that would otherwise never have the opportunity to experience it. Over the past year the we have begun what will hopefully be a long and fruitful relationship with the fantastic outreach organization Culture for One.   They have a vital mission in the New York foster community:

Culture For One’s mission is to inspire New York City children living in foster care by providing cultural experiences and exposure to a broader world. Through these opportunities we are improving outcomes for these most vulnerable youth, and for some, changing their trajectories forever.
 
Access to the arts, rarely available to youth in foster care, is a vital means of stimulating a child’s intellectual development.  Culture For One uses the arts as a vehicle to connect with these children and teens, motivate them, widen their view of what is possible to achieve, and stimulate their aspirations.  In conjunction with the arts experiences we provide, we also introduce them to positive role models, who offer encouragement and resources outside of their limited circle of support.

Our purpose is to enrich the lives and improve the futures of youth in the foster care system. 

Last year, tenors Nathan Carlisle and Dustin Lucas had a lesson with Sarah and Belinda Oswald taught Shanise.  It was their first voice lessons, first time in Lincoln Center and, after the lesson, the students and their foster parents attended their first opera in style: orchestra seats at the Met!

We are happy to report that we have a long list of Met Chorus volunteers excited to do their part in this wonderful program for the children in our community who need it most!

At the Met Opera Club with harpist Emmanuel Ceysson

What to do the morning of an HD broadcast of Rusalka? Why learn about the opera and listen to harpist Emmanuel Ceysson of course! 

Daniel Clark Smith, Elizabeth George, Jacqui Danilow, Emmanuel Seysson, Mary Kristine Hughes and Craig Montgomery at the pre-Rusalka Met Opera Club brunch

There is so much going on at the Metropolitan Opera and Saturday was no different! Even before the two performances (Rusalka matinee and I Puritani evening) the lobby was filled with beautiful music as the Met Opera Club met for their weekly brunch with special guest Emmanuel Ceysson. Luckily, Elizabeth George was on the scene to give an update on the event as our chorus correspondent ("chorus-pondent" if you will!)

After opening La Traviata last night, waking up early for a cup o' joe at the beautiful Metropolitan Opera Club was WELL worth it! We had the pleasure of listening to world-renowned harpist, Emmanuel Ceysson, who is also the Principal Harpist with The Met Opera Orchestra. Best. Morning. Ever! 

Spending time with The Met Opera Club members was joy. This incredibly supportive and kind group of opera lovers are some of our biggest fans. What a treat!  We look forward to spending more time with them in the very near future!

Emmanuel Ceysson, Principal Harpist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

The (unofficial) Metropolitan Opera Guide to Long-Distance Relationships

What do you do if you are in New York but your spouse is spending the next ten weeks performing in Vienna? Singers around the Metropolitan Opera offer strategies, ideas and methods for dealing with the dreaded long-distance relationship.

by Edward Hanlon

It’s Valentine’s Day! That means chocolates in heart-shaped boxes, candlelit dinners over glasses of red wine and sexy lingerie... at least that’s what Hallmark would have you believe! Of course the reality is, as always, much more complicated; it’s a mixed blessing of a day. People without significant others can feel as if they have been left out of some pink-tinted national holiday. But I’ve always felt that it’s hardest on people in relationships that can’t be with their loved ones. Which brings us to the subject of this website: opera singers of course!

The opera business is one of constant change and movement. Singers move from company to company, staying for three to six weeks (long enough to rehearse and perform a show) and then traveling to the next contract. ¹ So where does that leave relationships? Well… mostly long distance! My wife, Tanya Roberts, is also a singer. We have had the privilege of working together at times but, more often than not, we are singing with different companies throughout the country and world. ² It certainly has not always been easy but, through trial and error in our seven years of marriage, we have developed ways of dealing with the separation. We have three unbreakable rules ³ :

1. Say goodnight every night.
2. Always know when we will see each other next.
3. Never go more than two months without seeing each other.

When you write them out they seem a little obvious I guess. But no matter how apparent they might be, I believe that those three tenants have greatly contributed to my continued marital bliss!

I wanted to see how other singers at the Met deal with the issue so I asked around the opera house for long-distance strategies, ideas and methods and got a fantastic response. Principal sopranos Janai Brugger, Angela Mannino and Katherine Whyte, bass-baritone Paul Corona, and choristers Maria D’Amato, Belinda Oswald, Richard Pearson and Gregory Warren have all spent time away from their loved ones in varying degrees throughout their careers and were generous with the knowledge they have gained. So, without further ado: The (unofficial) Metropolitan Opera Guide to Long Distance Relationships.

Stay in touch: Embrace the Technology

Bass Edward Hanlon (yours truly) and wife, soprano Tanya Roberts, in The Gondoliers at The Ohio Light Opera. Photo my Matt Dilyard

The world has changed since Elizabeth Bennet was forced to wait weeks for an letter from Mr. Darcy ⁴ ; we now have a constantly expanding toolkit of communication options! Angela Mannino says “thank God for the internet and cellphones! Phone calls, text messages, Facebook messenger, FaceTime, and now, even our apple watches make keeping in touch throughout the day easier.” Katherine Whyte feels the same way: “I think modern technology makes this job so much easier for sure. We have a phone plan that lets us text from anywhere in the world.” But it’s not just what technology you use, it’s how you use it. Angela is married to Paul Corona and he makes sure to include the whole family: “we are in a group text with me and Angela and her parents, so all day we send pics and funny texts.” But sometimes just “the simplest text message of ‘good morning’ or ‘love u’ can make you feel connected in different time zones many miles away.”

Time zones add a degree of difficulty to my Rule #1. When Tanya was singing in Austria her bed-time was my dinner break! ⁵ Maria D’Amato has also had to deal with time-zone troubles: “when it was difficult to talk or see each other in real time, I would send detailed emails outlining my day and asking about his and send little videos over Skype. I remember rushing to check my messages in the morning or sometimes even in the middle of the night!” None of this is to say that technology has made things a walk in the park. Gregory Warren feels it’s hard “not to talk about NEGATIVE things about work or colleagues. It can monopolize a conversation and then you're too tired to talk about one another.” And of course, disagreements still happen and arguments are, to some extent, unavoidable. But Katherine stresses “We have learned that it’s so important to deal with issues, if we have them, over the phone. We don't hang up until we have figured it out... this is pretty essential”

Nothing Beats Seeing Each Other

Janai Brugger as Pamina at the Royal Opera House: Die Zauberflote (2015, Photo Credit: Mark Douet)

All this communication is great, but there is no substitute for the real thing! For Gregory “surprise visits [if possible] are my favorite”. Visits (whether they be surprises or not) are extremely important. Katherine finds it “pretty romantic to meet up in different parts of the world.” For Maria these visits make the absences easier; she enjoys “planning all the fun things you're going to do together when your partner comes to visit… It's almost like a honeymoon period because you value the little time you have together even more.” My third unbreakable rule is to never go more than two months without seeing each other. Other singers are less patient! Belinda Oswald and her husband Mark (a singer and teacher) had a 2 1/2 week rule and Janai tries for a rendezvous every two weeks.

There are, of course, two sides in being apart. Maria feels that “the hardest part is being the one left behind, (made even harder by an active imagination!). [Especially early in a relationship] the ‘little voices’ can take over when you're left alone… ‘is he going to meet someone else?’, ‘why didn't he call me yet today?’, ‘why is he having fun without me?!?’ etc... It took time to adjust to not seeing each other every day.” Both partners need to understand that this is difficult, and if that means flying into Middle-of-Nowhere, USA for a 1 ½ day visit… well… looks like you’re booking a flight to Middle-of-Nowhere, USA!

Variety is the Spice of Life

There are an infinite number of ways to show your partner you are thinking of them! Gregory suggests “putting iCal reminders for yourself to try and do something for them once a week just to keep reminding them that you are thinking of them.” Janai has a 4 year old child: “I try to leave a little note and piece of candy or small toy for each day that I'm gone for my son.” It both makes him happy and reminds him that his mother is thinking of him!

Whether you are together or apart, find excuses to have fun! Katherine and her husband “take the opportunity to celebrate just about anything, anniversary, ‘monthiversary’, two Christmases, two New Years, [her husband is Serbian so has a different calendar] engagement.... yes the list is pretty exhaustive.” Tanya and I are the same way; we sprinkle five different relationship “anniversaries” throughout the year!

You can be creative about how you spend your long-distance time together (whether it be online or on the phone). On one of our most memorable anniversaries Tanya and I turned on Facetime, set up our computers in the kitchen and proceeded to cook identical dinners. We then got dressed up, sat down to eat with the same bottles of wine and enjoyed a truly romantic meal together (despite the fact that I was in Virginia and she was in Chicago)!

No Matter What, Find the Positive!

Soprano Maria D'Amato and husband, baritone Dimitrie Lazich.

No matter what strategies you employ and how thoughtful you are, long-distance is never going to be easy. So it’s important to focus on the positives. Almost everyone I talked to stressed what a wonderful thing traveling actually is! Janai loves visiting a “new and amazing city/country that I've never been to before! I get time to focus on myself and the role that I'm preparing.” For Katherine, the relationship has changed her but she still loves the travel: “It's funny. I used to get so excited about going away on gigs before I met Stefan [her husband]. The first time I went away on a gig after I got married I would cry just thinking about going away a whole month before I left. Going away is still fun as it lets me see the world and I love singing but it aches so much more than it used to.”

It is vital to remember that when your partner is away, they are fulfilling their dreams. This keeps things in perspective for Richard Pearson: “My wife is doing what makes her happy. She deserves to be heard and the world deserves to hear her. Knowing that makes feel very proud and helps the time pass more quickly.” Angela could not agree more: “there is a great deal of admiration and respect that accompanies the anticipation of your wife/husband leaving for a gig. You are proud and excited that his or her career is thriving. This is what we've trained to do and what we are constantly working towards.” I find the joy, pride and happiness I feel for Tanya’s accomplishments equal to that which I feel for my own. They augment and guide the relationship to a better and healthier place.

Above all, it seems best to use the separation to strengthen the relationship. Maria felt it made her and her husband “appreciate each other more”; for Rick “knowing that the heart will grow fonder by the absence is best way to deal with the distance”. Paul and Angela’s relationship has been strengthened by their absences: “Spending time apart makes you really appreciate the time you spend together. You learn a lot about yourself - how to deal with ups and downs of everyday life, anxiety, etc. - it makes me a stronger, wiser person which I think will make me a better partner.” Plus “we never fight and when we are together we have the best time. No time for fighting when you are gone 6 months of the year!” Katherine agrees “We have built a lot of trust”.

So no… following the (unofficial) Metropolitan Opera Guide to Long Distance Relationships is not going to solve all of a couple's problems ⁶ . Being apart is lame… and probably that’s a good thing. There is no opportunity to get complacent; the constant challenge of long-distance forces couples into better communication, deeper understanding and stronger commitment. And you know what? That sounds like the ingredients to a very healthy and long-lasting relationship!

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Edward Hanlon, graduate of McGill University and University of Michigan, is a happy Long Island boy making good with the Metropolitan Opera. Favorite roles include Figaro, Sparafucile, Dick Deadeye, Sarastro and Nick Bottom with companies such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Lincoln Center Theatre, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Des Moines Metro Opera and the Glimmerglass Festival. He dreams of singing another Figaro with his beautiful wife, soprano Tanya Roberts. His first novel is is due to be released this summer ... at the end of the 2017-18 season ... umm... someday? Check out his website and follow him on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

1. This is generally different in Europe but that is a story for another article. ↩

1. Her currently singing with Edmonton Opera in the frozen tundra of Canada is one of my main motivators for writing this article! ↩

1. Not following these is roughly similar to using one of the three unforgivable curses at Hogwarts. ↩

1. But let's be honest... Mr. Darcy is worth the wait! ↩

1. This has the effect, by the way, of making me very sleepy after dinner! ↩

1. This is not, after all, “How to Succeed in Long Distance Relationships Without Really Trying”! ↩