Jan 29

Jan 29 What Are We Up To? -- The February Edition

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.