Cincinnati May Festival Features CCM Alumna Tamara Wilson as Guest Artist in Verdi’s Otello

As a rising star in the opera world, soprano and CCM alumna Tamara Wilson (BM Voice, 2004) has already amassed an impressive international reputation. Cincinnati residents will have an opportunity to hear her voice again this weekend as she joins the May Festival‘s 2016 line-up!

Soprano Tamara Wilson (BM Voice, 2004).

Wilson, a former student of Barbara Honn and the 2016 winner of the prestigious Richard Tucker Award, will return to the Queen City to perform the female lead role of Desdemona in Giuseppe Verdi’s famed opera Otello under the baton of May Festival Music Director James Conlon.

Wilson will be part of a star-studded cast including tenors Gregory Kunde (the 2015 International Opera Awards Male Singer of the Year) and May Festival regular Rodrick Dixon, along with the May Festival Chorus and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

The performances starts at 8 p.m. this Saturday, May 21, in Music Hall. Tickets are available online at https://my.cincinnatisymphony.org or by phone at 513-381-3300, so make sure to reserve today to see this rising CCM alumna!

About Tamara Wilson
American soprano Tamara Wilson made her much-anticipated Metropolitan Opera debut in December of 2014 in the title role of Aida, when the New York Times praised the “laserlike authority of her high notes,” and observed: “Her voice blooms with her palpable involvement in her own story: Her singing is urgent, her physical performance restrained yet powerful.”

Nominated for a 2016 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera after her English National Opera debut last fall as Leonora in La forza del destino, the soprano will make further debuts next season at the Bayerischer Staatsoper and Deutsche Oper Berlin. She was a finalist in the 2004 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a Grand Prize Winner at Barcelona’s Annual Francisco Viñas Competition, a winner of the George London Award and the recipient of both a 2008 Sara Tucker Study Grant and a 2011 Richard Tucker Career Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation.

After launching the present season headlining Aida at the Aspen Music Festival, Wilson returned to Oper Frankfurt as Elisabeth de Valois in Don Carlo; sang Lucrezia in Verdi’s I due Foscari in Santiago, Chile; made her Cleveland Orchestra debut; and joined Marin Alsop for Mahler in São Paulo. Back in the States after touring Japan as Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus under the baton of Seiji Ozawa, the soprano looks forward to taking Brahms’s German Requiem on an East Coast tour with Seraphic Fire and singing Desdemona in Otello at Cincinnati’s May Festival, in celebration of James Conlon’s 37th and final year as Music Director. Last season Wilson made her role and house debuts headlining Norma at Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, following recent debuts at Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Carnegie Hall. In addition to being a CCM graduate, Wilson is also an alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio.

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Story by CCM graduate Kevin Norton (DMA Saxophone, 2015)

CCM Alumna Tamara Wilson Receives Glowing Reviews for Her Metropolitan Opera Debut

Soprano Tamara Wilson (BM Voice, 2004).

Soprano Tamara Wilson (BM Voice, 2004) recently made her Metropolitan Opera debut, singing the title role in the Met’s revival of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida and leaving the critics gushing in the process!

In his review for the New York Times, Zachary Woolfe writes, “Ms. Wilson’s voice is most arresting in the laserlike authority of her high notes, but she softens the steel for sensitive moments, as when she dreams of escape with Radames in the third act… Her voice blooms with her palpable involvement in her own story: Her singing is urgent, her physical performance restrained yet powerful.”

Writing for New York Classical Review George Grella observes, “With a combination of unerring pitch, exacting vibrato, careful dynamics and excellent phrasing, [Wilson] let the character of Verdi’s lines speak for themselves, rather than forcing her own vocal personality onto them. Her individual presence came through with a consistent, gripping intensity that was clear with every note.”

During her time at CCM, Wilson studied with Barbara Honn.

Below, watch a featurette on Opera Australia’s 2009 production of Aida, which also featured Wilson in the title role.

Learn more about the Metropolitan Opera’s current production of Aida by visitingwww.metopera.org/opera/aida-verdi-tickets.

Find a full list of Wilson’s upcoming engagements by visiting www.tamarawilsonsoprano.com.

CCM Alumnus Noel Bouley To Make His German Debut in Title Role of Deutsche Oper Berlin’s Upcoming ‘Falstaff’

CCM alumnus Noel Bouley will sing the title role in Deutsche Oper Berlin’s upcoming production of ‘Falstaff.’

Congratulations to bass-baritone Noel Bouley (MM, 2010; AD 2011), who will be making his German debut in Deutsche Oper Berlin‘s upcoming production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff!

A native of Houston, Texas, Bouley first sang the role of Sir John Falstaff in CCM’s May 2009 Mainstage Series production of the opera. The Deutsche Oper Berlin production opens on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013.

CCM Fall 2013 Calendar of Major Events – October, November and December Updates

Please note the following corrections and updates to CCM’s schedule of major events for the fall:

• CCM’s Verdi Intensive Conducting Workshop will present a FREE exhibition concert at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6, in Corbett Auditorium. The performance will feature selections from Verdi’s La Traviata and Don Carlos in a concert setting. Maestro Mark Gibson and 12 aspiring conductors from all corners of the United States will lead CCM’s Philharmonia and Concert Orchestras during this unique performance. Featuring Christopher Bozeka, tenor; Summer Hassan, soprano; Joseph Lattanzi, baritone; and Xi Wang, soprano.

• Michael Fiday’s Oct. 12 Faculty Artist Recital has been rescheduled for Jan. 29, 2014.

• The CCM Philharmonia‘s celebration of Richard Wagner‘s bicentenary on Saturday, Oct. 12, will feature footage from the 1983 film Wagner, which includes some imagery intended for mature audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

• The 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, screening of Tony Palmer’s film Wagner in UC’s MainStreet Cinema has been cancelled.

• In honor of the 50th anniversaries of both Cincinnati Ballet and CCM Dance, the 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, performance of the Fall Dance Concert will now feature a special appearance by dancers from Cincinnati Ballet! They will present excerpts from Val Caniparoli’s Caprice and from Cincinnati Ballet’s annual favorite The Nutcracker, along with excerpts from the company’s upcoming world premiere of the ballet King Arthur’s Camelot.

• Due to overwhelming demand, CCM has added a 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, matinee performance to this years Feast of Carols holiday concert. CCM’s fabulous choirs and outstanding guest choirs will now perform at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on both Dec. 7 and Dec. 8.

You can always find the most up-to-date information on CCM’s calendar of events at ccm.uc.edu. Define your inspiration at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music.

CCM Slideshows: Don Carlos

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CCM’s 2013-14 Concert Series opened in grand fashion this past Sunday with the American premiere of the uncut 1867 Paris Opera version of Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlos.

In her review for ConcertoNet: The Classical Music Network, Mary Ellyn Hutton called the performance “an amazing accomplishment” and remarked that “the voices were uniformly outstanding.”

In his review for Seen and Heard International, Rafael de Acha observed, “The CCM orchestra and choruses do top-notch work in this challenging and lengthy assignment, playing passionately and when needed providing grounding accompaniment for the singers.”

Our Concert Series continues this week with an “Anniversary” themed performance by the CCM Wind Orchestra on Friday, Sept. 27, and a CCM Jazz tribute to the Rolling Stones on Sunday, Sept. 29.

For a complete calendar of events or to view CCM’s 2013-14 season brochure, visit ccm.uc.edu.

UC’s College Conservatory of Music – Define Your Inspiration

CCM’s Concert Series Opens With Verdi’s ‘Don Carlos,’ Wind Orchestra’s ‘Anniversaries’ Concert and a CCM Jazz Tribute to the Rolling Stones!

The CCM Philharmonia. Photography by Dottie Stover.

This Sunday, Sept. 22, is not only the first day of fall… it’s also the official beginning of CCM’s 2013-14 Concert Series!

CCM’s Orchestras, Choral Ensembles and special guests join forces to usher in the season in grand style with an epic concert production of Verdi’s Don Carlos on Sept. 22. Learn more about the two-part concert production of Don Carlos here.

Next Friday, Sept. 27, the Wind Orchestra celebrates the centenary of Morton Gould’s birth, the bicentenary of Richard Wagner’s birth and several other “musical milestone” anniversaries in a stylistically diverse concert performance. Learn more about “Anniversaries” here.

Finally, on Sunday, Sept. 29, CCM’s Jazz Ensembles celebrate 50 years of “the world’s greatest rock and roll band” with a jazz tribute to the Rolling Stones, featuring dynamic new arrangements by guest artist Matt Harris. Learn more about “Satisfaction – The Music of the Rolling Stones.” here.

Single tickets and flex ticket packages are on sale now. Contact the Box Office at 556-4183 or order your tickets online here.

CCM Opens Its 2013-14 Concert Season in Grand Fashion with Verdi’s ‘Don Carlos’

Photography by Dottie Stover.

CCM opens its 2013-14 Concert Series with a unique two-part concert production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlos on Sunday, Sept. 22. In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Verdi’s birth (Oct. 10, 1813), all five acts and every single note composed for the 1867 Paris Opera premiere of this epic work will be performed in the acoustically fine Corbett Auditorium. This production will be sung in French. Single tickets and flex concert packages are on sale now.

Pared down to its pure, operatic essence, CCM Director of Orchestral Studies Mark Gibson promises that this concert performance of Don Carlos will be anything but modest. “This is the single largest project that I have attempted at CCM,” Gibson explains. In the grandest fashion, he has united a tremendous force of players including the CCM Philharmonia and Concert Orchestras, CCM’s Chamber Choir and Chorale, and UC Men’s and Women’s Choruses. These ensembles will be joined by faculty, student, alumni and guest artist soloists singing the opera’s leading roles, including Helen Lyons, Barbara Honn, Stacey Rishoi, Leah DeGruyl, Marco Panuccio, Tom Baresel and Gustav Andreassen. Working with CCM graduate student and stage director Omer Ben-Seadia, Gibson hopes to create a dynamic concert staging of Don Carlos, as well.

Beyond simply commemorating Verdi’s bicentennial, Gibson hopes to provide an opportunity for students to perform this epic work. “It’s Verdi’s most ambitious work, the one he wanted to be heard above all,” says Gibson, who will conduct both concerts. “There’s no other work of Verdi’s that passes through so much profound emotion or that gives us such a range, from pageantry to despair.”

The two-part concert performance of Don Carlos begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22. The first concert will end with Act III, scene iii. Opera-goers will have a two-hour dinner break between performances to visit the various eateries on and around campus, including the restaurants in the newly renovated U-Square complex on Calhoun Street. Acts III through V of Don Carlos will resume at 7 p.m.

Cincinnati Enquirer’s Fall Arts Preview Highlights Upcoming CCM Performances

CCM’s concert production of Verdi’s Don Carlos (Sept. 22), Mainstage Series production of Singin’ in the Rain (Oct. 31 – Nov. 3), Fall Ballet Showcase (Nov. 16-17) and Benjamin Britten Centenary Concert (Nov. 22) are among the many exciting area arts events featured in the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s annual Fall Arts Preview. See what the Enquirer had to say about these upcoming events after the jump!

Single tickets to these events, and dozens of other performances, become available at noon on Monday, Sept. 9! Stop by the CCM Box Office or visit us online at ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice for more information!

CCM Announces Fall 2013 Calendar of Major Events

Download a copy of CCM’s Fall 2013 Calendar Booklet today!

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is delighted to announce its fall schedule of major events. The largest single source of performing arts events in the state of Ohio, CCM presents more than 120 major public performances from Sept. 4 through Dec. 14, ranging from faculty and guest artist concerts to fully supported opera, musical theatre, drama and dance productions.

View a digital copy of CCM’s Fall 2013 Calendar Booklet today by visiting on.uc.edu/CCMFall2013. Refer to the listings below for more details.

Event Information
All events listed here will take place in CCM Village on the University of Cincinnati campus unless otherwise indicated. Admission is free to many CCM performances, although some events do require purchased tickets or reservations. Please see individual event information for details and ordering information.

All event dates and programs are subject to change. Visit ccm.uc.edu  or contact the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183 for the most current event information.

Recently Graduated Voice Student Will Travel to Italy Thanks to Fulbright Award

Recent CCM graduate and Fulbright scholar Derrell Acon. Photography by Dottie Stover.

The University of Cincinnati’s Derrell Acon just graduated from the College-Conservatory of Music with a master’s degree and plans to return in 2014 to pursue his doctorate. But in between, Acon will be leaving for Italy this August to pursue both performance opportunities and research thanks to his Fulbright award.

Acon plans to “explore the relationship between the performer and  audience.”

“I will engage in research at the National Institute of Verdian Studies in Parma,” he said. “As well as present my own lecture-recital composition entitled ‘Whence Comes Black Art?: The Construction and Application of ‘Black Motivation,’ which has been presented throughout the United States.”

Acon’s passion for performing began early on, and continued through high school where he was a participant in both solo and ensemble festivals. He was often required to translate, interpret and memorize non-English pieces. That experience might be tedious to some, but he recalls it providing him with “so much joy.”