Spotlight on Chorister Marc Persing
December 27, 2016 by Edward Hanlon in Spotlights
Marc Persing grew up in the little town of Lewisburg, PA, right on the Susquehanna River. His childhood was spent as a boy soprano with the Lewisburg Men and Boys Choir. He loved playing Atari and Pac-Man in his spare time, and watching reruns of The Brady Bunch. Although he started as a pre-med major in college, his first voice teacher encouraged him to pursue his vocal studies - which he did, initiating a transfer to The Hartt School of Music to major in opera.
Marc Persing, Marie Te Hapuku, MetChorusArtists, The Metropolitan Opera
From Physics Lab to Opera House to Bookstore Near You
A profile of the Metropolitan Opera's own C. A. Higgins, production assistant and author of the Lightless trilogy.
The Metropolitan Opera, Met Costume Shop, MEt, MetChorusArtists, Metropolita Opera Chorus, C. A. Higgins, Lightless
So You Want to Be in the Chorus? Part 2
November 03, 2016 by Edward Hanlon in Auditions
The continued oral history of the auditions, decisions and opening nights of the the Metropolitan Opera Chorus' three newest members.
November 03, 2016 /Edward Hanlon
October 31, 2016 by Edward Hanlon in Auditions
An oral history of the auditions, decisions and opening nights of the the Metropolitan Opera Chorus' three newest members.
October 31, 2016 /Edward Hanlon
MetChorusArtists, Metropolita Opera Chorus, The Metropolitan Opera, Brian Anderson, Sara Heaton, Patrick Miller
A Chorister's Bohemian Rhapsody
October 31, 2016 by Edward Hanlon in Features
Bass Ned Hanlon takes a deep dive into the many casting possibilities of everyone's favorite Parisian garret/street/snow scene opera... La Bohème!
Metropolita Opera Chorus, MetChorusArtists, NPR, La boheme, The Metropolitan Opera
The Chorus remembers AGMA union leader, Alan Gordon
October 01, 2016 by Edward Hanlon in Spotlights
On the evening of January 6, 2016, The Metropolitan Opera dedicated its performance of La Boheme to the memory of Alan Gordon, who passed away on January 1st. Alan was the executive secretary of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), the union which represents solo singers, choristers, stage managers, stage directors, dancers, choreographers and staff performers.
Chorus Costumes from Fitting to Finale
March 22, 2016 by Mary Hughes in Around the Met
As we rehearse on stage for the premiere of Sir David McVicar's Metropolitan Opera production of Donizetti's Roberto Devereux on Mar 24th, 2016, let's take a moment to acknowledge the importance of costumes and costume designers in opera.
March 22, 2016 /Mary Hughes
The Metropolitan Opera, MetChorusArtists, Metropolita Opera Chorus, Roberto Devereux
Around the Met
Met Chorus Artists remember the life of Elinor Harper
February 09, 2016 by Mary Hughes in Spotlights
Elinor Harper, Soprano, was a pioneer in the racial integration of the Metropolitan Opera Company. She was the first African American female to be granted a full-time chorus contract with the Metropolitan Opera Company in 1961. Elinor led a vibrant and distinguished career and retired in 1999.
February 09, 2016 /Mary Hughes
Spotlight on Saturday's Turandot in HD
January 27, 2016 by Mary Hughes in Around the Met
Photo Marty Sohl
Turandot masked Ping, Amir Levy, masked Pang, Elliot Reiland, masked Pong, Andrew Robinson with Chorus Sapienti Brandon Mayberry, Edward Hanlon, Seth Malkin
January 27, 2016 /Mary Hughes
La Donna del Lago from a Chorister's perspective
December 18, 2015 by Mary Hughes in Around the Met
The first time that I heard La Donna del Lago was in college. It was a recording of Marilyn Horne and I wondered if I would ever get to hear it live because it was staged so infrequently. That, and who could sing the demanding role of Elena?
Fast forward to 2015 and I'm in utter disbelief that I'm only mere feet away from Joyce DiDonato and Lawrence Brownlee, the main characters in Rossini's operatic adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's 1810 narrative poem. They both make it look so easy and my predominant thought is how people should be beating the door down to hear this indescribably beautiful singing – and it's LIVE! Real, live people singing in the most extraordinary, beautiful bel canto style. The whole cast is truly wondrous.
December 18, 2015 /Mary Hughes
Spotlight on Saturday afternoon radio broadcasts
December 05, 2015 by Mary Hughes in Features
La Bohème, December 5, 2015
Chorister Daniel Clark Smith joins an elite group of performers with his performance of Parpignol in La Bohème which marks his 100th solo performance at the Metropolitan Opera. The Performers Report, found on the Met's website in the Archives, lists all company members who have performed 100 solo roles or more. Conductors, Dancers, and Singers are listed, with big names (Maestro James Levine at 2491) and small (dancer Linda Gelinas at 436, who just retired from the ballet last season) on the same formidable list. Daniel joins over 40 current and retired choristers in this distinction. You have seen the Chorus nightly as the townspeople and villagers in any given opera, but there are many opera roles that are actually performed by singers from the Chorus.