#ukoperatheatre

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UK Grad Student Singing in Met’s ‘Porgy and Bess’

Singing on the Metropolitan Opera stage is a lifelong dream for many young opera vocalists, and one University of Kentucky doctoral candidate, Makeda Hampton, is among the chosen few currently performing at America’s most prestigious opera house. But for this previous math and chemistry student, a dream to perform didn't take center stage until a bit later.

Read the story on UKNow >>

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UK Music takes over The Met

by Nathan Williams

The Metropolitan Opera is a vibrant home for the most creative and talented singers, conductors, composers, musicians, dancers, and…Wildcats?! Last week, 8 University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts alumni took over the stage and orchestra pit during the return of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.”  

“One of America’s favorite operas returns to the Met for the first time in nearly 30 years. James Robinson’s stylish production transports audiences to Catfish Row on the Charleston waterfront, vibrant with the music, dancing, emotion, and heartbreak of its inhabitants. “If you’re going to stage Gershwin’s opera, this is how,” raved the Guardian when the new production premiered in London in 2018. David Robertson conducts a dynamic cast, featuring the sympathetic duo of Eric Owens and Angel Blue in the title roles and an all-star ensemble.”

Seth Morris (Principal Flute, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) was recently seen at the Singletary Center for the Arts back in September 2018 where he performed Mozart’s Flute Concert with the UK Symphony Orchestra.  

This production of Porgy and Bess will run from September 23, 2019 through February 1, 2020. Tickets can be purchased here.

School of Music Alumni in The Met’s Porgy and Bess:

Reginald Smith, Jr. - 2012 and 2013 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Music Performance)

Christine Mabel Jobson – 2012 (Master of Music Performance)

Karmesha K. Peake – 2007 and 2009 (Master of Music Performance)

Denisha Leshai Ballew – 2008 (Bachelor of Music Performance)

Andrea Jones-Sojola – 2001 (Master of Music Performance)

Markel Deshaun Reed

Makeda Danielle Hampton

La’shelle Quinette Allen

Seth Morris – 2007 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education)

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College of Fine Arts alum Monica Dewey (BA, vocal performance, arts administration ‘12) is off to the national auditions in New York City for The Metropolitan Opera, after winning first place at the Gulf Coast region in New Orleans! On April 22, 2018, this talented soprano will share the MET stage with 25 other singers from across the country.

The MET National Council Auditions are one of the most prestigious opera competitions in the world. The program is designed to discover promising young opera singers and assist in the development of their careers. The UK Opera Theatre training program is no stranger to the competition with two national winners: Reginald Smith, Jr., (2015) and Gregory Turay (1995).

After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Monica earned her Master’s degree in music performance from Indiana University’s acclaimed Jacob’s School of Music. In addition to her stage career, Monica is an associate instructor at the Jacob’s School.

During the 2017-18 season, Monica made her debut with San Francisco Opera. She also starred in productions with Michigan Opera Theatre and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. She has received awards from The Sullivan Foundation, The American Prize, and the Arleen Auger Memorial Scholarship. She was awarded first prize in the 10th International Hilde Zadek Voice Competition at the Musikverein in Vienna. In addition to the first prize award, Monica received the Special Prize of Sponsors and Donors, Special Prize of the Media Jury, and a future engagement in a leading role with Oper Köln in Cologne, Germany.

Monica thanks Everett McCorvey for his mentorship and support during her time at UK and beyond.

“It's been a dream of mine to be a [MET] semi-finalist since I first saw the competition when I was 15 years old,” Monica said. “Those singers were like celebrities to me, and now I'm there. It doesn't even seem real! I'm so thankful to the University of Kentucky and the amazing experiences I had as a student to prepare me for this milestone.”

Best of luck, Monica! We are incredibly proud of you!

monicadewey.com

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Christine Jobson (MM Performance, ‘11) and current doctoral student Michael Preacely pose in Saint Petersburg, Russia, next to a poster of themselves starring in a Porgy and Bess concert performance with the Northern Symphony Orchestra on November 16 in the St. Petersburg Music Hall Theatre. Christine and Michael were invited by the U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg, especially for this event!

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UK grad to perform Easter oratorio in NY

School of Music alum Gregory Turay will perform the Easter oratorio “Thy Will Be Done” at the Lincoln Center’s Geffen Hall in New York with The National Chorale, March 16.

Turay is keeping close ties to his roots with this concert: UK Opera Theatre director Dr. Everett McCorvey is the director of the National Chorale.

Photo: file photo, 2013 “It’s a Grand Night for Singing!”

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5 Questions with Reginald Smith, Jr.

We caught up with Reginald Smith, Jr. (Vocal Performance ‘12, Choral Music Education ‘13), shortly after his debut with the San Francisco Opera this spring. Following graduation, Reggie enjoyed a two-year young artist training contract with the Houston Grand Opera and continues to share his talents on stages around the globe. Thank you, Reggie, for taking an interlude to share your story. Toi, toi, toi!

CFA: You recently made your debut at the San Francisco Opera. Tell me how you felt stepping into your first rehearsal with that company.

RS: It has truly been an exciting time for me personally. I feel so tremendously blessed to be working for such an amazing company. When I walked up to the building, I was overcome with emotions. I thought about all of the great singers that have graced that stage, from Albanese to Price, Del Monaco to Pavarotti, Sutherland to Battle, and SO many others. It is humbling to stand where these legends have stood. I felt prepared, excited, nervous, and grateful among other things, but mostly, I felt humbled to be there. As a millennial, I will say "I had all the feels."

Photo: Reginald Smith, Jr. as Count Monterone in SFO’s production of Rigoletto. Photo by Cory Weaver.

CFA: What's next on your agenda after Rigoletto wraps? Any tours/guest appearances taking you abroad? Any tours taking you closer to Lexington?

RS: After Rigoletto wraps up, I will actually have a break! I have been wonderfully busy, but at some point, we all need some time to recharge our batteries. So, that will be my summer plan; rest and relaxation. In the fall, I will be back and at 'em! I will sing in Windsor, Ontario (Canada) before making my Asian debut as Amonasro in Aida with Opera Hong Kong (China). While both of these engagements will be thrilling, I am over-the-moon excited to return to my "Old Kentucky Home" this fall. In November, I will sing Elijah in Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Lexington Singers! It is one of my favorite works, and I am so glad that I get to perform it with some of my favorite people. Again, we millennials will say: #Blessed!

CFA: As you reflect back on your time at UK, what's the best piece of advice you received or lesson you learned, whether in or out of the classroom? How do you think UK helped prepare you for the career you have today?

RS: I am incredibly proud to be a Kentucky Wildcat, and I am a proud alumnus of the UK College of Fine Arts and School of Music. There are so many musical, professional, and life lessons that I have learned from the faculty at UK. It truly is hard to narrow them down to one defining or best piece of advice. I cherish each of these, and I take them with me wherever I go.

CFA: What was the most memorable role you played at UK? Why?

RS: The most memorable role that I played at UK, by far, was performing Falstaff in Verdi's Falstaff. It is a beast of a role that requires musical sensitivity in one measure and brute vocal colors in the next. The character is so dynamic in its extremities and complexities that one can never learn enough about this role. On top of all of this, he is on stage for the majority of the show. So, you really learn to pace yourself vocally and physically for the demanding role. It is one of the hardest roles, but it is also one of the most exciting roles to perform. Through the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre, I was able to explore and sink my teeth into this juicy comedic masterpiece by Verdi and Boito. It is an experience that I will always cherish.

Photo: Reginald Smith, Jr., in UK Opera Theatre’s Falstaff. Photo by Tim Collins.

CFA: What advice would you offer to current UK vocal music students?

RS: My advice would be to learn all that you can from everyone that you can while you are a student at UK. From the musicology faculty to theater faculty, the voice teachers and choral directors to librarians in the Little Library, from the Dean to your fellow classmates, everyone at UK has something wonderful to offer. Be a sponge; soak in everything! Practice intelligently and diligently, but also go to a party every now and then. All of these things helps you to become a well-rounded person. What we do as actors and singers is portray human elements on a magnified level. As important as it is to practice, it is also important to live life and learn about the lives of others. 

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CFA Alumna lands second tv series

Congrats to School of Music alum Reshma Shetty who stars in a new medical drama “Pure Genius,” this fall on CBS. Check out the UK Now story: http://uknow.uky.edu/content/uk-alumna-lands-second-tv-series-pure-genius