葫芦娃视频

Having the opportunity to workshop a brand new piece is a thrill every year for Eklund Opera鈥檚 New Opera Workshop鈥攐r CU NOW. But in the summer of 2016, that excitement will hit a fever pitch.

鈥淲e鈥檙e working with Jake Heggie鈥攖he most famous opera composer living today,鈥� says Leigh Holman, director of Eklund Opera. 鈥淲e鈥檙e over the moon about it!鈥�

CU NOW鈥檚 professional arm yearly presents scenes from an opera in production by top composers and librettists in the field. Last year, students workshopped 鈥淎 Song for Susan Smith,鈥� written by Zach Redler and CU-葫芦娃视频 alumnus Mark Campbell.

This June, they take on Heggie鈥檚 adaptation of 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Wonderful Life,鈥� Frank Capra鈥檚 beloved film that has been a staple in American homes during the holidays since its release in 1946. Heggie, a former Guggenheim Fellow, is one of the world鈥檚 most performed living opera composers and is best known for his award-winning works 鈥淢oby-Dick,鈥� 鈥淒ead Man Walking鈥� and 鈥淭he End of the Affair.鈥�

Not only that, but Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer are under commission from Houston Grand Opera to have the work ready for a . Holman says it鈥檒l be a glimpse into the professional opera world that students rarely get.

鈥淲e鈥檒l truly be on the ground floor. What makes this year different is that we have an entire opera to work on. In the past we鈥檝e had a few scenes or an act. But Jake wants to be able to work through all of the music in three weeks. They鈥檒l be doing character development with our students.鈥�

Houston Grand Opera will also have a team on hand taking in the workshop. 鈥淭hat means one of the most important opera companies in the country will be here seeing how it sounds and suggesting changes,鈥� says Holman. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l be seeing our singers every day and our students will get a chance to learn from them, too.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of a more exciting scenario.鈥�

Holman says Heggie鈥檚 interest in CU NOW goes back nearly to its inception seven years ago.

鈥淚 met him years ago when I worked at Opera Colorado,鈥� she explains. 鈥淛ake had actually recommended CU NOW to colleagues of his in the past. So this year, I asked him if he had anything he wanted to bring.鈥�

With such a well-known ally in the small world of opera, Holman says she sees a big future for Eklund Opera and CU NOW. 鈥淭he fact that Jake knew about us and has sent other professionals to us in the past鈥攁nd trusted us enough to bring 鈥業t鈥檚 a Wonderful Life鈥� here鈥攕ays a whole lot.

鈥淗e told me there were other groups doing workshops, but no one offers three weeks to really work the piece. Nobody else goes that far with it.鈥�

In addition to working out the kinks in the piece, the CU NOW cast will also create an archival recording for Heggie and Scheer to present and for Houston Grand Opera to play for their donors.

Holman says this could give CU NOW a chance to be part of history.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful experience for our students to work with the greatest living opera composer, but we also have a feeling that the 鈥業t鈥檚 a Wonderful Life鈥� opera will have legs. It could go down as opera鈥檚 answer to 鈥楾he Nutcracker鈥� at the holidays.鈥�

CU NOW Professional encompasses only half of the hard work that takes place during the workshop. In addition, the Composer Fellows鈥� Initiative focuses on scenes written by College of Music composers. Directed by Voice and Opera Chair Patrick Mason and Theatre Department Chair Bud Coleman, this year鈥檚 CFI will also give students a chance to work with professionals in the opera field.

鈥淢ark Campbell has been advising our composers for several months, and will be here the entire three weeks to work with them,鈥� Holman says. 鈥淟aura Lee Everett, the artistic services director for Opera America, will be here again too.鈥�

The four student-composed scenes will be presented on stage at the Music Theatre on Saturday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m. CU NOW Professional鈥檚 performances of scenes from 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Wonderful Life鈥� are Friday, June 17, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 19, at 2 p.m. in the ATLAS Black Box Theater.