Music

Opera at CWU

Opera Ensemble

Opera is a vital part of the CWU Vocal Program, producing at least one operatic production each year. The CWU Opera provides a positive learning experience for music students in all aspects of stagecraft and performance culminating in an enjoyable offering of polished operatic entertainment for the Ellensburg community. Every other year, CWU produces a fully staged opera production in collaboration with the CWU Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Nikolas Caoile, providing invaluable experience to the singers on stage and the orchestral players in the pit. Recent productions include The Gondoliers, The Magic Flute and Le Nozze di Figaro. In the alternating years, students perform in a wide variety of opera scenes allowing students to focus on repertoire appropriate for their level, from beginner to advanced.

Opera is a synthetic culmination of many forms of artistic expression; a complete work, Der Gesamtkunstwerk to Wagner. During the rehearsal period for an opera production, the students explore a myriad of elements as they master the challenges of this unique art form on their way to becoming well-rounded and versatile performers. Operatic vocal repertoire is inherently demanding of the “soloist” requiring that each singer be completely secure with their own part while also depending on others. Operatic singing also asks young singers how to “balance” their voices with others while retaining the individual quality of their instruments; bridging the gap between solo recital singing and choral singing. Opera presents important challenges in the declamation of rapid speech-like patterns in Italian, German and French. Singing operatic recitative in any language requires skill and experience, even in English!

Current Production

The CWU Opera Ensemble’s production of Die Fledermaus opens on April 11th in the McConnell Auditorium. Die Fledermaus, directed by Gayla Blaisdell, will be performed in collaboration with the CWU Chamber Orchestra and the CWU Theatre Department.

Die Fledermaus, sometimes called “The Revenge of the Bat” in English was composed by the Waltz King, Johann Strauss II, and was premiered in 1874 in Vienna, Austria. The music of Die Fledermaus contains the perfect combination of beautiful Viennese waltzes and choruses with dramatic solo singing and lively duets and trios. The libretto was originally written in German but it was translated to English just two years after the Viennese premiere for its first performance in London. American audiences have enjoyed Die Fledermaus in various English translations throughout the years, but this production will feature a 2016 adaptation and translation by Sarah Meyers. This version takes place in the wealthy Manhattan social circle of up-and-coming young professionals. Falke convinces his friend, Eisenstein to attend a lavish cosplay party thrown by the Orlofsky, an uber-rich celebrity, before he turns himself in to serve an 8-day prison sentence. Falke separately arranges for Rosalinda, Eisenstein’s wife and social media and reality show celebrity herself, to attend in disguise to catch her husband cheating on her and Rosalinda’s assistant, Adele, has also received an invitation to the same party. Mayhem ensues when everyone (including the Deputy who was supposed to arrest Eisenstein earlier) arrives at the party in disguise and under false pretenses. The operetta spotlights spectacular Central vocalists in the leading and supporting roles as well as a stellar chorus and the CWU Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Nikolas Caoile. You’ll be humming a Viennese Waltz as you leave the theater, but there may be some surprises in store for the audience as well! This is not your grandparent’s Die Fledermaus!

Recent Awards:

• 2017 2nd Place Winner in the Collegiate Opera Scenes
  Competition, Act I Part 2 from Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi
• 2017 Finalist in the Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition,
  Act 1 Scene from The Old Maid and the Thief by Gian Carlo Menotti
• 2012 2nd Place Category 2, Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini
• 2012 Finalist in the Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition, Eugene Onegin Finale by Peter Tchaikovsky
• 2011 2nd Place Category 2, A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim
• 2010 1st Place, Category 1, The Tender Land by Aaron Copland

In addition to the annual opera production, CWU offers a variety of courses in operatic training, including Diction for Singers and Opera History. Students are given the opportunity to coach and work on operatic repertoire in private voice lessons as well as in Weekly Studio Classes with CWU faculty members. Singers often receive individual dramatic coaching in addition to their applied study. The annual Over-the-TOPera concert offers another unique performance opportunity for students to explore operatic repertoire. Master classes with visiting professionals from the around the country also help students perfect their performance skills.

Student interest in opera is supported by the SNATS Club, which provides financial support to the Opera Ensemble and a valuable performance opportunity at the popular Bella Notte event. SNATS also provides travel funding for vocal students to the annual Inland Empire NATS competition, subsidizes frequent student trips to see professional operas and shows outside of Ellensburg and sponsors vocal master classes and speakers.

Please contact Dr. Gayla Blaisdell with any questions and “LIKE” our CWU Opera Ensemble page on Facebook! We’d love to share the excitement of opera at CWU with you!

Past Opera Productions

• “L’Opera Italiana" 2023 Blaisdell, dir.
• "Orpheus in the Underworld" 2022 Blaisdell, dir. with CWU Chamber Orchestra, Caoile, dir.
• "Trial by Jury" 2021 Blaisdell, dir.
• "The Gondoliers" 20192019 Blaisdell, dir. with CWU Chamber Orchestra, Caoile, dir.
• "Opera is for Everyone One Acts" 2018 Blaisdell/Blaisdell dirs.
• "The Magic Flute" 2017 Blaisdell/Blaisdell dirs. with CWU Chamber Orchestra, Hirsch, dir.
• "Bartered Brides, Merry Wives and Old Maids Opera Scenes" 2016 Blaisdell/Blaisdell, dirs.
• "The Marriage of Figaro" 2015 Blaisdell dir. with CWU Chamber Orchestra, Caoile, dir.
• “Opera Scenes from Here and There” 2014 Blaisdell/Blaisdell dirs.
• "Die Fledermaus" (Strauss) 2013 Blaisdell, dir. with CWU Orchestra, Caoile, dir.
• "A Night At The Opera" 2012 Blaisdell/Blaisdell, dirs.
• "A Little Night Music" (Sondheim) 2011 Blaisdell, dir. with CWU Orchestra, Caoile, dir.
• “The Tender Land” (Copland) 2010 Blaisdell, dir. with CWU Chamber Orchestra, Caoile, dir.
• “Summer Scenes Opera Workshop Performance” 2010 Blaisdell, dir.
• “Mostly Mozart” 2009 Blaisdell, dir.
• “Games of Life and Love” (An Evening of Opera Scenes) 2006 Reich/Miller, dirs.
• “Amahl and the Night Visitors” (Menotti) 2006 Reich/Meyer, dirs.
• “Dido and Aeneas” (Purcell) and “Meanwhile Back at Cinderella’s” (Billings) 2005 Reich/Meyer, dirs.
• “Gianni Schicchi” (Puccini)/Hansel and Gretel, short version (Humperdinck) 2005 Reich/Meyers, dir.
• “Viva l’Opera” 2004 Reich, dir.
• “The Sledge Hats” An original opera by John Sanders, student composer, Sanders, dir. 2003
• “Don Giovanni” (Mozart) 2002 Marra/Cobbs, dirs.
• Killing Daddy” (Polishook) 2001 Polishook ,dir.
• “Scenes from Operas” 2000, Marra/Sasnett, dirs.
• Cosi fan Tutte” (Mozart) 1999 Marra/Cobbs, dirs.
• “Trial by Jury” (Sullivan) Student project, Jaclyn Meline, dir.
• “Seed of Sarah” (Polishook) 1998 Polishook, dir.
• “Scenes from Favorite Operas” 1997 Marra/Torrey, dirs.
• “Idomeneo” (Mozart) 1996, Torrey, dir.
• “The Marriage Contract” (Rossini)/”Riders to the Sea” (Vaughan Williams) 1995 Torrey, dir.
• “Dido and Aeneas” (Purcell) 1994 Torrey, dir.
• “Gianni Schicchi” (Puccini)/”The Impresario” (Mozart) 1993 Marra, dir.
• “The Magic Flute” (Mozart) 1992 Marra/Baldwin dirs.
• “The Telephone” (Menotti)/”Family Farm” (Allen-Schmidt) 1991 Kevin Allen-Schmidt, dir. Student Project
• “Opera Scenes” 1991, Marra, dir.
• “Masque of Angels” (Argento) 1991, Boers, dir.
• “Pirates of Penzance” (Sullivan) 1990 Nesselroad/Baldwin dirs.
• “An Evening of Opera Scenes” 1989 Marra/Nesselroad, dirs.
• “An Evening of Opera” 1986 Nesselroad, dir.
• “An Evening of Music from the Opera” 1985 Nesselroad, dir.
• “Die Fledermaus” ( J. Strauss) 1985 Nesselroad, dir.
• “An Evening of Opera Scenes” 1984 Nesselroad, dir.
• “West Side Story”/”Candide” (Bernstein) 1984 Nesselroad/Brummett, dirs.
• “An Opera Matinee” 1983 tenor student, Kim Shockley
• “Falstaff” (Verdi) 1983, Nesselroad, dir.
• “The Crucible” (Ward) 1982 Nesselroad, dir.
• “La Traviata” (Verdi) 1981 Nesselroad, dir.
• “The Marriage of Figaro” (Mozart) 1980, Nesselroad, dir.
• “Gianni Schicchi” (Puccini) 1979, Nesselroad, dir.
• “Thin Rain” (DeMerchant)? 1977 DeMerchant, dir
• “Madama Butterfly” (Puccini) 1976 DeMerchant, dir.
• “Carmen” (Bizet) 1970 DeMerchant, dir.
• “Three Penny Opera” (Menotti) 1967 DeMerchant, dir.
• “Susanna” (Floyd) 1966 DeMerchant, dir.
• “The Telephone” (Menotti) 1960 DeMerchant, dir.