Judy Wagley: Can you tell me a little bit about the apprenticeship program there at Soo Opera?
Karen Beacom: I sure can. We're in our third year of having apprentices from around the country join our opera program or opera festival, which began back in 2007. We had a local opera workshop for all those years leading up to this and wanted to figure out a way to have people in from other places, and housing was a big part of the puzzle to allow us to do this. We've partnered with Lake Superior State University for housing on campus and ever since then we have brought in apprentices and this, like I said, will be our third year of doing just that.
JW: You mentioned these apprentices come from all over the country. Are they college students?
KB: We have postdoctoral students, doctoral students, masters and undergrad this year coming. In our first program, we had masters and doctoral students. We started with a five- person apprenticeship, so we made sure that they had lots of individual attention, and they did their own production of Die Fledermaus. Our second summer apprenticeship was a production of Gianni Schicchi, so we ended up with 12 apprentices to cast that show, and we circled back this year with a goal of having eight apprentices--just so we were sure to have that one-on-one experience-- and they're doing the Magic Flute. So the fun thing I think for this one is we've had a lot of faculty members and Susannah cast members also performing roles in the Magic Flute alongside our apprentices. Like I said, all from undergrads to postgrads.
JW: Susannah, you mentioned-- that is the professional opera that you will be performing. You'll be singing the title role here coming up in August.
KB: I will be, I will. I can't wait!
JW: What does a day in the life of an apprentice at Soo Opera look like?
KB: They'll roll in and they'll get musical coachings with our musical staff on the first part of the program, the first week and a half, two weeks-- we'll be getting their Magic Flute up and running, so most of it will be coaching and preparing their roles. And then they'll go into staging rehearsals. We'll have a traditional sing-through like we would for the professional opera. I'll be conducting the Magic Flute and our apprentice director Suna Gunther, will be directing that production. And so they'll have staging rehearsals. They'll have coachings, and a couple of the evenings they'll have Susannah chorus rehearsals-- preparing for that-- which comes at the end of the festival.
JW: And they will perform the Magic Flute—Mozart’s opera—the Magic Flute for the public?
KB: They will. The first performance will be at the Soo Theatre on our stage on the 27th of July, and then we're taking it on the road and to a beautiful outdoor camp in Pickford, Michigan. So we will have opera on the lawn of Northwoods Camp in Pickford, Michigan.
JW: Oh Karen, that sounds like a lot of fun! Now, often folks hear the word “opera” and they think, “Oh, I don't like opera.” How would you encourage them to check it out?
KB: I think this, especially this summer, Magic Flute in English is like the precursor to musical theater. Really, you know, it's dialogue scenes and entertaining songs to tie it all together. And Susannah as well is our first English-- officially English or American opera that we're doing. And it's a musical drama. So even Carlisle Floyd coins it as musical drama. So if you’re a little hesitant, this would be a good year to try it out. And I say for our local students, they don't really know that they're doing something that maybe would be looked on as so unique in other places-- because they've been kids who have been doing the opera program since they were six or seven years old. And it's just what they do.
JW: Truly something for everyone there at Soo Opera. Karen, you are the Artistic Director of the Soo Theatre. Why is the Soo Theatre so important in your community?
KB: Oh my goodness! It provides so many outlets for kids and adults. We like to say that we've got something for every age. And as we're programming classes and lessons and workshops year round, our goal is to try to have something for infants and toddlers and seniors and retired folks, everything. We've got New Horizons groups happening orchestral groups happening. And I think the important thing is--you can get the education on an instrument and not only just learn how to play an instrument, but then you can play in a pit orchestra of a show. And we've got a lot of that happening. We will have community members sit alongside our professionals to play for the Magic Flute, so our apprentices will also have an orchestra accompanying their production. And that's all community.
JW: Karen. It sounds like you're having a lot of fun there this summer doing the Magic Flute and Susannah, and thanks for all you do to bring wonderful music to the community!
KB: Oh my goodness, you are so welcome!
