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From the PressMarch 4, 2012 To give up a sparkling, 70-degree Bay Area afternoon for "YAF" (Yet Another Flute)? Enjoy a raccoon-packed production far more than some traditional Magic Flutes? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes, and kudos. Mark Streshinsky's West Edge (née Berkeley) Opera has done it again, making up for a tiny budget with huge imagination and amazing excellence. March 12, 2012 "The Manga Flute," which concluded a three-performance run over the weekend at the El Cerrito Performing Arts Theater, is an inventive and often delightful treatment of Mozart's comic opera that transfers its pasteboard motifs - a struggle between good and evil centered around a dashing prince and a rescuable princess - to the world of Japanese comic art. It's an apt homecoming. March 4, 2012 ...At first it was surprising how many young children attended, but it was a great fit for young audiences, with its contrast of magical nature to the demands of the business world, its clear moral guidance (raccoons urging us to follow the small voice of our hearts) and with its emphasis on our day’s pressing environmental issues… not to mention a child’s view of bitter parental separations! |
Opera AmericaWest Edge Opera directors to attend June conference
West Edge Opera Artistic Director Mark Streshinsky and Executive Director Beth Sandefur will be traveling to Philadelphia in June for the annual Opera America Conference. Mark will be a panelist on two separate sessions—Friday, June 15: Chamber Operas in Alternative Venues, and Saturday, June 16: Working with Difference: How dissimilar organizations can collaborate, where Mark will discuss the project that he did with Oakland's The Crucible, creating and directing the opera, Machine. From the Opera America Catalogue of Sessions: Innovative collaborations offer organizations of all sizes the opportunity to leverage resources, learn new skills, and create unique productions that "speak with a local accent." At the same time, different disciplines and different-sized organizations all come with their own creative practices, expectations and administrative challenges. This panel will feature producers and directors from organizations working through cross-discipline and cross-tier collaborations discussing their challenges and rewards, and how they came to speak a common language. This will be Beth's first Opera America conference and Mark's third. Prior to becoming Artistic Director of West Edge, Mark directed the world premiere of David Carlson's opera Anna Karenina in 2007, which was showcased at the Opera America conference that year in Miami. Two years ago, he attended the conference in Los Angeles and was able to see part of the controversial Ring cycle at the time. Last year's Boston conference was especially interesting because he was able to connect with company leaders doing similar work to West Edge and he has been in contact with them throughout the year. Mark is also an active participant in the Opera America New Works forum and will be attending again this year in November. |
Our Next ProductionArtistic Director Mark Streshinsky introduces City of Sin:City of Sin is a double bill of two one-act operas—Mahagonny Songspiel, music by Kurt Weill, libretto by Bertold Brecht, and Vera of Las Vegas, music by Daron Hagen, libretto by Paul Muldoon. |
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