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Stars of Tomorrow |
August 6, 1989 The Chautauquan
Daily "Stars of Tomorrow on stage tonight" "...Tonight's soloists have sung with professional companies all over America. The list consists of familiar names such as the Greater Miami, Chicago Opera, Opera Omaha, Pittsburgh Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Michigan and Connecticut Opera Theaters. Many of the singers are prize winners, such as IAN BOURG who was a regional finalist of the Metropolitian Opera Auditions... Some have sung at Chautauqua before this season: Cynthia Ackley, IAN BOURG, Frederic Heringes, Ralph Schatzki and Beth Veltman. And in addition to singing with the major opera houses in America, the apprentices have appeared with the symphony orchestras of major American cities..." August 7, 1989 Larry McGinn The Chautauquan Daily "Stars of Tomorrow brighten Amp stage" "Listening to young singers who may be at the start of a career is one of the special pleasures for opera lovers. And that's just what took place at the Amphitheater Thursday night as a baker's dozen from the Chautauqua Opera Apprentice Program appeared in a program of duets and ensembles... None of the singers was given a solo, which probably calmed them down a bit. It also gave each a chance to appear twice, which was important. The pieces were in English, Italian and French and there were works by six composers... It's a nasty business on an occasion like this to single out some of the singers and ignore others. But the fact of the matter is that the singers did that themselves. And that, for better or worse, is the nature of performing arts. Take for example two tall, lanky young men like baritone Fred Love and tenor IAN BOURG who brought the duet that closes the first act of "The Barber of Seville" to full life. Love has a solid voice and BOURG handled the Rossini runs with admirable comfort. But both of them seem to have that indefinable something that makes the audience sit-up, listen carefully and watch alertly. When they were finished, people clearly wanted more. BOURG was back for the sextet from "Lucia di Lammermoor" which he led along with a striking soprano by the name of Beth Veltman. Rounding out the excerpt were Joy Hardwick, Frederic Heringes, Ralph Schatzki and James Pierce... ...Some day a few years from now, let's hope that we'll find ourselves in an opera house saying, "That singer looks and sounds familiar." Then we'll look at the program and discover that the baritone or soprano is a graduate of the Chautauqua program." Reviews: COURTESY OF THE CHAUTAUQUA
INSTITUTION ARCHIVES
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