SIGNIFICANT EVENTS |
Below is a brief listing of recent Significant Events APRIL 6, 2014 MARSEE AUDITORIUM, EL CAMINO COLLEGE WORLD PREMIERE LOVERS AT DAYBREAK
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JUNE 10 & 12, 2011 PREMIERE OF MARIE'S ORCHARD BY CENTER STAGE OPERA MADRID THEATRE in CANOGA PARK, CA
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MARIE'S ORCHARD BACKGROUND In April 2008, Heartland, a full-length operetta with music by Philip Westin, was one of four works selected in a national competition to be included in the ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop at Disney Studios in Burbank, California. The work was subsequently featured in a studio recording. At the ASCAP/Disney workshop, principals from Center Stage Opera, several of whom sang in the Heartland recording, performed segments from the work to an invited audience including industry heavyweights Stephen Paulus, Eric Whitacre and Stephen Schwartz, Director of the workshop, who led the panel discussions (see below).According to ASCAP, Heartland was the first "opera" ever to be selected for presentation at the prestigious workshop. As a direct result of the ASCAP/Disney workshop, Center Stage Opera commissioned Marie's Orchard. Envisioined as a reworking of Heartland into a full-blown opera, the libretto by Dylan F. Thomas was inspired by Willa Cather's novel, O Pioneers! As work on the piece progressed, although Westin chose to retain many musical elements from Heartland, for the most part Marie's Orchard is a completely new piece. Center Stage Opera premiered Marie's Orchard in a fully staged production at the Madrid Theatre in Canoga Park, California, on June 10 and 12, 2011. The title role of Marie was tailored especially for Shira Renee Thomas, who sang the role at the ASCAP/Disney workshop. Brian Onderdonk conducted the Center Stage Opera Orchestra and Dylan F. Thomas directed the production. |
FEBRUARY 2009 TIMOTHY and the MAGIC GARDEN |
Photos - Timothy and the Magic Garden Premiere Performance > Photos - Timothy and the Magic Garden Childrens' Concerts > February 7, 2009: World Premiere Performance of Timothy and the Magic Garden. Karen Sharp, radio personality and host of KOST 103.5 FM's Lovesongs on the Coast, narrated, with the Carson-Dominguez Hills Symphony Orchestra conducted by Music Director Hector Salazar. February 5, 2009: Three Childrens' Concerts presented by the City of Carson, featuring Timothy and the Magic Garden, with the same performers as those listed above. |
APRIL 2008 HEATLAND PRESENTED at ASCAP |
April 9, 2008: Selections from Act 1 of Heartland presented as one of four works selected for the ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop at Disney Studios in Burbank, headed by Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz. April 29, 2008: Act 2 of Heartland presented at the ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop at Disney Studios in Burbank. |
JUNE 2007 HEATLAND STUDIO RECORDING |
June 23, 2007: Studio Demonstration recording of Heartland released. The two CD-set features Erin Wood as Alexandra Bergstrom, Shira Renee Thomas as Marie Shabata, Michael Foreman as Emil Bergstrom, Ernest Alvarez as Carl Lindstrum, and James Martin Schaefer as Frank Shabata. The Henri Venanzi Singers comprised the chorus and provided soloists for other roles. The work was recorded in May 2007 at Private Island Trax Studio in Hollywood and Martinsound Studio in Alhambra, California. |
