Annapolis Opera

The folks at Annapolis Opera celebrated the end of tax-filing season and the arrival of spring last weekend with an "Opera Lite" concert featuring tuneful moments from comic operas and operettas. The program was created and conducted by Annapolis Opera artistic director Ronald J. Gretz. This final concert of the season was a nostalgic diversion and welcome antidote to the weekend news of volcanic eruptions Wall Street investigations. "Opera Lite" audience members were seduced by gorgeous melodies from the pens of Viennese composers Johann Strauss and Franz Lehar, and from Victor Herbert, who began his musical career in Vienna and came to the United States at age 27. Also on the program was the wit of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan and the melodic genius of opera composer Gioachino Rossini, who was so gifted that he was able to retire at age 37 after writing 30 operas and live comfortably for 40 more years without ever writing another opera.

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A nnapolis Opera's performance of "Tosca" last weekend scaled new dramatic heights while delivering Giacomo Puccini's work, which premiered in Rome in 1900. Puccini was inspired to write the opera after seeing Sarah Bernhardt in Sardou's play "La Tosca." Having seen every Annapolis Opera production during the past 16 years, I would rank this "Tosca" near the top for its powerful singers, who were able to create intense drama with the Annapolis Opera Orchestra. Although the opera's setting is Rome in 1800 as Napoleon's army invades the city, much in the plot of political intrigue, corruption, lust, violence and sexual intimidation seems current.

Annapolis Opera opened its 37th season last weekend at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts with an all-Verdi concert. Starting his 26th year with the opera, artistic director Ronald J. Gretz created an exciting and comprehensive program of arias illustrating the astonishing breadth of 19th-century composer Guiseppe Verdi, who wrote 28 operas between 1839 and 1893. Gretz created a program that included arias from Verdi's three major career periods, introducing the audience to some rarely heard works, along with masterworks too grand to be fully staged at Maryland Hall.

Despite the economic woes being felt by other local arts organizations, the Annapolis Opera remains "in solid financial shape, thanks to our supporters," says President Leah Solat. The new season will feature fall and spring concerts of arias, a holiday show, a children's opera and the main production: a fully staged "Tosca." The 22nd annual vocal competition ends the season in May. Solat returns to the office she held in 2007-2008, the most successful season ever, when both "Carmen" performances sold out. She expressed hope that former Baltimore Opera subscribers will discover the Annapolis Opera this season.

News of Annapolis baritone Jason Stearns' Metropolitan Opera debut gave some Annapolis Opera folks incentive last October to plan a trip to New York City to offer support recently in his role as Monterone in Verdi's Rigoletto. Former Annapolis Opera president Leah Solat coordinated plans and board member David Stern arranged bus transportation and lodging for the group for Stearns' April 1 debut. Stern also arranged for the group to take a 2 1/2 -hour backstage tour of the Met on the same day. Stearns lives in Annapolis with his wife, Suzanne, who also had a singing career and continues to give voice lessons, as does Jason when time allows.

In what is being billed as the most ambitious programming by the Annapolis Opera, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci will be presented in a double bill at Maryland Hall for two shows next weekend. "Two complete operas on one bill is a huge challenge with two sets, two casts of outstanding professional singers and two of just about everything else, including costumes, wigs and props," opera President Gregory Stiverson said. "With other opera companies cutting back or ceasing programming altogether, Annapolis Opera is proud to be able to provide even more great live opera for our audiences."

Opera appreciation classes offered M.A. Cashman will offer her series of opera appreciation classes for Annapolis Opera with a "Students' Choice" focusing on some of the early performances of great opera stars. Classes are held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Cashman's home as follows: * Feb. 9: "Mad about Opera" is opera scenes from the 1930s to the 1950s featuring Tito Gobbi, Gino Bechi and Maria Caniglia in Norma. * Feb. 16: "Celea's Adriana Lecouvreura" compares a 1975 performance with a 1991 version.

Fans of artful singing had a choice of two programs Sunday afternoon in Annapolis: the Arundel Vocal Arts Society's "Mass Appeal" holiday concert at Eastport United Methodist Church and the Annapolis Opera's "Bel Canto by Candlelight" an hour later at First Presbyterian Church. I enjoyed the best of both by hearing the major work on the AVAS program, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, before catching Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini arias sung by five gifted young soloists making their debut in Annapolis.

True to its mission of introducing rising young opera singers to its audience, Annapolis Opera opened its 36th season with its first concert at Maryland Hall on Sunday. Noting before the concert that "more expensive fundraisers began and ended our past seasons," president Gregory A. Stiverson said, "This season will open and close with these new, less-expensive opera concerts to bring more great music in more operatic arias sung by rising young singers." The audience heard many favorite arias performed well by six young singers accompanied by the Annapolis Opera Chamber Orchestra, which was conducted by musical director and conductor Ronald J. Gretz.