Fresco Opera Theatre

Keep Singers Where They Belong!

2011-12-29T16:11:00.000-06:00

On the stage!

Leonora, Fresco's Tamer Of The Beasts

2011-12-22T21:54:00.000-06:00

Abominable One! Where are you going with your wild anger?

The voice of humanity won’t tame your tiger will.

Even through your wild soul, I see a rainbow.

So quiet and pure, you make my blood flow.

Come, hope. May the stars illuminate my goal.

"Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?" from Fidelio by Beethoven

Baba The Bearded Lady

2011-12-22T21:53:00.000-06:00

The Amazing Samantha

2011-11-30T19:29:00.000-06:00

The amazing Samantha dazzled us with her hula hoop dance, accompanied by a wonderful new piece of music composed by Clarisse Tobia - and sung by Brianne and Erin Sura.

Amina The Singing Airwalker

2011-11-20T08:33:00.000-06:00

Oh flowers, you fade like love that only lasts a day.

My tears cannot revive new love.

My thoughts are full of contentment, my treasure.

Embrace me, with hope we will make a heaven of love.

"Ah non credea" from La Sonnambula by Bellini

The Sole Surviving Daughter - Helping To Plot Revenge

2011-11-18T12:58:00.000-06:00

There, there, daughter. Weep on my shoulder.

Father, you are a consoling angel.

Just do this one thing, then we can leave this place.
Vengeance is my desire, your punishment is at hand.
The jester knows how to strike you like a bolt from God.

Oh father, I see savage in your eyes.

Forgive him, God. He betrayed me, but I love him.

"Si Vedetta" from Rigoletto by Verdi

The Suramese Twins And Their Attachment - To Their Lovers

2011-11-18T12:57:00.001-06:00

Ah, look sister there is no mouth more beautiful or face more noble.

It’s a face that entices and menaces.

We’re so happy!

May cupid make me suffer if my heart changes its affections

"Ah guarda sorella" from Cosi fan tutte by Mozart

Josh B'Gosh And His Amazing Feats

2011-11-18T12:57:00.000-06:00

Bed of (REAL) nails

Proof that they were real

Time for the straight jacket!

Can he escape?

Josh has a plan

Chewing his way out of the chains

Success!

Yes. That is a real mousetrap.

There Are Many Types Of Men, But Few, Like Ben The Barbarian, Are Winners

2011-11-18T12:56:00.000-06:00

There's a law.. there's a law about men: There are men who can make it and men who cannot.

There are fish who go swimming and fish that wind up in the pot!

There are men who will study the books till the Judgement Day; And examine the techniques of the winners galore.

There are men who will practice the rule religiously: Every day they'll improve just a little more: And they'll put all their soul behind it;

All their ego, power, drive and will and desire behind it - and they'll throw themselves in.

But they never will win. They never will win. They never never never never will win!

There's a law! There's a law about men: There are men who are flabby and men who are thin: There are fish who are fattish and fish who are trim in the fin.

There are men who will sweat out their days in cabinets; And be pummeled and badgered adn beaten and rolled. There are men who will sweat out their nights in Turkish baths; They'll buy every reducing maching that is sold.

And they'll live for a week on lemons; And another week on grass and water and crackers and lemons: And lay off the gin.

But they'll never be thin. They'll never be thin. They'll never never never never be thin!

"There's a law" from Trouble in Tahiti by Bernstein

Duet For One - Princess Charming

2011-11-18T12:49:00.000-06:00

Oh fair stranger, tell me your name.

Do souls in paradise invoke with awe and love?

For you I shall be called The Unknown.

Who are you fairest?

For you I shall be called The Unknown. Who? The Unknown!

I am a fleeting dream.

Will I lose you? I’d rather die!!
Where you go I go.

I’d rather fly never to know you.
Why would you say such a cruel thing?

You are charming, Prince. If I could, I would be with you.

Then let me hold your hand, I shall be your prince.

His harmonious voice holds my heart.

Stay with me forever, I love you.
So soon! Listen, it’s striking!
Why does time matter? Stay!
Am I mad? Oh where did she go, my Unkown?

Act II Duet from Cendrillon by Massenet

Thrills With No Spills!

2011-11-13T19:18:00.000-06:00

Cycropia, the arial artist group from Madison amazed the Big Top Audience with their daring, grace and beauty!

The Fire Breather Will Put The Naughty Boy In His Place...

2011-11-13T18:55:00.000-06:00

Get away!

I warm up the good kids, but I burn up brats like you!

You denounced that which protects you from me.

You have caused havoc! Boy, beware of Fire!

You’ll be a sizzling snowflake on my red-hot tongue!…

I warm up the good kids and burn up all the brats! Ah! I’ll burn YOU!

"Fire aria" from L'enfant et les sortileges by Ravel

What You Are About To See Will Astound And Amaze You!

2011-11-13T18:52:00.000-06:00

Excuse me, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am the Prologue.

Here, I will present to you famous characters of the past.

I’m here to warn, the tears shed here tonight are false.

We are painting for you a slice of life.

Mankind and truth inspires us.

Memories sing from our souls, and sobs beat out the rhythm.
You will see love, hatred, sorrow, rage, and laughter.
We are merely men, equal to you in breath of air.

Now, listen to how it unfolds,

Come, Let us begin…

"Si Puo" from I Pagliacci by Leoncavallo

Big Success For The Big Top!

2011-10-25T20:30:00.000-05:00

Big Top was the most successful Fresco production to date! We want to thank all of you who braved the Nebraska crowd and ventured to the Overture Center to see our show!

Obviously, we wouldn't have been able to do this production without the talented performers who engages, amazed and entertained you. We are so fortunate to live in an area with so many diverse and talented people!

Fresco Opera Theatre is very proud of our production of Fresco's Big Top Opera. And we are hard at work on our next move: something bold, fresh and exciting! We want to keep you posted, via our website, blog and Facebook pages! If you aren't on our mailing list, please email us at frescoopera@frescooperatheatre.com. Thank you so much for your support!

Presenting Melanie Cain As Leonora The Tiger Tamer!

2011-09-26T07:13:00.001-05:00

Melanie Cain/ Director and Leonora - Tamer of the Beasts

Melanie Cain, Soprano, holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and Opera Production and a Masters of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A native of Carroll, Iowa, she received her BA in both Music and Art from Luther College in Decorah, IA. Ms. Cain was Assistant Director/Stage Manager of the UW Opera’s productions of Orpheus in the Underworld, Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte and Le Nozze di Figaro, and Carmen under the direction of William Farlow. She was administrator and project manager for Dorian Opera Theatre for several seasons. Currently she operates a successful private home studio.

Melanie has performed both in the Madison area and nationally receiving rave reviews. The Capital Times wrote, “Melanie Cain sang with a gorgeous range and a strong, thrilling voice that projected to the top row. Cain is a graduate student in vocal performance with a big career ahead of her.”

Her past roles include Second Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, The Mother and The Witch in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Madame Lidoine in The Dialogues of the Carmelites, Alice Ford in Falstaff, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus. She has also studied the roles of Leonora in Beethoven’s Fidelio, Miss Jessel in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, the title role from Gluck’s Armide and Salome in Herodiade by Massenet in UW’s Opera Workshop. While at UW, Cain understudied the well known soprano, Julia Faulkner, in the title role of Vanessa. She has been a finalist and semi-finalist in numerous national vocal competitions including the Orpheus National Vocal Competition in Tennessee and the prestigious Jenson Vocal Competition in New York.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Presenting Saira Frank As Amina The Airwalker!

2011-09-23T07:08:00.000-05:00

Saira Frank/ Amina the Airwalker

Soprano Saira Frank, holds a master’s degree in opera from UW-Madison and two bachelor’s degrees, one in vocal performance and one in French from Northwestern University. Her studies also include a year at the National Conservatory in Nantes, France, where she participated in opera scenes and sang the role of Louis in FORTUNIO’S SONG.

A favorite of Madison’s Opera for the Young, Saira has performed in their past three productions of The Magic Flute, The Elixir of Love, and Rusalka, and she is currently singing Mabel in their tour of The Pirates of Penzance. A devoted outreach artist, Saira has performed with Candid Concert Opera of Madison as Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, Adina in The Elixir of Love, and Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte. Other roles in Saira’s diverse repertory include the title roles in The Merry Widow and Alcina, Josephine in HMS Pinafore, and Armidoro in La Buona Figliuola. Saira also teaches at the Carroll Academy in Waukesha, WI, where she has directed a children’s version of The Pirates of Penzance.

Saira lives in Waukesha and studies in Madison with world-renowned soprano, Julia Faulkner. Saira’s honors include scholarships from Opera Props and the Voice Department at UW Madison, and she is also a five-time recipient of the Rod Rahn Scholarship for the Arts, a three-time recipient of the Arnold R. and Enda F. Weber Scholarship for the Arts and Academic Excellence, and has previously taken fourth place in the 2006 Upper Midwest District MONC Auditions. Saira has sung in masterclasses with distinguished musicians such as Diana Soviero, John Wustman, Sherrill Milnes, Philip Morehead, and Giulio Favario.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Presenting Benjamin Schoening As Ben The Barbarian!

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Benjamin Schoening/ The Strongman

Baritone Benjamin Schoening, hailed as “very talented for his young years,” is one of the up–and–coming musical talents of his generation. Although gifted with a rare and beautiful lyric baritone voice, Benjamin chose to begin his musical career as an orchestral French Horn player and later became a conductor; thus he is beginning his singing career later than most singers do.

Benjamin has enjoyed much success as a recitalist throughout the United States and Europe. Most recently he has performed recitals in the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Minnesota, and Alabama. His particular area of interest as an Art Song Recitalist is songs in the English language. Benjamin has made appearances with the Racine Choral Arts Society (Wisconsin), Symphonia da Camerata (Illinois) and White Mountain Symphony Orchestra (Arizona) as a vocal soloist.

Currently, Benjamin is an Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin - Barron County, where he is Director of Campus Musical Activities, Director of the Holiday Festival, and Music Director/Conductor of the Red Cedar Choir. Ben finished his DMA in voice performance at the University of Minnesota in June of 2011.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Presenting Erin Sura As The Other Half Of The Suramese Twins!

2011-09-21T06:58:00.000-05:00

Erin Sura/Suramese Twin

Soprano Erin Sura has recently been seen performing the role of Dido in both the Southeast WI Performing Arts program (SEWPA) and the Elgin Opera productions of Dido and Aeneas; Gianetta in Gondoliers and Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel both with SEWPA, Antonia in concerts previewing Don Davis’s world premiere opera Rio de Sangre with the Florentine Opera; Nedda in I Pagliacci with the Italian Community Center’s Summer Opera Series; Mother Marie in Dialogues in the Carmelites with RESONANZ; and Liu in the Fresco Opera Theatre production Ding Dong the Diva’s Dead.

Additional roles include Mozart’s Fiordiligi, Countess and First Lady, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus by J. Strauss, Mrs. Hayes (and Susannah cover) in Floyd’s Susannah, in addition to originating the title role in Paula Kimper’s concert version of The Captivation of Eunice Williams.

Ms. Sura was a finalist in the Fresco Opera Theatre’s Dueling Divas Competition in 2010 and 2011 and was awarded 2nd place in the Connecticut Opera Theatre’s Amici Vocal Competition in 2009. Additional awards include the Civic Music Associations Recital and Coaching honor, awarded at the 2008 Midwest MET Competition. Upcoming projects include performances with Concord Chamber Orchestra in September of this year, Big Top Opera with Fresco Opera Theatre this September and October in addition to singing a Handmaiden in Turandot and the role of Mrs. Hayes in Floyd’s Susannah, with the Florentine Opera in their 2011-2012 season.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Presenting Brianne Sura As One Half Of The Suramese Twins!

2011-09-20T07:10:00.000-05:00

Brianne Sura/ Suramese Twin

Brianne earned her Master's Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music where she was awarded the Elizabeth Stoekler Stevens Prize in Lied.

She has since performed principal roles with Nashville Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, Madison Opera Company, Skylight Opera Theatre, Elgin Opera, Milwaukee Opera Theater, Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute, Music By the Lake, SouthEast Wisconsin Performing Arts, and La Musica Lirica in Urbania, Italy.

Most recent roles include; Zita in Gianni Schicchi, The Witch in Hansel and Gretel, and Tessa in The Gondoliers. Brianne was the winner of Fresco Opera's Duelling Diva's II competition at Edgewood last season.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Presenting Caitlin "Sizzle" Cisler As The Fire Breather!

2011-09-19T06:58:00.000-05:00

Caitlin Cisler / Sizzle Cisler

Caitlin Cisler, soprano, is thrilled to join Fresco Opera for yet another season. In 2011, Ms. Cisler was named Diva Champion in Fresco's second Dueling Divas Competition.

She also won the audience favorite award in the Harold Haugh Light Opera Competition. Ms. Cisler has also represented the Midwest as finalist in both the National Operatic Association Competition in Atlanta, as well as in the NATS Artists Awards competition in Salt Lake City (2010).

In the “operatic ring”, Ms. Cisler’s leading roles include Norina in Don Pasquale, Cunegonde in Candide, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Morgana in Alcina, and Mélisande in Pelléas et Melisande.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Visual Fireworks! Fresco's Big Top Opera - Featuring Cycropia Aerial Dance!

2011-09-18T14:30:00.000-05:00

Fresco is extremely proud to present Cycropia Aerial Dance to perform at our "Fresco's Big Top Production! Cycropia is one of a handful of aerial dance troupes within the United States. Using low-flying trapezes, trapeze hoops, hand loops, aerial fabric, a Spanish web and other aerial apparatus, they combine modern dance, athleticism and the magic of defying gravity. Cycropia has developed quite a large following, having earned a reputation for spreading wonder and delight wherever they go.

Presenting Kassy L. Coleman As Princess Charming!

2011-09-16T14:04:00.000-05:00

Kassy L. Coleman/ Princess Charming

Kassy is a graduate of UW Madison with a master’s degree in vocal performance where she was seen in such performances as Mere Marie in The Dialogues of the Carmelites, Dame Quickly in Falstaff and Carmen in Le Tragedie de Carmen.

Currently Ms Coleman is co-owner and executive director of the Soul’s Song LLC, a home-based fine arts studio where she teaches singers in classical styles but also functions as a musical theatre vocal specialist.

She enjoys performing throughout the Madison area in various genres and was most recently seen in VACT’s production of Children of Eden as Mama Noah and Music Theatre of Madison’s production of Yours, Anne as Edith Frank. Ms Coleman is delighted to be performing with Fresco Opera Theatre once again. Thanks to those who always love and support me. Namaste.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Presenting Diana Kelly Eiler As Baba The Turk!

2011-09-16T09:38:00.000-05:00

Diana Kelly Eiler/ Baba the Turk

Diana began vocal study as a soprano, majoring in vocal performance at Heidelberg College, where she received the Ohl Prize and Hoernemann academic awards, as well as making her professional debuts with the Toledo Opera in Babes in Toyland and Findlay Light Opera in The Gondoliers while still a student.

She was a N.A.T.S. Great Lakes Regional winner, Jessye Norman Award recipient, and semi-finalist in the Friedrich Schorr Opera Star Search. A brief stint in musical theatre with roles such as Lily in The Secret Garden and Christine in Phantom brought her the Anthony Award for Best Actress.

Diana made the transition to mezzo and alto literature as a concert and oratorio soloist, performing multiple renditions of standards such as Handel's Messiah, Vivaldi's Gloria, and Mendelssohn's Elijah; she was also regularly featured by the Fort Wayne Bach Collegium as soloist in the B Minor Mass, Saint John Passion and Saint Matthew Passion, as well as a variety of Bach's sacred cantatas.

Diana was first heard in the greater Madison area in Bach's Magnificat as a guest of the U.W. Choral Union, with the Madison Symphony Chorus both as an ensemble singer and soloist in Rutter's Gloria, Mozart's Missa in F Major and Kodaly's Missa Brevis, and as part of the Stoughton Opera Company, performed the countertenor solo in Orff's Carmina Burana. She has appeared with Fresco Opera Theatre in Dueling Divas II, and made her Opera for the Young debut as Jezibaba and the Foreign Princess in Rusalka. She will join OFY again as the Mother/Witch in their 2011-12 tour of Hansel and Gretel. In addition to singing, Diana plays viola with Cassiopeia String Quartet.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Presenting Jonathan Ten Brink As The Ringmaster!

2011-09-15T06:57:00.000-05:00

Jonathan Ten Brink/ The Ringmaster

Jonathan is an exciting young baritone “possessing considerable agility” (Grand Rapids Press, MI). His substantial range allows him to access both the baritone and bass-baritone repertoire. In addition to his collaboration with the early music chamber group The Rose Ensemble Jonathan holds an active performance schedule on the opera and concert stages.

With Fresco Opera Theater he has performed on both the Dueling Diva’s II and Ding Dong the Diva’s Dead programs in addition to serving as Ring Master in tonight’s Big Top Opera. He performed “Dr. Grenvil” in La Traviata with the Minnesota Orchestra and made his Skylark Opera debut in the summer of 2011 as “The Harold of Burgundy” in The Vagabond King. Other roles include singing “Alfesibeo” in the North American Premier of Gli Amore d’Apollo e di Daphne under the musical direction of Paul O’Dette; “Belcore” in L’elisir d’amore for the Sieur Duluth Summer Arts Festival; “Sarastro” in Die Zauberflöte; and “Tarquinius” in The Rape of Lucretia.

Jonathan’s versatility extends to the concert stage as well. He is quickly becoming known for his interpretation of Carmina Burana and the works of J.S. Bach. Other performances include the Requiem’s of Mozart and Durufle; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; and Handel’s Messiah.

Jonathan teaches voice at North Central University.

http://www.overturecenter.com/production/big-top-opera

Fresco's Big Top Opera Featuring The Wheel Of Death

2011-09-09T07:04:00.000-05:00