Podcast recommendation: Aria code

One of the podcasts, I have subscribed to is shared by the Boston Globe and I am happy to concur with their recommendation. An opera aria is given insights from a few perspectives in each episode and then you can listen to it, truly appreciating it for what it is. Wonderfully done!

"With anything resembling normal concert life off the table for the foreseeable future, classical fans have been increasingly exploring various digital options. And while there is no shortage of archival performances now available for streaming, it’s hard to pretend they offer anything near the experience of the live event. Podcasts, on the other hand, are conceived and designed for digital consumption — and after a fairly slow start, the classical world is starting to get better at making them. Here, in no particular order, are five programs worth a listen for your summer (and fall?) without live music.

Aria Code

Since its arrival in the fall of 2018, Aria Code has broken through the noise and emerged as a destination opera podcast for both listeners just beginning to explore the genre, and those who already have their bearings in it. Its combination of substance and zip goes down smooth, as each episode opens up a single aria, typically from a well-known opera, and interweaves reflections on it from Met singers, writers, scholars, directors, and others to form a kind of guided micro-tour.

There’s also typically one guest with life experience connected to the theme the aria explores, underlining the unsubtle but still effective message that this centuries-old art form also connects to the here and now. Rhiannon Giddens, a MacArthur-winning banjo and fiddle player who was trained as an opera singer, makes for a lively host, but the music is the star — and it’s remarkable just how wide a vista a single well-chosen aria can open up. After the featured guests have concluded the guided tour, you get to hear the aria performed, at full length and inevitably with more resonance given the episode’s journey. www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/aria-code"

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/22/arts/5-classical-podcasts-summer-without-live-music/

Rhiannon Giddens performed during the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade on July 4, 2018.Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff

Reminder: Opera for Kids: Little Red Riding Hood - Sunday, Feb 5

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will present Opera for Kids: Little Red Riding Hood on Sunday, February 5, at 2:30 p.m. at THE BLACK BOX, 15 West Central Street, in downtown Franklin. 

This special program is a presentation of FPAC’s Family Concert Series and is offered free to the community. A treasured FPAC tradition for more than two decades, Family Concert Series events are geared toward children in length and format and provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music. The performances introduce audiences of all ages to music of many genres and feature talented, professional musicians in an engaging, entertaining and interactive way.

Set to the masterful music of American composer Seymour Barab, Little Red Riding Hood is an operatic adaptation of the children’s fairy tale classic and brings the beloved story to life. Engaging audiences of all ages, the opera is under 45 minutes in length and is in rhymed verse. 

The performance features sopranos Mariko Matsumura and Shauna Martin as Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, along with lyric baritone Thomas Gareau as the wolf. Pianist Synthia Sture will accompany the vocalists.

A native of Winnipeg, Canada, Shauna Martin received her master’s degree in Opera from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Music degree from Brandon University. Her performances include a wide variety of operatic and musical theater roles in works by classical as well as contemporary composers. Shauna is a founding member of the popular children's show Opera Night in Canada and has performed with Canada’s regional orchestras and on CBC Radio. 

A native of Tokyo, Japan, Mariko Matsumura received her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance with high honors from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in Vocal Performance from Longy School of Music. Mariko's performance credits include Messiah, Aida, Hansel and Gretl, Der Rosenkavalier, The Magic Flute and numerous premiere performances throughout the Boston area. She has performed with Lorelei Ensemble, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Jyugoya Ensemble, Chorus Boston, Setegaya Women’s Chorus and Opera Unmet. 

A graduate of The Boston Conservatory with a BM in Vocal Performance and an MM in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance, Thomas Gareau has performed a wide variety of repertoire, from jazz to musical theater to opera and oratorio. As a regular and soloist with the Boston Choral Ensemble, he performed in the memorable production of Thomas Tallis’ Spem in alium at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross as part of the Boston Early Music Festival. Other notable engagements include Odyssey Opera’s debut concert production of Wagner’s Rienzi at Jordan Hall. Thomas has appeared in numerous solo recitals performing standard repertoire and unearthing lesser known art songs and arias. 
 

Little Red Riding Hood (1881) by Carl Larsson (via wikipedia.org/)

FPAC’s 2017 Family Concert Series is sponsored by Berry Insurance. For more information, call (508) 528-3370 or visit www.FPAConline.com and www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com.

February Music Events aT THE BLACK BOX

THE BLACK BOX, downtown Franklin’s theater, music and event venue, presents a wide-ranging lineup of music entertainment this February. A suburban hub for great music, THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 West Central Street. 

- Opera for Kids will be staged at THE BLACK BOX as part of the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) 2017 Family Concert Series. Featuring Little Red Riding Hood, the performance will be presented free to the community on Sunday, February 5, at 2:30 p.m. Set to the masterful music of Seymour Barab, Little Red Riding Hood is an operatic adaptation of the children’s fairy tale classic and brings the beloved story to life. Engaging audiences of all ages, the opera is under 45 minutes in length and is in rhymed verse. 

Family Concert Series events feature talented, professional musicians in an entertaining format especially geared to children. Sponsored by Berry Insurance, the concerts provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music.

country singer and recording artist Ayla Brown

- THE BLACK BOX New England Artists Series presents country singer and recording artist Ayla Brown at 8 p.m. on Friday, February 17. A Wrentham native, Ayla Brown has performed on the legendary stages of the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium. She has opened for numerous country music stars, including Jason Aldean, Charlie Daniels, Sara Evans, Tracy Lawrence, Loretta Lynn, Darius Rucker, Josh Turner and Chris Young. 

A finalist on Season 5 of Fox-TV’s American Idol, Ayla was also a national news correspondent for The Early Show on CBS. Ayla’s most recent album, Let Love In, was released in 2015. Tickets for Ayla’s concert at THE BLACK BOX are $22 (adults) and $20 (students/seniors).

- Violinists Irina Fainkichen and Tara Novak will be joined by bassist Mark Poniatowski, drummer Kenny Hadley and pianist Ben Cook for “World on a String,” another presentation of THE BLACK BOX New England Artists Series . The February 26 performance will begin at 4 p.m. and will feature music from around the world, including Irish, Hungarian, Romanian, American and gypsy tunes. Tea service will be available in the lobby. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Irina Fainkichen was concertmaster of San Francisco’s Russian Chamber Orchestra for many years. 

Currently she is a member of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, assistant concertmaster of the Brockton Symphony Orchestra, and co-founder of “Flying Hearts” duo, which performs in a number of musical genres including jazz, Klezmer, and classic American tunes. Tara Novak is a multi-genre acoustic and electric violinist and vocalist, as well as an active composer, arranger and orchestrator. Her newest album, Ciaran and Tara – Live from Boston and Ireland, is a collection of live and studio recordings with Irish Tenor Ciaran Nagle. Tickets are $15 (adults) and $12 (students/seniors), with tea service available for $5.

For tickets or more information, visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or call (508) 528-3370. Tickets are also available at the door.

February Music Events aT THE BLACK BOX

The HMEA also has a fund raising event on Fri, Feb 24 featuring "Beatles for Sale"  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/12/beatles-for-sale-live-at-black-box-feb.html

Opera for Kids: Little Red Riding Hood - Sunday, February 5

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will present Opera for Kids: Little Red Riding Hood on Sunday, February 5, at 2:30 p.m. at THE BLACK BOX, 15 West Central Street, in downtown Franklin. 

This special program is a presentation of FPAC’s Family Concert Series and is offered free to the community. A treasured FPAC tradition for more than two decades, Family Concert Series events are geared toward children in length and format and provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music. The performances introduce audiences of all ages to music of many genres and feature talented, professional musicians in an engaging, entertaining and interactive way.

Set to the masterful music of American composer Seymour Barab, Little Red Riding Hood is an operatic adaptation of the children’s fairy tale classic and brings the beloved story to life. Engaging audiences of all ages, the opera is under 45 minutes in length and is in rhymed verse. 

The performance features sopranos Mariko Matsumura and Shauna Martin as Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, along with lyric baritone Thomas Gareau as the wolf. Pianist Synthia Sture will accompany the vocalists.

A native of Winnipeg, Canada, Shauna Martin received her master’s degree in Opera from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Music degree from Brandon University. Her performances include a wide variety of operatic and musical theater roles in works by classical as well as contemporary composers. Shauna is a founding member of the popular children's show Opera Night in Canada and has performed with Canada’s regional orchestras and on CBC Radio. 

A native of Tokyo, Japan, Mariko Matsumura received her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance with high honors from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in Vocal Performance from Longy School of Music. Mariko's performance credits include Messiah, Aida, Hansel and Gretl, Der Rosenkavalier, The Magic Flute and numerous premiere performances throughout the Boston area. She has performed with Lorelei Ensemble, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Jyugoya Ensemble, Chorus Boston, Setegaya Women’s Chorus and Opera Unmet. 

A graduate of The Boston Conservatory with a BM in Vocal Performance and an MM in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance, Thomas Gareau has performed a wide variety of repertoire, from jazz to musical theater to opera and oratorio. As a regular and soloist with the Boston Choral Ensemble, he performed in the memorable production of Thomas Tallis’ Spem in alium at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross as part of the Boston Early Music Festival. Other notable engagements include Odyssey Opera’s debut concert production of Wagner’s Rienzi at Jordan Hall. Thomas has appeared in numerous solo recitals performing standard repertoire and unearthing lesser known art songs and arias. 
 

Little Red Riding Hood (1881) by Carl Larsson (via wikipedia.org/)

FPAC’s 2017 Family Concert Series is sponsored by Berry Insurance. For more information, call (508) 528-3370 or visit www.FPAConline.com and www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com.

Family Concert Series Presents Opera for Kids Featuring "The Three Little Pigs" - Apr 10

Franklin Performing Arts Company’s annual, free Family Concert Series concludes this season with Opera for Kids, The Three Little Pigs, on Sunday, April 10 at 2 p.m. at THE BLACK BOX, 15 West Central Street, in downtown Franklin. Arranged by John Davies and set to the masterful music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, The Three Little Pigs is an operatic adaptation of the children’s fairytale classic and brings the beloved story to life. 

A treasured FPAC tradition for more than two decades, Family Concert Series events are geared toward children in length and format and provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music. The performances introduce audiences of all ages to music of many genres and feature talented, professional musicians in an engaging, entertaining and interactive way. The Three Little Pigs features Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) student Madi Asgeirsson and sopranos Shauna Martin and Mariko Matsumura as the three little pigs, along with lyric baritone Thomas Gareau as the wolf. Pianist Synthia Sture will accompany the vocalists.

A native of Winnipeg, Canada, Shauna Martin received her master’s degree in Opera from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Music degree from Brandon University. Her performances include a wide variety of operatic and musical theater roles in works by classical as well as contemporary composers. Shauna is a founding member of the popular children's show Opera Night in Canada and has performed with Canada’s regional orchestras and on CBC Radio.

A native of Tokyo, Japan, Mariko Matsumura received her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance with high honors from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in Vocal Performance from Longy School of Music. Mariko's performance credits include Messiah, Aida, Hansel and Gretl, Der Rosenkavalier, The Magic Flute and numerous premiere performances throughout the Boston area. She has performed with Lorelei Ensemble, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Jyugoya Ensemble, Chorus Boston, Setegaya Women’s Chorus and Opera Unmet.

A graduate of The Boston Conservatory with a BM in Vocal Performance and an MM in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance, Thomas Gareau has performed a wide variety of repertoire, from jazz to musical theater to opera and oratorio. As a regular and soloist with the Boston Choral Ensemble, he performed in the memorable production of Thomas Tallis’ Spem in alium at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross as part of the Boston Early Music Festival. Other notable engagements include Odyssey Opera’s debut concert production of Wagner’s Rienzi at Jordan Hall. Thomas has appeared in numerous solo recitals performing standard repertoire and unearthing lesser known art songs and arias.

FPAC’s 2016 Family Concert Series is sponsored by Berry Insurance. For more information, call (508) 528-3370 or visit www.FPAConline.com and www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com.

Amahl and the Night Visitors - Nov 22

The Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) Music Department presents the beloved holiday classic, Amahl and the Night Visitors, a one-act opera by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer. Featuring students from FSPA’s voice program, the performance will be staged at THE BLACK BOX, located at 15 West Central Street in downtown Franklin, on Sunday, November 22 at 2 p.m.

Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA)

The inspiring story is of a crippled shepherd boy, Amahl, who offers his crutch as a present to the Christ child, is healed, and joins the Three Kings on their way to Bethlehem. With a compassionate message about faith, love and charity, this enchanting and family-friendly story perfectly captures the spirit of the season.

Featured roles will be performed by Franklin’s Amanda Wylie (Amahl), Jason Barney (King Kaspar) and Tatiana McAlpine (The Page), as well as Nicholas Steiner (King Melchior) of Millis and Joey Soares (King Balthazar) of Hopedale. The ensemble cast includes Lily Barney, Dora Ebbeling, Anya Fox, Kelly Irwin, Catherine LeClair, Ria Mathur, Grace Olah, Michaela Olah, Daniel Vaccarezza, Katharine Waples, Caitlin Woodcock, Katie Wylie, Jaiden Wyner, Lyndsey Wyner, Melissa Wyner and Delaney Zolnowski of Franklin; Ellie Skalaski of Medway; Elina Tavarez of Millis; Abby McDonough of Norfolk; Griffin Wilkins of Walpole; and Susauna Wickstrom of Wrentham.

Mariko Matsumura directs the production. Soprano Shauna Martin, of FSPA’s voice faculty, performs the role of Mother. Pianist Synthia Sture accompanies the vocalists.

THE BLACK BOX Theater, 15 West Central St

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or call (508) 528-8668. Visit www.FSPAonline.com for more information about FSPA, including class schedule and course catalog.