Comic Opera Guild Begins 40th Season

Posted: Sep 11, 2012 at 9:13 AM [Sep 11, 2012]

Want to be a part of the first commercially available recording of a show? Read on.

 Comic Opera Guild will be holding auditions for its upcoming season Sunday, Sept. 16 from 2-5 pm. There are great solo roles, as well as the opportunity for people interested in being a part of the chorus.

 The Guild is celebrating its 40^th season this year and once again offers two new shows for its FALL CONCERT SERIES and a rare revival for its MAINSTAGE SHOW. Everyone, from trained vocalists to shower soloists are invited to come and be a part of this historic season. Guild auditions are lighthearted and fun, and allow each singer to do his of her best.

Throughout its history, the Guild has combined professionals and amateurs to make possible performances of the best of light operas and classic musicals. Not only has it toured the state of Michigan with complete shows, but has assembled a long list of recordings that are distributed throughout the world.

Time considerations often prevent people from auditioning, but the Guild’s shows have addressed this problem. The Fall shows have a brief rehearsal period of only eight rehearsals, and are intended for solo voices. The Mainstage show will feature two choruses: the dancing chorus and the backup chorus. While the dancing chorus will be involved in blocking rehearsals, the backup chorus will only meet once a week and will sing from the score. Even if you sing in a church choir, you’ll have time for this.

What about the shows?

Florodora music by Leslie Stuart; lyrics by Ernest Boyd-Jones and Paul Rubens

Saturday 8 PM, Oct. 13; Sunday, 2 PM , Oct. 14; Vitosha Haus, Ann Arbor

The show originally opened in London on 11 November 1899 at the Lyric Theatre, where it ran for 455 performances, closing in March 1901. It then moved to New York in 1900 (first at the Casino Theatre) and ran for an astonishing 552 performances – the first instance of a London production achieving such a Broadway run, and the third longest run on Broadway of any theatre piece up to that time. It includes the famous sextette “Are There Any More at Home Like You?”

Madame Sherry (1910) music by Karl Hoschna; lyrics by Otto Harbach

Saturday 8 PM, Oct. 20; Sunday, 2 PM , Oct. 21; Vitosha Haus, Ann Arbor

The original Madame Sherry also opened in London, but was a failure. It opened again on Broadway however, with a brand new score and script, and was a major success, with 231 performances in its initial run. It includes the hit songs “Any Little Movement” and “Put Your Arms Around Me Honey.”

“Light Cavalry” (1866)  operetta by Von Suppe; English lyrics by Thomas Petiet

Thurs., Feb. 7, 8 pm; Friday Feb. 8, 8 pm; Saturday 2 PM & 8 PM, Feb. 9 Lydia Mendelssohn Theater, Ann Arbor

“Light Cavalry” is an early Viennese operetta that will have its North American premiere in this production. Everyone knows the world-famous overture, but no one in America has ever seen the show. It is a romantic comedy, and will be performed in Ann Arbor’s Lydia Mendelssohn Theater with orchestra. Mariano Riera returns as music director.

 

COMIC OPERA GUILD AUDITIONS

Sunday, Sept. 16, 2-5 pm, UM STAC Building, 1202 Kipke Drive, Ann Arbor.

 

TIMES AVAILABLE:

2:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 4:30 pm

NOTE: We prefer that people sign up for a time prior to 3:00 pm if possible, as we will add late signups to the end of the schedule.

 

FOR INFO OR TO SIGN UP:

Call: 734-973-3264

Email:constu@comcast.net.

For more show details go to: http://comicoperaguild.org/PAGES/AUDITIONS.html