RSS 2.0 FeedJulius Caesar delivers
Sat, Nov 08, 2008
Make no mistake about it: Kansas City opera-goers were ready, and based on their enthusiastic reception, I believe waiting, for Baroque opera.
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Major funding for KCMetropolis.org
is provided, in part, by:
Sarah Tyrrell
Opera, Vocal and Classical Contributor
Since 2004, Dr. Sarah Tyrrell has been part of the Musicology faculty at the UMKC Conservatory of Music. In 2003, she completed doctoral work at the University of Kansas and also holds degrees in music history and voice performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and Kansas State University. At UMKC, Sarah teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in music history and world music, as well as graduate seminars on American and Latin American musics. Sarah has presented her research locally and nationally (her research specialty is the art music of Brazil) and actively guest lectures about town on Brazilian popular subjects such as samba and bossa nova. Her articles and reviews have appeared in Musical Quarterly, Latin American Research Review, and Latin American Perspectives.
Sarah is also active in the Kansas City choral music scene: she is the Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Chorale of Kansas City and also sings soprano with the group. This 60-voice ensemble presents four concerts each year and recently completed a performance tour of Brazil.
Kansas City Chorale holiday concert: Laud to the nativity
Wed, Dec 17, 2008
The Kansas City Chorale holiday concert featured Ottorino Respighi’s Lauda per la Nativita per Signore but also brought to light a handful of other remarkable choral gems.
In Good Company: Chen Yi, Chanticleer and Shanghai Quartet
Wed, Jan 21, 2009
he program was packed with stimulating pieces that required much of the listener and that proved great works of art present many questions while offering valuable dividends.
Danielle de Niese, soprano, with Cameron Stowe
Mon, Feb 09, 2009
The program was a sequence of thoughtfully chosen pieces that allowed de Niese to exercise all of the carefully honed expressive devices in her arsenal, from dynamic vocals to effusive facial expressions and sweeping gestures.
Love, loyalty and loss at the Lyric: A successful Traviata
Mon, Mar 16, 2009
What held an audience’s attention in nineteenth-century opera houses works just as well for the twenty-first: love, loyalty and loss, combined with miscommunication and betrayal, are still the ticket.
Pirates with a softer side
Tue, Apr 28, 2009
It must be true that people flock to movies, concerts and theater for escape during trying economic times, because more than 1,000 people came to Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance" on a warm April evening, even as other spring activities competed for their attention.
A pop music odyssey with Heartland Men's Chorus
Tue, Jun 16, 2009
There is a reason that this is one of the most well supported choral groups in the city: they deliver spirited performances, clever (at times risky) programming, and always a surprise or two.
Music with a mission
Tue, Oct 26, 2010
The themes in KC Metro Opera's production of "Charlotte's Web" perfectly mirror the organization's mission "to communicate with and to learn from one another."
Beyond expectations: "Tosca" is world-class
Mon, Sep 14, 2009
At its turn-of-the-century premiere, "Tosca" was perceived as particularly coarse and was criticized for a focus on ill-mannered tyrant types and for pervasive brutality. It seems, though, that Kansas City opera-goers do not mind such decadence: just as the opera did in Italy in 1900, "Tosca" opened to a packed house at Kansas City's Lyric Theater last Friday night.
"H.M.S. Pinafore" is a great escape
Tue, Nov 10, 2009
There is nothing like a Gilbert and Sullivan getaway to escape reality and "H.M.S. Pinafore" handily transports an audience. In the world of the G and S operetta, social class conflicts are easily resolved, baby farming is explained without difficulty and the coarse language of everyday is discouraged in favor of refined, elegant dialogue.
A stacked cast makes "Porgy and Bess" a rare treat
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
"Porgy and Bess" is such a slam dunk-in some circles branded the most important 20th century American opera-that in any production, one is certain to find something to write home about. With cleverly combined story lines of betrayals, drugs, and murders, the story almost tells itself.
Love, spring and a world premiere
Tue, Mar 09, 2010
Charles Bruffy and the Kansas City Chorale staged a spring concert this weekend. The "Sing to Love" theme combined with timely references to the eagerly-awaited season nicely colored the lengthy program. The ensemble sounded in top shape and delivered a diverse yet thoughtfully unified collection of memorable pieces.
Cool start, sensational finish
Mon, Mar 22, 2010
The snow storm on Saturday night cast a potent curse on the Lyric Opera's performance of Verdi's "Rigoletto." The production was, however, worth the extra effort it took to navigate treacherous roads to downtown, and Kansas City was again fortunate to enjoy world-class performances from star singers.
Cool start, sensational finish
Tue, Mar 23, 2010
The snow storm on Saturday night cast a potent curse on the Lyric Opera's performance of Verdi's "Rigoletto." The production was, however, worth the extra effort it took to navigate treacherous roads to downtown, and Kansas City was again fortunate to enjoy world-class performances from star singers.
Musica Sacra celebrates 20th anniversary season
Tue, Dec 07, 2010
Timothy McDonald directs Musica Sacra, Rockhurst’s ensemble-in-residence. The chorus and orchestra perform sacred masterworks at four main concerts each year, and the ensemble’s faithful followers fill up their home venue, St. Francis Xavier Church. Friday’s concert was thoughtfully programmed and perfect for the Advent season.
Sequentia: Courtly, passionate, and ambitious
Tue, Jan 25, 2011
Benjamin Bagby's Sequentia navigated the ancient Parisian sounds of the late twelfth/early thirteenth century with a masterful historically informed performance that presented appealing contrasts in sentiment, function, and style.
Donizetti's sunny side: "Daughter of the Regiment"
Mon, Feb 21, 2011
All of the talk about the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts can unfortunately draw attention to the limitations of the Lyric Theatre, but at opening night of Donizetti’s "The Daughter of the Regiment," there was a buzz about the house. The audience of 1,200 enjoyed how General Director Evan Luskin fed the fire with details about the new venue, setting the stage for the evening, as well as the season to come.
Donizetti's sunny side: "Daughter of the Regiment"
Mon, Feb 28, 2011
All of the talk about the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts can unfortunately draw attention to the limitations of the Lyric Theatre, but at opening night of Donizetti’s "The Daughter of the Regiment," there was a buzz about the house. The audience of 1,200 enjoyed how General Director Evan Luskin fed the fire with details about the new venue, setting the stage for the evening, as well as the season to come.
Countdown to Kauffman: The Lyric’s last hurrah
Mon, Apr 11, 2011
The Lyric Opera of Kansas City says goodbye to the Lyric Theatre and closes its season with Mozart's perennial favorite, "Le nozze di Figaro." Don't expect period staging, costumes, or settings, this adaptation is thoroughly modern and offers a fictional glimpse behind the scenes of the Lyric.
Ice princess melts audiences' hearts
Tue, Oct 04, 2011
If the question were “Would the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts deliver on its promise of a new sophistication for Kansas City’s opera goers?” then the answer comes easily: yes, indeed. "Turandot" was the ideal artistic vehicle for this inaugural event of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City's season, and the audience welcomed the titular princess into their new home with enthusiastic appreciation.
Total request live
Tue, Mar 06, 2012
The Kansas City Chorale answered their “Request Line” this weekend, performing a concert of all the favorite pieces of their patrons and singers alike. The unique program ranged from Mulholland to McGlynn, and was augmented by Liszt’s magnificent, if somewhat obscure, “Via Crucis.”
Movers, Shakers, Stalwarts: Rebecca Johnson
Tue, May 15, 2012
KCMetropolis' Sarah Tyrrell spoke with Rebecca Johnson, coordinator of the music department at Metropolitan Community College Blue River in Independence, director of the Institute for Sacred Arts at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, conductor of the Metropolitan Chorale of Kansas City and of the Sacred Arts Chorale, and incoming president of the Lyric Opera Guild. How does Johnson think community colleges and "town-and-gown" groups fit into Kansas City's vibrant art scene? Read on to find out.