Director
Director
In collaboration with Freedom House Detroit, The Consul is a story about the inhuman treatment endured by asylum seekers; both the trauma that caused them to leave their home country and the obstacles put before them by immigration policies set by their chosen country. The Consul tells the visceral, heartbreaking, and infuriating story of a political dissident, John Sorel, whose family falls victim to threats and surveillance by secret police agents from the totalitarian national government. While John flees his home to escape capture, his wife, Magda, tries to obtain the necessary documentation for her family to settle in another country. Despite repeated visits to the consulate, she is unable to procure these “papers,” and is understandably frustrated by the bureaucratic barriers repeatedly set before her by the consulate’s secretary. The Consul won Menotti both the Pulitzer Prize for Music and New York Drama Critics’ Circle award for Best Musical in 1950, after an eight-month run on Broadway the same year. A portion of the proceeds from Opera MODO’s The Consul was given to help further the essential work done by Freedom House Detroit
The Consul
(Opera MODO)
At the Carr Center, Opera MODO’s culture of presenting mainstays of the operatic repertoire in unusual, contemporary settings, is presented in Mozart’s Don Giovanni using the characters from the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The eponymous sex maniac in Mozart’s opera is the “sweet transvestite transsexual from Transylvania,” who seduces the stranded newlyweds and is brought to justice by his handyman, Leporello. The show was performed in the original Italian, but with sets and costumes inspired by the film. Creating hilarity through cultural relevance and juxtaposition for our audiences, despite the centuries between a work’s composition and our performance, was incredible all while retaining MODO’s musical and vocal standards. Don Giovanni is widely considered one of the most perfect operas ever created for its storytelling and compelling music, making it the perfect pairing for one of the top cult films of all time.
Don GIOVANNI
(Opera MODO)
A winner of the 2017 Fort Worth Opera Frontiers Competition, his first opera, A Capacity for Evil, broke with conventional opera genres, telling a Holmesian detective tale on the operatic stage. The opera premiered in fall 2018, with Detroit’s Opera MODO and was enthusiastically received by the run’s sold out audiences.
A Capacity for evil
(Opera MODO World Premiere)
With the incredible company of BGSU’s Opera program, Semele aims to change assumptions when one goes to see an opera: that there's a damsel in distress, that there's a hero, and shouldn't there be someone in horns?! With our lead character, Semele, we are able to negate this damsel in distress mentality by showcasing a woman who knows what she wants, knows how to get it, and is her own hero! While getting to know this cast, we began with a sing through of the show, and then a very intentional discussion about how this production of Semele would be the perfect vehicle to address the societal stigmas around sex, and also touch on some of the issues surrounding sex that we all still face today. We had such a lovely, open hearted discussion about personal strongholds some of us are still facing, and would like to move past, ways to notice judgement and stigmas when they arise - and then making conscience decisions to choose a new reaction to perpetuate change not only within ourselves, but hopefully to perpetuate societal change. Getting to know this incredible cast and crew at BGSU has been an amazing process. Working with both the College of Musical Arts and the College of Film and Theater has been the perfect support to me and this production.
SEMELE
(BGSU)
Opera MODO’s production of Carmen is special in a lot of ways, not the least of which is mounting a traditionally large and grand opera in an intimate space with a chamber ensemble. This production aims to bring awareness to current social issues surrounding the LGBTQ community via a medium that is often considered to be dead or dying. The truth is, the story of Carmen is the story of all of us. Carmen is a character who is wholly and unapologetic ally herself. She lives a life that exists only in truths, and above all is her freedom. Our production takes place in the world of Orange Is The New Black, and thus Carmen is not only a prisoner to her immense capacity to love, but also in a literal sense. She is a double outcast, once in society, and once more as a transgender woman in a world that is not always ready to see outside of the perceived normalcy. She struggles with her ability to manipulate people and use herself and her body to get what she wants. She is fiercely protective of what she loves, and is more than willing to put herself in danger to be there. She is surrounded by fellow inmates who understand her and and are completely separate from her struggle. She falls in love with a man who does not understand that love is not violent, nor is it withholding. And she pays for that with her life. The persecution and violence faced by women all over the world is reflected in this story. Everyone has a Don Jose, even if they are not a person, but a thing or a place or a memory. Our goal in this production is to hopefully show you that opera is completely accessible and relatable, beautiful and tragic, joyful; and full of despair. We want you to feel, we want you to feel everything.
