Quasi-OT (But not entirely :D)
Dear Dgrin Friends,
I hope you'll indulge me with a little excursion slightly off the portraiture topic.
In 2009, following the Baltimore Opera Bankruptcy, a group of singer friends started a little company called Baltimore Concert Opera. Based at the beautiful Engineers Club in Baltimore's historic Mt Vernon district, they put together a production of Don Giovanni.
I had no money to donate (and there are no roles in that show I sing), but I wanted to support my friends and colleagues, so I offered to take photographs for them if that would help them out - they were thrilled that I would do it, and thus followed two years of being their "official" photographer. In addition to being a great opportunity to spend time with friends and colleagues I might not see otherwise, it also gave me invaluable shooting experience and helped me build a nice little portfolio. All the production photos on their 2011-12 season website are mine, in fact.
After several logistical false starts, we finally found a date I could join them ON the stage, and I am currently in their production of Puccini's Il Trittico this weekend. We had our final runthrough last night and all I can say is... if you are anywhere in the area DO NOT MISS!! This is, quite simply, a wonderful evening of music-making - wonderfully sung, moving, and there are even some moments that are laugh-out-loud funny. Even if you've never been to an opera in your life (maybe even ESPECIALLY if you've never been to an opera in your life!), this is the one to catch - the whole BCO/Engineer's Club experience is both elegant AND a lot of fun ... and about as far from "fuddy duddy" opera as it's possible to get. Performances tonight, and Sunday afternoon.
In any case, thanks for reading. More importantly, thanks to the many in here who encouraged me to risk combining the two artistic strands of my life - they cohabit beautifully!
I hope you'll indulge me with a little excursion slightly off the portraiture topic.
In 2009, following the Baltimore Opera Bankruptcy, a group of singer friends started a little company called Baltimore Concert Opera. Based at the beautiful Engineers Club in Baltimore's historic Mt Vernon district, they put together a production of Don Giovanni.
I had no money to donate (and there are no roles in that show I sing), but I wanted to support my friends and colleagues, so I offered to take photographs for them if that would help them out - they were thrilled that I would do it, and thus followed two years of being their "official" photographer. In addition to being a great opportunity to spend time with friends and colleagues I might not see otherwise, it also gave me invaluable shooting experience and helped me build a nice little portfolio. All the production photos on their 2011-12 season website are mine, in fact.
After several logistical false starts, we finally found a date I could join them ON the stage, and I am currently in their production of Puccini's Il Trittico this weekend. We had our final runthrough last night and all I can say is... if you are anywhere in the area DO NOT MISS!! This is, quite simply, a wonderful evening of music-making - wonderfully sung, moving, and there are even some moments that are laugh-out-loud funny. Even if you've never been to an opera in your life (maybe even ESPECIALLY if you've never been to an opera in your life!), this is the one to catch - the whole BCO/Engineer's Club experience is both elegant AND a lot of fun ... and about as far from "fuddy duddy" opera as it's possible to get. Performances tonight, and Sunday afternoon.
In any case, thanks for reading. More importantly, thanks to the many in here who encouraged me to risk combining the two artistic strands of my life - they cohabit beautifully!
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Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
In Bocca al Lupo and Toi toi toi!
I somewhat jest, if I wasn't booked this entire weekend I would have taken in Leoncavallo's 'I Pagliacci' at the MOT.
Bryce, you're either a very good googler or you have spent time with opera folks.... nobody but singers use "in bocca...." and "toi toi toi"!!
My wife's family is full of Italians that love the opera, (her grandpa idolized Enrico C.) I will admit that I used google for the proper spelling, but the words and their general meaning, I knew.
One more performance this afternoon - this has been one of those "And they PAY me to do this?!?!?" gigs, and every moment has been an absolute joy.
Glad you had a great time and I hope the production brought down the house!