FCM: In The News
Colchester High School chorus performs opera, ‘Dido and Aeneas’
(From the Colchester Sun)
COLCHESTER — The Colchester High School choral department performed the current group’s first-ever opera the evening of Thursday, Jan. 11 at the CHS Performing Arts Center.
The student chorus worked with guest artist Sarah Cullins of the Opera Company of Middlebury to learn and perform “Dido and Aeneas.” The partnership was made possible by a generous grant from the Vermont Arts Council’s Artists in Schools program. Cullins’ work with CHS students provided them the opportunity to learn about opera — an integrated performance-based artform brand new to the group — by actually doing it. “My current students [had previously] never even performed a song from an opera,” Melissa Towle, school choral instructor, told the Sun in a Jan. 15 email. “I only have a couple of students who have taken voice lessons, they have sung arias from various operas, but that was it.” “This was totally stylistically different than most of my students have ever sung,” she added. “All of my students were pushed beyond their comfort zones, and received incredible vocal coaching and teaching from Sarah and grew incredibly in their vocal technique.” Towle’s students had never previously experienced Baroque style music, so the new forms and musical elements they grew to understand throughout this process were valuable lessons learned and pushed them well out of their comfort zones. “They also probably would have all said at the beginning of the process that they didn't think it would be possible to sing as high as the songs demanded,” Towle stated. “But all of my students were in the opera and sang several songs throughout.” Henry Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” opera, though centuries old, carried timeless themes of personal conflict and duty through performative storytelling to a Colchester audience last week. Though donations were appreciated, admission to the show was free of charge. The show was both sung and originally written in English. Still, navigating the combined elements of opera which aren’t a part of most of the school chorus’ productions, particularly the acting aspect, was a challenge — and a worthwhile one. “I do have several students that do take part in drama, but many of them have never acted in their lives,” Towle stated. “We performed a fully staged production, and for many of them, it was the first time they've experienced having to act as well as sing. It took a lot of coaching, and while not everything was perfectly acted, the students did so well and put on a fantastic show.” The show itself proved to be an “amazing” night — complete with a full house and an appreciative audience which gave a standing ovation at the show’s conclusion. The students dove into the opera experience “so fully.” One student had gotten sick and had no voice to sing her part, which was the one disappointment, but she still participated in the show and another student was able to cover most of her vocal parts. “So many people were totally shocked by the performance, they couldn't believe the quality of the production and especially the student's voices. It was a magical night,” Towle stated. “So many of [the students] were just so grateful for the opportunity, they were all just glowing after the show and the next day, so proud of themselves, and so in awe of the process itself.” All 85 members of the school’s choral program were involved in every facet of the performance, crafting a unique production under Cullins’ mentorship and reflecting their distinctive understandings and perspectives of the piece. “Sarah Cullins is an absolute magician,” Towle stated. “She is so skilled in everything she does. The vocal instruction my students received was absolutely top notch, and the love and care she showed them at every moment was so appreciated.” “This would have never happened without her reaching out to me, I had no idea what I was getting into,” she added. “But I am just so grateful for Sarah and her professionalism and expertise, she is truly a gem.” The production came to be after Towle reached out to several schools to see if any of them had interest in jumping in on her “Dido and Aeneas” project, so Towle — very interested — replied, and met with Cullins late last spring to discuss the details and grant application process. Cullins came in one day each week during Towle’s two choir classes this fall, beginning the second week of school. The first two weeks were spent introducing the show, explaining the audition process and doing a full class reading through the opera to understand the plot. Auditions followed for those interested in certain roles in the cast, the casting for which took place the third week. The fourth week, Cullins worked with students individually and in small groups to give them voice coaching and to work on their songs. Towle’s group opera instruction started the fourth week of October once the chorus had finished its fall concert. From there on out, they were in full opera rehearsal mode. The students decided how they would "stage" the show by voting, ultimately landing on the traditional Greek staging. They also had a voice in choosing all the costumes. Cullins utilized several props that she had, and CHS borrowed a lot of props from the Opera Company of Middlebury. Moving forward, Cullins hopes to run the program at different high schools each school year. |