Richard Medrano, music director at St. John Eudes parish in Chatsworth, had no idea his attendance at a Music Center educators' luncheon over a year ago would lead to a musical collaboration with LA Opera.
Seated at his table was Stacy Brightman, director of LA Opera's community programs. She was on the lookout for exceptional children's and adult choirs in the community to partner in a production of English composer Benjamin Britten's "Noye's Fludde" (Noah's Flood). Medrano offered the voices of his two children's choirs and an 85-member adult choir, and a musical match was made.
As Brightman explained to the 187-member "Noye's Fludde" cast of singers and Hamilton High School Academy musicians at a recent rehearsal at St. John Eudes for next week's parish and Cathedral performances, they are part of an "historic," cultural community event, the likes of which has not been undertaken in Los Angeles in 80 years.
"You're starting a tradition that I think will make Los Angeles a better place," declared Brightman, who noted that similar collaborative productions are planned for the future. In an interview with The Tidings during the rehearsal, Brightman added she "loves the triangulation" of the partnership between the downtown Music Center and the Cathedral with St. John Eudes in the San Fernando Valley and Hamilton High School Academy of Music on L.A.'s Westside.
"All these partners have been working well over a year, planning it. The level at which St. John Eudes performs is astonishing," said Brightman. Medrano's children's choirs rehearsed their music over the summer and his adult choirs started learning the musical score in September. "By the time LA Opera came in November, our singers knew the opera cover to cover. They were pleased with that," said Medrano.
The 40-minute opera based on a medieval miracle play recounting the story of Noah's Ark will be performed Jan. 24 and 25, 7:30 p.m. at St. John Eudes and Jan. 27, 7 p.m. at the Cathedral. The free parish and Cathedral tickets were snapped up as soon as they were available late last fall. "I'm confident we will have a full house" at the 3,000-seat Cathedral, said Brightman who added Cardinal Roger Mahony will be in attendance.
"This whole work is 'of the congregation,'" explained Brightman. "The first thing that happens is that Maestro James Conlon comes out and he teaches a hymn to the congregation. The opera begins like a regular Mass, but as the performers process in, they start to transform into this story. It's glorious music."
Principal roles will be sung by LA Opera members Jason Stearns ("Noye") and Phyllis Pancella ("Mrs. Noye"). Members of Los Angeles Opera Orchestra will perform as well. St. John Eudes' teen choir members cast as gossiping friends of Mrs. Noye include Katerina Contreras, Ashleigh Medrano and Martine Park. Children's choir member Jessica Adad, a St. John Eudes seventh grader, also has a featured singing role.
St. John Eudes' pastor, Msgr. Peter Nugent, called the collaborative production a "unique" opportunity. "It's a great outreach in bringing together the whole community. Opera can sometimes be elitist in its feel, but this is reaching out and the kids are really excited. They're just streaming in wanting to be a part of it and the families are backing them up very solidly," commented Msgr. Nugent.
Shannon Vergun-Rutchland, an adult choir member and mother of two boy choristers, said the production has benefited everyone. "This experience has brought us closer together as a community and made art more accessible to people from ages five to 90. My boys were resistant (to participate) at first, but now that they see what goes into the production --- the sets, the props, the musicians --- they're invested in it.
"I'm watching them grow in their ability to be mature in a group and to appreciate music that they wouldn't normally listen to. That's been nice. It's really added dimensions to their lives: culturally, artistically and spiritually. For more information on "Noye's Fludde," log on to www.LAOpera.com or call (213) 972-8001. |