Brown Opera Productions

Brown Opera Productions (BOP) is dedicated to the promotion and performance of classical vocal music both on campus and in the greater Providence, Rhode Island, community and is a space for singers and musicians to collaborate on exciting classical performance projects. BOP produces a full-length opera every spring, and throughout the year produces concerts of classical vocal music on campus and in local hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. As the name implies, the group is composed of Brown University students, who also work with Rhode Island School of Design students at times. BOP does not charge admission for its performances but depends on individual donations.

Company logo

History
Scene from Orfeo ed Eurydice, BOP's Spring 2008 opera

Brown Opera Productions was co-founded in 2005 by Michael Hadley ('07) and Clara Schuhmacher ('06). The inaugural board consisted of Michael Hadley (chair), Clara Schuhmacher (opera producer), Christie Gibson (concert and community service chair), Kathryn Wallem (publicity manager), Emily Dunne (secretary), Kate Tsunoda (treasurer), and Jonathan Ichikawa (webmaster). Throughout its first year, the organization produced a variety of on- and off-campus concerts. In April, BOP presented Gian-Carlo Menotti's The Medium, Brown’s first-ever student-produced full-length opera.

Over the subsequent years, BOP has grown to be one of the premiere Brown performing arts organizations. So far, BOP has produced six full-length operas (The Medium, Granados's Goyescas, Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, Offenbach's Monsieur Choufleuri, and Britten's The Turn of the Screw). BOP has also produced four staged concerts, four children's operas (including the student-written Frog Prince), and numerous aria concerts.

Productions

Fall operetta
Babylas, Choufleuri, and Ernestine at home scheming
The Governess with Miles and Flora; Spring 2010 The Turn of the Screw

Every fall, BOP puts on a fully staged operetta. In the Fall Operetta's inaugural year, BOP performed Monsieur Choufleuri. In Fall 2010, BOP will produce Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. Performances usually occur in Alumnae Hall on Pembroke Campus.

Spring opera

A fully staged, fully orchestrated, completely student-run full opera put on every Spring. The directors, designers, production staff, and orchestra are all students. Directors and music directors are chosen at the end of the Fall semester and the operas themselves are usually in early or mid-April. BOP's most recent Spring production was The Turn of the Screw by Benjamin Britten. Performances are usually in Alumnae Hall on Pembroke Campus.

Children's opera
Children assembled at the Providence Athenaeum before the overture of The Magic Flute

Every year, BOP puts on an opera for children. Past productions have included a reduction of The Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel and a student-written opera, The Frog Prince. The children's opera is only one of the many ways BOP reaches out to the Providence community. In 2010, BOP performed a reduction of The Magic Flute for the Providence Athenaeum on Benefit Street. BOP also has at least two nursing home concerts during the year and one in the summer. It is also planning to launch an opera/classical music education program for surrounding Providence schools.

Scenes concert

BOP puts on short scenes from various operas and operettas, with staging, singing, and sets. In the past BOP has done scenes from many operas and operettas, including Porgy and Bess, The Magic Flute, Norma, The Threepenny Opera, Candide, and Monsieur Choufleuri. Performances occur in multiple venues across campus, including the Production Workshop (PW) upspace and Grant Recital Hall. Directors apply to direct scenes and singers audition to be placed within individual scenes.

Fall and Winter arias concerts
Nemorino surrounded by the village girls as Adina looks on; Spring 2009 L'elisir d'amore

These concerts are opportunities for vocalists to debut or to just sing something they have been working on. Accompanists are provided, and people are encouraged to sing whatever they want, from Handel to John Cage, Puccini to Gershwin. The arias concerts takes place in Grant Recital Hall. Recently, BOP has added a Spring Arias Concert and is planning on producing a Summer arias concert.

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