Berkshire Opera
Life has a soundtrack.

A few words from our our new director of artist and community relations, Joe Durwin. We’re very excited to have welcomed Joe to the Berkshire Opera almost a month and a half ago, and he’s made quite a contribution to our operations in a very short time!

Words cannot quite convey my excitement at being able to join forces with the amazing individuals who make up the Berkshire Opera Company. Having been a part of a part of BOC during my formative teen years, back in the mid 90s, the chance to return to the fold this year in the capacity of Community and Artist Relations Director has been a magnificent homecoming.

Among my first priorities in preparation for the upcoming season has been the task of securing accommodations for the many talented artists and professionals who will be heading into Uncharted Territory with us this summer. Having moved three times in a little over six months, I’m no stranger to the overall process: scouring classified ads, endless phone tag and email flurries, driving from place to place, and the back and forth dialogue with potential landlords about the usual (and sometimes downright unusual) concerns involved in renting a space.

There are unique challenges, of course, involved in seeking short-term accommodations for 25+ individuals, for a variety of time spans ranging anywhere from a week to seven weeks. The process can be daunting, but it can also be very exciting. I’ve gotten to see the insides of an impressive number of houses and buildings in the area, learned the location of streets I’d never even heard of before, and generally feel like I know the Berkshires significantly better than before I began this effort.

Despite the little snags, confusions and obstacles bound to manifest in any endeavor of such scope, by mid April things were looking rosy. Thanks to help and insight from Ryan Taylor, Marianne Juby, our magnificent board, and the many friends BOC has made in the community over the years, about three fourths of our housing needs have now been met.

In addition to the other natural rewards of this challenging process, it’s given me the opportunity to become a little acquainted (albeit via email) with some of the phenomenal performers and artistic personnel who will be joining us this season. What a treat this has been! The climate of intelligence, kindness, and wit I have encountered in my dealings with all of these individuals has been incredible. Just precisely the sort of people you’d want with you on a voyage into Uncharted Territory. What an amazing season this is bound to be!

Joe Durwin
Community & Artists Relations

This week, the most exciting sign of spring from Berkshire Opera arrives at thousands of mailboxes around the country - our 2008 Season Brochure! We are so excited to present this year’s offerings to our many loyal friends and supporters, and we hope you will find much to enjoy with us in the beautiful Berkshire Hills. If you can’t wait until Friday to share in the excitement, download a copy of the 2008 Season Brochure by clicking here.

Bass Jason Hardy returns to Berkshire Opera this summer after his elegant, moving portrayal of Colline last season at The Colonial Theatre. He offers a few thoughts about what lies ahead this summer in Berkshire County as this week’s guest blogger:

I am thrilled to be headed back to the Berkshires! Last summer was my first journey to this cultural Mecca, and it is one I hope to make often… whether I am performing or not!

I heard some wonderful things about the Berkshires before La bohème rehearsals began last July, but nothing truly prepared me for the Berkshire experience. The wealth of museums, art galleries/shows, historic sights, nature preserves, theater, and dance blew me away.

And then there was the music!

I was proud to be a part of La bohème last summer. It was a tremendous success for the Berkshire Opera Company, despite many challenges the company had faced in the previous year. BOC assembled a great cast for the production, and the beautifully restored Colonial Theater provided a perfect venue for the company.

This season marks the beginning of a era for Berkshire Opera, with new general director Ryan Taylor working closely in tandem with artistic director Kathleen Kelly. I hold the duo in high esteem, and we have collaborated on many projects in the past. This pair brings a vision to this company that is unique and I am excited to see how the Berkshire community responds to their innovative approach to “storytelling”. Expect to be enlightened, inspired, and entertained. Above all, it is going to be fun!

Since last summer, I’ve been very fortunate to have added some new roles to my repertoire, including Leporello (from Don Giovanni) and Don Basilio (from Rossini’s Barber of Seville). This summer I get to add another to my list; Don Bartolo. Coincidentally, The Marriage of Figaro was composed by Mozart (same composer as Don Giovanni) and is the second story in the Figaro Trilogy by Beaumarchais (Rossini’s “Barber” is a setting of the first one). As you see, each of these operas is connected to the other in some way, which provides an interesting perspective during musical preparation and character development.

In fact, just ten days after this show closes, I head to Cleveland and debut my first Mozart Figaro! So, within one year’s time, I will have performed the operatic treatments of three different Beaumarchais characters!

Needless to say, I will be studying the Figaro score a lot this summer. And what better place to study than the beautiful Berkshires?

BOC has assembled a great cast and design team for this summer’s Nozze. What’s more, each of the other BOC offerings will be unlike any other vocal music program you have ever seen or heard.

You don’t want to miss this!

-Jason Hardy, bass
Dottore Bartolo, Le nozze di Figaro 2008