NDNU to honor Pocket Opera's Pippin with honorary degree
Pias, Daniel
Issue date: 1/25/07 Section: Entertainment
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For just over two years, the NDNU Opera Theatre has been collaborating with a Bay Area based opera troupe known as the Pocket Opera.
Created by Donald Pippin, this small ensemble of very talented opera singers has teamed up with NDNU students and faculty to present a variety of operas.
However, what makes the Pocket Opera special is the fact that all of the operas it performs are translated into English by Pippin. Upon creating the Pocket Opera, he said he felt that there was so much more to understand than one who didn't understand the language could ever grasp. Hence, this 30-year-old organization seeks to present the meaning of each piece in its entirety.
On Sunday, Jan. 14, NDNU students, faculty and Pocket Opera members gathered to celebrate yet another year of success for the organization. Arias from a variety of operas were performed in honor of the Pocket Opera.
Opening the program was Pippin himself. He performed Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise, Opus 22, by Fredric Chopin. It surprised many to learn that the piano is actually the first passion of Pippin, as without the piano accompaniment, the performer is reduced to nothing. Pippin also accompanied the next three performers.
After Pippin was a soprano duet and a scene re-enactment, both from Otto Nicolai's "The Merry Wives of Windsor." The duet, The Good for Nothing Bloated Sot, featured NDNU voice teacher Marcelle Dronkers and Pocket Opera performer Katherine McKee. Then, Adia Griffith, Elizabeth O'Neill, Martin Rojas-Dietrich, and Marisol Urbano re-enacted yet another humorous scene from the feature opera.
NDNU vocal coach Lee Strawn then sang The Countess Arrived at the Court of Versailles from Tchaikovsky's "The Queen of Spades." His demonstration of great voice control was then followed by Rosalee Szabo's admirable presentation. The Pocket Opera performer sang The Countess' Scene, also from "The Queen of Spades."
Closing the first half of the celebration were two pieces from Giacomo Puccini's "Madame Butterfly." Patricia Urbano, also a vocal coach at NDNU, performed an inspiring and breath-taking song entitled On the Day I Dream Of. She then performed another song, Flower Duet, but this time she was joined by Debra Lambert. The duo created beautiful harmonies as colorful and delicate as the flowers they were describing.
Created by Donald Pippin, this small ensemble of very talented opera singers has teamed up with NDNU students and faculty to present a variety of operas.
However, what makes the Pocket Opera special is the fact that all of the operas it performs are translated into English by Pippin. Upon creating the Pocket Opera, he said he felt that there was so much more to understand than one who didn't understand the language could ever grasp. Hence, this 30-year-old organization seeks to present the meaning of each piece in its entirety.
On Sunday, Jan. 14, NDNU students, faculty and Pocket Opera members gathered to celebrate yet another year of success for the organization. Arias from a variety of operas were performed in honor of the Pocket Opera.
Opening the program was Pippin himself. He performed Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise, Opus 22, by Fredric Chopin. It surprised many to learn that the piano is actually the first passion of Pippin, as without the piano accompaniment, the performer is reduced to nothing. Pippin also accompanied the next three performers.
After Pippin was a soprano duet and a scene re-enactment, both from Otto Nicolai's "The Merry Wives of Windsor." The duet, The Good for Nothing Bloated Sot, featured NDNU voice teacher Marcelle Dronkers and Pocket Opera performer Katherine McKee. Then, Adia Griffith, Elizabeth O'Neill, Martin Rojas-Dietrich, and Marisol Urbano re-enacted yet another humorous scene from the feature opera.
NDNU vocal coach Lee Strawn then sang The Countess Arrived at the Court of Versailles from Tchaikovsky's "The Queen of Spades." His demonstration of great voice control was then followed by Rosalee Szabo's admirable presentation. The Pocket Opera performer sang The Countess' Scene, also from "The Queen of Spades."
Closing the first half of the celebration were two pieces from Giacomo Puccini's "Madame Butterfly." Patricia Urbano, also a vocal coach at NDNU, performed an inspiring and breath-taking song entitled On the Day I Dream Of. She then performed another song, Flower Duet, but this time she was joined by Debra Lambert. The duo created beautiful harmonies as colorful and delicate as the flowers they were describing.
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