CL - James Madison University German Opera Experience
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Session One (Undergraduate) and Session Two (Graduate) Course Description: 16 – 20 students will be invited to come to Germany and perform as instrumentalists, soloists, choristers, dancers, repetiteurs, and understudies to participate in the professional production of Franz Lehár’s operetta Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) associated with the Mittledeutsche Kammerphilharmonie gGmbH in Schönebeck, a town in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the left bank of the Elbe, approx. 14 kilometres (9 miles) southeast of Magdeburg. This program gives students a real “internship” opportunity to work alongside professionals in a German Opera House environment.
The course includes 60 hours of Conversational/Beginning German, and well as musical and dramatic coaching for the operetta and other concert performances. The primary performing opportunities in this course include roles and chorus positions in 23 performances in Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow), but there will also be concerts with orchestra and piano featuring arias, duets and songs from Opera, Operetta and Music Theater repertoire as well as special concerts in local churches featuring baroque arias of Händel, Telemann and their contemporaries (See Course Calendar below for details.)
This course is appropriate for music, theater and dance majors who have completed a freshman year at the college level are encouraged to apply. Student pianists interested in developing collaborative skills are also encouraged to apply. Advanced high school students who are ready to start college training in 2020 will also be considered. Repertoire will be assigned as appropriate for the level and interests of the students participating.
Students are required to arrive on May 17. Rehearsals will start on May 19th and students are required to be present for all performances which will run from June 20 through until and including July 19th. This means students will need to be on site until the morning of July 20th since required to stay through the final performances of the operetta.
Live Audition Dates planned for Virginia, Mississippi and Louisiana will be posted at a later time, but if students cannot make the live auditions, a pre-recorded audition at a later date may be uploaded to the GetAcceptd website. For information about live auditions after Christmas, please contact the director, Dr. Dorothy Maddison at maddisdx@jmu.edu.
German Maestro Jan Michael Horstmann, longtime associate with this course, will conduct musical rehearsals and performances, and for further information about the Mittledeutsche Kammerphilharmonie, visit the website: https://www.mitteldeutsche-kammerphilharmonie.de/operettensommer.html
Roles to be Cast
Female Roles with Chorus and Solo performances:
- Hanna Glawari: Operetta Diva Soprano who must be able to dance and do German dialogue.
- Valencienne: Soprano Soubrette who must be able to dance the Can-Can and do German Dialogue.
- 6 Grisettes, complete solo roles for all performances: Lolo, Dodo, Jou-Jou, Frou-Frou, Clo-Clo, Margot, both Sopranos and Mezzos to be cast.
Male Roles with Chorus and Solo performances:
- Vicomte Cascada (with German Dialogue) Tenor/Baritone, (Baritenor range)
- Raoul de St. Brioche (with German Dialogue) Tenor
- Camille Count de Rosillon: High Tenor with a C
- Chorus Positions: A Total of Five Men: 2-3 Tenors, 2-3 Baritone/Bass
Tentative Course Calendar:
Sunday, May 17:
Students arrive at Leipzig Airport
Monday, May 18:
Classes, Lessons and Rehearsals Begin
Friday, May 29:
Concert at the open air Medieval courtyard, Burgruine Klein Rosenburg: From Vienna to Broadway: Magical Moments and Party Pieces from Opera, Operetta Musicals and Songs, including solos and duets.
Saturday May 30:
Tentative Concert Date: Details TBA
Sunday May 31:
Concert at the open air Ringheiligtum Pömmelte, a recently restored 4000 year-old wooden version of Stonehenge: From Vienna to Broadway: Magical Moments and Party Pieces from Opera, Operetta Musicals and Songs, including solos and duets.
Friday, June 5:
Concert at Local Church (Venue TBA) featuring baroque arias of Händel, Telemann and their contemporaries.
Saturday, June 6:
Concert at Local Church (Venue TBA) featuring baroque arias of Händel,Telemann and their contemporaries.
Saturday, June 6:
Tentative Concert Date for a program, “Songs about the Moon” featuring Lieder and arias at the open air Ringheiligtum Pömmelte, a recently restored 4000 year-old wooden version of Stonehenge.
Sunday, June 7: Concert at Local Church (Venue TBA) featuring baroque arias of Händel, Telemann and their contemporaries.
Saturday, June 20:
4:00 p.m.: The Merry Widow Premier
Sunday, June 21:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Wednesday, June 24:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Thursday, June 25:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Friday, June 26:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Saturday, June 27:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Sunday, June 28:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Wednesday, July 1:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Thursday, July 2:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Friday July 3:
Time TBA: Open Air Concert at the Kurpark Schönebeck: From Vienna to Broadway: Magical Moments and Party Pieces from Opera, Operetta Musicals and Songs, including solos and duets.
Friday, July 3:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Saturday, July 4:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Saturday, July 4:
Tentative Concert Date for a program, “Songs about the Moon” featuring Lieder and arias at the open air Ringheiligtum Pömmelte, a recently restored 4000 year-old wooden version of Stonehenge.
Sunday, July 5:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Wednesday, July 8:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Thursday, July 9:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Friday, July 10:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Saturday, July 11:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Sunday, July 12:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Wednesday, July 15:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Thursday, July 16:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Friday, July 17:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Saturday, July 18:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Sunday, July 19:
4:00 p.m.: Merry Widow Performance
Monday, July 20:
Students Departure Day
Applications can be accepted up until March 8, 2020.
Further information about costs and fees for the program should be sent to Dr. Dorothy Maddison at maddisdx@jmu.edu, but generally, students will be responsible for all airfare, and food costs and extra transportation costs incurred while living in Germany outside of the fees paid to JMU
To be considered for this program, students must fill out 2 applications – one on the GetAcceptd James Madison University German Opera Experience website ( www.getacceptd.com/jmu ) and one on the JMU – Center for Global Engagement Programs site: http://www.jmu.edu/international/abroad/programs/jmu-germany-music.shtml.
Why am I being asked to apply twice?
This is a two-part application because the JMU Terra Dotta website is for personal and confidential information needed to process you as a student for the course. Acceptd has more open access for all directors, coaches and teachers, both in Germany and in the USA who need only to see your 'professional' credentials, with the opportunity to upload a live audition video.
When you apply on the JMU Terra Dotta website, you will be asked to register for one of two programs:
- Session One (Undergraduate Students) OR
- Session Two (Graduate Students)
You need only to apply for ONE. If you have questions, contact Dr. Dorothy Maddison at; maddisdx@jmu.edu
We look forward to hearing from you, and if you have any further questions, please contact the course director, Dr. Dorothy Maddison at maddisdx@jmu.edu.
Additional Contact Information
For support with JMU's Study Abroad Application (jmu-abroad.terradotta.com), please contact: studyabroad@jmu.edu. For assistance with the Acceptd portal, please contact support@getacceptd.com or call 1-888-275-2122, ext. 2.