The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music: Madison Opera’s annual FREE Opera in the Park returns this Saturday night, July 20, in Garner Park and celebrates 18 years plus a glimpse of the upcoming season
Leave a Comment
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear has received the following announcement to post about one of the most highly anticipated musical events of summer, one that offers lots of family-friendly fun and serious musical enjoyment:
Madison Opera’s Opera in the Park (below, in a photo by James Gill) celebrates its 18th year on this coming Saturday night, July 20, at 8 p.m. in Garner Park, on Madison’s far west side at the intersection of Rosa Road and Mineral Point Road.
The annual free concert of opera and Broadway favorites closes the company’s 2018-19 season and provides a preview of the 2019-20 season. (You can hear a sample of past years in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
A Madison summer tradition that often attracts over 14,000 people, Opera in the Park is an enchanting evening of music under the stars, featuring selections from opera and Broadway.
Opera in the Park 2019 features soprano Jeni Houser, soprano Michelle Johnson, tenor David Blalock and baritone Ben Edquist.
Jeni Houser (below) has sung many roles with Madison Opera, most recently in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, and she returns next season as Eurydice in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld.
Michelle Johnson (below) scored a major success with Madison Opera as Santuzza in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana last season.
David Blalock (below) debuted with Madison Opera in 2014 and returns this season as Orpheus in Orpheus in the Underworld.
Ben Edquist (below) is making his debut, and will return to the company as Hawkins Fuller in Gregory Spears’ Fellow Travelers, about the Lavender Scare against LGBTQ people, in February.
The four soloists are joined by the Madison Opera Chorus and Madison Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John DeMain (below, in a photo by Greg Anderson).
The evening is hosted by Madison Opera’s General Director Kathryn Smith and WKOW TV’s 27 News co-anchor George Smith (below, in a photo by Simon Fowler).
“Opera in the Park is the greatest performance in Madison Opera’s season,” says Smith (below, in a photo by James Gill). “It offers a truly magical blend of beautiful voices, music from many centuries, and thousands of members of our community relaxing together under the same night sky. I am grateful to all of our supporters who share our belief in the community-building power of music and help us produce this concert every summer.”
Opera in the Park 2019 features arias and ensembles from Verdi’s La Traviata, which opens the 2019-20 season in November; Spears’ Fellow Travelers, which will be performed in February; and Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, which will be performed in April.
The program also includes selections from Verdi’s Rigoletto and La Forza del Destino (The Force of Destiny); Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love and Don Pasquale; Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt (The Dead City); Romberg’s The Student Prince; Funny Girl; Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel; and more. As always, this spectacular evening will include one number conducted by the audience with light sticks (below).
Garner Park is located at 333 South Rosa Road. Parking is available in the CUNA Mutual Group and University Research Park lots. Attendees are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets and chairs. Alcohol is permitted but not sold in the park.
On the day of the concert, Garner Park will open at 7 a.m. Audience members may not leave items in the park prior to this time. Lots of porta potties will be provided. Transportation via golf carts is available for those who have limited mobility.
The rain date for Opera in the Park is Sunday, July 21, at 8 p.m.
For more details about attending Opera in the Park and for more extensive biographies of the singers, go to: https://www.madisonopera.org/2018-2019-season/oitp/
While Opera in the Park is free to attend, it would not be possible without the generous support of many foundations, corporations, and individuals who believe in the importance of music in the community.
Madison Opera is grateful to the sponsors of Opera in the Park 2019.The Presenting Sponsor is the BerbeeWalsh Foundation. Other sponsors are the John and Carolyn Peterson Charitable Foundation; Full Compass Systems; the Raymond B. Preston Family Foundation; University Research Park; Colony Brands; the Evjue Foundation; Johnson Financial Group; MGE Foundation; National Guardian Life; the Wisconsin Arts Board; Dane Arts; and the Madison Arts Commission.
WKOW, Madison Magazine, Wisconsin Public Radio, Magic 98, and La Movida are media sponsors for this community event.
RELATED EVENTS
The Prelude Dinner at Opera in the Park 2019 is at 6 p.m. This annual fundraiser to benefit Opera in the Park helps support Madison Opera’s free gift to the community.
The event includes dinner catered by Upstairs Downstairs, VIP seating at the concert, and a reception with the artists following the performance. Tickets are $150 per person or $1,150 for a table of eight.
More information about Opera in the Park and about the 2019-20 season, including subscriptions, is available at Madison’s Opera’s home website www.madisonopera.org
Tags: #ALittleNightMusic, #All-FestivalConcert, #BaritoneSinger, #BenEdquist, #BerbeeWalshFoundation, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BroadwayMusical, #BroadwayShows, #Carouselmusical, #CavalleriaRusticana, #ChoralMusic, #ColonyBrands, #CUNAMutual, #DaneArts, #DavidBlalock, #DonPasquale, #ErichWolfgangKorngold, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FamilyFriendly, #FellowTravelers, #FreeParking, #FullCompassSystems, #FunnyGirl, #GaetanoDonizetti, #GarnerPark, #GeneralDirector, #GeorgeSmith, #GiuseppeVerdi, #GregAnderson, #GregorySpears, #HistoricBuilding, #HomeWebsite, #JacquesOffenbach, #JamesGill, #JeniHouser, #JohnandCarolynPeterson, #JohnDeMain, #JohnsonFinancialGroup, #KathrynSmith, #LaForzadelDestino, #LaMovida, #LavenderScare, #LGBTQrights, #LGBTRights, #LightStick, #MadisonArtsCommission, #MadisonGasandElectric, #MadisonMagazine, #MadisonOpera, #MadisonOperaChorus, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #Magic98, #MG&E, #MGEFoundation, #MIchelleJohnson, #MineralPointRoad, #MusicalTheater, #MusicalTheatre, #NationalGuardianLife, #NightSky, #OperaAria, #OperaInThePark, #OperaMusic, #OrpheusintheUnderworld, #PietroMascagni, #PortaPotty, #RainDate, #RaymondB.Preston, #RodgersandHammerstein, #RosaRoad, #SigmundRomberg, #SopranoSinger, #SoundSample, #StephenSondheim, #SubscriptionTicket, #TelevisionNews, #TelevisionStation, #TenorSinger, #TheDeadCity, #TheElixirofLove, #TheEvjueFoundation, #TheForceofDestiny, #TheStudentPrince, #UniversityResearchPark, #UpstairsDownstairs, #VocalMusic, #WestSide, #WisconsinArtsBoard, #WisconsinPublicRadio, #WKOWTV, #YouTubevideo, A Little Night Music, alcohol, anchor, announcement, annual, anticipate, April, arias, artists, Arts, attend, audience, baritone, beautiful, belief, Ben Edquist, BerbeeWalsh Foundation, blanket, blend, blog, Broadway, build, Carousel, catered, Cavalleria Rusticana, centuries, century, chair, charitable, choral music, city, Classical music, Colony Brands, community, company, composer, Concert, conductor, corporations, CUNA Mutual, CUNA Mutual Group, Dane Arts, date, David Blalock, dead, debut, dinner, Don Pasquale, Donizetti, enchanting, enjoyment, ensembles, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Eurydice, evening, event, Family, favorites, February, Fellow Travelers, forward, foundations, free, Full Compass Systems, fun, Fundraising, Funny Girl, Gaetano Donizetti, Garner Park, General director, gift, Giuseppe Verdi, grateful, Greg Anderson, Gregory Spears, host, individuals, item, Jacob Stockinger, Jacques Offenbach, James Gill, Jeni Houser, John and Carol Peterson, John DeMain, Johnson Financial Group, July, Kathryn Smith, La Forza del Destino, La Movida, Lavender Scare, LGBT, LGBTQ, light stick, like, link, Madison, Madison Arts Commission, Madison Gas and Electric, Madison Magazine, Madison Opera, Madison Opera Chorus, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Magic 98, magical, major, Mascagni, media, member, MGE Foundation, Michelle Johnson, Mineral Point Road, Music, musical theatre, National Guardian Life, new, news, night, night sky, November, Offenbach, opera, Opera in the Park, Orchestra, Orpheus, Orpheus in the Underworld, Park, parking, performer, permit, permitted, photo, picnic, Pietro Mascagni, poet, porta potties, porta potty, post, power, Prelude, public, rain, rain date, Raymond B. Preston, reader, reception, relax, relaxing, Rigoletto, Roda Road, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Romberg, sample, Saturday, Season, seating, selections, share, shows, Sigmund Romberg, sing, Singing, sky, sold, Sondheim, song, soprano, spectacular, sponsor, stars, Stephen Sondheim, subscriber, subscription, success, summer, support, supporter, symphony, tag, Television, tenor, The Dead City, The Elixir of Love, The Evjue Foundation, The Force of Destiny, The Student Prince, tickets, TV, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University Research Park, Upstairs Downstairs, Verdi, video, VIP, vocal music, voice, Website, west side, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Arts Board, wisconsin public radio, WKOW TV, YouTube
Recent Comments
 | Bill Lane on The new Apple Music Classical… |
 | Augustine on The new Apple Music Classical… |
 | samanthacrownoversbc… on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
 | Ronnie on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
 | welltemperedear on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
The Well-Tempered Ear 
Classical music: Music professor John Schaffer is retiring from UW-Madison. A benefit jazz concert on Saturday, June 1, will celebrate his career as a teacher and former director of the Mead Witter School of Music
Leave a Comment
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
By Jacob Stockinger
Professor John Schaffer (below), who served as the director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music for 15 years from 1997 to 2012, is retiring this summer.
A jazz concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, at Full Compass Systems, located at 9770 Silicon Prairie Parkway in Verona, will celebrate his retirement. Details and ticket information are below.
Here is a summary of his major achievements, as compiled by a colleague:
During his tenure as director, John Schaffer:
• Raised more than $10 million for music scholarships, including the Paul Collins graduate fellowships and the Steenbock undergraduate scholarships, more than doubling all student support.
• Secured funding for three endowed professorships: Pro Arte Quartet first violinist David Perry; piano virtuoso and Van Cliburn International Piano Competition bronze medal winner Christopher Taylor; and acclaimed jazz pianist Johannes Wallmann.
• With then-chancellor John Wiley, he launched plans for the new performance facility – the Hamel Music Center — that will open this fall, and raised more than $20 million in private funds for its construction.
• Established the School of Music’s inaugural Board of Visitors, which actively connects the school with a broad community worldwide as it continues to serve in an advisory and support capacity.
• Built strong relations with community organizations including the Madison Symphony Orchestra by establishing the joint residency of the Hunt Quartet – creating further student funding opportunities – and the Independent String Teachers’ Association.
• Established the Perlman Piano Trio (below), an undergraduate scholarship opportunity funded by Kato Perlman.
• Recruited faculty professors/performers with national and international reputations.
• Collaborated with the UW Foundation and Alumni Associations to present UW student performers throughout the country and world.
• Expanded student musician performances across campus, and established the twice-annual Chancellor’s Concert Series.
• Oversaw the planning for the 100th anniversary of the Pro Arte Quartet, the school’s flagship ensemble-in-residence since 1938.
• Established the School of Music recording label, which during its active run released close to 50 albums of faculty artists.
• Created the Wisconsin Center for Music Technology, and was the founding editor of the journal Computers in Music Research.
• Revitalized the Jazz Studies program at UW-Madison that has expanded with additional faculty, new student jazz ensembles and the establishment of a major in jazz performance.
• Was actively involved in music administration on the national level by serving multiple terms on the board of directors of the National Association of Schools of Music, the national accrediting organization. He spent more than a decade training accreditation teams, and performing accreditation reviews of music schools and conservatories throughout the country.
• Served on numerous local boards including those of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Madison Country Day School, the Isthmus Jazz Festival, and the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival.
Schaffer’s own academic work in music theory focused initially on analysis of contemporary and non-tonal music, and in artificial intelligence applications in music theory. When he returned to the faculty from being director, he re-focused his teaching on the history, theory and performance of jazz and developed new courses in the discipline and regularly coached student jazz ensembles.
After a 40-year career in academia, Schaffer is retiring to pursue other interests. For the time being, he plans to remain in the Madison area. Initially trained as a classical guitarist, his performance emphasis long ago evolved to playing jazz bass, and he’ll still be heard gigging around town, playing frequently at venues and series such as Otto’s, Capital Brewery’s beer garden, Delaney’s Steak House, Coda Cafe and the North Street Cabaret.
“The biggest reward over all my years as an educator and administrator is the impact I’ve had on the thousands of students I’ve been privileged to teach and encounter,” says Schaffer. “It’s been immensely gratifying.”
Schaffer’s contributions to music in the greater Madison area will be recognized at a benefit concert, sponsored by the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, on Saturday, June 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Full Compass Systems, 9770 Silicon Prairie Parkway in Verona. UW-Madison Chancellor Emeritus John Wiley will offer commentary and perspective. Light refreshments will be served.
Tickets for the benefit concert are $30 at the door, $25 in advance online. A limited number of student tickets are available at $15. VIP tickets are $150 and include reserved, best-in-house seating, a private pre-concert reception at 6 p.m. and other benefits.
For more information, go to: http://www.jazzinmadison.org/event/jazz-junction-benefit-concert-for-the-jazz-consortium-full-compass/
For tickets, go to:https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4236134
Share this:
Like this:
Tags: #ArtificialIntelligence, #Artists-in-Residence, #AtonalMusic, #BeerGarden, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BronzeMedal, #CapitalBrewery, #ChamberMusic, #ChristopherTaylor, #ClassicalGuitarist, #CodaCafe, #ComputersinMusicResearch, #ContemporaryMusic, #CriticalAcclaim, #DavidPerry, #Delaney'sSteakHouse, #DoubleBass, #DoubleBassist, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FirstViolinist, #FullCompassSystems, #GreaterMadisonJazzConsortium, #HamelMusicCenter, #HuntQuartet, #IndependentStringTeachersAssociation, #InternationalReputation, #IsthmusJazzFestival, #JazzMusic, #JazzStudies, #JohannesWallmann, #JohnSchaffer, #JohnWiley, #KatoPerlman, #MadisonCountryDaySchool, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MedalWinner, #MusicTheory, #NationalAssociationofSchoolsofMusic, #NationalReputation, #NorthStreetCabaret, #Otto'sRestaurant, #PaulCollins, #PerlmanTrio, #PianoTrio, #ProArteQuartet, #SaturdayNight, #StringQuartet, #TokenCreekChamberMusicFestival, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #UWFoundation, #VanCliburnInternationalPianoCompetition, #VeronaWisconsin, #WisconsinCenterforMusicTechnology, academia, academic, acclaim, accreditation, administration, administrator, advisory, AI, Album, alumni, artificial intelligence, artists, Arts, association, atonal, audience, Beer, beer garden, benefits, blog, bpard, bronze, cabaret, Campus, Capital Brewery, CD, Chamber music, chancellor, Christopher Taylor, classical guitarist, Classical music, coach, Coda Cafe, colleague, commentary, community, Compact Disc, Computers in Music Research, Concert, conservatories, conservatory, construction, contemporary, country, create, created, critical, critical acclaim, David Perry, Delaney's Steak House, detail, director, double bassist, educator, emeritus, ensemble, Facebook, facility, fall, first violinist, forward, fund, fundraise, funds, Garden, gig, Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, guitar, guitarist, Hamel Music Center, History, Hunt Quartet, inaugural, Independent String Teachers Association, interest, international, Isthmus Jazz Festival, Jacob Stockinger, Jazz, jazz studies, Johannes Wallmann, John Schaffer, John Wiley, joint, journal, Kato Perlman, label, like, link, Madison Country Day School, Madison Symphony Orchestra, major, medal, Music, music school, music theory, national, National Association of Schools of Music, non-tonal, North Street Cabaret, online, Orchestra, Otto's, Paul Collins, performance, performer, perspective, Pianist, Piano, Piano Trio, private, Pro Arte Quartet, professor, reception, recording, recruit, refreshment, reputation, residency, restaurant, Retirement, review, Saturday, scholarship, school, School of Music, seating, serve, share, sirector, Steenbock, String quartet, strings, Student, summer, support, tag, Teacher, team, theory, ticket, Token Creek Chamber Music Festival, town, undergraduate, United States, University of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW Foundation, UW-Madison, UW-Madison Mead Witter School of Music, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Verona, Violin, violinist, VIP, visitor, winner, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Center for Music Technology, world, worldwide, year