Crunch Time
The team that steers the Southeastern Festival of Song is comprised almost exclusively of working opera singers. Most have a unique tie to the southeast, and a burning desire to contribute to the festival’s future success. Each member balances their work while also looking after their individual careers and relationships. The past few weeks have felt like a crunch period for the team, and the fact that we’re spread out all over the country at the moment (Connecticut, California, Texas, and North Carolina) presents its challenges. Fortunately, we’re all relatively cyber-savvy and use every possible method of communication available to us, including, but probably not limited to: cell phones, email, text messaging, snail mail, skype, chat messengers, and notes passed during recess.
We are in the thick of our 06/07 season. Our first residency at Emory University this past September proved to be an overwhelming success, due in large part to the deeply personal contributions of not only the brilliant cast of artists we were fortunate to engage, but also the faculty and staff who facilitated our performance and work on campus. After Emory, we proudly presented our first solo recital in Atlanta in cooperation with Trinity Presbyterian Church, setting the course for an important artistic expansion for SEFoS.
In a short two weeks’ time, SEFoS will present Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle with the Michael O’Neal Singers. Two weeks after that, we present our fourth collaboration with the Dallas Museum of Art, “generation m”. This project has proven to be our most adventurous and challenging to date, and I think we have assembled just the right cast to sufficiently “wow” our loyal audience in Dallas. Much credit is due to Carolyn Bess, our producing partner with the museum’s Arts & Letters Live series for being able to offer us another wonderful performance opportunity, and for coordinating a world-premiere commission by renowned composer Robert Beaser, a dynamic percussion ensemble, and a few extra surprises as well.
At the same time, big plans are underway for our future projects. This March we will announce our summer collaborations in Bar Harbor, and in May, we will release the details of our exciting 07/08 season, which promises to be bigger and better than ever, with more new artists, artistic partnerships, venues, and musical milestones than ever before!
–RT
