"Strange Fruit" a Fantastic Experience this Past Weekend!

This weekend was the end of a week-long rehearsal process for "Strange Fruit," culminating in two staged readings and creating what can only be described as an amazing experience for myself. I always dabbled in opera - did the aria "vienni t'affretta" from Verdi's "Macbetto" in "Master Class," and did Edith in "The Pirates of Penzance." This time, I was watching the creative process of some fantastic singers from the Opera world directly, and becoming both inspired and incredibly humbled by their work. There was a great turnout by audience members both performances (Friday night and Sunday afternoon), including heads of opera theater owners and opera directors as well. I'm almost glad I found out about them AFTER the readings for my own heart's sake.

With Matthew Kreger, who played double roles in the show. He also happens to be quite tall!

Gorgeous Janinah Burnett (Nonnie) and Heather Hill (Dessie), voices to die for!

With Conductor Stephen Gross (upper left), Composer Chandler Carter (upper right), and Librettist Joan Ross Sorkin (lower center).

And then, I come out of a Subway station on Tuesday morning to get a voicemail message from my Mom, who opened her copy of The New York times in her living room in Oakland, California, to see an article in the Arts section about "Strange Fruit" entitled "Interracial Love in 1920, Evoking Modern Blues" by Anthony Tommasini. And there's a picture of the cast doing the reading - with a tiny blob that she was instantly able to recognize as me! I'm in the middle row, all the way towards the right. Hey ma! I'm in the Times!!!!