Seattle Opera Choristers Stephen Wall and Eleanor
Stallcop-Horrox, Assistant Conductor Philip A. Kelsey, and Firm Supervisor
Paula Podemski have labored on the opera a mixed complete of 145 years, creating
memorable opera experiences each onstage and behind the scenes. Tosca marks the
finish of their Seattle Opera careers, however earlier than they begin the subsequent chapter of
their lives, these veteran professionals shared a few of their greatest reminiscences.
All agree that they’re trying ahead to being within the viewers and staying in
contact with their buddies on the opera for a few years to come back.
PAULA PODEMSKI: CONCIERGE TO THE STARS
Finding close by gyms, securing childcare, and arranging
medical appointments are among the day-to-day artist’s requests Paula has
fulfilled because the Firm Supervisor. Employed in 1993 as a Manufacturing Assistant,
Paula turned the Firm Supervisor a number of years later. Coordinating visa
purposes, casting youngster performers, and recruiting supernumeraries have
been a few of her different duties.
Paula has a deep appreciation for supers as a result of they’re
volunteers who’re required to attend rehearsals and carry out in each
efficiency. “It’s an enormous dedication,” she says.
However in 1998, Paula encountered a couple of supernumeraries who
weren’t keen to go the space. She recruited 20 bodybuilders to look
shirtless in Tristan and Isolde, a job that took 4 months. “I went to gyms
and powerlifting and bodybuilding competitions,” she remembers. Among the many males
who volunteered, a couple of weren’t very dependable. “At the least two to 4 of them
wouldn’t present up,” she says.
After 32 years at Seattle Opera, Paula will miss her
colleagues and volunteers probably the most. “It’s like my second household,” she says.
“It’s a gaggle that places apart private agendas for the great of the entire, for
the great of the present.”
PHILIP A. KELSEY: A MASTER OF THE RING
Philip has had a job at Seattle Opera because the 1983 Ring
cycle when he joined the corporate as a pianist, making him one of many few
workers members who’s labored on all three Rings.
He remembers it as an thrilling time in addition to a labor of affection, due to the
commute from Portland.
Since then, Philip has been a Music Administrator, Assistant
Conductor, and a Vocal Coach on the opera. “As a vocal coach, I assist singers
not solely with language pronunciation, but in addition with comprehending the textual content,” he
mentioned. So, most coaches, like him, are language junkies. “I’m fairly fluent in
German, I learn French, I perceive Italian, I’ve studied Russian, I’ve studied
Japanese, I’ve studied Czech diction, and can fortunately attempt to pronounce simply
about something appropriately.”
What’s extra, because the Assistant Conductor, Philip leads off
-stage musicians and singers, and he performs the harpsichord when a manufacturing
requires it. And through the firm’s 2009 manufacturing of Pagliacci, he
organized an 11-minute chamber piece from music by Leoncavallo, which was performed
through the efficiency.
In retirement Philip plans on spending time along with his 4
grandchildren—who dwell close by.
ELEANOR STALLCOP-HORROX: MAID OF HONOR
It’s not simple being a member of an opera refrain. Generally
the costumes are uncomfortable and the choreography complicated. Then there are
instances whenever you’re required to sing from the catwalk excessive above the stage. However
long-time soprano Eleanor Stallcop-Horrox liked all of it. “The catwalk was a bit
scary,” says Eleanor, who has been a member of the Seattle Opera Refrain since
1997.
Eleanor fondly remembers her 2008 position in Elektra. “I
was the Fifth Maid. I assumed I might sing
five notes. There have been three pages!” she says. Mary McLaughlin, who sang
The Overseer’s half, was directed to knock Eleanor to the floor and dunk her
head in a bucket of water. “Mary tried a number of instances to dunk me, however the bucket
was too small, and he or she stored whacking my brow on the aspect of the bucket,”
Eleanor says. Lastly, they received a wash tub. As soon as her head was within the water, the
different maids needed to get her wig moist.
“So, when my hair got here out of the water, there was an enormous
dramatic spray of water,” she says.
The refrain is sort of a household, explains Eleanor. When she was
identified with most cancers, the ladies accompanied her to therapies and checked on
her. “God, they have been fantastic. Completely fantastic. This can be a passionate
group of individuals. I’ll miss being round them.”
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| Stephen Wall (left) as a soldier in Il trovatore, 2019, with Head of Coach-Accompanists David McDade. |
STEPHEN WALL: THE BALLARD OPERA MAN
Tenor Stephen Wall has carried out in Seattle Opera’s Götterdämmerung
twelve instances. “My first efficiency was within the 1982 Ring cycle, when the
firm was doing the Wagner masterwork each summer season,” he recollects.
After almost 45 years on the opera, Stephen has appeared as
a refrain member in 118 operas, has had 13 supporting roles, and has served as
the refrain personnel coordinator 3 times. However his most beloved position was as
The Ballard Opera Man through the COVID-19 pandemic.
When everybody was caught inside and socially distancing,
Stephen stumbled into the position. He started enjoying string bass on his entrance garden.
Folks observed and he quickly changed the bass with karaoke opera. “I assumed I
would simply make some noise and see if anybody would stick their heads out of
their entrance doorways,” Stephen remembers.
The neighbors did greater than stick their heads outdoors—they
started attending his improvised recitals. When the native media printed tales
about his performances, extra individuals got here. On the peak of his recognition,
Stephen believes round 2 hundred individuals got here out to listen to 25 minutes of
music. “I used to be conflicted. I used to be having fun with it, however I didn’t wish to encourage social gatherings. There have been
guidelines—six toes distance, masks, and the entire ball of wax,” he remembers. He
carried out 100 front-yard recitals through the pandemic.
