October
2002
Business
Spotlight: Singing the praises of Boheme Opera NJ
By
Joe Emanski
Opera's
not for everyone. Isn't that what they say?
Well, in 1989, husband and wife Joseph Pucciatti and Sandra Milstein-Pucciatti,
sensing that there was a cultural void in the Mercer County region,
banked on the notion that opera would attract a following in Trenton.
They created the Boheme Opera NJ, and, without a venue, produced
their first opera, La Traviata, in a churchyard. The performance
drew 1,000 patrons, and Boheme Opera was on its way.
Now
in its 14th season and playing to sold-out audiences of 1,800
at the Trenton War Memorial, Boheme Opera NJ will on October 25
and 27 put on Lucia di Lammermoor, an opera by Gaetano
Donizetti starring Lorraine Ernest as Lucia, Barton Green as Edgardo,
Ed Huls as Enrico and Steven Fredericks as Raimondo. Joseph Pucciatti
will fill his customary role as conductor, and Reegan McKenzie
will direct.
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Lorraine
Ernest as Lucia on Oct. 25 & 27
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Some
people are still hesitant to give opera a chance, but Irene Wildgrube,
Boheme Opera's media director, says that the Pucciattis are more
understanding than some when it comes to bringing the medium to
the people.
"What
we do now, which was never done, for instance, at the (Metropolitan
Opera House in New York City), because it was considered unnecessary,
because the Met felt everything they did was for cultured people
and they should know, is, Mr. Pucciatti has a pre-curtain talk
every performance," says Wildgrube. In that talk, Pucciatti
gives a lecture on each opera-the themes, the composer and the
times in which it was written. Additionally, shows feature English
titles above the stage so that whether the opera is sung in Italian
or French, patrons can get the most out of it.
The
name Boheme Opera NJ comes not from the famous Giacomo Puccini
opera La Boheme, but from the artists' club of the same
name that Puccini formed in Italy in the 1890s. Its members were
composers, musicians, poets who came together frequently for long
hours of creativity.
Today
Sandra Pucciatti, a concert pianist, is Boheme Opera NJ's managing
director and Joe Pucciatti its artistic director. Last month they
were married 25 years. At the beginning, Boheme was managed solely
by the Pucciattis. Boheme Opera is a professional opera company
attracting performers with international track records.
After
a few years of existence, Boheme Opera NJ moved into the War Memorial,
before spending five years at Villa Victoria Academy in West Trenton
while the War Memorial underwent renovations. "Villa Victoria
was very lovely to let us (use their facilities)," says Wildgrube.
But the War Memorial suits the productions and, Wildgrube adds,
"our public just loves to go there."
Typically
Boheme Opera NJ puts on shows for two nights, a Friday and a Sunday.
In recent years, Sundays have been selling out, while Fridays
are gathering steam as well. Friday night's shows feature an opening-night
buffet at the Masonic Temple down the Street from the War Memorial.
Boheme also features a preferred restaurants list that offers
discounts to opera-goers. There are currently around 300 subscribers,
and the list is growing. Subscribers receive a newsletter and
guaranteed seats for shows.
Boheme Opera NJ is also committed to the community-both in terms
of education and in attracting local performers.
"We
do outreach programs in the middle schools to teach young people
about opera. We invite these children to a dress rehearsal to
see an opera after they have seen miniaturized versions of an
opera in their school," says Wildgrube. "They can tour
the War Memorial. Children who are thinking of going into music
can think of going into the theater or music or going into the
opera-there are many professionals that are needed for an opera
production. They get to realize it's not just a couple of people
standing on a stage singing. They get to see how very much goes
into an opera production."
In
spring of 2003, the company will be doing La Boheme, but
beyond that their show schedule has not yet been announced. Tickets
are still available for Lucia di Lammermoor, Friday, October
25 and Sunday, October 27. For more information call the Boheme
Opera NJ ticket office at (609) 581-9551. You can also visit them
on the Web at www.bohemeopera.com.
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