The LSU OPERA was one of the first major university workshops in the United States. Dating from the 1930's under the leadership of Pasquale Amato, an ambitious program produced outstanding performances that toured to other southern cities. Historically, the program has produced exceptional singers including tenor James King, mezzo soprano Frances Greer, and baritone Michael Devlin, all of whom have sung at the MET and on world opera stages. More recent students who have distinguished themselves internationally include tenor Paul Groves and bass-baritone Jeffrey Wells of the MET and major European houses. The most recent generation includes, baritone Shon Sims of New York City Opera, baritone Edward Scott Hendricks and tenor Chad Shelton from Houston Grand Opera, Central City and Wolftrap.
LSU OPERA offers two main stage opera productions in the 1200 seat LSU Union Theater. These productions are fully staged and costumed and are accompanied by the outstanding LSU Symphony Orchestra. Most performances are sung in the original languages with supertitles. Future and recent repertoire includes. . .
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2005-2006
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La Bohème
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Dialogues of the Carmelites
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2004-2005
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Little Women
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Werther
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2003-2004
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La Rondine
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Susannah
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Performance opportunities are not limited to our main stage productions. LSU OPERA in the Schools presents one-act operas and scenes in elementary and secondary schools throughout the greater Baton Rouge area. Scenes programs, an annual summer musical and occasional premieres of new works provide additional performance opportunities.
Meet the Opera Staff . . .
Artistic Director Dugg McDonough was Director of the Temple University Opera Theater in Philadelphia for seventeen years, where he staged nearly fifty originally conceived productions, including five world premieres and numerous Philadelphia and East Coast premieres. In addition, he was in charge of creating, organizing and teaching the universityÕs acting curriculum for singers. Other institutions where he has directed and taught include the University of Tennessee, the University of Oklahoma, and the Shepherd School of Music of Rice University. As a professional stage director, McDonough has staged a wide variety of operas, operettas, and musicals from Monteverdi to Sondheim for companies ranging from New York City Opera to the Taipei International Arts Festival in Taiwan. Contact Mr. McDonough by E-Mail at mcdugg@lsu.edu or phone 225/578-3593.
Conductor Julian Shew
Opera Coach-Accompanist John Keene (Conductor) is Founder and Artistic Director of the Elysian Opera Group in New York City for which he has conducted Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, La clemenza di Tito, and Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. He has been a faculty member of the prestigious Merola Opera Program of the San Francisco Opera, and conducted Western Opera Theater's thirtieth anniversary national tour of il barbiere di Siviglia in an acclaimed production by John Copley. He was Director of the Apprentice Artist Program of the Sarasota Opera and has been a member of the music staff at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Virginia Opera, Lake George Opera Festival, the Caramoor Festival, and currently for New Orleans Opera and Chautauqua Opera. He has conducted H.M.S. Pinafore for South Carolina Opera and La Boheme for HGM Productions on Hilton Head Island.
A highly respected vocal coach and teacher, John Keene has been a member of the opera faculty at the Mannes College of Music and maintains a private studio in New York City. His performances as accompanist and chamber musician include appearances at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Merkin Concert Hall, Ambassador Auditorium in Los Angeles, and many performances for radio and television. His recordings of the accompaniments to G. Schirmer's anthology Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias remain one of their best-selling publications. For five seasons he toured extensively as recital partner to the Metropolitan Opera baritone Ben Holt; a recording of live performances was released to benefit the Ben Holt Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Juilliard School of Music.
Keene is a graduate of the University of Southern California where he was twice awarded highest honors.
