What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1459044
MARCH 13-19, 2022 WHAT'S UP! 3 Star-Filled Stage Opera in Ozarks alumni return for recital BECCA MARTIN-BROWN NWA Democrat-Gazette D escribed as "a superb singing actress," and "a possessor of a generous dramatic soprano instrument and passionate acting skills," soprano Alexandra Lang, a veteran of Opera in the Ozarks in 2009, is rapidly gaining recognition for her musical integrity, distinct vocal color and versatility. Baritone Joshua Scheid, who studied in Eureka Springs in 2017, is also a composer and librettist. He is particularly drawn to new music and is finishing up a doctorate at Peabody Conservatory. "Forgot to mention," he adds in an email, "my opera company, Strange Trace, also includes another OiO alum from the same summer as myself, Felix Aguilar Tomlinson!" The two will come together March 20 for a recital at the Eureka Springs City Auditorium. It's the first in a spring series of alumni recitals, says OiO General Director Nancy Preis, and includes "a wide variety of repertoire" from Massenet to Sondheim. Lang, based in New York City, and Scheid, who lives in Baltimore, met up via email to answer three questions for What's Up! Q. How did you fall in love with music and specifically opera? Scheid: I've always loved music and singing — even as a child I would make up little songs to sing to myself — but really I came to opera through my love of acting. Like many young performers, I started out doing plays and musicals, and it wasn't really until my undergraduate studies that I really dove into opera. I really appreciated the room opera gives you to nerd out about music, plus I was never a good enough dancer to go into musical theater anyway! Lang: I've loved to sing ever since I was a little girl. Music was always a part of our family experience growing up. My brothers and I all took piano, and there was usually music on around the house. We have a wonderful theater in town, Georgia Ensemble, where I learned everything from Shakespeare to improv and stage combat at their camp and conservatory. I could finally join choir in fourth grade, and in middle school I started doing community musical theater. Freshman year of high school, I was auditioning for the musical, and a voice teacher sitting in thought I might have an operatic voice. I started taking lessons with her — Francesca Richards — got the bug, and the rest is history. Fran is always on my shoulder to this day, whispering to "keep going" in my ear. After she sings at the Opera in the Ozarks Alumni Recital March 20 in Eureka Springs, Alexandra Lang will be all over the country, singing everything from contemporary opera to Wagner. (Courtesy Photo/Jiyang Chen) Joshua Scheid has his own production company, which is currently developing and filming four brand- new shows by an international cohort of composers and librettists. (Courtesy Photo/ Madison Trottman) EUREKA SPRINGS See Opera Page 4 FAQ OiO Alumni Recital WHEN — 2:30 p.m. March 20 WHERE — Eureka Springs City Auditorium COST — $20 in person or streaming INFO — 253-8595 or opera.org BONUS — Reserved parking at the Aud is available for $10 per car. Must be purchased in advance from the OiO box office.