Gearing up for a very busy fall

Dear friends,

After a hot and languid summer, we’re suddenly humming with activity.

We have another performance coming up:  Artisphere, Arlington’s new cultural center and our new home, has invited us to perform at their open house on Sunday, October 10.  I can’t wait to get in the new space and see what it’s like!

We’ll do two 10-minute operas:  Tom Cipullo’s Lucy, which we also did at the Kennedy Center last April, and Jonathan Sheffer’s Camera Obscura, a wonderful gem from about 30 years ago.  Lucy is the story of an elderly lady who imagines a handsome young man sitting on her television; he sings to her, of course.  Camera Obscura is a witty take on the then-new technology of video phones . . . and their attendant time lag.

UrbanArias is delighted to have Edrie Means Weekly, Ethan Watermeier, VaShawn McIlwaine, and Colleen Daly starring at Artisphere!  They will also sing a few excerpts from other recent operas . . . the audience should get an excellent feel for the kind of work we do.  We’re also very excited to have Chuck Hudson join us from New York to direct these mini-masterpieces.  (We’re making him take the bus, though.  Tight budget.)

Our fundraising also proceeds apace — we have an event coming up on October 2nd at my home, also featuring Mr. Watermeier’s fine baritone, and we’re planning two evenings with our 2011 season composers, Ricky Ian Gordon and Tom Cipullo.

And I want to extend a special welcome to Mary Hynes, of the Arlington County Board, who has recently joined our Advisory Board!

Finally, we’re nearly ready to announce casting for our 2011 season, and I’m really thrilled about the artistic teams we’ve assembled.  (Some of whom may also have to ride the bus.)

More soon!

Bob Wood

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