New Wave Opera Blog

NWO MAKES A SPLASH FOR A PACKED HOUSE!

7/29/2024

A crowd of people sit on an outdoor patio in wicker patio chairs around small, round tables with glass tops. There is a large umbrella providing shade on the right side, with a smaller umbrella on the far right. A woman stands on the stage performing in front of a periwinkle-hued shed. The people in the crowd are scattered with spots of sunlight coming in through the trees.

This past weekend, Saturday July 27th, New Wave Opera gave their debut performance for a packed house at the Periwinkle Song Studios in Portland, Oregon.

Today we share our gratitude and some of our favorite moments from the day, along with photos from the event!

A large stone patio with wicker chairs and round, glass tables stretch into the distance towards large, lush trees and a wooden fence. Plants, colorful bird baths and flowers dot the scene, as spots of sunlight shine through onto the outdoor space.

Periwinkle Song Studio Patio

Periwinkle Song Studio has been running outdoor concerts in the summertime for years, headed by owner and long-time voice teacher, Susan McBerry. Susan and her husband (and amazingly fluffy doggo!) graciously provided their space to NWO and helped to encourage attendees to donate in support of our upcoming programming.

We couldn't have asked for better weather either! With both sunshine and breeze, the stage was set for our listeners to enjoy a gorgeous afternoon.

We were also grateful to receive a generous donation of food and drinks from our hosts, as well as a GIGANTIC donation of beer from beloved local brewery, Gigantic Brewing Company.

The cast arrived early to warm-up and make sure everything was perfect for our guests. NWO President Lisa Neher even provided a banner for photos - which our cast took advantage of immediately to stage some goofy pics!

Three cans of beer placed in a triangle. The three cans each have a distinct design, and bear the Gigantic Brewing Company label. The beer can on the left has a lion with a party hat. The can in the middle shows anthropomorphic fruit smiling. The can on the right shows mountains.

Just a few of the beers donated by Gigantic Brewing Company. We are so grateful for their support!

Four people stand in a row in front of a wrinkled backdrop of an ocean wave cresting dramatically. The four people posing are each in a silly pose. The woman on the far left is crouching with her hands

L to R: Lisa Neher, Allison Knotts, Stephen Lewis, Lindsey Rae Johnson

It didn't take long for the patio to fill up - and overfill! NWO staff, Periwinkle Song Studio volunteers, and even a few audience members helped listeners find additional seats, including bringing a few of their own from their vehicles!

We were so overwhelmed with gratitude and joy that our community came out in such numbers to support our inaugural performance. With everyone seated, drinks & food served, and shadows beginning to grow over the sunny patio, it was time for the performance to begin!

Audience members enjoying the shade & song at Summer Splash

Performance after performance, the audience members chuckled and clapped and cheered. The enthusiastic response to these pieces by living composers & librettists was truly heartwarming to witness, with audience members commenting on how relatable and relevant so many of the texts felt to them.

One audience favorite was Lindsey Rae Johnson and Allison Kim-Yok Knotts performance of "The Bored Cat Duet" from Meow & Forever (Jodi Goble, Basil Considine), with audiences cheering upon learning of our upcoming fully-staged production in Spring 2025.

L to R: Lisa Neher, Lindsey Rae Johnson, Allison Kim-Yok Knotts

Our younger audience members perked up especially at Lisa Neher's Snapshots, which featured snippets of text from the Daily Kansan that included memorable lines such as "Crocodiles are ornery cuz they got all them teeth and no toothbrush!" and "To the nineteen squirrels who are sitting in a circle on my front lawn: What are you planning?!" This work featured all three vocalists from the performance - mezzos Lisa Neher and Allison Kim-Yok Knotts and soprano Lindsey Rae Johnson - as well as beautifully detailed playing from composer-pianist, Stephen Lewis.

We could not have imagined a more beautiful day, enthusiastic crowd, or supportive atmosphere for the inaugural launch of New Wave Opera. Our deepest thanks to everyone who attended, donated, and plan on coming to a future event. We cannot thank you enough for your support and enthusiasm for our mission to bring opera music by living composers from all around the world - performed by voices living here in Portland - to listeners in our region and beyond.