 SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 - Portland, Oregon - New Wave Opera is proud to present the third program of their inaugural season: NIGHT OF THE LIVING OPERA. In partnership with the iconic Raven’s Manor Haunted Bar New Wave Opera (NWO) presents the regional premieres of four contemporary operas, featuring the work of six living composers and librettists, as well as settings of short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. The two Poe productions are THUMP, a setting of “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Portland-based composer and NWO composer-in-residence Kimberly R. Osberg, and The Oval Portrait, a setting of several Poe writings by composer Felix Jarrar. Composer Osberg will not only be attending the performances, but will also serve as director for two shows.
“It is a dream come true to present such an exciting program,” says Neher. “These shows are so different from one another, and really highlight the range of what opera can be and who it can be for. It’s the perfect way for those new to opera to give it a chance, and for long-time opera fans to discover something truly new."  Featured performers include sopranos Lindsey Rae Johnson and Carolyn Quick, mezzos Lisa Neher and Allison Kim-Yok Knotts, tenor Brandon Michael, bass Deac Guidi, and pianist Sequoia. New Wave Opera artists will be repeating their performances throughout the evening from 5 until midnight - so stop by for a delicious dinner or grab some late drinks with friends! Summaries for each show can be found on the event page.
The auction will open in mid-October, and run until 11:59pm PT on Friday, October 25th. Sign up for the New Wave Opera newsletter to be first in-the-know when the bidding goes live! RESERVATIONS FOR THIS EVENT ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED AND SPACE IS LIMITED. Reservations are available though the Raven’s Manor website (be sure you have the correct number of people in your party selected to view available seating options!). A $10 cover charge applies when you reserve online (non-refundable), or $15 at the door. Reservations will only be held for a maximum of 10 minutes from your arrival time. If you need to cancel your reservation, please do so through your reservation confirmation email. While walk-ins are welcome, wait times are expected to vary widely throughout the night. 21+ only. For full reservation information, visit the event page (bottom of page). NIGHT OF THE LIVING OPERA
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 Coming up on Saturday, October 5th, New Wave Opera is heading to Mendelssohns classical music bar for an evening of silly & seriously spooky vocal music. The event, Scream Queens, will feature selections exclusively from living composers - including collaborations with living librettists, as well as modern settings of classic texts by authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Lewis Carroll. Today we're taking a closer look at the origins of this event, as well as introducing you to a few scream queens of our own! So why SCREAM QUEENS? In the spirit of the Halloween season, we've named this event in honor of both the amazing actresses who have played "scream queen" roles in horror films and as well as a lighthearted reference to treble voices being thought of as "screaming" out high notes.
 Fay Wray in King Kong (1933) While "Hitchcock blondes" like Janet Leigh certainly did their share of screaming throughout the decades, the 1960's and 1970's brought a slew of horror genres, both in the United States and abroad. Marilyn Burns' harrowing portrayal of Sally Hardesty in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Jamie Lee Curtis's iconic Laurie Strode from Halloween (1978) are among some of the more famous examples from the United States, but the giallo films (a genre spawned from Italian crime-mystery pulp novels with yellow covers [giallo means yellow in Italian]) brought scream queens out of "pure horror" films and into mystery and crime with films like Blood and Black Lace (1964), Orgasmo (1969), Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972), All the Colors of the Dark (1972), and giallo-king Dario Argento's films like The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) and Suspiria (1977). By the 1980's, horror had become a rich, varied, and well-established genre. While there was certainly its share of sexploitation and racist tropes, horror had also meaningfully confronted and explored a number of social issues with films like Night of the Living Dead (1968), Rosemary's Baby (1968), The Exorcist (1973), Black Christmas (1974), The Stepford Wives (1975), and Carrie (1976) - to name a few. Scream queen roles proliferated throughout the 80's, 90's, and early thousands, seeing stars like Debbie Rochon, Neve Campbell (star of several Troma Production horror films), Sheryl Lee (Twin Peaks), Bollywood's Bipasha Basu (Raaz [2002] and Aatma [2014]), and Shauna Macdonald (The Descent [2005] is NOT for the faint of heart!), while continuing to defy sexist tropes and push & transform the power of scream queens. How is this relevant to New Wave Opera?
New Wave Opera's programming this season heavily features treble voices, and includes the work of several dozen composers & librettists whose identities have been underrepresented in opera. We love a good horror story, the operatic form, and so many of the classic tales & characters who got us interested in music as storytelling - but we've had enough of the death-by-love-or-tuberculosis! We are ready for opera's Laurie Strode, Sally Hardesty, Carrie - and new stories and roles that better reflect our modern understanding of what it means to be a fully-realized character. Meet Our Scream Queens! New Wave Opera is proud to announce the cast for our upcoming program at Mendelssohns classical music bar, SCREAM QUEENS: AN EVENING OF VOICES IN TREBLE, on Saturday, October 5th from 8-10pm. Pianist Hannah Early (left) joins mezzo Lisa Neher and sopranos Lindsey Rae Johnson and Carolyn Quick for an evening of fun & spooky art songs, opera arias and duets, and more. Featured selections include works by New Wave Opera composers Kimberly Osberg & Lisa Neher, plus selections by Melissa Dunphy & Nikita Gill, Jodi Goble & Basil Considine, Monica Chew & Sandra Flores-Strand, William Bolcom, Jake Heggie, Portland's own Dianne Davies and Carolyn Quick, and more. Read more about the artists on our bios page! Registration for the event not required, so drop by anytime between 8 and 10 to hear the music and enjoy a pun-derful cocktail or delicious bites. The only thing higher than our notes is the iconic high-rise stage, so be sure to drop by and check out this musician-favorite spot for yourself. We hope you can join us for a screaming-good time!
Help us raise the dead in time for our production of NIGHT OF THE LIVING OPERA! SEPTEMBER 10 - PORTLAND, OR - New Wave Opera announces a stretch campaign to raise $2,000 in support of the upcoming production, NIGHT OF THE LIVING OPERA, before November 1st. "With four regional premieres as part of these evenings, we really hope to make the performances something special," says NWO President Lisa Neher. "With additional support from our community, we can not only ensure a great live experiences for those who attend, but also make this work accessible online for free - giving each of these shows a life after the performance."
More information on the campaign and how to give can be found below, and on the SUPPORT US tab of the New Wave Opera website. The campaign runs from September 10th through November 1st, so supporters can give before, during, or after the shows on October 21st & 23rd. CAMPAIGN DETAILS
NECROMANCERS will receive a truly unique thank you in addition to the benefits of the familiars - one of the currently unnamed characters in THUMP will be specially named after you, and you'll even get a signed copy of the score to prove it to your friends! This exclusive perk will only be available to three recipients. HOW TO DONATEHowever method or however much you choose to give, please let us know how you'd like to be acknowledged on our supporter lists! All donors will be acknowledged on our programs and websites, with larger gifts also being acknowledged on video content. If you'd prefer to stay anonymous, just let us know!
If you'd like to donate with cash, get in touch with us directly at [email protected]. or help us reach our goal even faster with matching!Did you know? Many workplaces offer matching donations. This is a fantastic way to make your gift go even further! We are a registered cause with Benevity, which works with many large companies in North America. Contact us for help setting up a matching gift with your employer. Our Cause ID Number is: 840-934152039 THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING NEW WAVE OPERA! SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 - (Portland, Oregon) - On Saturday, October 5th, New Wave Opera heads to Mendelssohns bar for SCREAM QUEENS: An Evening of Voices in Treble! Enjoy a pun-derful cocktail or simple wine alongside delectable bites as New Wave Opera treble vocalists accompany your evening with tuneful opera arias, duets, and art songs from Mendelssohns' iconic high-rise stage! With selections ranging from the gorgeously serene to the seriously silly, there will be plenty for long-time opera fans and first-time listeners to enjoy.
Featured selections include works by New Wave Opera composers Kimberly Osberg & Lisa Neher, plus selections by Melissa Dunphy & Nikita Gill, Jodi Goble & Basil Considine, Monica Chew & Sandra Flores-Strand, Jake Heggie, Portland's own Dianne Davies, and more! "As we turn our attention towards some of our spookier selections, we are delighted to be featuring some fresh repertoire for those who attended our summer performances," says New Wave Opera resident soprano, Lindsey Rae Johnson. "We are especially excited to be unveiling a bit more from our upcoming production, Night of the Living Opera." The evening will feature performances by sopranos Lindsey Rae Johnson and Carolyn Quick, mezzo Lisa Neher, and pianist Hannah Early. Music will performed between 8 to 10pm, so audiences are encouraged to stop by anytime to catch the performance. No reservations required. A $10 cover charge applies at the door in support of the performing artists. Visit newwaveopera.org for more information.
 Earlier this week, New Wave Opera had the joy of performing at Raven's Manor Haunted Bar for MUSIC IN THE MANOR. With a bustling house from open to close, we were thrilled to see so many familiar faces from the opera community (including friends from Lark Opera, the recent OrpheusPDX production of The Rose Elf, and singers involved in our upcoming production Night of the Living Opera), as well as meet those who had never heard opera before! Today we share some of our favorite moments from throughout the night!
By far one of the biggest applauses of the night was in response to soprano Lindsey Rae Johnson's rendition of Rita's Aria from A Wedding, by William Bolcom and librettists Robert Altman & Arnold Weinstein.
We were also excited to unveil excerpts from our upcoming show at The Manor, NIGHT OF THE LIVING OPERA, which will see fully-costumed and fully-staged performances of four contemporary operas. For Music in the Manor, we shared excerpts from THUMP (Kimberly's setting of "The Tell Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe), she conjures (a wicked one-woman opera by Lisa Neher & Bea Goodwin), and Serial Killers and the City (Del'Shawn Taylor & Joanie Brittingham). Given the enthusiastic response from our listeners on Monday, we can tell these shows will be a big hit in October!  Pianist Stephen Lewis, mezzo Lisa Neher, soprano Lindsey Rae Johnson, and mezzo Allison Kim-Yok Knotts We are so grateful to everyone who came out to support us, and to our hosts at Raven's Manor for providing delectable food, incredible & whimsical drinks, and a truly welcoming atmosphere throughout the evening. We can't wait to be back at The Manor in October!
UP NEXT
 On August 19th, New Wave Opera lands at Raven's Manor Haunted Bar to perform a selection of operatic works and art songs by living composers. In the coming weeks, we'll be sharing a bit more about these pieces and their writers - including a world premiere! Today we dive deeper into three works that will be new to Portlanders - and all of which feature stories around food - the hilarious opera Serial Killers and the City, the chuckle-inducing COVID Bake-Off, and an equally-punderful opera trio, If You Cheese (a world premiere)! COVID Bake-Off (2022) - Monica Chew & Sandra Flores-Strand
Why We Love This Work: Sandra's libretto skillfully captures the relationships and personalities of all the characters in such succinct ways - even from this short duet we perform, listeners already have a strong sense of the stakes, the characters, and the relationship they share. We love how Monica's setting of these words slips in and out of different styles seamlessly as the characters become more introspective. Her use of tempo changes, moments of a cappella, and reeling wind-ups in the piano really capture the emotional journey from anxiety and frustration to hope and triumphant joy. It is impossible to hear the end of this duet without having a smile on your face! Read more about composer Monica Chew here. Read more about librettist Sandra Flores-Strand here. Serial Killers and the City - Del'Shawn Taylor & Joanie Brittingham
Why We Love This Work: Joanie's libretto is absolutely stuffed with hilarious puns, witty quips, and killer one-liners. We love how Del'Shawn uses the voices to overlap like a natural conversation between gal pals, while still leaving plenty of room for the text to be heard (and reacted to!). The seamless transitions from duets, trios, and arias keep listeners rapt with attention from start to finish, and his use of grooves propels scenes forward in such a natural way. Lisa has performed this work in the past (most recently with the amazing New York-based company, Experiments in Opera!), and has loved how much laughter the opera brings to audiences. Read more about composer Del'Shawn Taylor here . Read more about librettist Joanie Brittingham here. Learn more about the amazing folks at Experiments in Opera (NYC) here. If You Cheese (world premiere) - Kimberly R. Osberg
Why We Love This Work: This short opera scene is absolutely stacked with fantastic cheese-based puns, playful vocal lines, and super-dramatic moments from both vocalists and piano. Kimberly's writing really captures the anxiety of preparing something important last-minute, and - as mezzo Allison Kim-Yok Knotts said recently - you will never hear a more beautiful piece about cheese! Read more about composer Kimberly R. Osberg here.  From a July rehearsal of "If You Cheese", featuring (L to R) soprano Lindsey Rae Johnson, mezzo Allison Kim-Yok Knotts, pianist Stephen Lewis, and mezzo Lisa Neher. Hear these works and a whole lot more at |
 | WHEN: Monday, August 19th | 6-11pm WHERE: Raven's Manor Haunted Bar | 235 SW 1st Ave | Portland, OR | 97204 COST: $5 cover charge at the door ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Ages 21+ only. No RSVP required, but reservations available via Raven's Manor. We will perform off & on throughout the evening, so come anytime! Food & Drink available for purchase from the bar. Contact Raven's Manor for full menu & accommodation information. BE THE FIRST IN THE KNOW - sign up for our mailing list today to get the latest updates on our events, recordings, and more! |
On August 19th, New Wave Opera lands at Raven's Manor Haunted Bar to perform a selection of operatic works and art songs by living composers. In the coming weeks, we'll be sharing a bit more about these pieces and their writers - including a world premiere!
Today's post dives deeper into works created by Portland-based composers Lisa Neher, Dianne Davies, and Kimberly R. Osberg.
Today's post dives deeper into works created by Portland-based composers Lisa Neher, Dianne Davies, and Kimberly R. Osberg.
she conjures (2023) - Lisa Neher & Bea Goodwin
Claire McCahan (right) performs she conjures, accompanied by Brendon Shapiro on piano for the world premiere performance in 2023.
Summary: she conjures places listeners in 1666 in North Berwick, Scotland. Grissall’s mother has been burned for witchcraft and a mysterious spell of endless snow has fallen upon the land. With the help of her mother’s feathered familiar, Caraid, Grissall seeks answers and justice, with the help of a little magic of her own.
What to Expect: With a dramatic and whimsical libretto by Bea Goodwin, this feminist tale of witches, crows, curses, revenge, and redemption is infused with Scottish folk music elements - and a bit of magic of its own. The rendition at Raven's Manor this August will include the first two movements from the work, performed by mezzo Allison Kim-Yok Knotts, and serves as a sneak peak for a fully-staged production this October!
Why We Love This Work: she conjures is a masterclass in how to tell a compelling, complete story with a single character. Bea Goodwin's libretto cleverly balancing letting listeners know the context and intentions of its main character, while still providing an air of mystery and suspense. We also love how Lisa expands this enviornment with the piano, transporting audience members to another realm and immersing listeners completely into Grissall's world.
Read more about composer Lisa Neher here. Read more about librettist Bea Goodwin here.
What to Expect: With a dramatic and whimsical libretto by Bea Goodwin, this feminist tale of witches, crows, curses, revenge, and redemption is infused with Scottish folk music elements - and a bit of magic of its own. The rendition at Raven's Manor this August will include the first two movements from the work, performed by mezzo Allison Kim-Yok Knotts, and serves as a sneak peak for a fully-staged production this October!
Why We Love This Work: she conjures is a masterclass in how to tell a compelling, complete story with a single character. Bea Goodwin's libretto cleverly balancing letting listeners know the context and intentions of its main character, while still providing an air of mystery and suspense. We also love how Lisa expands this enviornment with the piano, transporting audience members to another realm and immersing listeners completely into Grissall's world.
Read more about composer Lisa Neher here. Read more about librettist Bea Goodwin here.
Sleep Saga (2024) - Dianne Davies
 Lisa Neher performs "Sleep Saga" at Summer Splash | Summary: Dianne Davies' takes listeners through a cycle of sleepless nights at different points in a woman's life. Beginning from the fear of monsters as a child, the perils of friendship dynamics as a teenager, the nervous energy of a wedding, and finally as a tired mom with a sleepless child of her own. What to Expect: Performed as a staged work during our Summer Splash show this past July, mezzo Lisa Neher reprises her role as the solo character. Complete with costumes and staging, we can't wait to bring this fun and charming work to Raven's Manor for our August show. Why We Love This Work: In only six minutes, Dianne Davies brings listeners through an entire life's worth of sleepless nights with beautifully-detailed piano writing and wonderfully expressive vocal lines. This collection of vignettes shares experiences listeners of every age can relate to, and we love the specificity of her original text. |
Read more about composer & writer Dianne Davies here.
THUMP (2014) - Kimberly R. Osberg
| Summary: Based on the "Tell-Tale Heart" short story by Edgar Allen Poe, this 30-minute operetta separates Poe's dynamic narrator into three distinct voices - each using text directly from the short story to shine a light on a different interpretation of the tale. Who is the narrator? What is their relationship to "the old man"? And what happened on that fateful night? What to Expect: In this August performance, mezzo Lisa Neher will perform a solo aria from THUMP, exploring a softer, more fearful reading of the source material - providing a sneak peak of our upcoming full production of the work, which will feature Neher, soprano Lindsey Rae Johnson, and tenor Brandon Michael in our October show. |  Cover art for "THUMP" |
Why We Love This Work: With its quasi-Rashoman structure, THUMP allows for new interpretations of and highlights questions raised by the original text - the narrator's gender, relationship to "the old man," and true motivations for their actions are never revealed. With three explorations set side-by-side, along with some truly lush and demanding piano writing (to be performed by Stephen Lewis in August, and pianist Sequoia this October), this well-known work is made fresh once more.
Read more about composer Kimberly R. Osberg here.
Hear these works and a whole lot more at
Music in the Manor !
 | WHEN: Monday, August 19th | 6-11pm** WHERE: Raven's Manor Haunted Bar | 235 SW 1st Ave | Portland, OR | 97204 COST: $5 cover charge at the door ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Ages 21+ only. No RSVP required, but reservations available via Raven's Manor. We will perform off & on throughout the evening, so come anytime! Food & Drink available for purchase from the bar. Contact Raven's Manor for full menu & accommodation information. BE THE FIRST IN THE KNOW - sign up for our mailing list today to get the latest updates on our events, recordings, and more! |
AUGUST 5, 2024 - PORTLAND, OR - What are a pair of bored cats to do when their owner is distracted by newfound love? Can a raven familiar help a grieving daughter avenge her mother's death? And what's that strange, thumping sound? Could it be...a heartbeat?
On Monday, August 19th, New Wave Opera will perform a selection of opera scenes, arias, and art songs by living composers and librettists at the iconic Raven's Manor Haunted Bar in downtown Portland.
On Monday, August 19th, New Wave Opera will perform a selection of opera scenes, arias, and art songs by living composers and librettists at the iconic Raven's Manor Haunted Bar in downtown Portland.
 Interior of Raven's Manor Haunted Bar main level | Attendees can enjoy a signature Raven's Manor cocktail while hearing an eclectic variety of dramatic works for voice and piano. The performance will feature selections by New Wave Opera composers Kimberly R. Osberg & Lisa Neher, plus selections by Melissa Dunphy & Nikita Gill, Jodi Goble & Basil Considine, Monica Chew & Sandra Flores-Strand, William Bolcom, Jake Heggie, and Portland's own Dianne Davies. New Wave Opera will also preview select works from October’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING OPERA show, including music from THUMP - a setting of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Kimberly R. Osberg - and she conjures, an operatic work by Lisa Neher with words by Bea Goodwin. |
“We couldn’t have imagined a setting with a more distinct and uniquely-detailed atmosphere,” says NWO President Lisa Neher. “We are thrilled to be showcasing the talents of our locally-based musicians in one of Portland’s most iconic venues.”
In addition to the Night of the Living Opera preview, New Wave Opera will also premiere Kimberly R. Osberg's new opera trio, If You Cheese.
| "While we are definitely mixing in a few darker selections for this performance, there will still be a lot of light-hearted and humorous pieces programmed," says composer-in-residence, Osberg. "I'm so thrilled to have If You Cheese receive its world premiere in such a playful restaurant - that's as goudas it gets!" |  Composer Kimberly R. Osberg |
Featured performers include soprano Lindsey Rae Johnson, mezzos Lisa Neher and Allison Kim-Yok Knotts, and pianist Stephen Lewis. New Wave Opera artists will be repeating their performances throughout the evening from 5 until 11pm–so stop by for a delicious dinner or grab some late drinks with friends.
A $5 cover charge applies at the door in support of the artists, and tips for the performers will also be accepted. Food & drink are available for purchase from the bar. No RSVP required, but reservations are accepted through Raven's Manor.
A $5 cover charge applies at the door in support of the artists, and tips for the performers will also be accepted. Food & drink are available for purchase from the bar. No RSVP required, but reservations are accepted through Raven's Manor.
EVENT DETAILS FOR MUSIC IN THE MANOR
| | WHEN: Monday, August 19th | 6-11pm** WHERE: Raven's Manor Haunted Bar | 235 SW 1st Ave | Portland, OR | 97204 COST: $5 cover charge at the door ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Ages 21+ only. No RSVP required, but reservations available via Raven's Manor. We will perform off & on throughout the evening, so come anytime! Food & Drink available for purchase from the bar. Contact Raven's Manor for full menu & accommodation information. **this time reflects a recent update |
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!
Today we share our gratitude and some of our favorite moments from the day, along with photos from the event!
 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! |  Just a few of the beers donated by Gigantic Brewing Company. We are so grateful for their support! |
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.
Photo Gallery from Summer Splash!
Have your own pictures from the event? Tag us on Facebook and Instagram @NewWaveOpera!
This weekend, New Wave Opera will present our inaugural event: Summer Splash! This week, our artists shared what works they are most excited about and what listeners can expect to hear.
Today we hear from NWO composer-in-residence, Kimberly R. Osberg!
Today we hear from NWO composer-in-residence, Kimberly R. Osberg!
 NWO Composer-in-Residence, Kimberly R. Osberg | Photo by Mauricio Herrera | "While vocal music is definitely at the center of this program, I was also excited New Wave Opera decided to program my short piano solo Mango Salad for this summertime outdoor concert! The piece was originally written as part of a project, New Music Cookbook, in which I wrote solo works based on recipes submitted by composers, musicians, and food enthusiasts alike. The idea was to end up with a whole "cookbook" of recipes and pieces that could pair with the pieces, and the proceeds from the book being donated to local food banks. "While the project was halted due to illness, several works were completed - including this short piano solo, originally premiered by composer-pianist Monica Chew; her work, COVID Bake-Off (libretto by Sandra Flores-Strand) is also appearing on this program, so it's a really lovely connection!" |
Pianist Stephen Lewis will perform the short solo at the start of the program this weekend.
| "I am also SO thrilled we're presenting music by composer Gwyneth Walker on this program. I really didn't know much about her music, but listening in rehearsals this week I have fallen in love with her writing. It's energetic, lush, dramatic, hilarious, gorgeous - she writes such an eclectic array of music. She kept writing even as she lived on a dairy farm in Vermont (as a Wisconsinite, especially, I felt kinship with her there!), producing over 400 works - and counting! I really hope I get the chance to meet her some day and talk about her music, but in the meantime I'm just thrilled we're sharing it with our audiences this weekend." |  Composer Gwyneth Walker on her dairy farm in Vermont |
New Wave Opera is presenting three Gwyneth Walker pieces this weekend: lily has a rose (text by E.E. Cummings), The Sunrise Ruby (text by Rumi), and Still (text by composer).
 Cover Art for "If You Cheese" | "We also were planning to premiere another food-themed work for this performance - a new trio, IF YOU CHEESE. The trio follows a woman named Bonnie trying to put together a last-minute order of a cheese board with her two friends - though her friends start to offer a lot more puns than help. All three vocalists - Lisa Neher, Lindsey Rae Johnson, and Allison Kim-Yok Knotts - sound lovely on it, and Stephen really impressed me with how fast he was able to pick up the dramatic runs and jumpy clusters of the piece. However, it needed just a little more time to 'mature,' so I'm really looking forward to the premiere on our August show at Raven's Manor instead! It will brie even feta than I imagined!" |
New Wave Opera presents its inaugural concert TOMORROW! Read more about the event, or RSVP to secure your seats today at the links below:
