UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATER AWARDS |
The Third Annual Utah High School Musical Theater Awards was such an amazing, inspiring, and talent-filled evening!
We are continuously blown away by the productions that Utah high schools mount, and honored to be able to recognize their contributions to the arts.
Our deepest gratitude to all who participated, volunteered, and donated. It would not have been possible without each of you!!
Click here to see the winners
Dear Friends,
Michael Ballam as Tevye. Sounds strange, no? After having played over 100 roles, I am most honored to don the prayer shawl of Tevye for the first time. He began living in my heart as a hero when I was 13 and saw Zero Mostel in the original production. Providence smiled in 1995 when I met Sheldon Harnick, the genius who wrote "Is this the little girl I carried?" We are thrilled he will be in Logan this summer to be part of Fiddler on the Roof and to workshop another of his musicals he wrote with Richard Rodgers. Fiddler may well be the most impactful musical in American history. It has done more to counter the nightmare of the holocaust than any work of the stage.
For our 21st birthday we're coming of age by celebrating the bicentennial of the two titans of opera: Verdi and Wagner. Verdi's setting of Shakespeare's supreme tragedy Otello, and Wagner's setting of the great Nordic legend The Flying Dutchman will be our most ambitious productions yet. We'll celebrate two icons of the 20th Century, Irving Berlin and Britain's superhero Andrew Lloyd Webber. Berlin will be honored with a concert tribute to America's most prolific songwriter. We conducted our most exhaustive national search ever to bring together the perfect cast for the long-awaited worldwide favorite Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Experience the full festivities with backstage tours, breakfast with the stars, Academy classes, and six spectacular concerts. Come be our guest.
MICHAEL BALLAM
Founding General Director
INT'L OPERA COMPETITION |
We are pleased to announce that Sara María Pardo, 1st Place Winner of the 2012 Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico International Opera Competition this past summer, represented the United States wonderfully at the finals of the Concorso Internazionale di Musica, held November 24th & 25th in Alessandria, Italy. Ms. Pardo won a special award for excellence in interpretation of her Mozart and Bellini arias. Our congratulations to Sara for her achievement!
For more information | Click Here
RAPZ TAX APPROVED |
We are so pleased to see the support that was given by the voters of Cache County for the renewal of the RAPZ tax. 87+% of votes were in favor of continuing to support the Recreation, Arts, Parks, and Zoos of our community.
The Herald Journal | Voters approve of county RAPZ tax by wide margin
BROADWAY OR BUST! |
This exciting new series chronicles the lives of America's top high school musical performers and their once-in-a-lifetime experiences at the 2012 National High School Musical Theater Awards, including Utah's Peter Lambert and Malia Morley!
Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre is proud to sponsor the Utah High School Musical Theater Awards, one of the participating regional competitions nationwide.
For more information or to watch online | Click Here.
Deseret News | TV preview: Two Utah students to be featured in PBS' 'Broadway or Bust' series
The Salt Lake Tribune | It’s 'Broadway or Bust' for pair of Utah teens
Television » Peter Lambert and Malia Morely are part of a cast of 60 youngsters performing on PBS documentary.
WINNERS OF THE 4TH ANNUAL INT'L OPERA COMPETITION |
Congratulations to the winners of the 4th annual Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico International Opera Competition:
Sara María Pardo – 1st Place Winner
Alyssa Martin – Alternate
John Buffett – Audience Favorite
Thank you to all of the talented artists who participated, including Benjamin Salisbury for his outstanding performance during the deliberation of the judges.
Special thanks to our wonderful audience for their participation!
Ms. Pardo will be sent expense free to Alessandria, Italy to compete in the finals of the Concorso Internazionale di Musica, where she will join contestants from around the globe for the opportunity to sing in front of European agents and operatic producers. Ms. Pardo will also present a debut performance in Italy. Should Ms. Pardo not be able to participate in the finals, Ms. Martin as alternate will go in her place.
2012 FINALISTS |
(in alphabetical order):
John Buffett
Samus Haddad
Jeremiah Johnson
Alyssa Martin
Sara María Pardo
Krista Rose Wilhelm
UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA'S 20TH YEAR BEGINS JULY 11 |
By Michelle Garrett, Deseret News
Published: Sunday, July 8 2012 4:00 p.m. MDT
LOGAN — In 1988, the abandoned, deteriorating Capitol Theatre in Logan was about to be demolished.
Michael Ballam, a soloist who has sung in opera houses worldwide, knew the value of the theater and launched a $6.5 million fundraising effort to save it.
Now named for philanthropist Ellen Eccles, the theater is alive and bustling with an annual celebration of the performing arts. The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, which runs July 11-Aug. 11 in the Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan, is celebrating its 20th year.
This season’s lineup features two of the most-performed operas of the 20th century, "Faust" and Puccini’s "Tosca," along with two blockbuster Broadway musicals, "My Fair Lady" and "Kiss Me, Kate."
In honor of Judy Garland’s 90th birthday, the festival will also include a staging of the Gershwins' "Girl Crazy" — Garland starred in the 1943 film version — and a concert titled "Tribute to Judy Garland."
The festival has many other shows and activities, including classes on performing arts, history and culture; talk backs with artists after the show; and a conducting seminar with former Mormon Tabernacle Choir director Craig Jessop.
The event has, Ballam said, something for everyone.
Metropolitan Opera baritone Kyle Pfortmiller is returning for his fourth season at the festival and will be in starring roles in three of the four major shows, including Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady." Ballam jokingly suggested the festival be renamed after Pfortmiller.
Pfortmiller said juggling three parts has gone smoother than he expected, thanks to help from the staff. He is pleased to be involved.
"There’s no place else in the world where I could do this kind of repertoire with this kind of orchestra that I have here," Pfortmiller said. "There’s no place else where I’m able to work at such a high level with such great artists as my colleagues. Every person in the ensemble here could stand up and be a soloist."
Pfortmiller added that he has friends who have traveled to attend the world’s best opera performances, and when they come see his shows at the Utah festival, they enjoy it just as much.
Conductor Barbara Day Turner has been with the festival for 11 seasons and said she keeps coming back for the variety, the people she works with, the beautiful nature and the attention to the art form that she said is not often seen.
Since its creation 20 years ago, the festival has raised approximately $150 million for the community, Ballam said. Only 10 percent of the audience comes from Cache Valley and visitors are able to enjoy all aspects of the local scene. But, he said, financial gains are only the beginning of the festival’s influence.
"It has enabled people in this region to see world-class opera and allowed young people to learn the craft," Ballam said.
His goal is to collect "genius pools," so people can learn from accomplished performers, rather than celebrities.
"It’s not just about coming to see a show," he said. "It’s about coming and immersing oneself in the celebration of art."
For more information, visit ufomt.org.
