The board of the 111-year-old Philadelphia Orchestra Saturday voted in favor of Chapter 11, sources say. Papers will be filed within hours or days in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, asking for reorganization, according to orchestra leaders.
The move makes the Philadelphia Orchestra the first major U.S. ensemble known to file for bankruptcy, according to orchestra industry groups and veteran observers.
Opera San José General Manager, Larry Hancock has announced that Christopher Bengochea and Sandra Bengochea (Rubacalva) will join the cast of Opera San José’s La bohème opening April 23 at the California Theatre in downtown San José.
The husband and wife team will reprise the roles they played in Opera San José’s 2006 production of La bohème. Mrs. Bengochea (Rubacalva) will perform the role of the flirtatious Musetta on April 23, 28, May 1, and 3. Mr. Bengochea will assume the role of Rodolfo, the young Parisian poet for the April 24, 30, May 6, and 8 performances. Due to personal health reasons, resident artists Betany Coffland and Michael Dailey will be unable to perform as originally scheduled.
I do wish Betany and Michael speedy recoveries!
Last summer, Jouvanca Jean-Baptiste packed up her Toyota and spent five days driving solo from Miami (her home since age 9) to the South Bay (and a new gig with Opera San Jose).
“I’d never ventured further than Tampa — Busch Gardens,” says the 31-year-old soprano, who listened, while driving, to “everything from the Beatles to the Who to the Clash to ‘Aida!’ ” she says. “And the ‘Ring’ Cycle; that’s 16 hours right there, a good part of the trip.”
Jean-Baptiste, who dubs herself “the Haitian diva,” is endowed with more than a strikingly opulent voice. Irene Dalis, Opera San Jose’s founder and a former diva at the Metropolitan Opera, isn’t exaggerating when she says, “This young lady has something that cannot be taught — stage presence, the ability to get inside a character.”
I had talked to MIss Dalis at our Anna Karenina opening night and she said pretty much the same thing then, too!
Jouvanca has a great voice. She’s also very approachable … and quite witty! 🙂
I’ve put this video up before, but why not post it again, yes?
Ya i would live next door to the only oboe player left in the world…. nightly serenades, oh my favorite thing…
OHH YEAHHHH. Tutor came today. Mr [name here]. My oboe tutor. I dont like him. So ugly. But I love him taday. He gave us awesome reeds. 😀
Summertime (1935) Ub Iwerks ComiColor Cartoon
How many works can you name in this one? Do tell!
