H. Leslie Adams served as panelist on Cleveland Opera Theater's New Opera Works Festival on 1/21/2017 at Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music, Berea, Ohio

 The H. Leslie Adams (b. 1932) Homepage is at: 

http://www.hleslieadams.com  H. Leslie Adams 

is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a 

comprehensive Works List by Dr. Dominique-René de Lerma,http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com

Nkeiru Okoye

[Charleston Today]

http://www.nkeiruokoye.com/

H. Leslie Adams writes:

Composer H. Leslie Adams served as panelist on Cleveland Opera Theater's New Opera Works Festival on 1/21/2017 at Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music, Berea, Ohio.  The N.O.W. Festival is an annual program with the objective to create, develop and perform new opera. On this occasion a new opera by Nkeiru Okoye was the focus, first performing an act with soloists, chorus and orchestra, then presenting the complete libretto in dramatic fashion.  It was a fine way to introduce a new opera for audience development as well as providing the performers an opportunity to get a feel of the whole work. Composer Okoye is well known for her opera, Harriet Tubman.

Scott Skiba writes:

Dear All,

I'm excited to see you for the New Opera Forum - Featuring the preview of We've Got Our Eye ON You!

Thank you all for participating in the inaugural {NOW} Festival as creative artists and as panelists for the New Opera Forum.

The order of the program will proceed as follows:

New Opera Forum - Gamble Auditorium - Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music

Saturday, January 21, 3:00pm – 5:30pm, 2017

 

The New Opera Forum opens with a preview of We've Got Our Eye on You

Cast:

Enyo - Amber Monroe Pemphredo - Angela Mitchell Deino - Susan Fletcher Pythia - Adrianna Cleveland Perseus - Brian Johnson Conductor - Domenico Boyagian Stage Director – Lisa Yanofsky

Chorus Maddie Paydock, Soloist Anna Lowrey Ariana Davis Cody Gould Jake Dufresne

 

Concluding roughly at 3:20pm

 

-Short Pause-

 

The current We’ve Got Our Eye On You libretto will be read, then Nkeiru Okoye, composer and David Cote, librettist will take the stage for an interactive audience talk back discussion about the opera with the aim of strengthening the impact and clarity of dramatic and social themes.

 

Nkeiru, David is unable to travel to CLE due to family reasons.  So you will be  answering questions about the Opera, I'll assist in fielding questions and moving along the conversation.

-Intermission-

 

beginning roughly at 4:30pm 

Our distinguished panel of composers, librettists, conductors, singing actors, stage directors and producers of new opera will take the stage for an informative conversation about new opera.  The panel will share their experiences and audience questions will be taken.  Topics such as: the state of and direction of new opera, producing opera in the 21st century, and other aspects of creating, developing and producing new opera will be discussed.

This will be laid back, no pressure and good time.

• During the intermission the chairs will be set up and arranged for you on stage.

• We'll get you situated in your seats and ready for the Forum

• There will be no microphone:

• We're in a concert hall, and will have an intimate audience, so you'll be audible.

• I'll briefly explain the forum for the audience and then introduce each of you.

Panelists:

H. Leslie Adams

Domenico Boyagian

Kathryn Frady

Griffin Candey

David Cote – in absentia

Nkeiru Okoye

Johnathon Field

Larry Delinger

Brian Holman

Lisa Yanofsky

Then I'll ask each of you these questions:

2 minute  time limit to answer each question – you don’t have to take the entire 2 minutes. 

• I'll keep time and will move down the line of panelists for each question, then ask one audience member the same question. 

• Then move to the next question and move down the line of panelists.

• Q & A with the audience will follow as time permits.

New Opera Forum Panel Questions

 

Question 1:  2 parts

• What was your first experience with new opera?
• encounter as an audience member or as a creative artist etc.

• What would you say is your greatest personal achievement related to new opera? 
• A partnership, a gateway or bridge to opera, new audience engagement, effecting social change or starting conversation about it, engaging or empowering a community, pioneering new technology, etc.

Question 2:

• Why is new opera necessary?

Question 3:

• What is the greatest challenge you've experienced when creating, developing, performing or producing new opera?

Question 4:

• What can we do to help new operas have life beyond the premiere?

Question 5:

• What can we do to make new opera an accessible and a powerful advocate for attracting and retaining new audiences rather than something that might be viewed an esoteric overly specialized niche of an already "elitist" art form?

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