I was in Denton at the University of North Texas on Monday and Tuesday working with some of the very talented students pursuing graduate degrees in voice. I did this two years ago, and was asked back by Stephen Dubberly and Paula Homer to select this year’s recipient of the bi-annual Winspear Opera Scholarship.
It was also an opportunity to hear some singers who have the potential to become involved with the Dallas Opera’s education and outreach programs that are produced in cooperation with both UNT and SMU.
I don’t want to scoop UNT’s press announcement by divulging the winner here, but I was very impressed by several of the competitors, and enjoyed meeting and getting to know these promising young musicians.
On another unrelated topic, I don’t know if any of you have been watching the new ABC TV series GCB. It is trying to be a sort of cross between DALLAS and DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.
Frankly, I don’t know anyone in town who is still watching (which may be because they are easily offended by the unfortunate stereotyping of Dallas society or simply be because the writers haven’t found their stride yet) but I bring it up for one very important reason.
In two separate episodes different characters have mentioned going to The Dallas Opera. In last Sunday’s episode the character played by Annie Potts mentioned that she was underwriting the elephants in AIDA next season. Now I have no way of knowing if the show’s writers actually knew that we were opening next year with that opera, or if it was simply a coincidence, but I now feel justified in continuing to watch this “guilty pleasure” just in case our opera company gets mentioned again.
Oh, and by the way, unless Annie Potts sends us a check, we don’t plan to have any elephants in our AIDA.
Sorry Annie.