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Viva La Fiesta de Santa Fe

Monday, September 5th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The big art events are behind us, the Opera season has concluded, and now it’s time for the Santa Fe locals to have a party….a party that’s almost 300 years old! Although the City of Santa Fe celebrates its history and heritage throughout the year, Fiesta de Santa Fe heralds the approach of autumn with all of its attendant glories, fresh green chile, golden aspens and refreshingly cool mornings, welcome after the heat of summer. Viva La Fiesta de Santa Fe!

Welcome to Our Party!

Fiesta events encompass somber recollections of the past in conjunction with the delights of the present, in short, they offer a little bit of everything for everyone. Although the Fiesta Council works diligently throughout the year to ensure that the Fiesta court has been chosen and the event schedule coordinated, the majority of  Fiesta events take place during the week that coincides with the Labor Day holiday.

The annual Labor Day Arts and Crafts Festival takes place all day on the Plaza through Monday, September 5th, and local artisans will be on hand to talk about their work. Music will ring out at the Fiestacita at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center on Tuesday, September 6 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. And if you simply must have the music continue, there will be two more opportunities to enjoy the happy sounds of the trumpet and guitarron at a Concierto de Mariachi at the Lensic on Wednesday, September 7 at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Lovin' That Guitarron!

History buffs can make an afternoon visit to the New Mexico History Museum on Wednesday, September 7, and return at 6:30 p.m. to learn more at an informative lecture, entitled “Death Along the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro 167o,” presented by Dr. Joseph Sanchez.  Dr. Sanchez examines the dramatic escape of Bernardo Gruber, branded as a witch by the Spanish Inquisition.

Thursday is given over to the burning of Zozobra, Old Man Gloom, a 50+ foot puppet (for lack of a better term), who offers Santa Fesinos the opportunity to put an end to the dark thoughts and distractions of the year. This annual conflagration, created by artist Will Shuster in 1924, pre-dates Nevada’s Burning Man by 60-some years, and advance tickets are advised. Following the burning of Zozobra, the revelry flows down to the Plaza, for music, munching and merriment. With on-field attendance at 25K, take note that Zozobra is NOT for agoraphobics or the faint-at-heart!

If You Think He Looks Big Here...

The firm commitment made to La Conquistadora in 1712 to commemorate the re-conquest of Santa Fe after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 includes several religious events, including the Pregon de La Fiesta at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, September 9, in the historic Rosario Chapel. There will be a Pontifical Mass celebrated by Archbishop Sheehan on Sunday, September 11 at 10:00 a.m., that starts with a Procession from the Plaza to St. Francis Cathedral. And Fiesta events also end on a more solemn note, with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, September 11, at 7:00 p.m. at the beautiful Cathedral, followed by a candlelight procession to the Cross of the Martyrs.

Like all small towns, Santa Fe loves a parade, and Fiesta offers two to enjoy, complete with marching bands. On Saturday September 10 at 9:00 a.m., the children of the City Different bring out their pets, both live and stuffed, for the unique Pet Parade, Desfile de los Ninos, where you might encounter a lizard dressed as Don Diego de Vargas or a few adorable Senorita Barbies! Sunday, September 11 is the Desfile de La Gente, aka the Hysterical/Historical Parade, in which residents poke fun at local figures and national events. And speaking of hysterical, clapping, stomping and booing are all welcome behavior at the Santa Fe Playhouse, when the Fiesta Melodrama, anonymously penned each year, skewers pols and prima donnas alike.

I Love a Parade!

Entertainment takes place all weekend on the Plaza Bandstand, with folkloric dance, traditional music, and Fiesta garb galore. The Gran Baile takes place at the Community Convention Center on Saturday night, September 10, at 7:30 p.m.; you’ll certainly see some fancy Fiesta fashions there. And food booths will be wafting tempting aromas around the downtown streets throughout the weekend.

Our Fiesta de Santa Fe holds a very special place in our hearts, and we invite you to join us as we fondly declaim, “Vivan Las Fiestas! Que Viva!”

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Santa Fe Opera Marathon

Monday, August 15th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The Santa Fe Opera, Highway US 84/285

For tickets: Box Office 505-986-5900 and 800-280-4654, or by email boxoffice@santafeopera.org

Truth be told, my outing was actually a trifecta, rather than a marathon, but perhaps you’ll get the idea. Over the years, I have wondered what it would be like to attend multiple performances in a single week at our wonderful Santa Fe Opera, so I took finally took the opportunity to learn for myself.

John Crosby's Brilliant Idea

Every year, the opera offers subscription rates that are a good 20% lower than standard prices, and these options include a trio, quartet or quintet of performances. Since the box office is both intelligent and understanding, these performance blocks always take place in August, when the curtain time drops down to 8:30pm for the first two weeks and then to 8:00pm for the last two weeks. If you know you’re up for a full dose of grand music, then this is definitely the way to go!

With my faithful opera companion in tow, I started this opera trifecta with The Last Savage, Gian Carlo Menotti’s forgotten opera buffa, premiered in 1963 at the Opera Comique in Paris. Aided by the able stagecraft of all departments, Director Ned Canty has boldly brought this neglected gem back to life. Simply put, entertainment in spades! Fluffy, yes, but stuffed with characters and ideas that make one think and so beautifully sung. In fact, we loved it so much, we went back again, bringing an 11-year-old for her first SFO experience, as this production is a perfect introduction to the joys of opera.

Let's Look at the Story

I make a point of not reading the program before I see the performance, but even without seeing the credits, as the lights went down and the sprigtly sounds floated up, years of attendance at SFO told me immediately that the talented George Manahan was in the pit for The Last Savage.  Baritone Daniel Okulitch was alternately touching and tough (and buff!) in the role of Abdul, the aforementioned Savage, who learns the difference between the savagery of the jungle and that of the city, discovering that he wants “no more of your false light that so deceived me.” Listening to Anna Christy, the soprano who “tames” this savage, one is simply awed by the big voice coming out of this single-minded little package.  Kevin Burdette gave an amusing performance as Kitty’s father, Mr. Scattergood, evincing both perception and distraction as an American millionaire and over-indulgent father. Jamie Barton and Thomas Hammons made a convincing royal couple as the Maharanee and her Maharajah, while tenor Sean Pannikkar sang ardently as their son, Kodanda, secretly in love with the sweet-voiced Jennifer Zetlan as Sardula. And oh, those hilarious dancing servants; choreographer Sean Curran, we thank you!

Savage Loose in the City!

The Savage and His Mate

Our next outing brought us to Antonio Vivaldi’s Griselda, representing SFO’s commitment over the years to mixing the baroque with the lyric, the early centuries of opera with the more recent past.  With director Peter Sellars, one always knows that there will be a surprise, and indeed, this staging was no exception. Framed with a massive backdrop painted by L.A. artist Gronk, and with the firm hand of Grant Gershon guiding the orchestra (including a theorbo!), a stellar cast brought this challenging and somewhat cruel story to life in a distinctly modern setting.  As the lowly-born but truly loving Queen Griselda, contralto Meredith Arwady kept her innate majesty intact throughout the series of trials and tribulations imposed by her husband King Gualtiero, sung by tenor Paul Groves. Soprano Isabel Leonard was sweetly innocent as their long-lost daughter Costanza, and in her Santa Fe Opera debut and first ever pants-role as Griselda’s would-be lover, Ottone, Amanda Majeski was silken and persuasive. The embarrassment of vocal riches in this baroque piece includes the rarity of two, yes two, counter-tenors, David Daniels and Yuri Minenko, both ably demonstrating their unusual gifts. The story line and libretto offer concepts of love, loyalty and leadership to ruminate upon, with Griselda’s comment that “the wise helmsman knows the proud fury of the waves” seeming quite apt in these highly-charged political times.

The Royal Family

And a Regal Cast

Our opera week came to a denouement with Alban Berg’s powerful and sorrowful Wozzeck. A revival of the 2001 production mounted by SFO, this season’s production felt fresh and fit the story perfectly, with scenic design that was claustrophobic and crazy by turns. With the terrific Richard Paul Fink embodying the title role, it was impossible not to grieve for this tormented character and his seemingly inevitable fate. Nicola Beller Carbone gave an intense performance as his unfaithful lover, who reaps the nasty consequences of her actions, leaving an orphaned son behind. (As an aside, I take this moment to note how terrific all the child actotrs have been this season; as the opera folk say “Toi, Toi, Toi! to all the kiddies.) Supporting characters were well-cast, with the ever-so-slightly menacing Eric Owens as The Doctor, Stuart Skelton as the self-satisfied Drum Major, and Robert Brubaker as the unnervingly hysteric Captain, who expresses the timely sentiment that he’s “scared for the world when I think of eternity.” Indeed!

Good Soldier Wozzeck and His Captain

Say a Prayer for Doomed Marie

Yes, a marathon of performances is doable, I did it and so can you, since there is still time in which to do it. Although the summer is waning, the Santa Fe Opera season runs through August 27, and rumor has it that tickets are still available. Curtain time for these last two weeks is a very reasonable 8:00pm, and that means you can go to sleep to hear beautiful music in your dreams and still wake up early enough to enjoy the great Santa Fe weather. The soaring chorus may tell us in song that “In this world, all things must change…,” but the glorious musical theater that the Santa Fe Opera brings us every year changes only for the better.

Images by Ken Howard, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera, all rights reserved.

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Santa Fe Opera Here and Now!

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The Santa Fe Opera, Highway US 84/285

For tickets: Box Office 505-986-5900 and 800-280-4654, or by email boxoffice@santafeopera.org

The Santa Fe Opera: Photo by Robert Godwin

It’s a fact that some times of year are just more exciting than others. And for Santa Fe and its myriad of opera-lovers, that time of year is right now! A July 1st opening night found this opera fan (who, it must be noted, is not a music critic) delighted to be in attendance at the Santa Fe Opera‘s first-ever performance of Charles Gounod’s Faust. A devilish tale of life lessons, laced throughout with haunting melodies, Gounod’s grand opera premiered in Paris in 1859 with a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré. Based on Carré’s play Faust et Marguerite, which was in turn fashioned after Goethe’s Faust, Part 1, this is the story of an aging philosopher, who re-discovers the passion and excitement of youth, just as he is ready to take a suicidal exit from his wearying existence. How to get that new lease on life? Simply forfeit your soul to the devil! A cautionary tale indeed, since the result is “the torment of eternal remorse,” as Faust himself so tellingly puts it.

Energetically conducted by Frederic Chaslin, at the beginning of his first full season as the Opera’s Music Director, Faust came to life with an orchestra that sounded rich and sprightly throughout, and Craig Smith’s loan of an electronic organ was nicely worked into the staging. The production was inventive and exciting, the costumes were appropriately evocative, and the incidental music was choreographically well-served. Mark S. Doss cut an impressively commanding figure as Mephistopheles, and Bryan Hymel’s interpretation of the title role was nuanced and assured. Ailyn Perez sweetly voiced the role of Marguerite and sorrowfully embodied her character’s tragic fate, in the face of repudiation by her brother, Valentin, portrayed with honesty and strength by Matthew Worth. Jennifer Holloway, memorable as Price Charming a few seasons back, sang the role of the young lover, Siebel, with passion and grace (I confess, I do love a pants role). One leaves the theatre with deep satisfaction after such an engaging premiere, especially when the 3.5 hour running time seems to pass so quickly! Bravo!

Yes, The Devil Made Them Do It! Santa Fe Opera Photo: Ken Howard

Dancing Beauties are Dazzling in Faust! Santa Fe Opera Photo: Ken Howard

Founded in 1957 by the late John Crosby, a young conductor and devoted Richard Strauss fan (Strauss’ Arabella returns for the 2012 SFO season) from New York, the Santa Fe Opera was born out of a desire to give American singers an opportunity to learn and perform new roles in a peaceful rural setting with plenty of time to acclimate to the mountain air and rehearse accordingly. While Mr. Crosby himself spent plenty of time in the pit, engaging young conductors have been welcomed by the orchestra and the audience alike. From its humble beginnings, with wooden benches and a roof-less stage, over the course of the last 54 years, the Santa Fe Opera has grown into a powerful cultural and economic engine for the Land of Enchantment. Its reputation for daring new productions and commissions attracts both artists and patrons to the tune of about $200 million annually. That’s not chicken feed, particularly for a state rich in culture if not in cash!

Opening night is always a wonderful event, not only for the performance, but also for tail-gating parties and those who like to observe and learn from them. From a simple pair of TV trays to white linens and crystal flutes, it’s all out there in the parking lot, and we have our beautiful outdoor Crosby Theater to thank for this opportunity to dine al fresco. Bring your own or reserve a picnic, either way, it’s a whole lot of fun. One may conceivably be able to wolf down a sandwich on the fly outside Lincoln Center, but it’s not quite the same as sitting down under a beautiful sunset enjoying fine food, favorite friends and the frisson of excitement generated by the knowledge that the orchestra is tuning up and the lights are about to go down.

Tailgating Deluxe and Delicious

Also making its opening appearance over the weekend was Giacomo Puccini’s perennially popular La Boheme. Premiered in Turin in 1896, with a richly emotional libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, this enduring favorite was based a set of tales by Henri Murger entitled Scènes de la Vie de Bohème. Performed in ten previous seasons at SFO, this lyrical opera never fails to thrill, from the first notes right through to the sad denouement. What’s not to love about a love story? Especially when when it’s an Italian opera conducted with passion and verve by an Italian conductor, Leonardo Vordoni, leading a cast of beautiful voices, headed by tenor, David Lomeli, and soprano, Ana Maria Martinez! Although mine was a dress rehearsal experience, no one held back – Mr. Lomeli sang ardently, and Ms. Martinez’ performance was touching and tender. The role of Musetta was ably sung by Heidi Stober, familiar to Santa Fe audiences from her role in the amusing production of Platee in 2007. Reprising his 2007 Boheme role as her on-again, off-again lover, the artist Marcello, Corey McKern painted his portrayal boldly. This particular tale always resonates in a city like Santa Fe, where artists of all types come to pursue their passions, although with our adobe architecture, we are rather short on garrets.

Vive La Vie Boheme! Santa Fe Opera Photo: Ken Howard

Love Can Bloom, Even in a Garret Santa Fe Opera Photo: Ken Howard

With a total of five operas programmed each summer, there are three other choices in the repertoire, thoughtfully chosen to appeal to the eclectic tastes of opera fans. And with the adventurous spirit that SFO has always demonstrated, two more are premieres for the company! Noted director Peter Sellars returns to Santa Fe to conduct the first U.S. production of Antonio Vivaldi’s Griselda, with Meredith Arwady in the title role, Paul Groves (last year’s Hoffmann) as her husband Gualterio, and as Roberto, the exciting countertenor, David Daniels, returning to the Santa Fe stage for the first time since 2008. The light and lyrical touch of Gian-Carlo Menotti will be on display in a witty new production of his opera buffa, The Last Savage, also a first for the company. The final piece to make an appearance onstage (with only four performances, so reserve tickets soon) will be Alban Berg’s powerful masterpiece, Wozzeck, with Richard Paul Fink making his SFO debut in the demanding title role.

Gronk Making the Set for Griselda, Photo: Santa Fe Opera

One of the consistently remarkable features of the Santa Fe Opera is the stellar apprentice program. At the time the Opera came into being, esteemed founder Mr. Crosby had the foresight to create an environment designed to nurture and cultivate young singers who have in turn blessed the company with their youthful enthusiasm. Many talented singers whose names can be found in the programs of the world’s leading opera houses enhanced their singing careers with a summer in Santa Fe, and well over 1000 aspiring artists have been part of the summer program. Some may continue with professional singing careers, and others might morph into voice teachers or coaches who pass the torch on to others. In 1965, an apprentice program for the technical aspects of theater was added, and it too has developed through the years into fine training tool that complements the performing arts, thus enriching both sides of the stage. You can get a sneak peek at the stars of tomorrow on August 14 or August 21 by attending one of the two apprentice showcases, excellent opportunities to introduce younger family members to the joys of opera without a deep commitment of money or time (you can just leave if the kids get fidgety).

Visit the Cantina for a Preview Buffet Santa Fe Opera photo: Robert Godwin

The Crosby Theatre Santa Fe Opera Photo: Robert Reck

In conjunction with the training programs at the Opera, there is a broad set of informative community outreach programs and amenities aimed at creating future audiences by ensuring that opera is accessible and appealing to a new generation.  The very unique Pueblo Opera Program welcomes Native American youth from the nineteen pueblos and three reservations located throughout New Mexico. Opera attendees also get educated;  rather than distracting super-titles above the stage, the Crosby theater is one of the lucky few with unobtrusive opera titles – in either English or Spanish (translated by the erudite Fernando Mayans, well-known to many local Spanish language students) – on individual screens right in front of each seat, enhancing appreciation of the stage action. And there are other educational benefits for visitors, from daily backstage tours beginning at 9:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday to prelude talks before performances, as well as a series of community events. If you don’t have time for the theater tour, just hop onto the Opera’s new blog for a sneak peek at what’s happening on the back deck!

All Ages and Sizes are Welcome!

Even for those who are not die-hard opera fans, the Santa Fe Opera should be part of a Santa Fe vacation. It is one of the real jewels of the City Different, and like all precious gems, its lustre shines brightest when you see it in person.  As always, tickets are selling fast, so don’t delay! Dress up in your finery (with a warm wrap for changeable high desert weather) or come in your jeans, but don’t miss out. As Mimi sings in La Boheme “I love enchanting things…,” and this is truly one of the most enchanting ways to spend a night in the Land of Enchantment!

Don't Miss Out on an Enchanting Night at the Opera!

Santa Fe Opera Photos courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera, All Rights Reserved

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Santa Fe Summer Music

Monday, June 20th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

Santa Fe Sunsets are Sublime

As the days grow longer, the brilliant blue skies are laced with clouds, and the sunsets grow more dramatic. This means summer is here, and there’s more to do in the City Different! We know that one of the things visitors enjoy most about our unique little city is the relaxed pace of life, the feeling that whatever does not get accomplished today can always wait until manana. Santa Fe embodies a lifestyle that allows one to thrill to glowing skyscapes and enjoy morning strolls in the cool morning weather…..but as summer arrives, so does the diverse musical scene for which the city is known. Here are a few ideas of how to create a aurally awesome vacation!

The Santa Fe Opera

Renowned for good reason, this outdoor theater brings great music and theater to life in Santa Fe from July 1 through August 27 this year. A mixture of classics and premieres guarantees that there will be something from the opera repertoire for everyone to enjoy at the beautiful Crosby Theatre. Chief conductor Fredric Chaslin opens the Santa Fe Opera season on July 1, with a new production of Charles Gounod’s Faust, and Giacomo Puccini’s perennially popular La Bohemeopens on July 2. Renowned director Peter Sellars comes back to Santa Fe to direct the first American staging of Antonio Vivaldi’s Griselda, and audiences will be entertained with a new production of Gian-Carlo Menotti’s grand opera buffa The Last Savage. Completing the schedule will be Alban Berg’s Wozzeck,returning to the Santa Fe Opera stage for the first time since 2001. For guests without a vehicle, the Opera shuttle will pick guests up at the Inn and return them after the performance (reservations required with a credit card). The Opera Guild hosts a buffet dinner before the performances (again, reservations are required), with an entertaining lecture to prepare for the ensuing performance, and those who prefer the casual nature of tailgating can reserve a picnic to pick up right at the Opera grounds. Daily backstage tours take place Monday through Saturday (a mere $5 Monday-Friday and free on Saturday) until August 27 and depart from the Box Office at 9 a.m. And when the Opera brings down its curtain at the end of August, the stage belongs to the one and only Willie Nelson, appearing there in concert for one night only, September 17.

Tailgating at the Opera

The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival

Now in its 38th season, the Santa Fe Chamber Music presents a roster rich with concerts of depth and intimacy each week from July through August. These are performed in the Lensic Performing Arts Center and the St. Francis Auditorium. The inspired artistic leadership of composer/pianist Marc Neikrug brings both distinguished musicians and emerging young talents to the City Different during the 6-week Santa Fe season. The Composer-in-Residence program, inaugurated in 1976, encourages a free flow of communication among composers, musicians, and audiences through premieres of commissioned works and concert performances of a composer’s other works. In 2010, the Festival also inaugurated an exciting new Artist-in-Residence program to showcase the special talents of specific artists, and this year’s honored guest artist is the fantastic soprano, Dawn Upshaw, a familiar voice from her Santa Fe Opera performances in the past. By offering open rehersals, the Festival provides a wonderful opportunity to see how a particular performance takes shape before it is presented to the concert-going public. Many performers return year after year, and local favorites like the Orion String Quartet and pianist Ceclie Licad will be on the stage again this summer. That Santa Fe music fans truly value the Festival is evidenced by the many committed volunteers who spend their evenings ushering, pouring coffee or handing out tickets.

People + Plaza + Performers = Pleasure!

Summerscene on the Plaza

If a more casual musical scene is appealing, the ever-popular Santa Fe Bandstand concerts offer free mid-day and evening performances from early July through the middle of August, right downtown on the historic Santa Fe Plaza. Concerts take place Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 6pm, and on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at noon. Local and national performers run the gamut of musical genres from Native American to world music, and you might even see some swing dancers strutting their stuff. You can bring a lawn chair or a blanket, with your own picnic or with food from vendors on and around the Plaza area. Music-loving locals will be out in force, and this is a great time to see the range of residents, young and old, all drawn to the City Different for different reasons.

Music on the Hill at St. John’s College

Yet another popular outdoor musical experience is the St. John’s College Wednesday evening music series, running from early June into July, with a 6pm concert time. Experience suggests an early arrival since parking is minimal, although Santa Fe Rapid Transit will run shuttles from Museum Hill every 15 minutes from 5-9pm. Walter Burke Catering will be selling food, but you can also just bring your own picnic!

The Lensic: One of Santa Fe's Real Gems!

The Lensic Performing Arts Center

And let’s not forget the Lensic! As if we could…Santa Fe is so grateful for the panoply of events that take place in our beautifully restored Performing Arts Center. In between chamber music concerts and readings, individual performers and groups will hold sway throughout the summer, with the New Mexico Jazz Festival and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale appearing in July and the Santa Fe Concert Association celebrating its 75th anniversary season with a gala concert in August.

Music lovers love Santa Fe, and we love to have them enjoy with us the many melodies made here! Feel free to call us here at the Inn for more information about events this summer; it’s our pleasure to help you make sweet music out of a Santa Fe vacation!

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Santa Fe Travel Leads Home

Thursday, February 17th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

Santa Fe may be a southwestern paradise, but we locals do leave on occasion, even if the time of year is foreboding…and even when the foreboding is borne out in fact! When the weather delays that froze up 2/3 of the country kept this Santa Fe traveler in the Big Apple with additional time to fill, a business trip bestowed unexpected pleasures that more than made up for the 30-hour return trip (which also yielded renewed appreciation for the stamina and commitment of our guests, who sometimes arrive so tired!).

Snow in the Big Apple

Since I am one of our Santa Fe Opera‘s most ardent fans, extra time meant that a visit to the Metropolitan Opera was inevitable. Waiting through the long months between seasons here in Santa Fe makes having the “opera-tunity” to see a live performance especially delightful. While I have been solaced monthly by the Met simulcasts shown locally at the Lensic Center, nothing really compares to that opening moment when the conductor steps onto the podium and the lights go down. It’s simply thrilling! Thanks to our excellent local Opera company, I had last seen Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra back in the summer of 2004, when Mark Delavan sang the title role and Patricia Racette, a Santa Fe favorite, sang the role of his daughter, Amelia.

Patricia Racette as Amelia and Mark Delavan as Simon; Santa Fe Opera 2004 Production of Simon Boccanegra

Our  rapidly-changing Santa Fe weather always contributes an element of danger (the possibility of wild winds, lightning and thunder) that suits lush historical tales like this one. No fear of weather ensconced safely indoors at the Met, however, where the sense of danger came from the story, full of intrigue and big brassy horns, not to mention Dmitri Hvorostovsky‘s silver mane!  It was a stunning performance, and I came away with the satisfaction of finally seeing James Levine on the podium, a long-held desire. Now that long-held desire has transmuted into patiently waiting for opening night here in Santa Fe, which takes place on Friday, July 1, 2011, with a new production of Charles Gounod’s Faust, led by chief conductor, Frederic Chaslin and director Stephen Lawless. Faust…now that’s a dangerous story!

"Full Court Press" for Simon Boccanegra at the Santa Fe Opera 2004

While waiting for my rescheduled departure, I headed for the other Met, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where a photography exhibition of works by Stieglitz, Steichen and Strand was on display. Nice alliteration on that title and a very serendipitous Santa Fe sense of familiarity for a visiting New Mexican! While I have seen some of Alfred Stieglitz’s beautiful photos of Georgia O’Keeffe at our wonderful O’Keeffe Museum, in an exhibition of this size, there were naturally some exciting discoveries. Beautiful partial nudes and detailed photos of O’Keeffe’s gorgeous (and talented) hands spoke volumes about the deep connection that bound these two artists together.

Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O’Keeffe – Hands, 1919 (printed 1920-1930s) ©Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

It’s no surprise that photographer Paul Strand also spent plenty of time in New Mexico, as have so many artists of all persuasions. Interested parties can peruse the fruits of his labor with a copy of Paul Strand Southwest from our local Photo-Eye Gallery and Bookstore located in Santa Fe on Garcia Street, just a short stroll from the Inn. Even Edward Steichen has a NM connection, with the 1995 book published by the University of New Mexico Press, Picturing an Exhibition: The Family of Man and 1950s America.  In this book, author Eric Sandeen presents a study of Steichen’s historic exhibit and its subsequent global influence, along the way examining the exhibit’s origins, Steichen’s beliefs and background, and the aim of his image selection, all reflected through the lens of the 1950s.  Steichen’s work in the Met exhibit certainly demonstrates his broad array of interests, but there’s always something else to be learned from the back story, especially when the opportunity to learn is found so close to home.

And in a wintery, blustery city with 7-foot high snowbanks, isn’t finding hometown connections one of the comforts of travel? Now if the Big Apple only had our great green chile (an immediate visit to Atrisco ensued upon return), a lonely Santa Fe traveler would never feel far from home!

MMMMM...Green Chile!

Santa Fe Opera Photographs courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera, all rights reserved. Alfred Steiglitz Photograph ©Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

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Santa Fe: Lucky to have the Lensic

Thursday, January 13th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The Lensic Performing Arts Center
211 West San Francisco Street in Santa Fe, NM
Phone: 505.988.7050    Box Office: 505.988.1234
E-News at http://www.lensic.org/content/lensic_enews

The Distinctive Lensic Performing Arts Center

Total opera fan that I am, the time between summer seasons of the Santa Fe Opera seems particularly long right about now. That’s why the live HD simlucasts from the Metropolitan Opera are so welcome. Santa Fe screenings are held on the appointed Saturdays at the Lensic Performing Arts Center, so I headed there last Saturday for my opera fix, in this case La Fanciulla del West by Puccini, whose La Boheme comes back to Santa Fe this summer. As we settled into our seats for a few hours of glorious music, I was struck yet again at the glories of this landmark theatre and all the wonderful things it has made possible in Santa Fe.

A versatile performing arts center located right off the Santa Fe Plaza, the Lensic originated as a movie and vaudeville theater, with a 69-year run before closing, a passing that was deeply mourned by Santa Fesinos for whom memories of a movie and dinner downtown live on in their minds as the perfect date.  The Lensic was built by Nathan Salmon, an immigrant from Syria, who chose to make Santa Fe his home in the late 1800′s, after being stranded here by a snowstorm. An enterprising individual with an immigrant’s belief in the real value of property, Mr. Salmon bought land parcels throughout the Santa Fe and Albuquerque area. In 1930, despite the devastating pressures of the Great Depression, Mr. Salmon and his son-in-law, E. John Greer, made plans to build what they called a ‘Spanish style’ theater, with up-to-date projection and sound equipment  that could offer both live performances and the new ‘talking’ pictures to the then-11,000 residents of Santa Fe.

A 'Spanish Style' Theater for Santa Fe

The Salmon-Greer partnership broke ground for the theatre in September 1930, and its uniquely memorable name originated when Mr. Salmon sponsored a competition, including a $25 prize, to name the new theater, using either a Spanish title or an amalgam of his grandchildren’s initials. Mrs. P.J. Smithwick claimed the prize (a tidy sum in Depression years) by creating an acronym using the required initials (for Lila, Elias John, Nathan, Sara, Mary Irene and Charles), while at the same time cleverly implying the “lens” of a movie projector. Built swiftly, the Lensic Theater had its grand opening in June of 1931 and soon became the center of Santa Fe social life, since movies served as a respite from the sorrows of the Depression and the war years that ensued.

As Santa Fe grew, the Lensic thrived. Over the years, other options for entertainment in Santa Fe became available, and the Lensic’s technical facilities began to lag behind the demands of modern performance. As this mismatch of requirements expanded, the theater stopped hosting live events and by 1999, it had closed its doors altogether. Fortunately for Santa Fe, the next act was about to begin!

London Assurance Simulcast in HD

Bill and Nancy Zeckendorf, recognized as real estate royalty in New York City, arrived in Santa Fe in the 1980s and quickly grasped the Lensic’s potential as a performing arts showcase. Determined to save this classic venue, they pursued Mr. Salmon’s original vision of a dramatic showplace for the city, a destination historically imbued with talent galore. Working with a panoply of performing arts groups, city officials, interested individuals and committed business leaders, they recruited a hard-working board of directors (including the Inn’s owner, Joe Schepps), incorporated the theater as a nonprofit, and embarked on a twelve month rehabilitation. Funded through a $9M capital campaign raised by a coterie of Santa Fe’s movers and shakers, the Lensic rose again like the mythical phoenix and was unveiled as a non-profit performing arts venue in April 2001. To the delight of locals and visitors alike, the thoughtful and restrained renovation restored the theater’s decoratively stylized architecture, and improvements to the technical capabilities made it possible to bring an eclectic variety of performances to the City Different. Thanks to the dedication and insight of all involved, the 821-seat theater has become an integral part of the city’s reputation as a mecca for the arts.  An ideal example of how community collaboration and commitment can create a whole greater than the sum of the parts, the Lensic is now a vibrant cultural resource for the city of Santa Fe, as well as the state and surrounding region. As its mission statement says, “The nonprofit Lensic Performing Arts Center enriches lives by bringing diverse art and people together in the historic Lensic Theater, a cornerstone of downtown Santa Fe since 1931.” How true!

Perfomers of All Sizes

What can one see at the Lensic? Well, just about anything! From the HD simulcasts of the Met to traveling circuses, from chamber ensembles to Native American roots music, Polish folk dancers to classical ballet, bluesmen to children’s mariachi groups, writers’ readings to memorable big-screen classics (yes, you CAN still see a movie at the theater!), the Lensic welcomes all who have something to share with the arts-loving denizens of the City Different.  The Lensic was recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as an official project of Save America’s Treasures in 2000. And 2011 is indeed a gala year, with the Lensic Performing Arts Center celebrating its 10th anniversary, and the original Lensic Theater turning 80 in April 2011.

The Whole World is Welcome at the Lensic

When our guests come to the Front Desk at any time of year to ask what there is to do in Santa Fe, it is always a pleasure to respond by saying, “Let’s see what’s at the Lensic!”

All images are courtesy of the Lensic, and all rights are reserved.

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Sound as a Pound at the Santa Fe Opera!

Sunday, August 1st, 2010 by Santa Fe Red

The Santa Fe Opera presents Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring with six performances: 7/31 (Premiere); 8/4; 8/13; 8/18; 8/21; and 8/25. For tickets: Call 505-986-5900


“All Hail, Albert!” After last week’s stunning premiere of Lewis Spratlan’s’ Life is a Dream, one might think that the Santa Fe Opera has nothing else up its proverbial sleeve. On the contrary, old chap! The first-ever Santa Fe production of Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring hit the boards with gusto and is sure to be a hot ticket! A rare comedy by Britten, Albert Herring is a real inversion of the dramatic tension Santa Fe audiences encountered with SFO’s productions of Britten’s  Peter Grimes and Billy Budd in recent years. With its broadly-drawn English stereotypes and exuberant antics, this is a 20th century opera that will be accessible and appealing to anyone familiar with Monty Python or BBC comedies. Despite the obvious humor, however, themes that occupied Britten throughout his life are evident in this entertaining tale of a sensitive soul unconsciously yearning to be free. Community relationships and hierarchies, the dilemma of being on the outside of the in-crowd, and the perils of both innocence and dishonesty are endemic in Britten’s work. Although some might consider Albert Herring a lightweight work compared to Britten’s more hauntingly serious compositions, this opera fan thinks there is nothing wrong with a good laugh embedded in music of such beauty and complexity.

Florence Pike and Lady Billows

In Search of a May Queen

Set in the imaginary village of Loxford, the story involves its characters in the hunt for a Queen of the May, at a time when there seems to be a dearth of worthy young women of high moral character to accommodate the need. With ten major roles to fill, director Paul Curran (responsible for the terrific production of Britten’s Peter Grimes in 2005) came back to Santa Fe able to tap into some magical pool of talent, as the entire cast, and the casting, was top-notch. Not only were the voices superb, so was the acting, and its always such a pleasure when the pleasure is complete. Magnificent soprano Chrstine Brewer, who first appeared in Santa Fe in 1999, embodies Lady Billows, the village doyenne, to perfection. One wouldn’t want to cross this majestic representative of the British ruling classes, and her hovering minions certainly accommodated with appropriate subservience! As Florence Pike, her housekeeper and gossip conduit, Jill Grove combined verve and bawdiness in equal measures for her rich portrayal. The role of Teacher Wordsworth, frantic and fluttering, brought silver-voiced former apprentice Celena Shafer back to the Santa Fe stage. And the surprise casting of first-timer Jonathan Michie in the role of Vicar Gedge was every apprentice’s dream, when Wayne Tigges, formerly cast in the role, had to step into a role in The Tales of Hoffmann at the last minute. Mr. Michie has the voice and the acting chops to take him places beyond Loxford! Robustly rounding out the coterie of Lady Billows’ dogsbodies were Dale Travis as Police Superintendent Budd, suitably officious, and Mark Schowalter as Mayor Upfold, suitably eager to please.

May Day in Loxford

All Hail Albert!

The roles of the village folk also demand high quality singing, and none disappointed. The three village children were comprised of one real child, Richard Schmidt (kudos to this brave lad), and two apprentices, Erin Sanzero and Jamie-Rose Guarrine, all childish glee and high jinks. Joshua Hopkins as the butcher’s assistant Sid, exuded easy charm and a ringing baritone as he courted the light-hearted baker’s girl, Nancy, sung by Kate Lindsey, already receiving deserved acclaim this season for her portrayal of Nicklausse in Hoffmann. It is pure delight to see and hear Judith Christin, a much-loved regular in Santa Fe, return to us with her zesty and entertaining comic turn as Albert’s mother, Mrs. Herring. Welcome home, Ms. Christin, nuestra casa es tu casa! And as Albert Herring himself, pure as milk, timid as a lamb, Alek Schrader, making his Santa Fe Opera debut this season, won not only his 25 sovereigns as King of the May, but also the hearts of his audience as he finally breaks out in the only way he can, “a wild explosion!” This is quite an energetic feat when one considers that he is also appearing as Tamino in The Magic Flute. Such youthful stamina is much appreciated!

Albert Before....

...and After!

The orchestra shone under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis, Music Director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, making his Santa Fe Opera debut in this production. Trust a proper English gentleman to stroke the funny-bone of the score, which was by turns, lilting, bracing, somber and achingly sweet. Director Curran obviously understood when to make us laugh and when to make us sigh, and there was much of both. The scenic design and costumes of Kevin Knight were entirely appropriate and could have come right out of Galsworthy, with subtle and effective lighting design by Rick Fisher setting the mood on a temperate Santa Fe evening (temperate for those of us who attended the dress rehearsal, that is, since the Saturday premiere featured prominent roles played by lightning, thunder and rain!).

Evening Skies at the Opera

“All Hail, Albert, Long May He Reign!” A satisfying sentiment indeed! All Hail, John Crosby, for the visionary beginnings that brought us to this present moment. And Long May SFO Reign, a lovely likelihood under the able and attentive stewardship of General Director, Charles McKay. Get your tickets quick, only five more performances, and this is a can’t-miss!

All Santa Fe Opera photos by Ken Howard, with all rights reserved.

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Santa Fe Spring

Thursday, April 15th, 2010 by Santa Fe Red
Slow Down to See the Flowers

Slow Down to See the Flowers

Springing up all over Santa Fe are the daffodils and the tulips, the forsythia and the hyacinths. All over town, happy smiles and gusty breezes prove that winter’s travails are behind us. It’s time to slow your mind from that 55 mph speed down to a manageable 20 mph so you can enjoy this lovely season! (more…)

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