Seagle Colony Chronicle
Spring 2019
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104
th
Anniversary Season - 2019
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Hello to you all! Winter in Schroon Lake was filled with white fluffy matter, the flooding of the Schroon River, and sadly the burning down of the beautiful Schroon Lake Community Church. The church was built in the 1840’s, a central gathering place where many singers from the Colony performed. The community is coming together with various efforts to help with rebuilding. Now it is spring with beautiful greenery, and soon talented singers from all over the country will create lovely music floating across the hills and theaters of the North Country.
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Old Friends and New
will introduce you to new and returning emerging artists. It is always exhilarating to watch the singers continually grow, thanks to their hard work and your enthusiastic support. The event takes place on
Saturday
,
June 22,
in the Oscar Seagle Memorial Theater. This concert is always a sell-out, so be sure to get your tickets early. You have an invitation to meet the singers after the concert at a reception in the Shames Rehearsal Studio.
Evita
ignites the dynamic summer season on
July 3, 5
and
6
at
8pm
and
July 5
at
2pm.
The musical was composed by
Andrew Lloyd-Webber
and the lyrics are by
Tim Rice
.
Eva Peron (Evita)
was the second wife of Argentinian president
Juan Peron
. The story is narrated by
Che
, modeling the guerilla leader Che Guevara. Two favorite songs are “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” and “Another Suitcase in Another Hall.” This is the rags to riches story of a girl who became the most powerful woman in Latin America. In 1947, after much hard work, Eva helped pass a law giving women in Argentina the right to vote and run for office.
The Seagle Music Colony artists will perform choral arrangements of popular patriotic tunes in the Town Park at dusk after the 64th annual
4
th
of July
Parade,
and before the amazing fireworks. Remember as always to BYOC (Bring Your Own Chairs).
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Who can resist the children’s opera,
Monkey & Francine in the City of Tigers?
The free event takes place in the Boathouse Theater in Schroon Lake on
July 13
at
10
and
11:30am
, as well as throughout the North Country. The monkey prince and his brainy sister work together to outsmart a hungry crocodile and the tiger king and queen, and includes Chinese and Ethiopian mythology. Composer
Kamala Sankaram’s
opera was described by the New York Times as “strikingly original.” The librettist is
David Johnston
, an award-winning playwright. The opera was commissioned by Houston Grand Opera in 2018.
The Marriage of Figaro,
by
W.A Mozart,
will be performed
July 17, 18,
and
20
at
8pm
and
July 19
at
2pm.
The bubbly overture sets a joyful mood for the opera, set in Seville, Spain. According to
Johannes Brahms
, “In my opinion, each number in
Figaro
is a miracle; it is totally beyond me how anyone could have created anything so perfect.”
Pre-Show Talks
: These illuminating and popular talks with question and answer sessions will be held in the Shames Rehearsal Studio one hour before each opera performance.
Alumni Reunion Concert
takes place on
July
26
at the Boathouse Theater in Schroon Lake. Proceeds from the concert go to the Seagle Music Colony Alumni Scholarship Fund. Alumni
Kimberly Monzon
and
Diana Rose Frances
(Rachel Rosenstein) are busily organizing alumni reunion activities for the lively weekend.
The Manchurian Candidate
will be presented on
July 31, August 1
and
3
at
8pm
and
August 2
at
2pm
. It was composed by
Kevin Puts
and the libretto adapted by
Mark Campbell
from
Richard Condon’s
novel. Mark wrote, “When you look for an operatic subject, you look for something larger than life...you look for passion in an opera.” The work is described by reviewer
Paul E. Robinson
as “one of the best new operas I have seen in years and deserves to be seen across the country.”
Rounding out the mainstage summer season is the favorite musical,
Oklahoma!
by
Rodgers
and
Hammerstein
, presented on
August 14, 15
and
17
at
8pm
and
August 16, 17
at
2pm.
Be sure to arrive on time since “O What a Beautiful Morning” and “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” take place in the first ten minutes. Featured are unforgettable songs, dancing, and a love triangle including a handsome cowboy, a lovely country girl, and a sinister farm hand.
Rollie Lynn Riggs
, who wrote the book
Green Grow the Lilacs
, on which the story is based, studied at Yaddo in Saratoga Springs.
Richard Rodgers
was a music counselor at Camp Paradox, and the original Ado Annie on Broadway,
Celeste Holm
, was honored at the Seagle Music Colony Gala. Small world!
Vespers
Concerts
at
5pm
will be held on
August 11
and
August 18
. Circle your calendar for the two dates of these beautiful concerts of solo and choral music. Be sure to come early to get a seat. The annual meeting of Seagle Music Colony, Inc., led by SMC President
Seth Bader
, will be held on
August 11
immediately following Vespers. This brief meeting is an opportunity to hear about season highlights and to learn about future activities at the Colony.
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The 25th Annual Seagle Music Colony Gala,
filled with silver decorations, will be held in a giant tent by the theater on Saturday,
July 13.
This major fundraising event is a wonderful opportunity to socialize with other supporters, as well as greet the Seagle Music Colony emerging artists in their beautiful and handsome attire. The festive event was initiated with the late Broadway and Metropolitan star
Patrice Munsel
as honorary chair. She loved the Seagle Music Colony and Schroon Lake so much that Schroon Lake was her permanent residence for several years.
Gala Honorees-1995-2018:
(* = Alumni)
John Seagle* & his 90
th
birthday, Janet Misch, Charles & Deborah Treger*, William (Bob) Wright*, Helen Boatwright, Jerome Hines, Arlene Dahl, Beverly Reed Hay*, Dorothy (Speed) Kelly*, Howard Daniel*, Jane Powell, Louise McClelland Urban*, Town of Schroon Lake (200
th
Anniversary), Celeste Holm, Phyrne Collie Pitkin*, Lisa Reid, Rosemarie & John Trainer, Javier Abreu*, Janet Friedman, Pete & Dodie Seagle, Sean Panikkar*, Walt & Yvonne Fredericks, Joseph Bishop, Ed Moore, Chris Temporelli*, Ava Pine*, Richard Kagey*, Seth Carico*, Ann Breen Metcalfe, Ryan Bowie*, Ann Durney, Peter Oberdorf, Phyllis and Marty Korn, Holli Harrison*, Ken, Michael & Jacqueline Posner, Andrea Carroll*, Joan & Dick Lomnitzer, Reginald Smith, Jr*, Darren Woods* & Steven Bryant*, Jim & Eileen Carnahan, Hailey Clark*, Laurence (Laurie) Meltzer, Jonathan Blalock*, Tony Kostecki, & Vanessa Becerra.*
The Gala will give you a chance to bid on unique live auction items. The
Lily and the Rose
will cater the event, and the Colony singers will perform. The memorable evening will conclude with dancing to the very popular Frank Conti Band. Valet parking by the Schroon Lake Lions Club will help make you feel cordially welcome.
The 2019 Alumna Honoree is
Eryn LeCroy
, who is currently starring as Christine in
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s
Phantom of the Opera
on Broadway. Eryn sang on a national tour of
Jekyll and Hyde
following her studies at Oklahoma City University and Seagle Music Colony. Also honored will be the four founders of the Seagle Music Colony Gala,
Irma Fisher, Tom Grogan, Sharon Harder
, and
Dodie Seagle
.
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Much Gratitude:
The named scholarships and recipients will be listed in the season program booklet. You are welcome to create a scholarship as a lasting tribute to honor or commemorate a loved one.
Thanks go to the
Glen and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation
for a grant for $5000 to bring opera curriculum and performances of children’s opera to the North Country.
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The fall touring revue is
HOT –The Music of Cole Porter.
A performance will take place at the Colony
September
1
at
7:30pm
. The tour goes to Old Forge, North Creek, Keene Valley, Blue Mt. Lake, and Hubbard Hall in Cambridge NY, the home of
Pie A La Mode
.
La Tragedie de Carmen
by Bizet/Brooks will take place at the historic and beautiful Lake George Club on
August 19
. Seagle Music Colony is partnering with the Lake George Music Festival for this special performance.
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The Seagle Music Colony Guild
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The Seagle Colony Guild
welcomes new members, male or female, from Schroon Lake and surrounding communities to provide a warm welcome and help at performances. For information, contact Guild President
Sharon
Hieber
at 518-597-3797.
Plan to attend and bring your friends to the
Seagle Colony Guild Luncheon
at the beautiful Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing on
August 7
th
. The benefit supports the Seagle Colony Guild Scholarship Fund. Entertainment is provided by Seagle Music Colony's emerging artists. Tickets are $50 per person, and it’s never too early to reserve. The festive afternoon includes a beautiful setting overlooking Lake George, a cash bar, delicious luncheon, and attractively decorated raffle baskets. This is an afternoon that you won't want to miss.
Local professional pianists Suzanne Fremon and Milton Farbstein will hold a benefit piano concert for the Seagle Music Colony Guild Scholarship Fund on Sunday afternoon,
July 21
. Refreshments will be served.
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Please share your news since Colony friends from near and far enjoy hearing about your happenings and will be cheerleaders for you.
Michael Adams
will star as Gaylord Ravanal in
Showboat
at Glimmerglass Opera.
Darren Woods
is organizing a bus trip in August to see a performance. Contact him if you would like to attend.
Seth Carico
sang in Germany for nine months and credits SMC for discovering his “desire for excellence, not just relying on personality and sheer will.”
David Crumrine
sings with the North Shore Chorale Society in Chicago. He has had a long and distinguished career as a chemistry professor at Loyola University in Chicago.
Joyce Falkenbury
gave a presentation about the Seagle Music Colony this spring for the Glens Falls College Club. Joyce remembers attending a Colony performance of
HMS Pinafore
at Wikiosko in Lake George in 1940 with her mother.
Eric Ferring
(2011-13) is now a member of the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago. He was covering the role of Lurcanio in Handel’s
Ariodante
when the tenor he was covering had to be replaced. Eric so impressed the staff at Lyric that he was given the role. The Chicago Tribune said, “The most noteworthy solo breakthrough of the production belonged to tenor Ferring – a first-year member of the Ryan Opera Center – as Lurcanio.”
Wes Mason
sang Escamillo in
Carmen
with Fargo-Moorhead Opera.
Trevor Martin
won 3
rd
place in the Lotte Lenya competition.
Garrett Obrycki
performed at the National Opera Center in NYC.
Kerriann Otaño
movingly spoke of her audition for Seagle Music Colony and said that Tony and Darren “saw who I could be!” and that changed her life. Kerriann was recently the cover for Gerhilde in
Die Walkure
at the Metropolitan Opera.
Christina Pecce
is performing in
Witches, Bitches, and Divas
in Green Room42 in New York City, accompanied by
Matthew Stephens
.
Michaela Wolz
(‘16) was one of five winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Over 1000 singers participated in the competition.
Alumni have described their training at the Colony in different and interesting ways, such as, “safe and nurturing environment, intense and rigorous training, outstanding network, given me wings to fly.”
Where are SMC Singers 2019-20? Cheer them on, wherever you may be!
Metropolitan Opera
:
Kerrian Otaño, Vanessa Becerra
Opera Saratoga
:
Nathan Mattingly
Des Moines Metro Opera
:
Bridget Cappel, Lauren Cook, Catherine Goode,
Dylan Gregg
Kentucky Opera
:
Bridget Cappel
Palm Beach Opera
:
Michael Miller
Virginia Opera
: Brett Bode, Phillip Bullock, Dylan Elza, Catherine Goode, Andrew Simpson
Lyric Opera of Chicago
: Eric Ferring, Jonas Hacker, Reggie Smith Jr., Kerriann Otaño, Vanessa Becerra
Florida Grand Opera
: Zaray Rodriguez, Michael Miller
Central City Opera
: Blake Jennings, Andrew Simpson
Chautauqua Opera
: Cristina Castro, Scott Purcell
Merola – San Francisco Opera
: Edie Grossman, Jeff Byrnes, Stefan Egerstrom
Tri Cities Opera
: Kevin Bryant, Aaron Stepanek
Ohio Light Opera
: Tim McGowan
Fort Worth Opera
: Bridget Cappel, Francesca Mehrotra
Dallas Opera
: Lange Mngxati, Jonas Hacker
Opera Theater of St. Louis
: Michaela Wolz
Glimmerglass Festival
: Clay Thompson, Michael Adams (Principal)
Madison Opera
: Jeni Houser, Quinn Bernegger
Washington National Opera
: Michael Adams, Michael Hewitt
Opera Colorado
: Eric McConnell, Michaela Wolz
Chicago Opera Theater
: Ryan Stoll, Jonas Hacker
Sarasota Opera
: Anna Mandina (Bridgman), Garrett Obrycki
Opera Ithaca
: Garrett Obrycki
Houston Grand Opera GO
: Scott Clark
Metropolitan Opera Chorus
: Remy Martin, Liz Brooks, Ned Hanlon
Schwern Staatstheater Germany:
Paul Kroeger
Sullivan Award
: Michael Adams
Broadway
: Eryn LeCroy –
Phantom of the Opera
National Tours
Stephanie Gray –
The Sound of Music
Beth Kirkpatrick –
Hello, Dolly
Metropolitan Opera National Council Awards
Grand Winner: Michaela Wolz
Semi-Finalist: Abigail Dock
District Winners: Nick Ward, Raphaella Medina, Edie Grossman, Maria Vasilevskaya, Bridget Cappel, Micaela Aldridge, Zaray Rodriguez
Encouragement Winners: Nate Hill, Michael Pandolfo, Langelihle Mngxati, Alicia Russell
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Soaring and beautiful songs, dramatic characterization, colorful costumes, witnessing continual growth and real friendliness are all part of the Seagle Music Colony experience as performers and audience participants. Show you care by inviting friends and neighbors to the performances. Also, if you would like to be listed in the program booklet, please make your contributions by the end of May.
Your time, your enthusiasm, and your giving truly help the Colony singers excel. Continuing thanks go to you all for your caring presence.
With warm greetings,
Dodie Seagle
Editor of the
Seagle Colony Chronicl
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