Opera Providence – Opera Done Right

Let’s face it. Opera is a tough sell in America. To really appreciate it requires focus, which is severely lacking in a world of constant verbal and electronic chatter. Some of the finest works are sung in Italian or German. Operatic vocal style is considered by many to be an acquired taste – but then again, so is the screaming vocal style of death metal, and we can’t understand them either.

Dr. Robert DeRobbio is the president of Opera Providence, a small yet dedicated arts organization whose mission is to bring this music to the community. With a shoestring budget and a passionate skeleton staff, Opera Providence has been in operation for 22 years.

“Opera Providence was originally called Ocean State Lyric Opera,” says DeRobbio. “We started out by producing Gilbert & Sullivan productions in the summertime. We used just piano accompaniment, and as we expanded we added more musicians to be able to have a full orchestra. Early performances were at the Wheeler School, and later we upgraded to full-scale productions at larger venues such as Veterans Memorial Auditorium and the Columbus Theatre.”

The talent of Opera Providence is both locally sourced and imported. “We have worked with local soloists such as Diana McVey, Maria Spacagna and Fred Scheff, all of whom have performed worldwide; yet they have their roots here in Rhode Island. We also try to catch performers as they are between engagements in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. As our reputation has grown, performers will contact us when they are in the area and offer to sing with us.”

This is an exciting season for Opera Providence, which boasts three full-scale productions. The season includes Verdi’s La Traviata, Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado and, in collaboration with Opera Worcester, Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance.

There are also four free summer concerts in Hopkins Park, July 6, 13, 27, and Aug 3, all made possible by the Mayor’s Neighborhood Performing Arts Initiative. There are dinner concerts at the Providence Art Club, where they select programming that complements the art exhibits. Other performances take place at the Blithewold Mansion in Bristol.

Also of interest is Opera Providence’s commitment to emerging talent. There is a sister organization called Knobs and Knockers, which is run by DeRobbio’s wife Nanci. “The name came about because she likes to take pictures of door knobs and door knockers in Italy [chuckles]. We provide opportunities for young performers who want to have an affiliation with an opera company on their resume.” Recent performers have included Ariel Rodgers, a student at URI and Alexis McKinnon, a student of Rene de la Garza.

So what are opera’s selling points?

It’s the culmination of artistic disciplines, including music, drama, visual art and scenery, costumes, mythology and narrative. Some of the most beautiful and emotional music ever written lies within this genre. Just take a listen to Puccini’s haunting aria ‘Neesun Dorma’ from his opera Turandot and note the chills it sends up and down your spine or the original operatic version of Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’ from the controversial Porgy and Bess, written in the 1930s.

The storylines range from hilarious side-splitting comedies to gruesome tragic tales that may make one question the integrity of humanity itself – with subject matter including adultery, murder, revenge, slavery, suicide, war and politics, to name a few.

Not for the vapid, or the faint of heart, for that matter.

For such a beautiful and complex art form that exists mainly in larger cities, we Rhode Islanders are very fortunate that Opera Providence has found its home here. With an ever-expanding season and exciting programming, this is definitely a group worth catching.

Verdi’s La Traviata will be performed July 18 and 20 at the Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, Providence. Tickets can be obtained by calling Opera Providence at 401-331-6060. As a special bonus for Motif readers, mention this article and receive discounted tickets! For more information, visit operaprovidence.org