Midlands Light Opera Presents Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe!

Midlands Light Opera Society is pleased to present Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Iolanthe September 27 - 29. Performances will be at 7:30 on the 27th and 28th and at 3:00 on the 29th. All performances will be in Bennett Hall at First Christian Church (2062 N Beltline Blvd, Columbia - enter through the double doors under the driveway). 

The Queen of the Fairies (Felicia Torres) has just pardoned Iolanthe (Evelyn Clary), whom she had exiled for 25 years for having married a mortal. Iolanthe spent her banishment at the bottom of a pond, so she could be near her half-fairy and half-mortal son, Strephon (Terry Artis), who is engaged to Phyllis (Christi Pirkle). Phyllis is a ward of the court, so the Lord Chancellor (Roddey Smith) must give his consent for her to marry, but he wants to marry her. So do Lord Tolloller (Nikki Anderson) and Lord Montararat (Ben Palmer). Leila (Stephanie Villamizar), Celia (Shelby Sessler), and Fleta (Amy Thomasson) lead the fairies in helping Strephon win Phyllis’s hand. Private Willis (Andrew Skaggs) attempts to keep order once deep seated family secrets come to light and the fairies start meddling in politics. The cast is rounded out by an all ages chorus of fairies and peers (Sophia Almeida, Lilith Clary, Mark Foil, Kim Foil, Harmony Hayslette, Julie Lumpkin, Alex Mabrey, Janice Boan Mabrey, Maria Martinez, Sara Martinez, Ashley Mize, and William Thomasson).

The production is directed by Roddey Smith, accompanied on piano by Ashleigh Morse,  musically directed by Ronnie Wise, costumed by Susan Scaccia, stage managed by Hollie Smith, choreographed by Leighton Mount and produced by Evelyn Clary.

“Even though this work premiered in 1882, the show is still captivating audiences. The tunes are catchy, people love fairies, and everyone likes to make fun of politicians,” says Roddey Smith. “This is a true community production,” says Clary. “It is a delight to see the diversity of talent. We have some cast members who have performed professionally, some who are back onstage after taking a break, and some just starting out. It is fun to watch everyone work together. The camaraderie of the cast and crew is beautiful.”

Tickets for seniors (over 65) and students are $10, all others are $15, and may be purchased with cash or check at the door, or online. There will be a $1 processing fee added to each ticket purchased by card at the door. Online tickets may be purchased here.

Midlands Light Opera Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, and behind the scenes sneak peaks, visit our website!

A Small Part of the Change – An Interview with Columbia Operatic Laboratory

By Emily Moffitt

Pictured from left to right COLab members, Christopher Lopez-Moore, Jennifer Mitchell, Jerryana Birch-Bibiloni, Joseph Birch, and Bradley Fuller

July welcomed a new Artist in Residence at the Richland Library—or rather, 5 of them! Columbia Operatic Laboratory (COLab) is a 501(c)(3) organization that started in 2015, initially created as a project through Spark, a music leadership initiative at the University of South Carolina’s School of Music. The group will serve as Artist-in-Residence at the Library from July to December; this is the group’s first artist residency. We spoke to board members Joseph Birch, Jerryana Birch-Bibiloni and Jennifer Mitchell about their goals for the rest of the year, what they will offer and life at the library.

The first couple weeks were dedicated to getting acclimated to life at the library, but COLab immediately felt welcome among the staff. The board noted that many of the librarians held an appreciation for opera. “It is encouraging to know that there’s already a love for the art form held here,” Birch-Bibiloni said. “We really want to connect with the other departments here and have a lot of big ideas on how to achieve that.” Their rehearsals make the guests walking around the second level stop in their tracks and tilt their head towards their meeting room, and strangers stop by their office hours to ask questions about their passion for opera. The board has taken this as an extremely good omen, giving them the platform to prove that opera is in fact, the complete opposite of a boring art form.

As part of the expectations for Artists in Residence, the group has created a curriculum of free workshops that caters to all the age groups that the library aims to work with. Mitchell will host a prop making workshop in the children’s area where kids will get to create their own props inspired by The Pirates of Penzance, which they will get to take home with them. For both younger audiences and parents, Mitchell states that she is extremely excited about their group story time event in November. “We’re hosting an aria and story time event where we read stories to young kids and listen to arias that correlate with the content of the story,” Mitchell said. “This provides early exposure to the world of opera for the young audiences while also helping defeat the stigma around the genre for adults, too.” COLab continues to look for more vocalists to support and welcome to their family, and they have an open audition day as part of their library schedule on August 28. “We always want to make sure that we have a safe and welcoming space for all of our performers,” Birch-Bibiloni said. “We hope that this invitation to audition expands our reach to audiences we do not always connect to as well.”

The desire to disperse the stigmas surrounding opera and to foster support for the library motivates COLab to make the absolute most of their residency. Mitchell has made note of the immense number of “statement questions” they have received and takes the opportunity to reiterate that all one needs to get into opera or to learn how to sing, is to simply want to learn. “We get a lot of questions asking about how we got into the field, and people are always surprised to hear just how much work is involved with opera outside of just singing and performing. Singing is not just a skill that someone is born with; if you want to be able to sing, you can absolutely learn how to do it!” The drive that the COLab board harbors to help develop the cultural landscape of Columbia is palpable; Birch made a poignant point about COLab in relation to the greater city limits: “COLab is a very communal project and mission for a misunderstood art form. We’re a small part of the change it always goes through and sharing it through a direct line of communication to the cultural scene of Columbia is meaningful. It is also an opportunity to marry the missions of both us and the Richland Library, which we have always been big supporters of as a system.” There are many moving parts behind an opera and putting one together. COLab has managed this challenge with aplomb as they continue to perform at venues of all kinds around Columbia, from churches to local dive bars, with the same effervescence and care. Their end-of-year performance of The Pirates of Penzance is a big production of theirs that the board decided to bring back, and it also functions as a sing-along for the audience to participate in. The production has always focused on community, but with their library residency in full swing, the board is able to make it even more community oriented from the beginning, incorporating rehearsals and opportunities to learn the lyrics into their outreach curriculum. COLab is filled with hard workers and catalysts for cultural change, and it’s a beautiful thing to witness.

The full schedule of COLab’s educational events can be found on their Facebook page as well as the Richland Library’s calendar of events. Their next event is an informational session where audiences can learn more about COLab’s mission on August 24, from 6-7 p.m. They will also have a percent day at Sweetwater’s Coffee and Tea on Park Street on August 25. There is a plethora of educational resources available on behalf of the Richland Library and COLab about the art of opera for any interested audiences, including a “summer reading list” of books related to the field available for checking out.

The Palmetto Opera Presents Madame Butterfly

by Meg Carroll

One of the most renowned operas of all time is opening Sunday, January 29th at 3:00 p.m. at the Koger Center for a one time matinee—Madame Butterfly. The elaborate, full-scale, vocally rich performance is made possible by Columbia’s very own Palmetto Opera in conjunction with Teatro Lirico D’Europa.

Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly follows the tale of Cio-Cio-San, a Japanese teenager, who finds herself in the throes of a love affair with an American naval officer, Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton. However, Cio-Cio-San’s love is unrequited, unbeknownst to her, leaving the operatic audience to despair over Cio-Cio-San’s devotion and Pinkerton’s debauchery. The famous aria for which Madame Butterfly is known, “Un bel di, vedremo” or “One fine day, we’ll see,” is sung by Cio-Cio-San in anticipation of the return of her wayward American lover.

For this performance of Madame Butterfly, Palmetto Opera has paired with Teatro Lirico D’Europa, an organization that sources opera singers from all over the world. The part of Cio-Cio-San will be sung by Melliangee Pérez, from Puerto Rico, who boasts many operatic distinctions as well as numerous lead soprano roles. The part of B.F. Pinkerton will be played by Alessio Borraggine, from Italy, who has a habit of receiving rave reviews on his beautiful tenor voice. 

Pairing with an organization like Teatro Lirico D’Europa allows some of the most prestigious voices to come to South Carolina, yes, but Teatro Lirico D’Europa also provides set designs, costumes, and professionally trained instrumental musicians as well. This makes for all the more ornate of an opera performance, which we get to enjoy in our very own home state of South Carolina.

When speaking with the Palmetto Opera Board Chairman (and Jasper Project board member), Paul Leo, about the reasons behind Palmetto Opera’s choosing Madame Butterfly, he cited the opera’s longevity and respectability. This opera has been performed since 1904 and is one of the most famous operas in the world, and it has inspired countless other artistic projects in its wake, including the Broadway musical Miss Saigon.

Paul Leo has been head of the Board of Directors at the Palmetto Opera for about three years now, although Palmetto Opera itself has existed for about twenty. Since its start in 2001, Palmetto Opera and its board of directors has been dedicated to bringing professional opera to the state. Leo notes that the board holds fast to the distinction that Palmetto Opera is the only organization producing “Grand Opera” in South Carolina.

The board of directors operates on a volunteer basis, and Leo stresses that the collaboration of the board is vital to the success of the shows that they put on. Currently, the board consists of the aforementioned Chairman Paul Leo, Program Director Mari Hazel, and Artistic Director Peter Barton, among others.

The Palmetto Opera has performed many of the most popular operas, including the best of Porgy and Bess, Carmen, and La Bohème. This performance of Madame Butterfly will actually be the third that the organization has sponsored, indicating perhaps a fierce loyalty to and admiration of this production.

When asked what Leo loves most about opera in general, he said, “It is built to last!  An art form perfected before the availability of electronic amplification and enhancement, it simply transcends fad and fashion.”  

The only local in the opera will be 5-year-old Asher Cobb, playing the part of Sorrow. When he is not rehearsing for his part in Madame Butterfly, he enjoys trains and jumping in muddy puddles.  

As for what’s to come, Palmetto Opera is going to keep on with its mission to bring professional opera to South Carolina. Their next performance in May will be Great Voices: From Broadway to Opera. But they always need help from local opera lovers. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so here.  

Tickets for this one time matinee of Madame Butterfly can be purchased on the Koger Center’s website here.

A Message from Cindi: 37 Issues of Jasper Later and Thanks for Everything

Thank You!

This is the image that popped up in my Facebook memories this morning.

It’s a bundle shot of our second issue of Jasper Magazine released this week in 2011. The cover art is by Thomas Crouch and was designed by Heyward Sims, our art director when we started Jasper Magazine. A small magazine, it featured a piece on Crouch, one on Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School—Ashleigh Rivers was the president of the Columbia chapter, our centerfold was Chris Bickel, articles on Dre Lopez, Caroline Lewis Jones, Bobby Craft, Lee Ann Kornegay, and a story about the 2011 Biennial written by Jeffrey Day. Mayor Steve Benjamin wrote a guest editorial at the back of the book in which he praised the opening of the new Tapp’s Arts Center on Main Street. His editorial was accompanied by an assemblage of the mayor created by Kirkland Smith.

Sigh.

Time goes by so fast.

When this mag came out I had just turned 53 and was realizing that my 50s might very well be the best decade of my life. It was. And for that I am grateful. I’m even more thankful that, 11 years later, someone stills needs me and feeds me now that I’m 64. And I’m particularly thankful for the artists, staff, board, readers, and supporters who made this most recent issue of Jasper—released on Friday night with a lovely little soiree at Kristian Niemi’s Bourbon Courtyard—possible.

This is a photo of artist Wilma Ruth King by Brad Martin holding the image our art director Brian Harmon made into the cover of the magazine we just released.

This is a big fat magazine full of stories about Columbia-based artists and the films they’ve made—Thaddeus and Tanya Wideman-Davis, Monifa Lemons, Dustin Whitehead and his USC crew, Arischa Connor and her list of TV credits, a big piece on jazz by Kevin Oliver, a centerfold story written by Will South about neighbor artist from Conway, Jim Arendt, and another by South on the Elizabeth Catlett exhibition at the CMA. There’s poetry by Monifa and Jonathan Butler, a review of Carla Damron’s new book by Eric Morris, smaller pieces on exciting people and innovative projects—like Amy Brower, Jamie Blackburn, Seitu Amenwahsu, Steven Chapp and Jerred Metz, and Libby Campbell, record reviews of Jump Little Children and Todd Mathis and really, too many subjects to mention here.

I am thankful for this issue of Jasper Magazine and all it represents. An evolving and maturing art community full of grown-ass people who are living the lives they always imagined they’d live, or better. Some of them are stars. Some of them go on brief rides on starlight. And some enjoy basking in the combined and accumulated glow they and their colleagues in the community emit when they make their art and see it received by their fellow humans.

All of this is good.

I’m also thankful for all of you who came out this week to help Jasper celebrate by joining us at Vista Lights.

Jasper Project Board President Wade Sellers at Vista Lights Columbia may, in fact, be Santa.

I’m thankful for all of you who joined us Friday night at Bourbon to welcome this new issue of Jasper to the world.

This is me with Kimber Carpenter and her mom Pat Gillam - both artists - at the Fall 2022 magazine release reception on Friday, November 18th.

I’m thankful for our sponsors, who so generously continue to support Jasper because they recognize it as a gift of art given to the community—not necessarily as just a method media to get the word out about what they alone have to offer. We had 16 sponsors back when issue #2 came out. This issue, we have only 6 — the Palmetto Opera, who have an upcoming concert of Madame Butterfly on January 29th; Harbison Theater who will welcome Tom Papa on January 20th along with a show of Michael Krajewski’s work and who are currently showing an exhibition of David Yaghjian’s work, both sponsored by the Jasper Project Galleries; Trustus Theatre, which opens Hurricane Diane on December 2nd and Mr. Burns, A Post Electric Play on January 20th; CMFA who hosted the Jasper Project’s Play Right Series performance in August; arts activist Eric Tucker’s KW Palmetto Realty, and our truly beloved Columbia Museum of Art who has advertised with us and sponsored us since the very beginning.

I’m thankful for our Jasper Guild Members who, with incredible generosity, trust the Jasper Project with their funding to create a magazine, a literary journal, a film festival, and more, knowing that every penny they give goes right back out to the artists, with no one on our end being paid for their volunteer talent and energy.

Thank YOU for indulging me in this lengthy message, and for reading Jasper Magazine and supporting the many facets of The Jasper Project. From all of our houses, to all of yours —

Happy Thanksgiving,

Cindi

~~~

Coming Up from Jasper

December 1st - First Thursday at Sound Bites Eatery with Lindsay Radford Wiggins - 6 pm

December 11th - Reception for David Yaghjian at Harbison Theater - 2:30 pm

December 15th - Santa Crawl with Jasper at the Art Bar - 7 pm

CALL for PLAYS - Play Right Series - deadline December 31st, 2022

Columbia Operatic Laboratory presents original production of Mozart’s The Impresario 5/12

Columbia Operatic Laboratory (COLab) is presenting the opera The Impresario, which features music by Mozart and a new libretto and book by Evelyn Clary at 6:00 pm on Thursday, May 12 at Jubilee! Circle.

Originally created in 1786 for a private performance for Emperor Joseph II and eighty of his besties, the story tells the tale of two sopranos vying to be prima donna of an opera company.  In this new English adaptation of the libretto, Frances Honda Coppola, sung by Maria Beery, and her assistant Bradley Pittman, played by Bradley Fuller who also serves as the accompanist, are leading a financially struggling small opera company. Bitcoin investor Gil Bates, played by Austin Means, offers to fund their entire season if they employ his…er…mature girlfriend Goldie Dawn, played by Clary, and his new young fling, Alicia Silverstone, played by Sara Jackson. Of course, all manner of hilarity ensues. Michael T. Brown is directing the performance.

True to COLab fashion, the show has gotten a makeover.  The show is set in modern day Columbia with spoken words and dialogue in contemporary English.  Gone are the sexist overtones of women tearing each other down rather than working together, and clunky dialogue that plagued the original.  “Impresario is arguably the world’s first musical comedy. Its spoken dialogue, arias that can be taken out of context, social commentary, everyday characters and happy ending put it more in line with musical comedy than the operas of its day,” says Clary. 

“The enduring legacy of this show lies in its larger commentary on the business of making art” says Brown.  “The issues that were tackled in the original of how an arts organization can stay ‘true’ to the spirit of their work and maintain financial viability, all while handling plenty of off-stage drama has captured the imagination of performers and audiences for over two hundred years.  And as is often the case, presenting this as satire prompts us to reflect on serious issues with some levity and fun.”

 This is a comic one act opera for everyone – not just for the opera aficionados. This is not something you will hear every day!

CoLab is hoping to extend this run and is hoping to book gigs at other venues for this piece as well as others from their expanding repertoire.

Jubilee! Circle is located at 6729 Two Notch Rd right next to Very’s Restaurant in Columbia. Admission is $10 by cash or check at the door. Jubilee! Circle will have snacks and drinks available for purchase.

Columbia Operatic Laboratory is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For booking, please email ColumbiaOperaticLaboratory@gmail.com. For more information on the production, or to make a donation, go to Columbia Operatic Laboratory on Facebook.

Columbia Operatic Laboratory is Back at Art Bar 3/25 - GET YOU SOME FREE OPERA!

“Not your MeeMaw’s Opera Company …”

The Jasper Project is all about bringing Art to the people. Even when we, the people, aren’t expecting it and maybe didn’t even know we were missing it.

That’s why we love the way the Columbia Operatic Lab works.

At the Columbia Operatic Lab, their mission is the demystification of opera — removing all those stuffy misconceptions that opera is only for CeRtAiN PeOpLe — i.e., the kind who can afford to put on their schmanciest clothes and don their tiaras and and cummerbunds for the occasion of listening to stories of life presented vocally.

The Columbia Operatic Lab reminds us that the history of opera is full of comedy, drama, sex, irreverence, murder, and more. At one moment opera will make us LOL and at the next if will create a lump in our throats the size of Bizet’s big toe.

What’s more, they make this oft-misunderstood art form accessible by planning free concerts at local bars and simply passing the hat to help sustain their organization.

We love this!

And we’re happy to share the details of the COL’s next venture into the beauty of opera. Here’s what they shared with us …

Columbia Operatic Laboratory is presenting a concert of operatic music at Art Bar at 6:30pm on Friday, March 25. “This is not your MeeMaw’s opera company” says Evelyn Clary, who is a board member, “We will have fantastic professionals singing dearly loved operatic pieces, but we will put our fresh and fun spin on the evening. You need not be an opera nerd to enjoy the beauty of the music and share some laughs with us.”

Even those who are not opera buffs will recognize quite a few of the tunes. There will be selections from Carmen, Barber of Seville, Pirates of Penzance, and Impresario (which will be staged by the company in May). Also, they will perform an operatic setting of a portion of Night of the Living Dead.

Joining board members Michael T. Brown and Jerryana Williams-Bibiloni are baritone Greg Pipkin and Soda City’s favorite Jezebel, TrashyAmber. Bradley Fuller will accompany them. All are alumni of the University of South Carolina School of Music. “One goal of our company,” says Brown, “is to highlight SC grown talent and to provide professional performance opportunities for local artists.”

There is no cover charge, but donations to Columbia Operatic Laboratory, a 501(c)(3) are gratefully accepted. For more information on the event, check out Facebook.com/ColumbiaOperaticLaboratory

Art Bar is located at 1211 Park Street in Columbia and is a 21 and up establishment.

Columbia Operatic Lab is Everything 2021 Needs from a Badass Opera Company

“This is not your Mee-Maw’s opera …”

Columbia Operatic Laboratory is delighted to be back at Art Bar at 8:00 PM on Friday, August 20 to present a “Notoriously Hot *and Bothered*” concert and the original opera “Four Singers Walk into A Bar.”

The concert will feature music from opera and musicals that will take you from the heat of passionate love to the flames of anger, to the pits of Hell, and back to the sweltering heat of our fair city. Who knows what you will hear or what special guest stars may appear?

Four Singers Walk into a Bar tells the story of four singers who walk into a bar to sing and try to pick up dates. While they sing in foreign languages, there is a handy-dandy live translator to provide an English translation and a bit of color commentary. Columbia Operatic Laboratory founding member Maria Beery wrote the show as a way to make a recital of arias and scenes more interesting by weaving a plot through them. While the music is hundreds of years old, the stories are current and relatable.

This is not your Mee-Maw’s opera, and you do not need a music degree to enjoy a special evening of live entertainment.

Performers for the evening include singers Maria Beery, Michael Brown, Evelyn Clary, Jennifer Mitchell, and Craig Price, translator Andrew Skaggs, and collaborative pianist Bradley Fuller.

Art Bar is located at 1211 Park Street in Columbia.  There will be a $5 cover, and donations will be gratefully accepted.

Columbia Operatic Laboratory, Inc. is a 501-c3 nonprofit aimed at providing arts educating in the field of opera. For more information, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Photo Credits – Michael Brown and Jerryana Williams-Bibiloni