THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012

MIDDLETON TIMES-TRIBUNE

PAGE 7

Soprano Emily Birsan reunites with MCO

(Boris Godunov) and was praised for her work - especially in Bel Canto and Handel roles. For this years season at Lyric Soprano Emily Birsan will return to Opera, Birsan performs the Trainbearer the Middleton Performing Arts Center (Strauss Elektra), Sandman Wednesday for An Evening of Song (Humperdincks Hansel and Gretel) and Dance. Birsan, a second-year and the Page (Verdis Rigoletto). She member at the Patrick G. and Shirley is also covering leading roles in W. Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Massenets Werther, Donizettis Don Opera of Chicago, will join the MidPasquale, Humperdincks Hansel and dleton Community Orchestra (MCO) Gretel, and Puccinis La Bohme. as featured soloist for the second seaBirsan received her Masters degree son in a row. at the University of Wisconsin-MadiThe Middleton Community Orchesson, where she studied with Julia tra is conducted by Steve Kurr. The Faulkner and sang the tile roles of AlMCO will play a selection of classical cina (Handel), Thais (Massenet) and dances and accompany Birsan on sevMaria Stuarda (Donizetti). She has also eral well-known arias. sung with Des Moines Metro Opera MCO co-founder and performer and Madison Opera. Mindy Taranto said the group is Birsan considers Middleton perthrilled to have someone this talented formances a sort of homecoming at the returning. end of a hectic year. Its nice to come The last concert had a myriad of back to the Madison area and sing arias arias in all different styles, said BirI love, she commented. san. It was a wonderful experience The soloist said first-time audiences and everyone was so warm. This time will be surprised by operas accessibilaround were doing something thats ity and almost visceral impact. geared a little bit more toward song and Opera is changing as my generation dance and the selections will be fairly comes up, she said. The one thing well known. that hasnt changed is how opera The evening will include: Strauss moves you. Its a universal language, Blue Danube Waltz; Saint-Saens particularly with the orchestral perDanse Bacchanale; Puccini La Boformances and the virtuosic singing, heme - Musettas waltz Quando men and it borders on otherworldly. I think vo; Mozart Die Entfhrung aus people are often surprised by just how dem Serail - Costanzas aria Ach ich moving it can be. liebte; Lehar The Merry Widow Tickets are available at Willy St. Vilijas lied; Verdi La Traviata: Sempre Libera; Brahms Hungarian Coop West and at the door on the night Dance Nos. 1 & 3 Dvorak Slavonic of the show. General admission is $10. Dance Op. 46 No. 8; Rimsky-Korsakov Tickets are free to students. Call 212 Polonaise from the Christmas Eve 8690 for more information or visit the Suite; and Strauss Persian March. MCO website. Originally from Wisconsin, Birsan The holiday concert is slated for has been touted as an artist of great Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. The promise. Middleton Performing Arts Center is In the 2011-2012 season, she covered he roles of Lucia, Papagena and located at 2100 Bristol Street in MidArmida and performed the roles of dleton. Stella (Tales of Hoffman) and Xenia by MATT GEIGER
Times-Tribune

Photo contributed

Opera is changing as my generation comes up, said Emily Birsan. The one thing that hasnt changed is how opera moves you.

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