Sigma Alpha Iota

Summer 2019 16 PAN PIPES O pera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point is a unique Summer Music Center near the beautiful Victorian village of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It sits high atop Rock Candy Mountain above beautiful Beaver Lake. Opera in the Ozarks (OIO) was founded in 1950 as Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony and since its beginning it has earned the reputation of being a prominent training program for emerging opera professionals. Many of its alumnae have, or have had major careers around the world, as singers, directors, teachers, and in many other musical careers. Each summer dozens of auditioned professional artists and musicians come from all across the USA to participate in the demanding eight week program that presents a month of amazing performances where the student young artists sing all roles. Dr. omas Cockrell is the Artistic Director and under his baton more than 26 fully staged and costumed opera performances are presented with full orchestra. Productions scheduled for 2019 include: Puccini's classic romance, La Boheme; Mozart's delightful comedy, e Abduction from the Seraglio; and an American favorite, Mark Adamo's, Little Women. Younger or less experienced student artists will present 12–14 delightfully costumed performances of the Children's Opera, Monkey See, Monkey Do across beautiful Northwest Arkansas, famed for its lovely mountains, lakes, and forests. Equally delightful (and fun) at OIO are these special events: the "Broadway Cabaret" at the Basin Park Hotel; an Evening of Chamber Music at the Aud; and the elegant "Taste of Opera Dinner" at the historic Crescent Hotel. Tickets and further information can be obtained at www.opera.org. As a freshman at Oklahoma City University (OCU) I was thrilled to become an SAI. ere were lots of new learning experiences, competitions, fun meetings, and friends at OCU. During those college years, I served SAI in several offices, but my association with Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony (IPFAC)— today called Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point—began with a competition. e Block Award included a cash prize, a full scholarship to Inspiration Point, and a concert with the Oklahoma City Symphony. I was thrilled to win that competition and during the summer headed off to study at Inspiration Point. I had spent the previous summer at Aspen where I learned a lot, but Inspiration Point was a life changing experience. In the few weeks at IPFAC, I experienced working "one on one" with great teachers and enjoyed fabulous opportunities to learn and perform. I loved singing Nedda in Pagliacci, Sheila in e Witch of Salem, and even getting to study Gretel for Hansel and Gretel. What an amazing few weeks that was. Aer that summer, I finished my degree at OCU, sang Rosina in e Barber of Seville in an early season at Kansas City Lyric Opera, then headed off to Europe. ere I attended classes at the Music Hochschule in Munich, sang across Germany with the "Broadway Arts Quartet," and auditioned for singing opportunities. I was thrilled to become employed as a leading soprano for the Stadtische Buhnen in Munster, Germany. ere I enjoyed singing some new roles – in German!Norina in Don Pasquale, Susanna in e Marriage of Figaro, Olympia in e Tales of Hoffmann, Undine in Undine, Arsena in e Gypsy Baron, and several other smaller roles. I was amazed to find how much that experience at Inspiration Point helped me. However, aer four years, I decided to come home to finish my Master's Degree, concertize, teach, and work in church music. One Sunday at my church near Tinker AFB, I met a handsome Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point Yazid Pierce-Gray is the king, and Evangeline Athanasiou is the title character in a recent production of Cinderella at Opera in the Ozarks. OPERA

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