New Mariinsky II Opera House Opens to the Public
With three nights of celebratory gala performances, the new, state-of-the-art Mariinsky II Opera House opened in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 2, 2013. The performances, conducted by Valery Gergiev, featured Plácido Domingo, Anna Netrebko, René Pape, violist Yuri Bashmet, violinist Leonidas Kavakos, and pianist Denis Matsuev, as well as dancers from the Mariinsky Ballet, reports Limelight Magazine.
A pedestrian bridge yet to be built will connect the new opera house to the historic Mariinsky Theater which opened in 1860. Other parts of the complex include a concert hall, which was inaugurated in 2006, and the State Academic Mariinsky Theater, which dates back to 1874. The new building is seven stories high and has three underground levels. Besides the main auditorium, there is a 200-seat rooftop amphitheater and a third-floor lobby amphitheater, as well as multiple rehearsal rooms and production facilities for a staff of 2,500.
“The opening of Mariinsky II invites us to reaffirm the long and great heritage of this institution,” said conductor Gergiev. “It also gives us the opportunity to celebrate a future in which we will be able to create new works and innovative productions as never before. Above all, this building will be beloved as a great home for education, where every schoolchild and university student in St. Petersburg will engage with opera, orchestral music, and ballet.”
www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Article/342066,mariinsky-ii-opera-house-opens-to-the-public.aspx
Opera America Makes Grants to 13 Companies
Opera America’s Building Opera Audiences is a new program that supports the efforts of North American opera companies to build informed, enthusiastic audiences for opera through innovative marketing projects. Generously funded by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, the latest grants total $300,000.
Arizona Opera received $30,000, as did Florentine Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Opera Memphis, and Seattle Opera. Madison Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Vancouver Opera received $25,000. Opera Theater of Pittsburgh received $22,500, Sarasota Opera $18,000, Syracuse Opera $13,500, American Opera Projects $12,600, and Opera on the James $7,500.
“As cultural and entertainment options continue to grow, opera companies face increased competition for audiences,” said Marc A. Scorca, president and CEO of Opera America. He went on to note that the Building Opera Audiences grant program provides funding for projects that can both attract new patrons and retain current audiences. These projects also provide viable models for companies of all sizes across the country.
www.operaamerica.org/content/about/pressroom/2013/04292013.aspx
artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/30/opera-america-program-to-aid-13-american-companies/
Research Shows That Music Calms Playground Bullies
New Israeli research shows that soft, relaxing music reduces intimidating behavior among preteens. Educational researchers Naomi Ziv and Einat Dolev conducted a three-week experiment with 32 boys and 24 girls aged 11 to 12 at an elementary school in northern Israel.
For the first week, they quietly observed the children during a 20-minute midday recess. For three days of the second week, world music was played on speakers throughout the recess. For the third week, the music was turned off and recess proceeded as before. The researchers found that direct and indirect bullying were significantly reduced during the three days when calming background music was played. Both boys and girls reported lower levels of anxiety during recess when the music was playing.
www.psmag.com/blogs/news-blog/background-music-reduces-playground-bullying-56156
China Gives Opera House to Algeria
Reuters reports that China has cemented its friendship with Algeria by giving the North African country a 1400-seat theater. The foundation stone for the $40 million project was laid in November 2012 at a ceremony attended by the Chinese ambassador to Algeria and the Algerian minister of culture. Unfortunately, the theater’s construction is somewhat behind schedule, but that is because many of the materials are being brought in from abroad. When finished, it will be a symbol of international friendship and its productions will offer employment for local workers.
www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2013/apr/29/china-algeria-opera-house
