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Health & Fitness

Singing Outside of the Box: Collaborationg Arts on the Southside

Lyric Opera and Second City are collaborating--can we do something like that here on the Southside?

Singing Outside of the Box: Collaborating Arts on the Southside

A few of you may have already heard about this arts announcement—it was in the Trib and the Sun-Times yesterday—but for those of you who haven’t, let me tell you about it.  It was announced yesterday, Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Second City are partnering up for a program next January. Let me repeat that—Second City, the home and training ground of many of the COUNTRY’S finest comics and comedic actors and Lyric Opera of Chicago, well, the OPERA company are teaming up.   It sounds wonderful, and happened because Diva Renee Fleming and her new husband decided to go to Second City one evening last fall. 

By all accounts, Ms. Fleming is the first one to make fun of her status as one of the best voices in the world.  And, the cast and crew of Second City had no idea she would be attending the show when they just happened to put on one of her recordings as part of a skit—she laughed and laughed and then approached the music director after the show—the rest, as they say, is history.

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But this Chicago arts development has got me thinking—is this something we could try in the arts community down here on the Southside? Different types of arts collaborating on something?  I belong to the ACDA—American Choral Directors Association—and we have been encouraged by our Executive Director to collaborate in our communities with other arts organizations. It makes so much sense in this economy to pool our resources with others so we all can benefit.   So how can I reach out and collaborate?

A few years ago, the late Etel Billig asked the chamber choir I conduct, the MMS, to sing madrigals at one of the ITC Summer Shakespeare Fests—we did and were delighted working with each other. Etel and I vowed we would do it again and it is to my everlasting regret we didn’t have a chance.  I would love to do something like that again…but what?

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I think it would be wonderful to do a “Pictures at an Exhibition” type thing—maybe Stained Glass artists for a sacred concert and other art media for a secular concert.  What about dancers or gymnasts?  What do you think about one of the local theater troupes doing readings of the poets we program (we did a program of Shakespeare settings a few years ago, and have sung settings of Shelley and ee cummings as well)?  And of course, we could join forces with other musical performing groups to do something AMAZING!

I am always willing to try something new, something different and I love thinking outside of the box. And this Arts Collaboration thing has got me thinking! I’d love to have your comments and have you audition to be a part of whatever we come up with.

There’s still plenty of time to audition for the MMS this summer and if you would like to make an audition appointment either call the MMS phone (708)206-0380 and leave a message or email:     marie@midwestmotet.org 

 More information is also on our website:  www.midwestmotet.org

Hope to hear from you soon!

 

 

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