Interview: Glow Lyric Theatre's Jenna & Christian Elser Celebrate OPERA WEEK
South Carolina’s only professional and self-producing opera company will be sharing specially crafted material online from October 25-30.
By: Neil Shurley Oct. 15, 2020
Get ready to celebrate opera - National Opera Week starts October 19!
Here in the upstate, Glow Lyric Theatre has big plans to showcase and share the joy of opera with the entire community. Through virtual programming - and a live event at The Children's Museum of the Upstate - Glow invites everyone to experience what makes the art form so special.
BroadwayWorld asked Glow's Artistic Director Jenna Tamisiea Elser and Executive Director Christian Elser to tell us more.
BWW: Tell us about Opera Week.
JENNA: Opera Week is an annual celebration of opera nationwide! Glow Lyric Theatre is South Carolina's only professional and self-producing opera company, so we're celebrating in a big way! From October 25-30, we will be sharing specially crafted material on our Facebook and Instagram for free so that everyone has the opportunity to experience opera. Our full calendar, which we'll reveal on October 19th, includes over a dozen pieces of programming we'll be posting!
Firstly, we have a series of Opera Bites, which are short, 3-4 minute never-before-seen clips from our opera vault (meaning, our archival video footage). Then I'm doing a special program called Director's Chat where I explain my staging choices and concept while we play selections from our past productions - kind of like an opera version of Mystery Science Theatre! We're also stuffing our FB and Instagram Stories full of opera fan polls and quizzes so that everyone can get involved. We'll even feature some of our audience's answers on our social media for Opera Advocacy Day, which is that last day of celebration. We do have one live, in person event happening at The Children's Museum of the Upstate to celebrate the importance of opera education! It's going to be all opera, all week!
CHRISTIAN: Opera Week is a great way for opera companies worldwide to reach out and show what opera is all about in the 21st century. I love surfing the hashtag (#OperaWeek) at this time of year and seeing all of the innovative work being done in the opera world.
BWW: How did the Children's Museum partnership come about?
JENNA: We are always talking to other non-profits about how we can work together. I called the lovely Javy Pagan who works there, and who has also performed with Glow, about collaborating, and we came up with a way to provide some live (but safe) programming to TCMU, while simultaneously instilling an appreciation of opera in the next generation. We'll be putting on a short 30 minute program that teaches kids of all ages about what it means to be an opera singer.
BWW: How does it feel to be releasing clips of past productions? I'm sure they were originally intended just for archival purposes.
JENNA: They were definitely intended just for archival purposes, so they aren't pristine, expensively produced videos. Our productions were never meant to be viewed in full as video, so we're really releasing these clips for the memories. We want our opera fans to be able to relive some of their favorite moments from our shows, and we want future opera fans to get an up close and personal look at the type of work we do.
CHRISTIAN: It's funny, I was prepared to only hear every little thing I didn't like (much like actors and singers generally can't listen to their own recordings), but the opposite happened. I was swept away back to those Wonderful Productions, and immediately felt their emotional impact. Not to be immodest, but I think that really speaks to the amazing quality of our performers, designers and technicians.
"I think people get worried when they aren't knowledgeable about opera that they won't enjoy it and it won't connect to them or that it is an elitist art form. But opera is absolutely thrilling - it's got just as much drama as your favorite Netflix show." - Jenna Tamisiea Elser
BWW: This feels like a great way for people to sample what GLOW - and opera in general - has to offer. What would you tell people who think opera might not be for them?
JENNA: Opera is for you. Forget about the stereotypes - the sword and viking helmet and big lady singing. Opera is storytelling, and when these operas were written, they were written as a reflection of the times. What we do at Glow is take these classical works of opera and find ways to connect them to what's relevant here in the Upstate. I think people get worried when they aren't knowledgeable about opera that they won't enjoy it and it won't connect to them or that it is an elitist art form. But opera is absolutely thrilling - it's got just as much drama as your favorite Netflix show.
CHRISTIAN: I agree with Jenna. Forget the JG Wentworth opera commercial, or What's Opera Doc with Bugs Bunny. Those are both funny and entertaining, but are only as indicative of what opera is as describing a modern day French person by drawing someone with a beret, baguette and striped black & white shirt. Opera tells stories utilizing the power of the unamplified human voice as its primary vehicle. It is something that cannot be truly appreciated on film or television. That unique power of the human voice can reach down into the depths of our being and create an emotional response like nothing I've ever known. Don't worry if you aren't acquainted with all of Verdi, Mozart or Rossini's works - it doesn't matter. Come to hear and see compelling stories that relate to the human experience. Stories that are still relevant today! It's not like we discovered love, sex or death in the 20th century, after all. I LOVE running into folks who come to one of our productions having never seen an opera! Usually they are stunned, and will invariably say something like " I had no idea THAT was what opera was like!" or "I've never heard anyone sing like that! It was amazing!" I'm yet to ever give a refund on one of our operas!
Glow Lyric Theatre's Opera Week programming runs October 25-30 on social media and at The Children's Museum of the Upstate. Check out Glow's website, glowlyric.com, for details.
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