CROpera Smith Young Artist Masterclass - Dennis Jesse & Michael Borowitz

Name: CROpera Smith Young Artist Masterclass - Dennis Jesse & Michael Borowitz
Start: 2025-01-08T15:00:00-06:00
Location: West Music Coralville (1212 Fifth Street, Coralville, IA)

Schedule

Wed, 08 Jan, 2025 at 03:00 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

West Music Coralville (1212 Fifth Street, Coralville, IA) | Coralville, IA

A masterclass led by accomplished operatic baritone Dennis Jesse and pianist and conductor Michael Borowitz. Seven Cedar Rapids Opera Smith Young Artists (who will be performing in Cinderella) will sing and then work with our clinicians on their pieces.
ABOUT THE CLINICIANS:
Dennis Jesse is the Galante Professor of Voice at Louisiana State University. A distinguished baritone, he has excelled in operatic roles from Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, Nabucco, La Traviata, Les contes d'Hoffman, Madame Butterfly, and Il Barbiere di Siviglia, alongside performances in over 40 operettas. He is also a sought-after concert soloist and recitalist, performing works such as Handel’s Messiah, Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and Orff’s Carmina Burana. A dedicated educator, he teaches at LSU and international programs, recently winning the American Prize in Directing for LSU’s Orson Rehearsed. Upcoming roles; Alfio and Tonio in Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci.
American conductor and pianist Michael Borowitz is currently in his seventh year as Music Director and Associate Professor of LSU Opera, where this season he will conduct performances of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri, and a program of scenes from contemporary opera in English, entitled Opera NOW! Now in his fifth season as Music Director, and first year as Artistic Director with Opéra Louisiane, he will conduct performances of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, and Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. He just returned from his second summer in Novafeltria, Italy with La Musica Lirica conducting performances of Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri. His current recordings (all on the Albany label) include Offenbach’s Bluebeard, Kern’s The Cabaret Girl, Herbert’s Mlle. Modiste (also released on DVD by Operetta Archives), and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore and Patience. Newly released on DVD by Operetta Archives is Mr. Borowitz conducting the 2007 Ohio Light Opera production of Kálmán’s The Duchess of Chicago. For nine years he was Artistic Director of Nevada Opera, and for five seasons he was Music Director for Ohio Light Opera. He has been a guest conductor for La Musica Lirica, Des Moines Metro Opera, Baltimore Concert Opera, Opera Delaware, Pensacola Opera, AVA Ballet, Eastman School of Music, Opera Idaho, Opera Southwest, Rimrock Opera, Opera Columbus, The Reno Philharmonic and the LSU Symphony Orchestra, as well as assistant conductor with The Metropolitan Opera, Indianapolis Opera and Cleveland Opera.