Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Virtue, Love, and Fortune and the U of MN Opera Theatre

On Sunday I had the pleasure to see/hear the recent U of MN Opera Theatre production of The Coronation of Poppea by Caludio Monteverdi. It is one of the earliest operas and the orchestra was small and the "heavy lifting" is done by the harpsichord and a few string instruments rather than a full orchestra.

Liberalchurch's music director, Andrew Fleser, played the harpsichord for the performance I attended. Here's what the program says about Andrew:

Andrew Fleser has performed as a soloist and accompainist throughout the U.S. and Europe. Fleser has worked with such musical luminaries as pianist Martin Katz, vocalists Sharon Sweet and Zehava Gal, and composers Ricky Ian Gordon, John Harbison, and Jake Heggie. He has served as a vocal coach on the faculty of Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MN), and at summer programs at Westminster Choir College or Rider University (Princeton, NJ) and Idaho State University.

Hailing originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Fleser received a Master's Degree in Piano Accompanying and Coaching from Westminster Choir College as a student of JJ Penna and Dalton Baldwin, and a Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids. Currently a doctoral candidate at the U. of MN, he studies Collaborative Piano with Timothy Lovelace.

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Listening to Andrew play and reading the program was a great reminder at just how blessed we are at Open Circle to have him with us. Thanks Andrew!

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