Blogs
invoke String Quartet and Joseph C. Phillips, Jr., a past commissioned alumnus
As The Clarice is dedicated to educating and presenting the generation of artists and creative innovators, the NextNOW Fest Alumni Commissioning Project supports the creation of new work from alumni of the UMD School of Music (SOM) and UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) to be performed at NextNOW Fest.
Deadline extended: Apply by Friday, May 27, 2016!
This blog post is by Chelsey McLaughlin, a senior theatre major.
Baltimore photo by Stan Barouh
Catalyst Quartet photo courtesy of The Sphinx Foundation
This year, the National Orchestral Institute + Festival is partnering with The Sphinx Organization to offer a newly created Orchestral Futurist fellowship. Slated to begin in May 2016, this unique opportunity combines administration, orchestral performance, festival curation and community engagement.
Troilus and Cressida photo by Stan Barouh
What do the characters of William Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida have in common with the youth of 2016? They are powerful, boisterous and relay the news of the latest love triangles via text message. The UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies’ production of Troilus and Cressida provides a modern take on a classic war tale of two rivaling ancient powers in the pursuit of land and love. To those viewers expecting to see the aftermath of a great war in the ruins of Troy, one might be surprised to find the battlefield of mid-13th century BCE adorned with lively infusions of modernity including: track suits with toga-like sashes and traditional ancient battle armor placed atop football jerseys. This adaptation takes inspiration from a high school homecoming football game to tell this story in a reimagined way. Interspersed between tense war scenes, this production also enjoys a soundtrack of many 21st century popular music hits which provide a welcome relief from the strife brought on by the spirited battle scenes.
This blog post is by Kathleen Kelly, a junior government & politics and communications double major.
Vocalosity photo by Jeremy Daniel
One does not have to be a devoted follower of a capella music to have been completely blown away by Friday night’s Vocalosity performance. After watching Vocalosity perform, there was not a member in the audience who could deny the truth. A capella is cool again. This modern take on a capella combines current, chart-topping songs with fearless, fresh dance moves, and has completely revamped the look of a capella.
Summer is a time to have fun with friends, explore the world and try new activities!
M-NCPPC’s Department of Parks and Recreation offers you plenty of summer options. Choose from more than 670 camp sessions throughout Prince George’s County, including four camps held here at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.
Artist from 2015–2016 NextLOOK performance SWING. Photo by Kintz Photography
Are you a local performing artist who is interested in developing new work? Do you or your company want audience feedback on projects you are designing? Do you value input in your creative process?
Apply to the 2016-2017 NextLOOK season by Friday, March 11, 2016. Deadline extended to the end of Monday, March 14, 2016!
Meghan K. Abadoo photo by Zachary Z. Handler
Congratulations to UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies’ Meghan K. Abadoo, the recipient of the Audience Choice Award at the 33rd Annual Choreographers’ Showcase!
The National Orchestral Institute and Festival (NOI+F) will create a live recording of its June 11, 2016 concert, to be released via top classical music label Naxos. This is the second year of an ongoing agreement, representing Naxos’ first partnership with a student-based summer music festival.
“With projects like NOI, it is often the case that the final performance of a work is not only a well-conceived rendition, but also a document of the emotional and intellectual transformation that the musicians experienced during the residency,” [Samuel] Adams said. “I feel incredibly privileged to have my work be a prism through which this kind of transformation can happen.”
This blog post is by Emily Schweich, senior broadcast journalism major.
Who is Don Giovanni? The title character in Mozart’s 1787 opera has a larger-than-life personality, but what lies beneath?
Before the Sunday matinee of the Maryland Opera Studio’s production of Don Giovanni, directed by Andrea Dorf McGray, School of Music professors Nick Olcott and Olga Haldey joined Maryland Opera Studio alumna Jennifer Forni for the inaugural Opera Resonates! discussion. The panelists talked gender, sex and class in Don Giovanni, and I agree with their conclusion: Though the opera is named for the infamous male character, it really belongs to the women.
Is he a complex character, or is he simply one-sided? Eversole gives a compelling performance with a strong baritone that cuts through the chamber music. He projects a convincing sense of entitlement, a haughtiness in his rich, resonant voice, and when he faces his final fate, the audience is almost giddy with satisfaction.