50 years of opera
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The Pirates of Penzance, 1995
La Traviata, 1996
Madama Butterfly, 2003
stage, transforming the theater into the
witty, wonderfully wacky world of English
fantasy.
Again, using BSU’s Special Events
Center, the 1994-95 season began
with an opera popular with adults
and children alike, Hansel and Gretel.
David Noland played the role of the
wicked witch and, with the help of a
special winch, flew through the air in
great witchy fashion. It was the perfect
production for the continuing effort
to introduce Treasure Valley kids to
opera. The company dubbed the plan
to bring children to dress rehearsals,
“Operatunity.” Tamara Cameron was
backstage as stage manager for an
Operatunity performance. In the opera
company’s newsletter, she noted that
she worried the show would not hold
the attention of the youngsters. Peaking
from backstage she recalls that “…as it
turned out they were the best audience
we had! They clapped along with the
music when Hansel and Gretel danced
and cheered when the witch went on
stage and cheered again when he fell
into the oven!” That wicked witch, along
with Hansel and Gretel, had the support
of a lot of others as well. The Opera’s
own 70-voice Children’s Chorus sang
as a troupe of young dance students
darted about as woodland sprites.
As the decade moved forward, the
financial picture grew brighter. Debt
was reduced by half and theatrical
successes mounted. Two remarkably
talented men, Tim Lindberg, and David
Warner took the reins as Music Director
and Artistic Director, respectively. They
invited fine guest artists, captured the
voices of some notable Idaho-born
performers like Julie Holland, Ryan
Olsen, and Pamela South, and generally
infused the opera with enthusiasm and
excitement as well as artistic merit.
In succeeding years, the company
produced Verdi’s La Traviata, Donizetti’s
L’elisir d’amore, and Rossini’s The Barber
of Seville. Once again Carmen was dusted
off and presented with flare and fire. Then
Puccini’s achingly beautiful La bohème,
and his tragic Tosca, played on the
heartstrings of Boise’s opera aficionados.
Boise Opera was gaining a reputation in
the regional. It was time to change the
name to better reflect the company’s
evolving profile. The only company of its
kind in the state, the company wanted to
reach out to audiences beyond Boise and,
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