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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,

6

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