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DePaul Opera Theatre under the direction of Harvey Silverstein, presented its 2009 Winter Production of the beloved fairy tale opera, Hansel and Gretel on March 13-15, 2009. It was performed at the Merle Reskin Theatre in Chicago. The production featured students from the DePaul University Opera Theatre Company, DePaul University School of Music and the DePaul Children's Chorus. The Opera Theatre’s production was sung in English by DePaul School of Music voice students, with a full student orchestra and was conducted by Eric Weimer who is the Assistant Conductor at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Weimer has coached and prepared more than 80 opera productions, specializing in the Italian and German repertoires

The production was colorful and showcased the beauty of the original Englebert Humperdink score which was first performed in Weimar on December 23, 1893. The production was designed specifically for DePaul Opera Theatre by Chicago-area, award-winning professional designers. The broom-maker’s cottage in the Black Forest and the exotic candy castle of the Gingerbread Witch enhanced the whimsical staging and lavish costumes.

The DePaul Theatre School and School of Music has been acclaimed as a legendary training ground ~ Chicago Tribune. The theatre school was founded as the Goodman School of Drama in 1925 and joined DePaul University in 1978. The Theatre School is the Midwest's oldest theatre conservatory and is renowned as one of the top professional theatre training programs in the United States. The school nurtures the considerable talent of its student body to becoming the future stars of the stage and in developing the next generation of extraordinary musicians. Graduates of the Opera troupe grace the stages of The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera, Berlin Opera and Zurich Opera, as well as regional companies around the United States. Several alums have won major competitions, including the Metropolitan Opera's national competition.

Hansel & Gretel Synopsis

The opera opens with Hansel and Gretel home alone in a home at the edge of the forest. The children quickly get lost in fun and games rather than performing their chores. When their mother returns home she scolds the children for having gotten so little work done. The children eventually leave to go to the woods to pick strawberries.

Soon darkness falls and the children realize that they have become lost in the woods. Their parents go off to look for them fearing that a child devouring witch will harm them. The children have indeed lost their way and begin to get tired. The Sandman brings them sleep by sprinkling sand in their eyes and soon they eventually fall asleep and dream of fourteen angels protecting them.

When the children awake they find themselves in front of a lavish cookie and cake gingerbread house. They do not notice the witch who lives there. The witch wants to fatten Hansel up so she can eat him so she casts her spell and and puts him in a cage. Gretel tricks the witch and pushes her inside of the oven and closes the door. The oven explodes and the many gingerbread children the witch has enchanted with her spell come back to life.

Hansel and Gretel's parents find their children and express songs of joy and gratitude that they have been saved.

 

Blake Ormond - Theatre Debut

Blake Ormond, a student at Chicago City Day School, has been performing with the Chicago Children's Choir - Lincoln Park Neighborhood Choir - Vivace Choir Group. Since 2008 she has been a member of the choir, beginning in the Allegro Choir. Both the Allegro and Vivace choirs are directed by Whitney Covalle.

Blake made her first stage appearance in March 2009 at the Merle Reskin Theatre in Chicago in the 19th century Brothers Grimm fairy tale opera ~ Hansel and Gretel. She performed as a part of the seventeen member De Paul University ~ Children's Chorus.

She sight reads sol-fege, understands music notation, including key signatures and time signatures, sings in the Alto and Soprano range with a three octave capability and plays the xylophone in several keys. Her song repertoire includes Show and Musical Tunes, Classical, Spiritual, Spanish and Pop.

Click here to view Blake’s reportoire

In June 2010 she was selected to perform in the Childrens Choir Opera Chorus of the Chicago Lyric Opera for the production of Georges Bizet's ~ Carmen. Eleven performances will be presented on stage in October 2010 and March 2011. The Chicago Childrens choir has collaborated with the Lyric Opera in five operas since 2000. Most recently Pagilacci (2009-09); La boheme (2007-08) and Carmen (2005-06). The Lyric Opera of Chicago was founded in 1954 and is one of the world's greatest opera companies and is renowned internationally for its artistic excellence and with more than 30,000 subscribers is one of the most financially sound. The opera season begins in late September and runs through March offering 81 performances of opera classics and 20th century repertoire. Each season some of the worlds greatest singers perform in visually spectacular productions.

Blake studies Spanish, is a Freestyle Level V figure skater at the Saddle and Cycle Club in Chicago and works out regularly in Karate. She has achieved a Purple with Black Stripes Level Belt. Blake is also practiced in playing scales, melodies and accompaniments on the xylophone in several keys. She studies media and the performing arts at Columbia College in Chicago since 2007.

Her favorite recording artists include Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift and Mika.

Blake is a vivacious and dynamic performer. She is very focused and has a charismatic personality with an absolutely winning smile. A recent evaluation stated: "Her energy exudes joy and she is full of joie de vivre."

Blake studies drama at Chicago City Day School and is interested in future opportunities to perform on stage. She can be reached for audition opportunities and stage invitations by contacting her Mother, Lori Pedelty at 312-925-5195 or Father, Mark Ormond at 312-480-9955.

          

 

 

 

 

 

De Paul University School of Music

De Paul University School of Music, founded in 1912, is dedicated to excellence in music performance and teaching. The school offers high-caliber, challenging programs in performance, composition, music education, jazz studies, performing arts management and sound recording technology. The more than 110 faculty members at the School of Music bring a wealth of knowledge and professional music experience to their teaching. Faculty members perform in many of Chicago’s renowned music organizations, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Chamber Musicians and Grant Park Symphony Orchestra.

 

Lynda Lee - Performer and Voice Coach

Blake Ormond is coached by Lynda Lee who offers voice training for singers and other performers. As a vocal coach Lynda emphasizes the theory of music as well as instructs on the nuances of stage performance. Her approach is flexible and is custom designed to meet the needs of the individual singer. Goals are set based upon the singers ability and performance level and her instructional approach is about encouraging the singer to develop discipline and personal responsibility. Lynda has a background which gives her a unique perspective and understanding of the music world where the requirements for entry are strict......you have just minutes to impress........and you better be good!

Lynda is a dynamic performer with a powerful vocal presence who also plays the trumpet and piano. She regularly performs with Bobby Way and the Fabulous Wayouts, a four piece band of exceptional musicians where she has been a member of the band since 1996. The Wayouts have a song list that is extensive, covering favorites from the 50's to the 90's to the current hits of today as well as Big Band and Classic Standards. The band has performed for major corporations including Allen Bradley, Anixter, BP Amoco, Johnson Wax and McDonalds and many big events throughout the Midwest such as Summerfest and the Wisconsin State Fair and have been consistently recognized as one of the finest vocal performing groups in Wisconsin.

 

 

In addition to performing with the Wayouts she also performs with the Racine Symphonic Chorus.

Lynda began her professional career with Harvey K and the Spiral Staircase. This national act had many offshoots which she subsequently performed with. Her next gig was with Dr. Bop and the Headliners, a band based out of Chicago that was recognized as one of the Midwest's premiere show bands. Following this stint she was with the Torpedoes, another popular Midwest show band that traveled throughout the country. Lynda left the Torpedoes and the life of a traveling performer in 1996 to focus on raising her family.

In addition to performing Lynda also does some modeling.

 

Chicago Children's Choir

The Chicago Children's Choir (Josephine Lee, Artistic Director) provides young Chicago youth with opportunities to strive for high levels of musical performance through participation in choral singing. The choir making a difference in the lives of children since its founding in 1956 and serves all of Chicago from its home in the Chicago Cultural Center. The strength of the choir program is its multicultural and multiracial approach to providing music education. The Chicago Children Choir currently serves over 2,600 children, ages 8-18 through choirs in 46 schools and eight Chicago neighborhoods. The choir has undertaken international and national tours, received a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award for the 2008 documentary, Songs on the Road to Freedom, and has been featured in nationally broadcast television and radio performances on NBC's Today Show and the PBS Series, From the Top: Live from Carnegie Hall.

Participation in the Chicago Children's Choir provides numerous public performance opportunities which develops musical skills and choral performance provided by professional musical educators. The pinnacle of the Chicago Children's Choir experience is the world-renowned Concert Choir. This choir is composed of 90 advanced singers who form a national and international touring ensemble. The Concert Choir has performed around the world for dignitaries including, former President Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton, former South African President Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond TuTu, United States Olympic Committee, Mayor Richard Daley. The choir also collaborates regularly with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Joffrey Ballet, River North Chicago Dance Company, Millennium Park, Ravinia Festival and the Grant Park Music Festival.

In 2004, the Chicago Children's Choir released its first studio-recording Open Up Your Heart, and in March 2006, released the soundtrack for the musical Sita Ram. In February 2008 the Choir released Songs on the Road to Freedom featuring music from and inspired by the Civil Rights Movement. These recordings are available from Amazon.com, iTunes and www.cchoir.org

The Chicago Children's Choir is supported in part by many corporate sponsors including Target, Chase, Latham & Watkins, General Electric, Baker & McKenzie, Meisrow Financial, Bank of America, Grosvenor Capital Management, ComCast, Macy's, UBS, Cartier, KPMG, Vedder Price, Sidley Austin, Exelon, Kraft, Northern Trust, Winston Strawn, Polk Brothers Foundation and United Airlines.

 

Merle Reskin Theatre

For over a century this Beaux-Arts historical building has been a treasured spot in Chicago. The Merle Reskin Theatre was formerly known as the Blackstone Theatre (1910-1992). On May 26, 1988 DePaul University announced the purchase of the historic Blackstone Theatre from the Schubert organization. The theatre purchase was made possible through a generous gift to DePaul University by Harold and Merle Reskin. This historic theatre is now home to the Theatre School at DePaul University. On November 20, 1992 the theatre was renamed the Merle Reskin Theatre.

The theatre has a world class stage and has a rich history of performances that have traditionally been touring productions of hit and prize-winning shows. Seating capacity is 1,325 and is one of the most intimate theatres in Chicago. Its sight lines are very good, and audience members can see and hear well from almost any seat in the house.

Today the DePaul Merle Reskin Theatre is not only a highly visible performance site, but is also an ideal laboratory for training the next generation of theatre professionals in scene, costume and lighting design, theatre technology and production and theatre management. Since DePaul's purchase of the Blackstone Theatre, over $1 million has been invested in improvements. The university has generously shared the theatre with many prominent Chicago performing arts organizations, as well as companies from around the world.

The Merle Reskin Theatre was designed by Chicago architects Marshall & Fox and opened its doors on December 31, 1910. The building is distictive with a stone facade and mansard roof reminiscent of the French Renaissance. The building has been modified only slightly over the years. The interior finish of French Walnut and gold was designed by Plamondon & Tetze to give the appearance of a European Opera House.

Many noteworthy productions and famous performers have graced the stage of the theatre including Ray Bolger, Hume Cronyon, Peter Falk, Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn, Dustin Hoffman, Lena Horne, Vivian Leigh, Geraldine Page, Jessica Tandy and Studs Terkel. The Theatre School brings an audience of more than 40,000 people to the Merle Reskin Theatre each season. The Theatre School presents more than 100 public performances.

The school has launched the careers of numerous influential artists from the theatres stage. Notable alumni include, Emmy Award Winning Actress Gillian Anderson (The X-Files), Academy Award Nominated Actor John C. Reilly, Broadway Director Scott Ellis, and Tony Award Winning Actor Joe Mantegna.

The list of celebrated artists who have trained at the school also includes. Kevin Anderson, Theloni V. Aldredge, Melinda Dilon, Gloria Foster, Judy Greer, Paul Gregory, Linda Hunt, Harvey Korman, Michael Leavitt, Eugene Lee, Karl Malden, Lois Nettleton, Geraldine Page, Elizabeth Perkins, Amy Pietz, Michael Rooker, Robert Shook, Concetta Tomei, Howard Witt, Larry Yanko, Adrian Zmed and countless others both on stage and backstage who have distinguished themselves in theater, film and television throughout the world.

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