Three Decembers

Composer Jake Heggie plays excerpts from and talks about his new chamber opera Three Decembers. The West Coast premiere is presented by Cal Performances and the San Francisco Opera. The opera stars mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and is about the loving but often-strained relationship between a famous actress and her two grown children. "Heggie has given the distinguished mezzo-soprano a role of a lifetime, and she fills it with style, charm, musical savvy and great singing," said the Houston Chronicle of the production's February 2008 world premiere at Houston Grand Opera. Set in San Francisco and New York, the two grown children are performed by soprano Kristin Clayton and baritone Keith Phares in his San Francisco Opera debut.

www.calperformances.org

Category:

Education

Tags:

• uc
• berkeley
• ucberkeley
• Cal
• Performances
• San
• Francisco
• Opera
• Jake
• Heggie
• Frederica
• von
• Stade
• Three
• Decembers
• chamber
• opera
• Houston
• Grand
• Kristin
• Clayton
• Keith
• Phares

[requiemsama]

Seeing this live in Pittsburgh next week! So glad I got a pre-game of this show.

Anyone who doesn't like modern classical music (I'm pointing at a certain childish comment below) and claims to be a classical musician is the one who needs psychiatric examination. It's the 21st century - get with it and embrace the next age, or else you'll be left behind.

[altmezzosopraan]

Thank you very much for posting the video! It is very intresting for me.I learned to know about the music of Mr. Heggie because of my teacher. I really love the music and I would like to performe some more music. I actually hate the agresssive comments from some of the other people below this video. What is the reason to defend your own taste and idea about music in such an agressive way? I really dislike this behavior and i please ask you to respect each other!

[isingpretty]

For the "opera/classical purists" I feel I should say; this isn't a typical opera, and Heggie isn't a typical classical composer, but I think that this is the direction opera/classical music is going and I think that that is a good thing. Performing Maddy in this opera was one of my favorite times on stage and everyone who sees this show is touched by it.

[organman52]

@01jocooper You are quite wrong about that - there are many people who care about me - such as the 400+ former students of mine - over 34 years of college teaching - who remain in touch. And then there are the countless individuals who have been in my choirs for the last four decades. I would hardly call that nobody. What I WOULD call a nobody is YOU, and of course, 'mr.' heggie.

[01jocooper]

@organman52

Shut up. Nobody cares about you.

[organman52]

This is disgusting on every level. The sheople that fall for this crap need their heads examined. Oh wait - they're sheople - all the psychiatry in the world is of no use. And if 'mr.' heggie thinks he is a composer, he should think again.

[mrceebees14]

The Hidden!

[linnyloo2]

So great to see this video. Just found out there's a production of Jake Heggie's opera "Three Decembers" happening at Chicago Opera Theater May 8, 12, 14, & 16, 2010, starring darling Flicka! She's also tossing in a recital there on the 10th! Man, I'd so love to see this opera.