 Rachmaninoff's opera Aleko (1892) is based on Pushkin's poem The Gypsies. It tells a tragic love story between Aleko, a Russian, and a free-spirited gypsy girl Zemfira.
Longing for freedom, Aleko abandons the stifling life and rules of "civilized society" for what seems to him an unencumbered, carefree life of nomadic gypsies. Zemfira meets Aleko wandering the southern steppes, brings him into the gypsy camp, and introduces him to her father as her lover. After living together for two years, Zemfira, who now has a baby, lost interest in Aleko. As a warning, the old man tells Aleko his own story of how Zemfira’s mother Mariula abandoned them both, a fate he had to accept. Aleko admits that his views are different and he would seek revenge for betrayal. Suspecting that Zemfira is now in love with a young gypsy, Aleko encounters them together, and kills them both. The old man casts out Aleko adding that his peaceful people do not want a murdered in their midst. Alone again, Aleko finds no escape from fate. Opera Roles Aleko - Baritone Young Gypsy - Tenor Zemfira - Soprano Old Man, Zemfira's father - Bass Gypsy woman - Mezzo/Contralto  Donald St. Pierre returns to Russian Opera Workshop 2014. In previous summer programs Don helped prepare Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Iolanta and Pique Dame, and Rachmaninoff's Aleko and Francesca da Rimini.
Donald St. Pierre was associated with the Skylight Opera Theatre as music director from 1978 to 1990. He conducted more than fifty productions there, from Monteverdi's Il Coronazione di Poppea to Stephen Oliver's Mario and the Magician (American premiere). He was keyboard player of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra until 1978. In 1986 he served as chorus master at the Vienna State Opera for Leonard Bernstein's Quiet Place (recorded by DGG and conducted by the composer). As a recital accompanist, Mr. St. Pierre has appeared at such venues as New York's Lincoln Center, London's Wigmore Hall and Almeida Theatre, and Paris's Théâtre du Châtelet, as well as at the Tanglewood, Santa Fe Chamber Music, Bowdoin, Bard, and Grand Teton music festivals. He is one of the contributing composers to the AIDS Quilt Songbook, published by Boosey & Hawkes and recorded on the Harmonia Mundi label. Mr. St. Pierre serves on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music.  Jeffrey Williams was accepted in to the Nashville Opera 2014 Mary Ragland Young Artists Program.
Congratulations, Jeff! Russian Opera Workshop Credits 2012: Aleko, Aleko; Prince Yeletsky, The Queen of Spades  Nicholas Masters wins The Dallas Opera Guild's Vocal Competition (Read review)
Russian Opera Workshop Credits 2012 Old Gypsy, Aleko; Surin & Narumov, The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame) Congratulations, Nick!  Jeff Williams will sing the title role in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin at the Seagle Music Colony Young Artist Program
Russian Opera Workshop Credits 2012: Aleko, Aleko; Prince Yeletsky, The Queen of Spades Congratulations, Jeff!  In addition to his regular work in the Opera Philadelphia chorus, Steve was engaged at the Metropolitan Opera extended chorus for the production of Wagner's "Parsifal"
Parsifal Live in HD broadcast is on March 2, 2013 at local cinemas. Russian Opera Workshop 2011/12 Credits: Young Gypsy, Aleko; Gherman, Pique Dame; Lensky and Triquet, Eugene Onegin; Vaudemont, Iolanta Congratulations, Steve!  Geoffrey Loff has been accepted in the Minnesota Opera Young Artists program 2013/14 season.
Russian Opera Workshop 2012 Credits: Geoff rehearsed the Gypsy chorus in Rachmaninoff's Aleko and performed with vocal artists a recital of Rachmaninoff Songs. Congratulations, Geoff! 
What a week of alumni mini reunions! Yesterday, at my AVA Eugene Onegin rehearsal the visitor from Miami was Jeff Williams (ROW 2012).
During Russian Opera Workshop 2012 summer program Jeff performed the title role in Rachmaninoff's "Aleko" and Prince Yeletsky in Tchaikovsky's "Pique Dame". Thanks again to Shelley Jackson (ROW 2011 Iolanta; AVA Artist 2013 Tatyana) for taking the photo. 
Mini reunion! As I was rehearsing AVA production of Eugene Onegin, a couple of Russian Opera Workshop (ROW) alumni dropped by.
In this photo left to right Brad Cawyer (ROW Russian class), Katie Kupchik (ROW 2012 Zemphira in 'Aleko'), Youna Jang (ROW 2011 Tatyana; AVA Artist 2013 Tatyana), Ghenady Meirson, (AVA faculty, ROW founder), Shelley Jackson (ROW 2011 Iolanta title role; AVA Artist 2013 Tatyana), Peggy Pei-Ju Yu (ROW 2012 Zemphira in 'Aleko') and John Viscardi (ROW 2011 Lensky; AVA Artist 2013 Lensky). |
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