November 4, 2007

I just have finished composing our next educational production, an opera about the dangers of smoking, mostly for teenagers! We see this show as our contribution to raising awareness to the long lasting affects of smoking and introducing teenagers to the necessity of making health-related choices on their own. The next step in this production is recording the instrumental parts, and I hope to make this opera sound close to music that is popular among teenagers today.

Misha

October 28, 2007

Our first opera production of An American Story: George Gershwin was a success. All three performances were outstanding, everybody who came to see the show was very impressed with music, lyrics and overall production level. For us as a company this was a biggest learning experience yet! We have learned how to run the rehearsing process more efficiently, how to stage and direct stage movement, and most importantly how to let all participants add their own touch to the rehearsing and performing process. Thank you everybody who was involved in this production, without your help and support we would not be able to accomplish this! The video of the one of the shows is on Utube, so anybody can watch it now! For me it always is a very special experience to have my music, and especially the entire show, performed by others. I got to step back and just watch the show have a life of its own! We had a pretty good attendance, and the overall reaction was extremely positive, which is a pretty big deal for a new opera production and for the brand new opera company. For example, George Gershwin’s first attempt in opera, which was called Blue Monday, was withdrawn from production after the first night, mainly due to extremely negative reaction of the audience to mixing of jazz and opera in the same show. Times have definitely changed! Again, thank you, singers, thank you crew, thank you, the theater, and most of all, thank you- audience! We have two shows that go into production in the near future, plan your visit with us for February, we really need your support for the upcoming two operas!

Misha

9.25.2007

We are in blocking part of rehearsals for Gershwin, making sure that everything looks natural, and fits both music and dramatic action, and I just have to say that we are working with the most talented musicians! It is quite amazing to watch how the show becomes more and more realistic as we go through the rehearsing process, costumes are going to come in at the end of this week, dancing numbers are staged, now we really just running through the show making every aspect of it feel right. In two week or so we have first rehearsal at the actual theater, so the lights will come in, and the actual set will be placed as well. We have also added a third show at the Winters Chapel, and we have seriously started working on the pre-show part that will bring audience in and explain better what we are trying to achieve with the New Opera. It is a lot of work to put the show on, and we all feel that we are equal partners in this production and a part of The New Opera community. We also need to thank all of the donors that already are helping us financially, being a young company we depend on sponsors and donors, so we can make and perform operas that will please, entertain and educate!

Misha

9.7.2007

I have just finished mixing of the recording of “American Story: George Gershwin.” Thank you Evan, Wesley, Erica and Dan, you are wonderful. I also got to play a lot of instruments on this recording including drums, trumpet, bongos, tambourine and even train whistle. I think the recording sounds awesome, and it will be available soon. The whole project is our try to mix American music with the idea of opera, just as George Gershwin wanted when he wrote Porgy and Bess. With this show we hope to bring new audiences to opera house and get them interested in this unique art-form. We will have sound samples from this recording available soon at our website, and the CD and downloads also will be available through major retail in a month or so. Thank you everybody who participated, and for the rest of us, let’s come to Theatre Decatur on October 19 and 20th to see the premier of the show!

Misha

8.22.2007

Wolfy CD is here, and the CD release party is this coming Friday. Not only does this party finish a long rehearsal and recording process, it also is a first example of what one would expect from the company’s future productions- a very professional performances backed with quality production and design. I am very pleased with the CD, and very proud to be a part of this process.

We also are in a process of signing up documents for upcoming two performances of Gershwin in October, which will be the first two live productions of a complete opera by The New Opera. Stay tuned!

Misha

8.15.2007

We have been rehearsing both Kitty and Gershwin operas, with the premier of the Gershwin tentatively scheduled for Mid-October. Looking back at the last six months I am amazed at the opportunity that I had to work in very different genres of music. It was like getting in touch with a lot of music I grew up liking and writing in similar styles myself, I just think it almost never happens. My TV music gives me the same opportunity, but on the much smaller scale in terms of length and significance of compositions. We are planning on starting of recordings of these two operas in the nest couple of weeks, and we have two large-scale operas in the research stage which will meant for me going back to large symphonic writing. Things are happening, and I can not wait!

Misha

8.3.2007

Wolfy CD is out to the manufacturer, and we can focus on new projects. I have learned a great deal about writing for singers, recording singers, orchestrating etc etc from this project. I am happy with the outcome, especially considering us listening to the CD for hours and hours in the last couple of days. We are also very close to be done with the score for American Story, and the revised cover has my drawing on it, which I am happy with as well. Thank you everybody who was involved in Wolfy’s recording, we will have the final project in 3-4 weeks!

Misha

8.2.2007

We have just finished the mixing of the CD of Wolfy’s recording, and it sounds wonderful. The next step is post-production and the actual CD duplication. Almost all of the artwork is finished, and we hope to get the CD available in a couple of weeks! Considering “potential dangers” of recording eleven singers in an hour-and-a-half production, this recording turned out to be pleasant and somewhat easy. All that is left to do is normalizing, audio sweetening and final CD production!

Misha

7.30.2007

I have finished composing the American Story, an opera about George Gershwin’s life. Even though it is a short 35 minute production that is designed to work well with high-school audience, it is a very entertaining and educating work, and all who have heard it so far expressed interest in making it into a longer production. The musical style of the composition is very close to Gershwin’s own music and also will give singers the ability to change the style of their singing from opera to Broadway during the actual production.

Misha

7.26.2007

I have started writing music for the American story, a short opera dedicated to George Gershwin, who is a major influence on our culture. In a phrase that got stuck in my mind George said that his people are Americans, and his music is American. Curiously enough, about ninety years later, we are creating a very similar art, music that is American, and written in English! Gershwin would be very proud!

Misha

7.22.2007

We have two more vocal parts that need to be recorded for Wolfy, and then the mixing and post-production, and our first and most ambitious yet recording project will be done! Thank you, Dan, Jenn and Heather! We have pre-mixes of a number of scenes, and it sounds awesome! Also, the first drafts of the graphics for this double-CD project are in works, we are anticipating the CD to be ready in about two-months!

Misha

7.10.2007

The CD of instrumental accompaniment for Kitty is finished. I was somewhat apprehensive about the style of this opera, and I am very pleased with the outcome. Everybody who has seen (and heard) the music is very excited, and the opera is really equally enjoyable for kids and adults alike (in my opinion, adults will have even more fun!) Vocal scores for the opera are here, and I anticipate rehearsing this opera very soon. Kitty will be our second production as a company.

Misha

6.29.2007

In the last couple of days many singers came and recorded their parts, and I am very grateful to everybody for being a part of the Wolfy’s recording. I had a hard time trying not to cry and not to laugh, and I am very pleased with the outcome so far.

Thanks to you guys- Beth, Clay, Erica, Evan and Wesley. Wolfy’s CD will be a hit!

Misha

6.24.2007

Harrower’s production of Wolfy was a big success. We had only positive comments and much interest from music business professionals to perform Wolfy all over the place. Thank you all who sang in this production, and special thanks to David, Christy and Coleman! You guys rock!