Carmen (Kate Aldrich) and Don Jose (Richard Troxell) in PORTopera's production of "Carmen," 2005. 
2005's "Carmen" (Kate Aldrich) and Don Jose (Richard Troxell). 
Rosina (Lauren McNeese) and her maid (Emily Marvosh) in 2007's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia." 
PORTopera's first-rate chorus in the chaotic end of Act 1, "Il Barbiere di
Siviglia," 2007. Russ Burleigh Photo. 
PORTopera to Present Domenico Cimarosa’s The Secret Marriage as a Part of Maine’s Emerging Artists Program
Not pictured: Joshua Miller, J. Thomas C. Morris and Christian Schwebler.
(Martha Mickles Photo.)
PORTLAND, Maine – PORTopera’s Maine's Emerging Artists (MEA) Program will present six productions of Domenico Cimarosa's "The Secret Marriage" at various locations throughout Southern Maine and New Hampshire, between June 25 and July 12. While originally written as a two-act opera to be sung in Italian, PORTopera will present an abbreviated version (about 90 minutes) sung in English.
The Secret Marriage first premiered in 1792, written by the Italian opera composer Domenico Cimarosa (1749-1801), a contemporary of Mozart. Taking place in 18th century Italy, it is a classic tale of entangled affections and the fight for true love. After Paolino and Carolino wed secretly, and against the wishes of Carolino’s father, Geronimo, Paolino attempts to distract Geronimo by arranging a more acceptable marriage for Geronimo's other daughter, Elisetta. However, when the potential husband instead falls for Carolina, and Carolina's own aunt reveals her love for Paolino, a stage of plotting and scheming and amorous intrigue is set, until finally the secret marriage must be revealed.
As a production of PORTopera's MEA Program, "The Secret Marriage" will be performed both by students native to Maine, and students currently attending either the graduate and undergraduate schools of performance at the University of Southern Maine. Kathleen Scott will act as musical director for the production. An accomplished opera coach and conductor, Scott was most recently at The Manhattan School of Music and the Crittendon Opera Workshops, and has also coached for Boston Opera, Philadelphia Opera, Lake George Opera and the Goldolwsky Opera Workshops.
The Maine's Emerging Artists Program was created to support PORTopera's mission to bring opera to Maine's communities and to foster Maine talent. The program is under the direction of Ellen Chickering, also the Director of the Opera Workshop at the University of Southern Maine School of Music. The MEA program is sponsored by The Robert and Dorothy Goldberg Charitable Foundation.
The Secret Marriage
Performance Schedule
June 25th, 2009 7:30 PM |
Portland Museum of Art tickets and information: (207) 879-7678 |
| June 26, 2009 7:30 PM |
Salyards Center for the Arts Conway, NH tickets: contact Salyards at (603) 447-6096 or www.mwvevents.com |
June 28, 2009 |
University of Maine at Augusta tickets and information: (207) 621-3551 |
| July 7, 2009 8:00 PM |
Deertrees Theatre, Harrison, ME tickets and information: contact Deertrees at (207) 583-6747 or www.deertreestheatre.org |
July 9, 2009 |
Lincoln County Community Theater - Damariscotta, ME tickets and information: (207) 563-3424 or www.lcct.org |
| July 12, 2009 7:30 PM |
The Temple, Ocean Park, ME tickets and information: contact the Ocean Park Association at (207) 934-9068 or opa@oceanpark.org |
PORTopera’s Maine’s Emerging Artists Program Supports Maine Singers Who Seek a Career in Opera
Shortly after PORTopera was founded in 1994, the company inaugurated a Young Artists Program. The program was designed to give young singers on the verge of careers an opportunity to be in a mainstage production with PORTopera and to perform in a separate traveling company in smaller opera productions given within the state of Maine. In 2000, then Artistic Director Bruce Hangen and Maine soprano, Ellen Chickering had another idea: With the wealth of singing talent developing in Maine through the University of Southern Maine School of Music and elsewhere, the program should be focused on singers who live in Maine, or attended school in Maine, or who had any other meaningful connection to the state. Thus was born the Maine’s Emerging Artists Program.
The singers in the program perform in the mainstage production in the chorus or in other roles for which they are suited and, as did the Young Artists before them, present their own touring production of a smaller opera in various locations around the state. The program is directed by Ellen Chickering, a noted soprano herself and a member of the voice faculty in the USM School of Music.
PERFORMANCE HISTORY 
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