Six Degrees of AZOOMA

Ordered in a free-associative manner – similar to the popular trivia game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon – six general topics address current issues of interest in the classical music community, from famous opera houses to the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra.

1. At Bloomberg.com, an new 800 million dollar opera house opening in Oslo, Norway is described as resembling a sloping iceberg. A monumental structure, it took five years to build and it looks pretty darn cool. Their main web site (in Norwegian) is also pretty cool.

   >>>>>> OPERA HOUSES

2. The world-famous Sydney Opera House is known for its unique exterior that resembles a huge sea shell. A few days ago, celebrants sang “Happy Birthday” to Jorn Utzon, the Danish architect who created the famous harbor-side building, to celebrate his 90th birthday. While the original design was put to paper back in 1957, the building was not completed until 1973.

   Less known is the interior of the house, which Mr. Utzon has described as a “black hole.” Recent plans have been announced to remedy this with a 700 million dollar makeover.

   >>>>> THINGS AUSTRALIAN

3. Australian-born conductor Antony Walker created some opera history recently when he stepped in for an ailing tenor. By the fourth act of “Aida” tenor Vladimir Kuzmenko had lost his voice. Rather than canceling the show, Mr. Kuzmenko acted out his part on stage while Mr. Walker sang Kuzmenko’s part of Ramses from the pit.

   In 2007, Maestro Walker was a guest conductor in an Arizona Opera production of “Madame Butterfly.” He was well-revered by the musicians not only for his singing voice, but also his congenial manner and superb stick and rehearsal techniques.

   >>>> CONDUCTORS

4. At our webmaster‘s personal blog, a top-ten list of conductor “do’s and dont’s” has been recently posted. Inspired by a dialogue at Polyphonic.org, Mr. Hembd offers some basic advice for conductors at any level – from the novice to the professional. He has previously posted a similar top-ten list for musicians who are new to a job or freelance scene.

   >>> FREELANCE MUSICIANS

5. Quite a few online resources delve into the life of freelance musicians.

   Jason Heath has a very detailed ten-part series titled “Road Warrior Without an Expense Account” which should be required reading for every aspiring musician. Our own Katie Black Shields offers a humorous look in “How to Be An Opera String Player.” Other AZOOMA blogs and articles on this topic include “Gigging as a Music Freelancer,” “On the Road Again” and “There’s No Place Like Home.”

   >> HOME

6. A topic of great interest to AZOOMA musicians is the current plight of the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra Musicians who are looking to secure their jobs with the Florida Grand Opera. They have recently OK’d union representation, but the Opera refuses to deal with them directly and speaks only through its lawyer, asserting that they are not the musicians’ employer.

   A reporter at the Miami Herald has been particularly harsh with criticisms of the orchestra and its conductor. This is reminiscent of recent reporting at the Columbus Dispatch where gonzo journalism appears to have taken the place of objective reporting.

   The FGO musicians have created a list of their own – Opera Statistics from Top 15 Metro Areas – where Arizona Opera Orchestra is listed. This list elicits thoughts of the “global community” concept where local issues have a wider impact beyond the constraints of locale – especially in the age of the Internet where it is indeed a small world.

   Thinking globally and acting locally, AZOOMA extends its sincere wishes for success to the FGO musicians in their uphill struggle for job security.

   > AZOOMA