Another Late Night Confession -- (edited)
Posted by
Howie (aka howie)
Feb 11 '24, 21:00
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I once preformed in a major metropolitan opera.
When I was a senior in high school in Boston, I was asked to audition for a role in the Opera Company of Boston’s production Gaetano Donizetti’s “Don Pasquali.”
After a brief meeting with OCB Director Sarah Caldwell, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Caldwell)
I was cast in the role of Servant Boy. I think I got the role because I reminded her of an old friend with a similar name.
Before you ask, this was mercifully a non-singing role. The leads were legendary Soprano Beverly Sills, Canadian tenor Alan Crowfoot, Alan Titus, and me.
I had just 3 scenes in the opera. In act II I was supposed to bring a message to Miss Sills who was playing either, Sofronia/Norina (The plot had something to do with twins).
Since I don’t speak, much less sing, Italian, I needed the stage manage to shove me when it was my cue to enter. I went on stage and knelt in front of Ms. Sills and gave her a note, while she continued to sing in Italian. Eventually, she looked at me and held out her hand, and gave me a “coin,” I bowed and ran off stage. (note: she gave me a coin at dress rehearsal, after that it was all mimed.)
Bottom line: I was alone onstage with Beverly Sills in a major metropolitan Opera. So there.
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