Lake Oswego, OR. The Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts is expected to draw about 25,000 visitors from June 22nd – 24th. This year’s special exhibit is called Layers: The Evolving Art of 3D Printing. It provides a look at the artistic side of 3D printing and advanced art-making technologies.
One piece of 3-D printing art on display is by a California professor at Pitzer College, David Bachman. His background in mathematics and his affinity for working with his hands converged when he began to experiment with 3D printing. Since then he has created unique sculptures by using several CAD modeling packages.
UK product artist Lionel T Dean has explored digital design and manufacturing technologies for almost ten years. In 2002 he founded Future Factories, a studio focused exclusively on 3D printing. Lionel’s pieces are being showcased at the “Layers” exhibit.
Southridge High School is collaborating with co-curators to print a sculpture onsite during the Festival.
Exhibits, music, and artist demos are held at the Lakewood Center for the Arts and George Rogers Park. Over 1,000 pieces of art are on display, ranging from local to international, all juried so only the best make it to the festival. Juried artisans also fill George Rogers Park along with food vendors, the main music stage and the Chamber of Commerce Wine & Beer Tent. The festival offers entertainment, education and shopping for all ages in a family-friendly environment. Here’s a look at some activity at the park:
Visitors can also see artwork by local students presented in two unique exhibits: the Art Literacy Exhibit featuring artworks by K-8 students, and the High School Exhibit featuring all mediums of work by students grades 9-12.
About the Festival of the Arts: The Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts is an arts education event of the Lakewood Center for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization. It is held the weekend after Father’s Day each year and attracts 22-25,000 people. Contributions to the Festival are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Our tax ID number is 93-0700108.
Here’s a PSA about the festival:
Mission Statement: The Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts’ primary goal is to educate by promoting, supporting, coordinating, and exhibiting the arts of the region.
Location/Support: The Festival takes place at the Lakewood Center for the Arts and George Rogers Park, both on State Street in downtown Lake Oswego, Oregon USA. Lake Osweo is located 9 miles south of Portland, Oregon. The Festival is sustained by valuable partnerships with the City of Lake Oswego, Clackamas County Tourism and Development Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the Lake Oswego Rotary Club, the Lake Oswego School District, small and large businesses, the “Friends of the Festival,” plus more than 500 volunteers who work throughout the year and the weekend to make the Festival the success it is.
Portland, OR. Bruce Murray and Val Ilsley received the Metropolitan Family Service (MFS) 2018 Thomas Stoel Award for volunteer commitment to the community and a special recognition dinner was held in their honor May 22nd at the Sentinel in downtown Portland. Those who posed for a photo included MFS CEO Judy Strand; Bruce Murray and Val Ilsley; Social Venture Partners Portland CEO Mark Holloway; KeyBank Sr. Vice President and Manager, Pacific and Rocky Mountain Regions Corporate Responsibility Bruce Whiting.
Val Ilsley thanked MFS saying, “The most important thing of all is how all of you inspire me everyday—the Board, the staff, the Executive Team, the programs and the people that you impact on a daily basis.” (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
Former MFS Board Member and current Multnomah County Commissioner-Elect, Susheelah Jayapal, and MFS Board Vice Chair, Katie Gallagher arrive at the Tom Stoel Recognition Dinner. Photo by Andie Petkus.
MFS Stewards, Sarah and Josh Reynolds, Former MFS Board Member and Community Leader, Amy Wayson, and MFS Chief Program Officer, Amy Corbett enjoy pre-dinner conversation. Mr. Reynolds is also an MFS former Board Chair and current CEO of Ruby Jewel. Photo by Andie Petkus.
MFS recognizes and honors Mr. Stoel’s legacy by bestowing an award that bears his name. As one of Portland’s leading citizens, Mr. Stoel helped establish many local charitable foundations. Mr. Stoel was a founding member of the MFS Board of Directors in 1950.
“Val and Bruce have advanced organizations and efforts that serve those most in need, with a focus on economic advancement for those living on the edge of poverty,” shared MFS CEO Judy Strand.
MFS provides help to more than 10,000 children, families, and older adults in the greater Portland and SW Washington area each year. For more information, visit www.metfamily.org.
Portland, OR. Thanks to Willamette Week and Cinema 21, Legacy Health raised $10,000 to support the John Callahan Garden at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center during a screening of a movie based on Callahan’s life. “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot” was directed by Gus Van Sant, who attended the screening and posed for a photo with some of John Callahan’s family members. Five hundred people were at the June 12th screening and an after-party at Courtney Taylor’s Odditorium drew some 200 guests.
Callahan, who died in 2010, was a cartoonist for Willamette Week and a fixture in Northwest Portland. He had been a patient at the Legacy Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon (RIO) after he became a quadriplegic in a 1972 car wreck and later volunteered there.
“Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot” is based on Callahan’s autobiography and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It will be in released in local theatres on July 13th.
Joaquin Phoenix plays John Callahan in the film and Jonah Hill, his AA sponsor.
The garden bearing his name is nestled within Legacy Good Samaritan Park on Northwest Marshall St., between 21st and 22nd Avenues. It features an art installation that includes Callahan’s cartoons interwoven with his life story. RIO therapists use the garden to work with patients recovering from strokes and spinal cord injuries.
From Legacy:
Founded in 1875, Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center is a nationally acclaimed, full-service hospital with renowned doctors in heart care, cancer care, neurology, ophthalmology, weight-loss surgery and more. Located within the hospital, Legacy Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon (RIO) provides comprehensive inpatient medical and therapy programs for adults from across the Pacific Northwest.
For more information about supporting Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, please contact Rena Whittaker, executive director of the Good Samaritan Foundation, at 503-413-5585 or [email protected].
Portland, OR. Over 550 community members gathered at the Portland Art Museum to support The Dougy Center at the 2018 Reflection Benefit & Auction presented by KinderCare Education. This year’s Reflection Benefit on May 11th raised over $900,000, which is more than any other event in The Dougy Center’s history. This night included a silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind art created by Dougy Center participating children and teens, an elegant dinner, a live auction, and a heartfelt testimonial from Alissa, Robbie, Madeline and Samantha Parker, a family who participates in The Dougy Center’s program which supports grieving children and families. (Photo credit, Ilona LaRue)
Kevin and Jessica Sailor
Daphne and Destiny, Dougy Center Participants, displaying their art in the silent auction
Jeff Gianola, Emcee and Johnna Wells, Auctioneer
The inspiring evening culminated with the announcement of the 21st Annual Porsche Boxster Raffle winner, which nearly sold out of all 2,000 tickets.
The Dougy Center 2018 Reflection Benefit and Raffle was Co-Chaired by Tim & Jennifer O’Brien and Michael & Brandy Horwitz, and raised over $900,000 for our program to support children, teens, young adults and their families grieving the death of a loved one, or those living with a family member with an advanced serious illness.
Portland, OR. Organizers expect over 60,000 people to visit their Waterfront Festival and enjoy the annual parade during the June 16th-17th Portland Pride celebration. Portland Pride is held every June and is organized by the nonprofit, Pride Northwest. Its mission is to encourage and celebrate the positive diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans communities and showcase the history, accomplishments, and talents of these communities. Every year, during the month of June, the LGBT community celebrates around the world to recognize the positive influence of LGBT people.
There are over 160 entries in the parade this year. Photos from 2017 help tell the story.
The Pride Parade starts at the North Park Blocks and travels to Waterfront Park.
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral is encouraging members to join them again this year.
As are health organizations like Oregon Reproductive Medicine.
The parade is just one part of Portland Pride.
As part of 2018 Portland Pride, the Portland Thorns are partnering with Basic Rights Oregon and the Q Center to support LGBTQ equality.
Rainbow flags hang in the windows of city hall for #PrideMonth.
On June 14th Portland City Council voted to rename a 13-block section of Southwest Stark Street after gay rights activist Harvey Milk. The name change for the stretch of Stark Street between Naito Parkway and Burnside—historically a hub for Portland’s LGBTQ community—was fast-tracked in honor of Pride Month and this weekend’s Pride Parade. Milk was the nation’s first openly gay elected official. He won a seat on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors in 1977 and was assassinated one year later, at the age of 48.
Local businesses like Green Bean Books are featuring special offerings for Portland Pride.
Elephants Delicatessen is offering sweet rainbow cupcakes in honor of Pride Month.
Pride Northwest also works to celebrate and support the whole of the Pacific Northwest’s LGBTQ community year-round. Whether working with the City of Portland to improve the safety and livability of the LGBTQ community, supporting other Pride organizations like Q Center, Latinx Pride, Black Pride, and API Pride, sponsoring rural Prides around the region, building community with our incarcerated LGBT youth, or showcasing the artistic talents of LGBTQ people, our goal is to provide visibility around the issues impacting our community, and to celebrate the culture and contributions of our community.
The Portland Pride festival is the single, largest visibility avenue for our region’s LGBTQ community organizations and businesses, where they can attract new supporters and clients, increase their volunteer base, and raise much needed funds. In addition, the festival attracts thousands of visitors to Portland each year, bringing significant revenue to the local LGBTQ business community and to the city, as a whole.
Portland, OR. This summer marks the 12th year of the Movies in the Park program for Portland Parks and Recreation and screenings will include hits like Black Panther and The Greatest Showman. The free program has grown from 13 movies to a run of over 40 during a 12-week period.
Most screenings feature a pre-movie concert by local musicians.
Here’s a list of the 2018 offerings:
DATE
LOCATION
CONCERTS AND MOVIES
PARTNERS
TRANSIT
DETAILS
Friday,
July 6
Kenilworth Park, SE Holgate Boulevard and 32nd Avenue
Greydogz—New Orleans-style funk, blues, folk, and reggae
Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood Association, Reed Neighborhood Association
9, 10, 17
Moana (2016) PG—English with Spanish subtitles
Fernhill Park, NE 37th Avenue and Ainsworth Street
Portland Interfaith Gospel Choir—Traditional and contemporary black gospel music
Fernhill Summer Concerts Committee
70, 72, 75
Saturday,
July 7
Dickinson Park, SW 57th Place and Huddleston Street
Bottleneck Blues Band—Red-hot, funky dance blues
Crestwood Neighborhood Association
12, 43, 44, 96
Ferdinand (2017) PG
Monday,
July 9
Sellwood Riverfront Park, SE Spokane Street and Oaks Pkwy
Farnell Newton & The Othership Connection—Revitalizing funk and soul with a twist
Championed by Collage, Sellwood Riverfront Park Concerts Committee
19, 35, 36, 70, 99
Tuesday,
July 10
Mt. Tabor Park, SE 69th Avenue and Taylor Street
Dina y los Rumberos—Vibrant, energetic Cuban and international
Mt. Tabor/Berrydale Concerts Committee
15, 71
Wednesday,
July 11
Khunamokwst Park, 5200 NE Alberta Street
Matíces Latin Band—Andean pan pipes, Cuban son, and Latin jazz
Cully Association of Neighbors
24, 71, 72, 75
Beauty and the Beast (2017) PG—English with Spanish subtitles
Thursday,
July 12
George Park, 7240 N Fessenden Street
Colectivo de Son Jarocho de Portland—Deep Afro-Mexican roots
St. Johns Center for Opportunity
4, 11
The Sandlot (1993) PG—English with Spanish subtitles
Friday,
July 13
Wilshire Park, NE 33rd Avenue and Skidmore Street
Far Out West—Rootsy funk and blues rock
Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Association, Alameda Neighborhood Association
17, 24, 70, 75
The Secret Life of Pets (2016) PG
Fernhill Park, NE 37th Avenue and Ainsworth Street
Sonny Hess and Lady Kat—Modern blues and soulful rhythm and blues
Championed by Vacasa, Fernhill Summer Concerts Committee
70, 72, 75
Saturday,
July 14
Glenhaven Park, 7900 NE Siskiyou Street
All Together Now—Beatles cover band
Madison South Neighborhood
12, 24, 72
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) PG-13—English with Spanish subtitles
Sunday,
July 15
April Hill Park, SW 58th Avenue and Miles Street
Rogue Bluegrass Band—Acoustic bluegrass
Maplewood Neighborhood Association
1, 45
Coco (2017) PG
Monday,
July 16
Sellwood Riverfront Park, SE Spokane Street and Oaks Pkwy
Lloyd Jones Quartet with LaRhonda Steele—Spontaneous blues, jazz, and soul
Portland, OR. Friends of the Children celebrated 25 years by raising $2.51 million at its annual Friend Raiser benefit on May 10th. More than 740 guests came out for the event to honor Friends of the Children founders Duncan and Cindy Campbell as well as the hundreds of current program youth and alumni who’ve benefited from having a professional mentor in their lives. At the event, founder Duncan Campbell, was joined on stage by 25 current and former program youth and professional mentors to commemorate 25 years of Friends of the Children. (Photo credit, Kelly Mooney and Justine Reimnitz)
Priscilla and Dan Wieden, co-founder of Wieden + Kennedy, an event sponsor.
Founder, Duncan Campbell, talks with Michele and Greg Goodwin.
Friend Raiser guests bid on unique silent auction items.
Their first year at Friend Raiser, Beaches Restaurant from Vancouver, WA was a huge crowd pleaser.
Presented by Express Employment Professionals and Verizon, the event began with an open house at the Friends of the Children headquarters and a silent auction. Guests moved from room to room, grazing on gourmet hors d’oeuvres and sipping bubbles, while bidding on garden, wine, and vacation packages. Friends and youth then helped guide supporters to a massive tent for the evening’s live program through their famous high-five tunnel.
With only 10 live auction packages and a fast-paced special appeal, the crowd’s energy stayed high and the paddles were raised even higher. When all was said and done, the event set a new fundraising record at $2.51 million. Of that, $1.7 million was raised in the special appeal alone.
Before the record breaking special appeal, Randy Corradine, Director of Education & Equity, whose siblings are program graduates, addressed the audience and Friends of the Children founder, Duncan Campbell. “Duncan, you created this… Everyone in the crowd tonight is here because of you. Everyone on this stage and peppered throughout this space is here because of you. In 25 years, you have impacted thousands of lives and because of the ripple effect, those impacted lives will impact tens of thousands more lives in the next 25 years.”
From Friends of the Children:
Friends of the Children – Portland would like to extend a huge thank you to their major event sponsors!
Express Employment Professionals
Verizon
Columbia Forest Products
Acme Construction Supply
Campbell Global
Bob’s Red Mill
Grand + Benedicts
Touchmark
Wieden + Kennedy
Convergence Networks
CareOregon
Friends of the Children – Portland is the founding chapter of a nationwide organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through salaried, professional mentoring. For 25 years, Friends of the Children has used evidence-based strategies, long-term interventions, and nurturing relationships to serve youth facing the greatest societal challenges. For every $1 invested in program youth, $7 is returned to the community in savings within the public sector and contributions to the private sector, according to a Harvard Alumni Association of Oregon research. This year, Friends of the Children was named the number one Most-Admired Nonprofit in Oregon by the Portland Business Journal for the fourth time in six years.
Portland, OR. Portlanders are getting a chance to tour several U.S. and Canada ships and meet military service members and veterans. Ship tours continue through Sunday, June 10th. The Rose Festival Court made history on June 9th when Kiara Johnson became the first student from Parkrose high school honored as Queen of Rosaria. Queen Kiara, plans on attending college to pursue a career as a veterinarian or journalist. Each Rose Festival Court member receives a $3500 Scholarship courtesy of The Randal Group to use at a collage of their choice.
Kiara Johnson and her family.
Another first was a canine Rose Festival Parade Grand Marshal named Diesel, a 2 1/2 year-old English Mastiff. Diesel was chosen in a contest benefiting the Rose Festival’s 2018 Official Charity, the Oregon Humane Society.
Diesel rode in a convertible during the parade.
The 2018 parade drew hundreds of thousands of cheering people to the 4-mile route.
The nation’s most storied marching band: the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps make their first appearance in Portland since 1989.
Below is a list of the winners:
2018 SPIRIT MOUNTAIN CASINO GRAND FLORAL PARADE FLOAT AWARDS
Hillmann Lueddemann Jr. Sweepstakes Award (Most outstanding float in the Parade) Alaska Airlines
President’s Award (Most effective overall floral presentation) Reser’s Fine Foods
Queens Award (Most Creative float in the parade) p:ear
Governor’s Award (Best depiction of life in Oregon) Portland General Electric
Royal Rosarian Award (Best craftsmanship and workmanship) Fred Meyer
Rose Society Award (Most effective use and display of roses) Unitus Community Credit Union
Rose Festival Directors Award (Best depiction of volunteerism) Northwest Chinese Alliance
Rose Festival Court Award (Best example of enthusiasm and teamwork) Juega Feliz
Grand Marshal Award (Best depiction of whimsy) Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
Theme Award (Best presentation of Rose Festival theme – Play Happy) Rose Festival CityFair
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Award (Best depiction of community spirit) Cambia Portland Classic
Peg Roseboro Award (Most artistic design and presentation) Spirit mountain Casino
Dick Powers Picture Perfect Award (Best Mini-float) Metro Mini-Float
Parade Queen Award Westminster Hyack Festival Mini-float
Parade Chairman Award Lincoln City Mini-FloatBAND AWARDS:
Band Sweepstakes (Best Band in Parade)
Westview High School
In-State Division A (99 Members or Less)
First Place – Hillsboro High School, Hillsboro, OR
Second Place – Aloha High School, Beaverton, OR
Third Place – Lincoln High School, Portland, OR
In-State Open (100 or more)
First Place – Tualatin High School, Tualatin, OR
Second Place – Oregon City High School, Oregon City, OR
Third Place – Century High School, Hillsboro, OR
Out-of-State Division A (99 Members or Less)
First Place – Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, WA
Second Place – Prairie High School, Brush Prairie, WA
Third Place – South Kitsap High School, Port Orchard, WA
ROSE FESTIVAL EQUESTRIAN AWARD LISTING
Vern Hulit Award for Excellence in Preparation,
Organization and Presentation
Happy Canyon Princesses
Native or National Costume, Individual/Pair
Happy Canyon Indian Princesses
Native Dress – Group
Hawaii Pa’u Riders
Rodeo or Fair Queen and Court
Pendleton Round Up Court
Here’s information on more Rose Festival events:
Join the thrill of the Dragon Boat Race Saturday and Sunday at the Waterfront Bowl area near Riverplace Marina as more than 50 teams push the traditional ornately decorated Dragons to victory. Teams of up to 20 paddlers compete in Women’s, Mixed and Student categories from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days.
CityFair wraps the festival with great food, extra kids fun and Funtastic carnival rides. If they went by too fast on Saturday, come down to CityFair and see them up close as the floats from the Grand Floral Parade put the brakes on and pause for photo-ops along Naito Parkway for the Grand Floral Float Showcase starting at 3:00 p.m. Saturday through 4:00 p.m. Sunday.
Also on Sunday amateur ukulele players are invited to join the first Ukulele Rose Experience and jam session. Led by local musician Rick Huddle and Introducing bass player Matt Lynch, the one hour session will be emceed by comedian & Clown Prince Angel Ocasio. Join the music Sunday, June 10, 20181:30 p.m. ‐ 2:30 p.m. on the Rose City Stage inside CityFair at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. CityFair admission is FREE with ukulele and all ages and skill levels welcome! (Bring your music stand).
Since the very beginning of the Rose Festival back in 1907, visiting ships and other fleet-related elements (like submarines) have been making their way to Portland’s waterfront. The City of Portland is known to be a favorite port of call for military (and non-military) visitors — and citizens enjoy making these visitors welcome! One of the purposes of Fleet Week has always been to celebrate and thank the active and reserve military personnel and all veterans. The Portland Rose Festival is extremely fortunate to be one of a few U.S. Ports of Call for a courtesy visit from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and Royal Canadian Navy. Their arrival commemorates a relationship with the Navy that has lasted more than 100 years, and over 80 years of visiting Portland during the Rose Festival. It is a significant commitment by the Navy to make the Rose Festival Fleet Week one of the premier Fleet Week events in the country.
Portland, OR. Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) raised nearly $300,000 at Pinot & Pups, a special benefit at the Portland Art Museum. More than 350 GDB supporters and guide dog users gathered for the fundraiser on May 12th. Haley Pritchard smiled for a photo with a guide dog in training at the party. Guide Dogs for the Blind pairs dogs with people experiencing visual impairments and blindness; it provides services free of charge and receives no government funding.
GDB supporter Howard Hedinger spends time with GDB National Major Gift Officer Janet Benjamin.
GDB CEO Chris Benninger spends time with Barbara Summers and Board Member, Von Summers.
Noi Hall and Linda Glasser team up to bid.
Yellow Lab guide dog puppy, Flash, sports a bow tie along with his puppy vest.
GDB staff members pose with canine heroes in training.
Sue Dishart, Jeri and Darrell Livingston enjoy the wine reception and silent auction that kicked off Pinot and Pups.
Michelle Holman and Skee Bernhardt get ready to bid with wild abandon.
Janet Rivera enjoys the thrill of victory.
David Pazourek and Claudia Bowers enjoy the evening’s program – especially the live auction.
Ron Richards and Kathy Leathers celebrate a winning bid. They won the infamous wine and chocolate package!
Guests enjoyed wine and beer at the event.
The event featured local fine wine and beer tastings, people (and dogs) dressed to the nines, a silent auction, a live auction and inspiring stories on the real impact a guide dog has from active guide dog users.
Featuring one story from an active guide dog user and her adult son, who became a trainer for GDB after seeing how much of a positive impact the organization had on his mother’s life.
All proceeds from the event benefited Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Portland, OR. Portland Opera is currently staging Gounod’s Faust with performances June 8th, 10th, 14th, and 16th. When season 55 kicks off in November, it will includetwo classics, an opera with a transgender heroine, and a rarely performed piece by a well-known composer. The season will launch Verdi’s romance La Traviata. In March, Portland Opera will present Laura Kaminsky’s coming-of-age story, As One, where two voices, a mezzo-soprano and a baritone, share the role of the transgender heroine Hannah. The season will continue in the spring with the company’s annual Big Night concert and vibrant production of Rossini’s great Il Barbiere di Siviglia. In July, the company will present Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera for the first time, followed by the company premiere of Philip Glass’s exploration of the nature of justice, In the Penal Colony, based on Franz Kafka’s short story.
In addition to mainstage programming, Portland Opera will host five unique evenings at the Hampton Opera Center, building on the company’s Vino e Voce series. Each performance will feature intimate performances by 2018/19 season artists, al fresco dining, and drinks overlooking the Willamette River.
“Each opera in the 2018/19 season brings us on a journey – whether that journey is across land, into the arms of love, or an internal journey into self-acceptance and belonging,” says General Director Christopher Mattaliano. “These stories inspire us time and time again. We can’t wait to share these moments with the Portland community.”
Portland Opera 2018/2019 Season
La Traviata – Giuseppe Verdi
Four performances: November 2, 4 (matinee), 8, 10, 2018
Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay Street
Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.
Violetta Valéry Aurelia Florian
Alfredo Germont Jonathan Boyd
Giorgio Germont Weston Hurt
Flora Camille Sherman
Doctor Damien Geter
Marquis Geoffrey Schellenberg
Gastone David Warner
Annina Helen Huang
Conductor Christopher Larkin
Director Elise Sandell
A crown jewel of grand opera, La Traviata tells the story of the brilliant and beautiful Parisian courtesan Violetta Valéry as she falls in love with Alfredo Germont. Haunted by her reputation and illness, Violetta navigates sexual politics and confronts societal expectations as she braves a broken heart.
Classic sets and costumes honor tradition in this production. Romanian soprano Aurelia Florian, whose performance of Violetta at the San Francisco Opera was called “incandescent” by the San Francisco Chronicle, makes her Portland Opera debut as our tour de force heroine. Tenor Jonathan Boyd, who sings the title role in this season’s production of Faust, returns to the company as Alfredo.
“At the center of the Parisian Demimonde of the 19th century is one of opera’s most beloved heroines, Violetta Valéry,” says stage director Elise Sandell. “She lives in a world of luxurious and flagrant hedonism…and so will we in the audience while watching the opera! She’s a woman with intelligence and heart, who seems to have everything a woman could want: riches, popularity, and men to dote on her. She dares to give it all up to live a life of real love with Alfredo, who sees only her. This is a story we love to live over and over again…and when we stay true to the characters and the music, it never disappoints!”
As One – Laura Kaminsky
A Chamber Opera for Two Voices and String Quartet
Music and concept by Laura Kaminsky
Libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed
Five performances: March 22, 24 (matinee), 26, 28, 30, 2019
Newmark Theatre, 1111 SE Broadway Ave.
Sung in English with English supertitles projected above the stage.
Hannah after Hannah S. Penn
Hannah before Alexander Elliott
Director, Conductor,
Set & Costume Designer Andreas Mitisek
In this stunning coming-of-age story, two voices—a mezzo-soprano and a baritone—share the role of our transgender heroine Hannah as she endeavors to resolve the discord between herself and the outside world. Celebrated as one of the most important new works in the world of opera, Hannah’s story sheds light on universal truths of self-love and identity.
This chamber opera incorporates film, directed and created by Kimberly Reed. Former Portland Opera Resident Artists Hannah Penn and Alexander Elliott sing the roles of Hannah. Conductor, director, and designer Andreas Mitisek makes his Portland Opera debut with this production.
As One was commissioned and developed by American Opera Projects, a nonprofit organization that has produced over 30 world premiere operas. The piece premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2014, and in the 2016/17 season it was the 14th most produced opera in the country, surpassing Turandot and Il Barbiere di Siviglia. The New York Classical Review says of the piece “As One~is everything that we hope for in contemporary opera: topical, poignant, daring, and beautifully written.”
“As One is an essential human story about~the journey of becoming~One,~Whole,~True.~We take this journey like every other human, unlike every other human,” says stage director Andreas Mitisek. “That is the power of the arts~–~to make us think and reflect, to open~new doors into worlds we didn’t know,~to remind us of what we each have to offer, and what we all have in common; to help us understand our history and imagine our future; to give us hope in the moments of struggle; and to bring us~together when nothing else will.”
Big Night 2019
May 11, 2019
Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay Street
Portland Opera’s annual Big Night concert is a one-night-only celebration of some of the most beautiful music ever composed. In 2019, the concert will feature a new addition – a special reveal of the 2019/20 season.
This performance will feature mezzo-soprano Aleksandra Romano, baritone John Moore, tenor Matthew Grills, the 2018/19 Portland Resident Artists, and the Portland Opera Orchestra and Chorus, led by Music Director George Manahan. General Director Christopher Mattaliano will be the host of the evening.
Il Barbiere di Siviglia – Gioachino Rossini
Four performances: June 7, 9 (matinee), 13, 15, 2019
Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay Street
Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage
Figaro John Moore
Count Almaviva Jack Swanson
Rosina Aleksandra Romano
Dr. Bartolo Eduardo Chama
Don Basilio Adam Lau
Berta Antonia Tamer
Conductor George Manahan
Director Christopher Mattaliano
Count Almaviva has fallen for the charming Rosina and enlists the help of the town barber Figaro to assist in winning her affection. Together they try to outwit her horrible guardian, Dr. Bartolo, who also vies for her hand. Classic shenanigans and twists promise to delight audiences both young and young at heart in one of the greatest comic operas of all time.
Christopher Mattaliano’s colorful and nostalgic production is a fun-filled love letter to opera’s brilliant past. The piece stars Metropolitan Opera baritone John Moore as the scheming barber, mezzo-soprano Aleksandra Romano, last seen at Portland Opera as Isabella in The Italian Girl in Algiers, as Rosina, and Jack Swanson as Count Almaviva.
“This production of The Barber of Seville is high energy and high voltage,” says stage director Christopher Mattaliano. “We’re embracing the conventions of opera, which can be a ridiculous art form, and not apologizing for it. Rossini’s piece sparkles, and I can’t wait to bring this production of one of the most popular opera buffas back to the stage.”
La Finta Giardiniera – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Six performances: July 12, 14 (matinee), 18, 20, 24, 27, 2019
Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway Avenue
Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage
Sandrina Lindsay Ohse
Count Belfiore Thomas Cilluffo
Podesta Mark A. Thomsen
Arminda Antonia Tamer
Ramiro Camille Sherman
Serpetta Helen Huang
Nardo Geoffrey Schellenberg
Conductor George Manahan
Director Chas Rader-Shieber
Violante goes into hiding as “the disguised gardener” at the local Mayor’s country estate after escaping her abusive lover, Count Belfiore. As she chooses forgiveness and to love again, a dizzying cast of characters in disguise, enamored, and in chaos come together in this seriocomic account of the very complex nature of the human heart.
Combining buoyant comedy with drama and sublime music, this opera from 1775 showcases everything we love about Mozart’s work. Lindsay Ohse returns to Portland Opera as the title character in Chas Rader-Shieber’s inspired new production.
“The story of La Finta Giardiniera tells typically Mozartian emotional truths, even in the midst of comic mayhem and romantic confusion,” says stage director Chas Rader-Shieber. “With ideas straight out of the Age of Enlightenment, Mozart valiantly attempts to create order out of the chaos of love; a love that is messy and silly and glorious and profound. Both the aristocracy and their servants join in “carving topiary out of the weeds”, in a bittersweet search for calming reason in the wild landscape of passion.”
In the Penal Colony – Philip Glass
Eight performances: July 26, 28 (matinee), 30, August 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 2019
The Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at the Hampton Opera Center, 211 SE Caruthers Street
Sung in English with English supertitles projected above the stage
The Visitor Martin Bakari
The Officer Ryan Thorn
Conductor Nicholas Fox
Director Jerry Mouawad
A visitor is invited to a penal colony to observe the execution of a prisoner at the hands of a nightmarish machine. The colony’s officer extols the virtues of the apparatus, which tortures as it kills, in this piece that the New York Times calls a “surreal exploration of injustice.” As the future of the institution is questioned, the visitor considers the consequences of meddling, and the officer grows more desperate to preserve the system.
Featuring a string quintet, this new production is directed and devised by Jerry Mouawad of Imago Theatre, who directed Portland Opera’s 2017 production of The Difficulty of Crossing a Field and The Little Match Girl Passion. Baritone Ryan Thorn and tenor Martin Bakari bothreturn to Portland Opera as the Officer and Visitor.
In the Penal Colony is based on Franz Kafka’s short story by the same name. Librettist Rudy Wurlitzer adapted the piece for opera, and ACT Theatre in Seattle commissioned the work for its premiere in 2000.
“The short story by Kafka is most disturbing and graphic – capital punishment and extreme torture that spits out a highly questionable redemption,” says stage director Jerry Mouawad. “Kafka seems to ask us poignant questions – is humankind in a tailspin, an endless cycle? Does darkness reign until light emerges, only long enough until we deem it necessary that darkness return again?”
Tickets and Information
Subscriptions for the 2018/19 season are on sale now. Single tickets for La Traviata and As One will go on sale on August 17, 2018, and single tickets for the remainder of the season will go on sale on December 7, 2018. For more information, and to purchase tickets visit http://www.portlandopera.org or call Patron Services at 503-241-1802. For more information, patrons may also contact the Opera Concierge at [email protected].
Main stage operas are presented with projected English translations above the stage. Evening performances begin at 7:30 PM, and matinee performances begin at 2 PM. Late seating is not permitted. Tickets and subscriptions can be purchased online at portlandopera.org, by calling (503) 241-1802, or in-person at the Hampton Opera Center, located at 211 SE Caruthers Street in Portland, Oregon. Patron Services hours are Monday through Friday, 10 AM – 5 PM.
Portland Opera is a participant in Arts for All—providing $5 tickets for Oregon Trail Card holders for operas at the Keller Auditorium and Newmark Theatre.
A limited number of rush tickets (for seniors, students, and United States Armed Forces personnel and their families) are available for performances. Student rush tickets are available online on the Monday before the performances. Call 503-241-1802 for more information.
Portland Opera offers wheelchair accessible and companion seating for every performance throughout the season, and offers assisted listening devices for productions at the Newmark Theatre and Keller Auditorium. Designated performances also include a live audio-description of the visual and physical events on-stage for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Please contact Patron Services for additional information.
Portland Opera appreciates the ongoing support of funders including The Collins Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, Oregon Arts Commission, Work for Art, the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, and The Regional Arts & Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education & Access Fund.
About Portland Opera
Portland Opera exists to inspire, challenge, and uplift its audiences by creating productions of high artistic quality and is proud to be a part of the region’s thriving artistic and business community. We celebrate the beauty and breadth of the opera repertoire with performances that take place in the Keller Auditorium, Newmark Theatre, and the Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at the Hampton Opera Center. The company is also a committed educational partner, touring fully staged operas to schools and community centers throughout Oregon and SW Washington region each year, in addition to a host of other efforts designed to make opera accessible for all.
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