Regarding Opera, Regret, and the World Premiere of SCARLET FEVER @ Mt. Tremper Arts

So it’s not usually our style to lay on the guilt, particularly since we threw down a hot-ass open studio at the Park Avenue Armory on Monday night (thanks again, Moving Theater!), which was well attended, and, it seemed, well enjoyed.

However, I know what you’re thinking:

• I just can’t get out of the city this weekend. Things are crazy!…
• There’s no way I can make it all the way up to the Catskills and back in time to pass out watching Facts of Life reruns on Hulu in the comfort of my own bed…
• Who can keep up with each and every world premiere of a brand spanking new opera!??…

But here are two things I would say to these ridiculous, albeit relatable, grumbles:

YOU WILL NOT REGRET getting the F out of the city this weekend to spend a gorgeous day on the grounds of Mt. Tremper Arts. It just doesn’t happen. The air is fresh and rejuvenating. The landscape, Edenesque. As I type this (near 7am), a gentle veil of mist is rolling over the small ridge of a friendly mountain. Crickets, bugs, birds and other woodland creatures sound a constant chorus around the clock. Don’t even get me started about the stars: STARS, people! Then there is the stoic and elegant studio that Mt. Tremper Arts built (see picture here), which not only invites scores of artists to take time out (and time off) to invent beautiful new things, but seems somehow, also, to extract the most productive juices of inspiration while one resides under its cathedral ceiling, and atop its smooth, sprung hardwood floor. All these words may get close, but could never actually touch the truth of what it feels like to be here.

Now, on the other hand, YOU WILL REGRET not coming to see the world premiere of SCARLET FEVER. Because, let’s get god damned real here: World premieres of operas do not happen every day. It fact, world premieres of operas are about as common as total solar eclipses (wait, didn’t China just have one of those?) than every day occurrences of music theater. Now, COC is trying hard to change that (from start to finish, our opera took about 10 months to create – so, kind of unheard of, guys) but we need YOU to close the circuit and make the premiere an occasion worthy of opera.

The information is here. Check it out. Consider it. You can get here by bus, or carpool, or hitchhike, if you’re brave enough. Or, like, if four of you rent a car together, it will cost you probably around $25 apiece, which is more than likely less than 1/4 of what you will probably spend on a Friday night in the city. (Squeeze a third person in that comfy back seat and it starts to get even cheaper.) You can also CAMP OUT (not to be confused with “queen out”) on the grounds here (although you can queen out too, if you’re feeling it; no judgments here). Or find that old hippie friend of your parents who will let you crash on their couch. There will be campfires, drinks and discussion after each performance. You will meet awesome people, lay under the stars, and free your f-ing mind, all the while supporting THE ONLY OPERA ENSEMBLE IN NYC THAT IS DEDICATED TO CREATING ORIGINAL OPERA WORKS.

There. I’ve said my piece. Now make some shit happen, and spend the coolest weekend of your summer just 2 hours outside of NYC. Do it for us. Do it for opera. Do it for the children.

But wait! I will leave you with a little quote from Werner Herzog’s ridonculously awesome flick, Fitzcarraldo, about a crazy fin de siecle mo-fo who has the most rare and fantastical vision to try to build an opera house in the middle of the Amazon:

Sir, the reality of your world is nothing more than a rotten caricature of great opera.

Substitute “a stank summer day in NYC” for “your world,” and you pretty much have no excuse not to come see us.

So, have a fun weekend! We’ll be making new opera. What will you be doing?

Big hugs,

Ryan Tracy

Artistic Director, COC