When the founders of the Taos Opera Institute, Linda Poetchske and Mary Jane Johnson, announced in October that they were stepping away after 15 years at the helm, they ensured that the revered young artists program was in the most capable hands. Mark Craig, a distinguished music educator, performer, Showcase director, and manager of TOI, stepped seamlessly into the role of general director and has already begun putting his own enthusiastic stamp on the program while maintaining TOI’s reputation for excellence.
TOI began in 2007 as a young artists’ training program dedicated to producing the next generation of opera stars, bridging the gap between academia and a professional career while aiming to create well-rounded singers — those confident on stage as well as in business and in life.
This year’s crop of rising opera stars will be in residence in Taos Ski Valley during the month of June, giving performances around the Taos area, including a fully-produced Showcase at the Taos Community Auditorium on June 24, 2023. This will include a one-act opera by TOI’s world-renowned Composer-In-Residence, Michael Ching.
But opera lovers won’t need to wait until June to get their live music fix. TOI will be holding a 15th Season Kick-Off concert on Sunday, Jan. 15, at 4 p.m. at the Harwood Museum of Art. “Winter Warmup to Summer Song” will feature internationally-renowned mezzo-soprano Megan Marino, fresh from a performance of Mozart’s "The Magic Flute" at The Metropolitan Opera in New York City. (Patrons of the Santa Fe Opera will also recognize Ms. Marino from her turn as Meg Page in last summer’s production of Verdi’s "Falstaff." (She was also a former Young Artist with the Santa Fe Opera.)
Beloved selections from Rossini’s "The Barber of Seville" and Bizet’s "Carmen" will feature in the program, as well as works by Vincenzo Bellini, William Bolcom, Kurt Weill, Leonard Bernstein and more. The concert will be followed by an artist reception at a nearby home: a wonderful opportunity to revel in the company of fellow opera lovers and get acquainted with Mr. Craig and Ms. Marino — who will be returning to Taos in June as a TOI faculty member.
Craig and Marino first sang together in 2009 at Sarasota Opera in Florida, and he says he has “thoroughly enjoyed watching her career thrive throughout the past decade.” After working with TOI’s singers last June in a masterclass, Craig jumped at the chance to invite Marino to return this summer as a faculty member. She and the other esteemed teachers will work with 24 young artists on a daily basis, helping to shape and sharpen their craft.
In addition to Megan Marino, TOI welcomes a fabulous local artist as her collaborative pianist for the upcoming Harwood event. Kim Bakkum is a household name to many Taos classical music aficionados, as she often plays for various events around town and also works with the Taos Chamber Music Group. Ms. Bakkum will also serve on the TOI faculty this coming June.
Tickets for the concert alone are available for $30, and $100 will gain you admittance to both the concert and the artist reception. Tickets and more information are available at taosoi.org, the Harwood website, or directly from EventBrite.com. To keep updated on the concert calendar and other events for their 15th Season, check out TOI’s website: taosoi.org.
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