Review #1 - Magic Mirror: A Russian Sleeping Beauty Awakens

Quotes from our first review:

There is a psychologically complex horror at work here, and its unfolding is the most dramatically satisfying element of the opera. Karapetian’s Queen is full of dignity and pathos, while Weiman’s Evil Queen is terrifying, simultaneously repugnant and compelling. Red-haired, dressed in black dress and with black nail-polish, Weiman’s powerful voice, devouring smile and dramatic fearlessness fill the small space with dread and threat.

Also:

At its best, The Magic Mirror has moments where musical language and dramatic action come together thrillingly: at the decidedly un-Tristanesque potion-drinking by the King; at the Princess’s apparent death; at moments of transition in the engagement celebration...If The Magic Mirror is not quite a major re-interpretation of a popular fable, it is nevertheless an appealing, accessible and occasionally brilliant early work that should be of interest to audiences seeking new takes on traditional opera.

Read the full review here:

A Russian Sleeping Beauty Awakens

Super Powers and Organization

I'm back!  I bet you thought I disappeared...

Life is fast-paced right now.  Between stage directing and keeping up with my composition projects, Juventas, OperaHub, Boston Arts Academy AND Cecilia - well, I feel a bit overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed in a good way.  I feel lucky to be working on so many amazing artistic projects.  Can you believe it!?!  I just wish there were a few more hours in the day, or maybe I could develop super powers like Evie from Out of This World.  I'll just touch my two pointer fingers together, freeze time, and take however long I please doing whatever strikes my fancy.  Ah!  Such a nice fantasy...

Side note - do you think I would age during this frozen time?  That could be a problem.

In the midst of developing my powers, I am trying to organize my website.  My plan is to post some of the interesting news items I received over the past year on my blog.

To begin, here is a review of A Protest received from the Boston Musical Intelligencer back in March of 2009:

Eight Commissioned Works for Women’s Vocal Ensemble Take on Social Protest by Liane Curtis

Erin Huelskamp’s A Protest proved the most memorable and startlingly revelatory work of the evening. Her choice was a Victorian-era poem by Arthur Hugh Clough. The anxiety expressed by a woman who rises to speak her opinion before a hostile assembly unfolds haltingly and in overlapping waves of forward motion, then hesitation. Speech-like declamations spar with sung comments, electrifying the psychological battle. This is the piece I most want to hear again, to parse and savor the interplay of interjections, questions and responses.

Anthology Voices commissioned A Protest  in 2008 and premiered it in March 2009.  Anthology is an amazing performing force; thus, I have a killer recording of the piece. I plan to post said recording to the "Listen" section of my site soon, so check back or join my mailing list.