Berks Opera Workshop was begun by Francine Black and her daughter, Tamara, professional voice teachers and music educators. They realized that young people need a more diverse range of cultural and artistic experience than what is offered by the entertainment industry generally. Further, when the performers themselves are young people, their young friends would be more likely to form a significant part of the audience.
Thus the Blacks began producing staged opera productions, open to the public. The singers were largely college students or recent graduates, while the instrumentalists were mainly extremely accomplished high school students. Musical preparation was and still is provided by the Blacks and other experienced teachers and directors at a professional level (including artists from the Metropolitan Opera), some of whom take roles in the productions as well. The young artists receive first-hand experience and training in the operatic art from professionals, including musical instruction in repertoire, vocal training, foreign languages, acting, directing, and production.
The Blacks’ first productions were in 2005, 2006, and 2007, as an adjunct of their voice studios. BOW was then formally incorporated in 2008 as a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation. In 2008 and 2009 BOW collaborated with the Fall Festival of the Arts, a long-standing downtown arts festival produced by Christ Episcopal Church and Trinity Lutheran Church, producing Don Giovanni, featuring Metropolitan Opera soprano Jennifer Check and Thaïs featuring Tamara Black. Reading Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Christopher Collins Lee joined the mainly student orchestra to play the famous Méditation. From its initial audiences in 2005, BOW’s audience has grown many times over.
In August, 2010, BOW produced its own highly acclaimed production of Carmen, conducted by Francine Black, and featuring nationally-known baritone Dominic Inferrera as Escamillo, Fleetwood native Toni Marie Palmertree as Carmen, Laurice Simmons Kennel as Micaela, and, stepping in at a few weeks before opening night when another singer cancelled, BOW favorite Lyle Ingram as Don José. The mainly student orchestra was augmented by a number of Reading Symphony Orchestra players, including concertmaster Christopher Collins Lee.
August 2011 will see another BOW production, Mozart’s innovative and brilliant Abduction from the Seraglio, with sopranos Elizabeth Turchi and Rebecca Galick, tenor’s Christopher Hitchinson and Lyle Ingram, Metropolitan Opera bass Jeremy Galyon and veteran actor John Pankratz.
BOW Performances have been held in the historic WCR Center for the Arts, an intimate venue with perfect acoustics for BOW’s young artists.
Through its new arm, Berks Opera Theater, BOW is also presenting emerging artists who are still building their reputations and repertoire. BOT’s first production was a concert performance of La Bohème in January 2011 at as part of Miller Center for the Performing Arts; Downtown Performing Arts Series. This featured sopranos Jennifer Check and Tamara Black, and tenor and Jeffrey Michael Hartman and Tamara Black, with Francine Black conducting. In January, 2011, BOT will present another concert performance at Miller Center, Bizet’s romantic opera, The Pearl Fishers, again featuring Metropolitan Opera bass, Jeremy Galyon, Met tenor Charles Reid, and Tamara Black.
As part of BOW’s outreach and educational activities, BOW President David Richie has provide many entertaining and educational multimedia presentations before major BOW performances, as well as a series of educational and entertaining Unleashing Your Inner Opera Fan introductions t o the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD Broadcasts.
BOW is currently working towards exciting partnerships with other musical and arts organizations. Watch here for more news!