A newly-created nonprofit is looking to bring the operas of Richard Wagner to New Hampshire audiences with two shows this summer.
Peter Furlong is a part-time New London resident, opera singer and co-founder of the Berlin Wagner Group. He has worked professionally as an opera singer for decades in New Hampshire, Colorado, New Mexico and most recently in Europe.
For many opera singers, as they age, their voice “matures,” Furlong explained. That can mean that the Italian opera pieces they once performed are no longer suitable for their voice. Roles in German operas, such as those by Wagner, are a better match for their new tones.
However, he found that companies performing these Wagner pieces were hesitant to cast actors without previous experience. So, about five years ago, he co-founded a group overseas that help these maturing performers who were looking to transition to the Wagner style get experience in order to be considered for professional roles.
The group includes German music director Byron Knutson, co-founder; pianists Kathryn Southworth of Concord Community Music School and Jeffrey Brody; and singers Benjamin Bloomfield and Meredith Mecum Bloomfield.
It is this group that has now also incorporated a New Hampshire branch this year. The performers will be showcasing their skills while bringing to the stage an artform not often accessible to Granite Staters.
“Our intent is to enrich and strengthen the classical music community in New Hampshire through original and fun programming,” Furlong said. Without going to New York or Montreal, there are few opportunities for residents to see live professional opera.
“We believe that the performing arts are for everybody and that everyone has the right to have access and to experience the performing arts, live, regardless of income level or socio-economic privilege,” Furlong said. He calculated that 80% of the projected audience is considered to be in the low- to moderate-annual income level for New Hampshire (based on Census data).
Beyond this summer’s concerts, Furlong hopes the group can grow into Maine and Vermont. He also would like to launch an educational symposium for young dramatic voices to study opera in a sort of week-long masterclass format.
“We’re trying to build up the outreach as well,” he said.
The group has two concerts planned for New Hampshire this season.
On July 23 at 7 p.m., the group will perform at the Sawyer Theater at Colby-Sawyer College in New London.
This concert titled “Ring in One Evening” will highlight Wagner’s Ring Cycle, centered around one of Wagner’s most well-known pieces “Ride of the Valkyries.”
Furlong said the works in this opera, based loosely on Germanic heroes and Norse sagas, remain current today, as seen in the Marvel franchise, which recently released “Thor: Love and Thunder” with those same characters.
The hope is that performers will be able to spread out among the audience for an almost surround-sound effect.
“The audience is immersed in what’s happening,” Furlong said.
Furlong and the Bloomfields will be joined by a Vermont chorus for this production. Musical director will be Southworth.
Tickets for this show will be $20 for adults and $5 for children/students with ID.
On July 30 at 7 p.m., the Berlin Wagner Group will perform at St. Kieran Center for the Arts in Berlin.
This show is “Gods, Myths, and some Marvelous Legends,” which will include a Ring cycle piece
“A lot of music you know today is because of Wagner,” Furlong said.
The compositions in this program will showcase how Wagner was among the first to utilize musical themes for individual characters. This style was adopted by John Williams for his “Star Wars” compositions; Yoda has his own theme, as does Leia, and Darth Vader, as well as many other characters.
The cast for this show will be smaller, with just Furlong and the Bloomfields, accompanied by Southworth, without an ensemble.
Tickets for the Berlin show are $15 in advance and $18 at the door.
Both performances will have a narrator role. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit berlinwagnergroup.org.