http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage Jonathan Ichikawa's Theater Page Thu, 21 May 2009 19:32:24 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This blog's URL has moved. It's now to be found at jonathanichikawa.net/thestage. We'll see whether or not I do a better job keeping it up-to-date in its new location... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=24 My fifth year at the Gilbert & Sullivan festival I was cast as Florian in Savoynet's production of Princess Ida. I had been in Ida once before, in Houston, where I played Synthius while understudying both Florian and Gama. I had worked with Diana Burleigh, our director, once before, in Iolanthe ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=23 This was my fourth year at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival. I had been cast as Dick Deadeye in the Savoynet production of Pinafore -- a surprising and exciting choice for me. I had gone into the auditions thinking that I'd make a likely Boatswain, with only a pretty ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=22 While visiting my parents in California, I saw the Festival Opera production of Carmen in Walnut Creek on July 7. It was, on the whole, well-sung, with attractive sets and costumes. The ensemble musical work, in particular, was excellent. But a number of odd dramatic choices, and some unfortunate ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=21 My friend Carol Davis, whom I know through Savoynet, invited me to sing in a concert she organized with LOONY -- Light Opera of New York.  This represented two big firsts for me: my first professional singing gig, and my first public performance of an opera aria.  In the first ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=20 I went to see the live matinee HD broadcast of Renee Fleming and Dmitry Hvorostovsky in the Met's Eugene Onegin at my local movie theater. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.  If I hadn't already decided earlier this year that I was pretty interested in opera, ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=18 My friend Lauren is a musicology student at Yale; she invited me to see the Yale Opera production of Puccini's La Boheme. I enjoyed it quite a lot. I was surprised when I looked at the cast list and saw Sara Jakubiak's name for Mimi. I knew Sara back ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=17 The second of what I hope will be many, many lifetime trips to the Met was to see Verdi's La Traviata. It was conducted by Carlo Rizzi, and featured soprano Mary Dunleavy and tenor Wookyung Kim. I found it to be an awesome experience. The world of ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=16 I went to see the Met's I Puritani at my local movie theater. However, there were weird technical difficulties, and my friend and I ended up leaving late in the first Act and getting a refund. The screen blanked on us for ten minutes or so, and they ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=15 The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Society has a concert at each of its monthly meetings; in February 2007, I participated in my third Society concert, Haddon Hall. This is a late Sullivan work, with a libretto by Sydney Grundy. Here is the G&S archive page. This ... http://jonathanichikawa.net/thestage/?p=14