History was made.
Were you there?
One week ago this evening, the doors opened. The vision of a few became the experience of many.
We officially launched One Ounce Opera, y’all!
It is still hard for me to verbalize, as difficult as that is for my husband to believe (ha). “Wow - did that really happen?” continued to be framed in my brain all weekend.
As both a Founder and a singer who has known struggle as an artist, I am floored by the support from the Greater Austin Community, and the attention from traditional and non-traditional media sources. We even made the 10 o’clock news.
On our very first solo gig. How cool is that?
Again, a HUGE, EPIC thank you to Red 7, all of our silent auction donors (and bidders!), and our Founding Supporters for making the evening possible.
“Possible” aptly describes last Thursday. It IS possible to put classical music where guitar rock prevails. It IS possible to tear away the pretense and allow an audience to cheer and holler and laugh. It IS possible to, as an artist, have a truly moving live performance experience without wearing an elaborate costume or singing over a professional orchestra in a massive concert hall.
As I’ve said before, if we want opera to be a part of the Live Music Scene in the Live Music Capital of the World, we have to put it where the live music is. We can no longer assume audiences will flock to us. The closing opera companies all over this country prove otherwise.
Economically, as a business owner, would you dare stand in your storefront doorway thinking, “I’ve got a great product that I care deeply about. People will want it. They will come to me”?
No.
You would put your product right in front of potential buyers. You would assume nothing, and expect everything. You would reach out to not only traditional sources for support, but seek out interesting new ways to cultivate allies and advocates. You would foster a climate for collaboration. You would continue to grow as your members / employees grew, and build upon their talents and strengths.
You would resist stopping short of your goal - to enrich the lives of those around you while feeding the source of light within you.
My hope for OOO is we enjoy this journey. Already, there are so many exciting things in the works. I can’t spill quite yet, but best believe we will surprise the hell out of everyone.
Myself included.
Cheers, friends.
-Julie
OOO Launch - Moving Forward
As I sit down to write this post, I find it hard to focus. I sense my mind wandering. There is much to be done in the coming days. I launch an opera company on August 23, after all.
An “opera company.” For some reason, that just doesn’t sound right. Yes, we sing opera, and yes, this is technically a professional company of singing-artists, but the title “opera company” doesn’t quite seem to fit who and what One Ounce Opera is now, and what I hope for it as we move forward.
“Opera company” seems antiquated - one thing OOO is envisioning stripping from the word “opera,” period. For me, it evokes images of elaborate costumes, complicated sets, having to wear pantyhose and trying to share the armrest in a massive, cold hall. It also reminds me of being hired for a role, traveling to where the show will be, spending three weeks of solid rehearsals putting a show together and getting to know these new characters and the people playing them, and then - just like that - any chemistry you created and any ensemble you worked to build is severed when the final curtain goes down.
That is so far away from an One Ounce Opera experience. Look at full details less than book of ra no deposit.
Since April, we have been building something that would take a monster to tear down. We have been creating a sense of ensemble, a team. Rehearsals have become moments to spend with friends, and to explore within a vibrant atmosphere. We laugh a lot - mostly at ourselves - as we continue to surprise each other with bold choices and fresh ideas.
Regardless of what we call ourselves, this is a company of artists, first and foremost. Of that, I am proud.
I am also proud of the fact we have built a community. We rely on one another. And after we take our final bows late on Thursday, August 23rd, it will mark the beginning of something exciting instead of the end. This is the starting gate - the first whistle - and no end date is in sight.
Hope you can be there to help us kickoff One Ounce Opera, officially. We plan to be a part of the game for many, many years to come.
Cheers,
Julie