Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:18:37 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers webmaster@nysun.com en-us Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/04/cbs-star-jason-dohring-opens-up.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/04/cbs-star-jason-dohring-opens-up.html Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Opera encompasses all aspects of performance, including acting. Now that opera performances are broadcast in high definition to movie and television screens across the world, the ability to act is even more important to a singer's career. And for a little advice, I turned to actor Jason Dohring, who stars in the current CBS series "Moonlight" and is known for his work in the former series "Veronica Mars." Mr. Dohring was in New York to attend New York Comic Con, a convention that brings comic Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/03/ready-for-a-spring-of-singing.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/03/ready-for-a-spring-of-singing.html Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:48:26 EST It's been a while since my last post, but now I'm back. Sometimes prioritizing is difficult, and the last couple of months have been a challenging time for me. My responsibilities at work come first unless I have made other arrangements with my boss. The first quarter of the year is a demanding time for any accounting department, including preparations for the new fiscal year and year-end closing of the previous year's accounting records, tax preparation, the annual visit from the external Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/02/artists-listening-to-artists.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/02/artists-listening-to-artists.html Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:05:30 EST Conductor and pianist David Leighton recently gave an open rehearsal, and while listening to it, I thought of how important it is for artists to attend live performances outside their own disciplines. The recital he was preparing for included: two impromptus by Franz Schubert from op. 90 and the Wanderer Fantasy op. 15; Chopin nocturnes op. 9, no. 1 in B-flat minor and the familiar op. 9 no. 2 in E-flat major; and Chopin's Sonata 3 op. 58 in B Minor. Mr. Leighton played beautifully for Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/02/the-operatic-toasts-of-the-town.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/02/the-operatic-toasts-of-the-town.html Thu, 7 Feb 2008 21:24:00 EST Last month, the opera world held its version of a "parade of champions" in Manhattan at the 3rd annual Opera News Awards where five operatic superstars were honored for their lifetime achievement, including: Leontyne Price, the great soprano who broke the color barrier for leading ladies at the Met and beyond in the 1960s; renowned City Opera and Met conductor Julius Rudel; and three artists still in the prime of their artistic careers -- baritone Thomas Hampson plus mezzo-sopranos Olga Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/01/opera-news-awards-gala.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/01/opera-news-awards-gala.html Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:24:00 EST The Metropolitan Opera Guild's third annual Opera News Awards gala will be held on Thursday, January 24, 2008, at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. In attendance will be some of the opera world's greatest stars, including this year's honorees: the mezzo-sopranos Stephanie Blythe and Olga Borodina, the baritone Thomas Hampson (whom I had the pleasure of interviewing via telephone while he was on location performing the role of Germont in the Lyric Opera of Chicago's production of "La Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/01/everyboyd-needs-a-mentor-1.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2008/01/everyboyd-needs-a-mentor-1.html Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:35:00 EST I've been fortunate to have many positive influences in both the workaday world and my artistic life. But there are several special individuals who helped me reshape my world and expand my horizons. Their influence came through comments made at that right time to change my thinking. One person is my boss here at The New York Sun, who made a singular comment that forever changed my thoughts about coupling my divergent accounting and artistic skills to my advantage. I'll explain in another post Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2007/12/tears-this-year-a-tribute-to-two.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2007/12/tears-this-year-a-tribute-to-two.html Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:14:12 EST As 2007 draws to a close, its' time to reflect on the loss of two operatic greats: soprano Beverly Sills and tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Years may pass before opera lovers have the opportunity to hear or benefit from the artistry and accomplishments of comparable talents. Their contributions to the opera world are immeasurable.I greatly admired the Brooklyn-born Sills' work in arts administration, especially the last year or so of her tenure as general director of the New York City Opera. She was Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2007/12/looking-back-at-a-first-audition.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2007/12/looking-back-at-a-first-audition.html Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:34:32 EST During my audition at the Met earlier this week, I found some time to reflect on the long road that got me here. I've auditioned at the Met more than ten times, so by now, I know the ropes. But my first time wasn't so easy. At the time, I had been singing professionally in Ohio, with Opera Columbus, for five seasons. I adored chorus and ensemble singing, first venturing out with the Columbus Symphony Chorus in Mendelssohn's "Elijah." And of course, I was also working a day job: I was an auditor Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2007/12/i-hope-i-get-it.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2007/12/i-hope-i-get-it.html Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:13:45 EST Today, I auditioned to sing with the Metropolitan Opera's extra chorus. This audition has become something of an annual tradition for me; it's the second time I've auditioned for Maestro Donald Palumbo, the Met's chorus master, in more than a decade of extra chorus auditions. I arrived a little before 11 a.m, about a half hour before my scheduled audition time, and it's a good thing I did. The fact that I have a time slot is not a small thing: Auditions are at a premium. Many singers must wait Cheryl Warfield http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2007/12/the-secrets-of-life-as-an-opera.html http://www.nysun.com/blogs/songs-and-numbers/2007/12/the-secrets-of-life-as-an-opera.html Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:16:00 EST Like many artists living in America's cultural capital, I have a dual existence. I am a classically trained, professional singer who works in the business office at The New York Sun. Since the 1990s, I've sung in the extra chorus at the Metropolitan Opera. I've performed operatic roles ranging from "Aïda" to "Tosca" at venues in New York and Europe. I've produced my own one-woman show about the life of legendary singer Dorothy Maynor, and I've appeared on Broadway in Hal Prince's revival of