My first Texas Summer!

Normally after the last festival show ends, I watch the curtain fall, then run to my car, which is packed full, and begin a two day cross-country drive to New York. Destination: Schroon Lake, New York, to work/teach at the Seagle Music Colony.

Seagle has been the testing ground for several new opera works over the past few years (including our Frau Margot and Before Night Falls), and I've been on staff there for the past six seasons. I decided to retire from opera summerstock so that I could expand and enhance our Fort Worth Opera education programming over the next few years.

So to answer the question "Well, what *are* you doing this summer, Clyde?" I'm writing this blog entry.

Our Children's Opera Theater program is the first thing to tackle. I have to get costumers and set designers under contract, now that our budget has been settled for the next year.

I have to sit down with those two scores and restage each of them, since I have five days (8 rehearsals) to get them staged and teched for their tours.

Then there's the obvious, I need to book the performances! Our new brochure is ready to get printed, and I'm updating the study guides.

There's also the second year of our Music Words Opera training for Fort Worth ISD to prepare for. We'll be teaching teachers how to write operas with their students!

Opera America has asked me to teach a webinar (broadcast internet class) on how to create educational programming, so I need to put that presentation together.

The video contest will return this year, be on the lookout for that announcement!

In short, I'm laying the foundation for next year now, so that I have the time freed up to create more programs and partnerships. To that end, I'm meeting with every school system to see what partnerships we can form. My intern, Wes Cantrell (who was a supernumerary in The Elixir of Love this past season) is contacting every ISD to make these appointments, and travels with me to them to learn about arts administration. I've also selected several local theaters to pilot a new program in the Fall.

Stay tuned, things will only get bigger and better this year.

If you're interested in working with Fort Worth Opera, let me know!


Clyde Berry is the Director of Education at Fort Worth Opera