Glimmerglass

Most of my life I lived only hours away from Cooperstown, NY, a region bursting with history, a vibrant arts community, and numerous tourist attractions -- but I had never been to visit before! Last week, I swung by the area for a day to see my friend Stephanie Foley Davis perform as Ma Moss in The Tenderland, performed at Glimmerglass Opera. A few things I learned:

- Many recognize and love Aaron Copland's music for its folk-inspired melodies, dance rhythms, and slow harmonic progressions that bring to mind a soaring landscape. When paired with a beautiful state park, a cute historic town, and the Baseball Hall of Fame, you find yourself enraptured in Americana.

- The entire region is named after the author, James Fenimore Cooper. His Leatherstocking Tales inspired the naming of "The Leatherstocking Region," and his reference to that "glimmer glass" led to the naming of the lake, state park, and opera company.

- Glimmerglass Opera is the place to go to hear extremely talented young performers (ie: in their 20's). The Tenderland featured all up-and-coming singers participating in the Young Artist Program for the summer. The production was stellar, and the cast had strong, clear, warm voices with well-honed techniques. You can check out one of the reviews here.

Interested in learning more about opera? Our voice teachers can help!