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Reflections: 32 Years with UNL Opera
By Bill Shomos When asked to put together some reflections on my 32-year tenure as Director of UNL Opera for this newsletter, I found myself at a bit of a loss. Mary Beth and I have countless cherished memories. Perhaps a good way to focus my reflections is to address a question that has frequently come up since I announced my retirement: “Which has been your favorite opera to direct?” Well, the answer is easy: “The one I’m currently working on!” But if I had to make a list, here are some...
Puccini’s La Bohème
By Pam Hromadka Dr. Bill Shomos, cast of eight, technical staff of seven and music director pianist Denis Plutalov arrived in Friend, Nebraska for the February 22 and 24 productions of La Bohème,...
UNL Opera and Opera Omaha Partnerships
By Jamie Reimer Seaman UNL Opera was happy to partner with Opera Omaha for two special events this season. In September, African American baritone Kenneth Overton presented a two-hour master class...
Reflections: 32 Years with UNL Opera
By Bill Shomos When asked to put together some reflections on my 32-year tenure as Director of UNL Opera for this newsletter, I found myself at a bit of a loss. Mary Beth and I have countless...
Amahl: A Legacy of Joy
From my time as a student at UNL, one of my favorite experiences was the annual production of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. Not only is the music catchy and the show uplifting (and the...
Alumni Spotlight: Kayla Wilkens and Brian Jeffers
Kayla in the role of Marie Shabata in the 2012 UNL Opera production of O Pioneers! (with Joshua Zink as Emil Bergson)KAYLA WILKENS This May, Kayla Wilkens (MM 2014) enjoyed a concert run in Las...
Give to Lincoln 2025 is LIVE!
As another school year comes quickly to a close, Give to Lincoln Day is once more around the corner! Now is as great a time as ever to support the UNL Opera program by making a donation to Friends...
Meet our Friends of Opera Student Representatives Ella Young and Tanner Engeseth
By Sharla Cerra I recently spoke with Tanner Engeseth and Ella Young, students at the UNL Glenn Korff School of Music. Tanner, who is in his first year of a Master’s program studying Voice...
“Re-Creating” Whitman poetry: Reflections on Song of Myself
by William Shomos, Director of UNL Opera In May of 2024 UNL alum Jared Hiscock, guest artists Brandon Bell and Philip Daniel, and I premiered a concert-piece, Song of Myself, at the Salt Creek Song...
Music and Theatre meet again in Urinetown
It’s understandable to hear the title Urinetown and have a few questions. Will the Spring Musical this year be reduced to two hours of potty humor? What kinds of educational experiences will the...
Getting to Know You: Friends of Opera Scholarship winner Jordan Thomas
The Friends of Opera Scholarship has been an integral part of our organization’s mission for many years. The 2024-25 school year, however, is the first year in which this scholarship will be...
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Please join Friends of Opera today! Your membership dues will:
- Enhance the quality of University of Nebraska-Lincoln Opera productions
- Encourage talented vocal students to attend University of Nebraska-Lincoln through scholarships and increased performance opportunities
- Support outreach programs
- Reward outstanding performers at the annual Metropolitan Opera Nebraska District Auditions
