Arts Today Ezine vol 1.5 by Arts Today Ezine

featuring:

Theresa Payne @ The Rustic Goat pg. # 20

IN THE NEWS!

Bernie Hayes

LIVE/WORK/...

Nate Johnson

Opera STL

Opera Theater STL pg. # 13

Selena J.

Never The Less pg. #20

Milton Johnson Artist pg. #28

Do you know a teacher who promotes the love of learning? Someone who is exciting, engaging and effective in the classroom? Maybe you are a student or parent or even a peer who knows a teacher who always go the extra mile to make learning meaningful, interesting and enjoyable. If so, nominate that teacher for a chance to win $1,000 through MindSpark Partner’s Exceptional Educator contest. MindSpark is an online parent/teacher exchange of educational resources that assist in preparing students for the workplace. When a teacher is nominated they will receive an invitation to submit their exceptional and original teaching resources to MindSpark Partner. The winning teacher will win $1,000. And, the person who nominated them will win $100! Help us recognize Exceptional Educators. It is simple to nominate!

Just visit our site at http://contest.mindsparkpartners.com/contest

Established 2014 Volume 1.5 St. Louis, MO www.the-arts-today.com/ Layout/Design www.bdesignme.com

IN THIS ISSUE: Featured:

Poet

Selena J. - “Never The Less ” pg. 20

Theater

Opera Theatre - 2014 Festival

pg. 13

Artist

Milton “Knosaint” J.

pg. 28

In The News / Bernie Hayes............................pg. 4 The Art of Change............................................pg. 5 Live,Work, Play ..............................................pg.16

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

Volume 1.5 June 27, 2014

In The News

The Bernie Hayes Show

Talk and interviews about affairs of the day with a St. Louis slant. The Bernie Hayes Show can be seen: Friday’s at 9 A.M. Saturday’s at 10:00 P.M. Sunday’s at 5:30 P.M.

PUT SOMETHING CLEAN ON YOUR TV!

pg.

Your Source for Art Appreciation

THE

Art CHANGE

by Dr. Tracey McCarthy, Psy.D.,DCFC, J.D., M.A. Benchmark Organizational Learning and Development (BOLD), LLC.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.4 1.5 June June27, 12, 2014

The Art of Change: Finding Peace and Power in the Potential by Dr. Tracey McCarthy, Psy.D.,DCFC, J.D., M.A. Benchmark Organizational Learning and Development (BOLD), LLC. P.O. Box 22273 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33335 888-510-1999 (ph.) drtraceymccarthy@live.com

hange is inherent to life, from the nano and cellular levels to the societal and universal. In fact, change might be understood as the very essence of living - from even prior to conception. It is the process whereby the substance or form of an entity is transformed, replaced, supplemented, or modified. That which is, and was, becomes something new. It is, undeniably, one of the constants by which we humans exist. Sometimes, change appears to occur in a haphazard and unplanned manner. At other times, however, transformation is methodically strategic and masterfully artful. Human life, as a lived and breathed experience, is the work of art that emerges from the constant march of evolution. However straight or narrow, however authentic or contrived, and however twisted or tormented, our processes of alteration, and the results of such, are the dramas, comedies, romances, and science fictions of humanity. When we look closely, when we listen intently, when we feel deeply, we understand that at the core of our being, and at the heart of our existence, is the constant real-time creation of an evolving and intricate meandering tapestry, an in vivo novella, a piece of human poetry in motion. We are, indeed, incredible works of craft marked by constant reflection, transformation, apprehension, reinvention, abrogation, innovation, and inevitable progression or retrogression. The art forms of change that comprise our lives are the result of three basic change dynamics. There is the change that is foisted upon us, internally and externally. There is the almost single- minded and single-handed change that we create, internally and externally. There is, also, the change that results from co-creation and collaboration, internally and externally, both wittingly and unwittingly. While change is both necessary and inherent to life, the fact is most people find comfort in the familiar - whether such familiarity is in our vocations, our relationships, our places of abode, our pastimes, our business strategies, our spiritual walks, or in the culinary options we enjoy. We, often, find a certain serenity in the nostalgia of the past and experience a measurable trepidation in the uncertainty of what exists beyond the horizon of today. Even when change is seemingly beneficial, we fret over the possibility of constructive developments changing for the worse. Our destinies, our evolutions, and our forward movements towards our ultimate individual and collective human potentials, however, rest in the changes that our todays and our tomorrows bring and in the changes we bring to such. Regardless of how perfect, or imperfect, the vision or reality of the past, our destinies are in the visual fields before us. As long as we exist on earth, there exists the opportunity for growth and more deeply and fully moving into our purposes and our potentials. The dreams we have left to live, the gifts we have yet to give, the projects we have left to complete, the interesting people we have yet to meet, the causes we have left to serve, the kindnesses we have yet to share, the extraordinary places we have yet to experience, and the realizations of more whole and healthy existences are all found in the moments of

our change-filled present days and our possible days yet to come. While we are, largely, unconscious of the change of replicating cells and rarely even consider such seemingly minor life details, we are quite conscious of perceptively major life alterations and their palpable consequences. The consequences of the birth of a child, the death of a parent, the loss of a job, the attainment of a milestone, the accomplishment of a goal, the taste of defeat, and the embracement of epiphanies, all feel quite tangible and demanding of conscious awareness. We tend to delight in significantly perceived change that is experienced as unequivocally positive, but change that is accompanied by the unknown, the ambiguous, or the undesirable is disdained and often avoided, ignored, sabotaged, or directly quashed. It is a great challenge to consider, in the midst of less than positive change, that the change we fear might be the very adverse break we require to propel us to the potentially amazing destinies awaiting our arrival. There is no need to fear the changes, whether positive or negative, that our futures promise, because change is the certain fabric of life. Change occurs, moment by moment, day by day, and year by year, whether we desire modification or resist such. The peace and power are in understanding that we are wonderfully constructed and dynamic beings with the ability to not only adapt positively to most change, but to initiate and leverage change in service of moving closer to our optimal human selves. If we are honest with ourselves, we actually thrive on the transformative power of change. Change from without, in fact, often follows from an internal demand for life adjustment. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to wait, however, for the world to change us; we can empower ourselves to be the change we often deeply seek, yet simultaneously dread. While change may happen to us, we are, also, powerful and initiating artisans of our own evolutions. In this way, each moment, each day, we craft or co-create the pages of our autobiographic sketches and the accompanying musical scores and soundtracks. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to sit around waiting for others to create and sign the pages of our memory books; we can artfully, introspectively, and powerfully pen our own. External circumstances and people can serve as potent catalysts for internal conversion, but the most growth-inspiring and affirming adjustments begin within you. Our most salient and useful transformations generally start with an internal awareness of the need for reformation of the body, spirit, or mind. Personal evolution, therefore, often commences with a vision, a dream, or an image of a life and self that is deeper, broader, or more complete and fulfilling than the one in which we are currently living. There is an art to taking a vision and creating a transformative reality, and we can all tap into that under-sourced wellspring. Instead of waiting for change to happen, MAKE change happen... moment by focused moment, thought by focused thought, feeling by pg.

focused feeling, and action by focused action. In place of hemming and hawing, like the symbolic mice, move or make your own metaphorical cheese. Envision your promise, your potential, and your untapped Godbreathed power. Write down the vision, the dream, or the heart’s desire – and make it plain. Map out a simple and clear plan for the actualization of the vision and, each day, do one concrete and tangible thing to move you one step closer to your change. Remember, the beautiful thing about change and its planning is that you can even change your plans for your change. Life is like a musical sheet that unfolds a masterpiece with each note placed upon the page, and you are always free to adjust the tempo, along with the accompanying lyrics, mid creation. Go ahead! Paint that first brush stroke. Request that college application. When given a choice, choose happy. Meditate while you walk. Display your work of art in a venue where it might be most loved. Reconsider casting your pearls before swine. Make that blueberry, strawberry, cherry, and mango smoothie. Relocate, now. Listen intently for your calling and make that cold call. Complete one day of a cleansing fast. Refuse to be abused. Walk 1/8 of a mile. Move on. Accept that a spade is a spade and not a heart, a club, or a diamond in the rough. Stand atop the balance beam and touch the uneven bars. Explore the want-ads and survey the possibilities for sharing your gifts with a new community of colleagues. Draft an authentic petition for positive and life affirming human change. Learn the history, psychology, business, politics, anatomy, language, dance, law, philosophy, art, and mathematics of you. Pursue the career you love, regardless of the thoughts of others. Make concrete plans to pitch or roll out that new product. Listen to the ridiculous, for five minutes. When given a choice, choose love. Ignore the ridiculous. Smile at the unique human image in the mirror. Revisit your custody agreement. Write or rewrite a resume or vita. Ask for help. Volunteer your time and your mind. Map out that longed for road trip and hit the road. Speak to the person who never speaks. Watch the daybreak sun rise out of the ocean or river and envision your own rising potential. Keep your own counsel, first. Remove him or her from your life. Turn off your cell phone. Cook an amazing dinner and make an extra plate for a homeless person. Create your dream board. Forgive, when asked. Ask to be forgiven, when wrong. Retire, and begin anew. Be the literal change you seek in the world. Try a taste of Kombucha, green juice, kale chips, bean pie, coconut oil, Berbere stew, curry goat, or dragon fruit. Close your eyes and give thanks. Hibernate your laptop. Cut your hair and watch it grow, or not. Search your heart. Change your mind, literally. Write the first page of your long- planned book. Say “No.” or “Yes.” and mean it. Clearly define your life theory of success. Test your theory. Spend the day in the company of you, alone. Entertain the presumably impossible. Take the long way home. Let failure be your friendly feedback, but not your safety net friend. Speak to the unknown person you would like to meet. Take the road untraveled. When given a choice, choose peace. Apply Copyright © 2014 - All rights reserved.

for your passport. Drink the first of your 8 glasses of water today. Speak up! Choose faith over fear. When you are not actively creating the change, master the art and science of leveraging the change that seeks you. The next time a change, planned or unplanned, is on the horizon, instead of focusing on all that might go wrong, identify 3 amazingly positive things that might actually go right. In fact, meditate on all of the things which have the potential to not only go right, but those things which have the capacity to go extraordinarily well. Think on the positive possibilities of new relations, new opportunities, new revelations, new wisdoms, new skills, and new life spaces that might grow out of the life alteration. When you think of life as transformative art, you realize that you are the ever-empowered, change agent artisan. Decide, today, to make your life a unique masterpiece in the constant, evolving, moment by moment, making.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

Chasing CHASE

St. Louis-based author Meko, has written an engrossing tale of sex, lies and deceit. It’s about Chase Jordan, the founder of a successful magazine. During a luxury cabin getaway with her boyfriend and several life-long friends, things get ugly when Chase’s pent-up passions for her “play brother” erupt and ignites a firestorm of deadly emotional turmoil.

MEKO

discusses and signs her book

Saturday, July 19, 2014 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Vaughn Cultural Center (inside the Urban League) 3701 Grandel Sq., St. Louis, MO 63108 (314) 606-1567 for info

pg.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

1pm - 1am

pg.

he 5th Annual S.L.U.M. Fest represents the four elements of hip hop culture: emceeing, deejaying, breaking, and graffiti writing. Through a committee of delegates, contributors, and supporters this festival was made to depolarize the climate of hip hop in the city of Saint Louis by giving artists a platform to be heard and to explore other realms within the culture. With over 60 performers, Graffiti writers, Break dancers, and some of the area’s hottest DJs spinning all in one 12 hour day, this festival is what makes this a fortified front for people of all walks of life wanting to experience the essence of Hip hop in our city and what it has to offer. The festival also showcases an emcee freestyle battle, b-boy/b-girl breakdance battle, and a producer beat battle. This year S.L.U.M Fest will feature performances by Dynasty Hip Hop and Teen Swag, two non-profit youth organizations that promotes music, health, and well being in all youth ages 8-18 years old. This portion of the event will take place from 1:30 2:00 pm. ABOUT S.L.U.M. Fest: In 2010, ten influential hip hop promoters in St. Louis came together in order to form the S.L.U.M. Fest Organizers Board with one common goal: to unify the four elements of hip hop culture in our great city of St. Louis, Missouri. The festival has been featured on MTV’s “MADE”, and has won the “BEST OF 2012BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL IN ST. LOUIS” by the RFT (Riverfront Times). It is regarded as the “Best Hip Hop Festival in the Midwest”.

For more information, contact: John Harrington (314) 494-5895

@ PLUSH 3224 Locust St. St. Louis, MO 63103 314-535-2686

All ages $10

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Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

Women and minority Professionals Want to start a business in the biosciences, diversify your existing one, or provide your professional services to this industry? Learn how at “Creating Opportunities in Bioscience: Business & Networking Forums.”

• Hear presentations on the bioscience industry • Discover new pathways to business success • Meet industry insiders, funders, and forward thinkers THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center 975 North Warson St. Louis, MO 63132 Program begins at 6:00 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014

Third Degree Glass Factory 5200 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO 63108 Program begins at 6:00 p.m.

No Bioscience Background Necessary! To register, visit: biostl.org/about/inclusion

For more information, contact Dr. Cheryl Watkins-Moore at cwatkinsmoore@biostl.org or 314-880-8868 pg.

Photos by Ken Howard

Experience...

“27” | The Magic Flute | Dialogues of the Carmelites |

The Elixir of Love

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

the

FINAL DAYS of

Photos by Ken Howard

Opera Theatre’s

Audiences from as far away as Australia and press from Los Angeles, New York, London, Toronto, Chicago, Washington DC, Denver, and more have all made St. Louis their destination to experience the groundbreaking season of opera at St. Louis’s own Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

by Broadway World, filled with “wit and humor… an altogether delicious and surprising evening”), Donizetti’s delicious romantic comedy (which the PostDispatch writes “is certain to send audiences home with a smile… Tenor René Barbera brought out

The season includes Isaac Mizrahi’s new production of Mozart’s beloved masterpiece The Magic Flute (which has been celebrated as “a grand production of a sublime opera”

Nemorino’s innate loveability while singing with melting beauty.”), the world premiere of “27,” (called “brilliant… realized beautifully” by St. Louis

DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES

pg.

2014

Festival Season

THE ELIXIR OF LOVE

Public Radio and cheered for its “hummable tunes” and “clever, witty libretto” by the Post-Dispatch), as well as Dialogues of the Carmelites (for which reviews are now just beginning to appear). All performances are sung in English and accompanied by members of the St. Louis Symphony. Picnics are available in the gardens prior to each performance, and singers join the audience for cocktails under the starlight after each performance as well. The season concludes on Sunday, June 29, so don’t wait to make your plans to experience Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for yourself!

THE MAGIC FLUTE

View Events Calendar

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Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

LIVE WORK PLAY

SUN 1.

CLICK HERE to Watch

HERE IS ST LOUIS II 8..

15. Nate K. Johnson ABR,CRS,GRI Broker/Owner Real Estate Solutions nate@livingstl.com www.livingstl.com

Good Morning, I hope that you are doing well. The poet William Carlos Williams once said “In summer, the song sings itself.” I couldn’t agree more. Speaking of songs, there are some great bands performing some of them this month in St. Louis. I have a couple of suggestions for you to check out a few of them, along with some of the other great events happening in our great town. I hope to see you there!

continued pg 18.

pg.

22.

29.

Creve Coeur Days! Sleeping Beauty Studio 7@ Lemp

Patrice Rushen @ The Sheldon Concert Hall

CALENDAR OF EVENTS MON 2.

TUES 3.

WEDS 4.

THUR 5.

10.

11.

12.

16.

17.

23.

24.

18.

25.

19.

26.

June FRI 6.

SAT 7.

13.

14.

20.

21.

27.

28.

Summer Family Fun Series: Creve Coeur Days! Celebrate Reading Jungle Boogie Craft on Tap

Creve Coeur Days! Gateway Dragon Boat Festival Asian American Fair Skinker-DeBalivere BBQ Concert Series Summer Reggae Festival

30.

Family Fun and Monday Movie Nightt

Miss Webster Pageant @ Webster Groves Community Days Heritage and Freedom Festival

Riverfest

Heritage and Freedom Festival

Fair St. Louis

Rockin’ on the Landing

Riverfest Rockin’ on the Landing Fair St. Louis

Fair St. Louis

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Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

LIVE WORK PLAY

Why not head over to the carnival at Creve Coeur Days! There will be plenty of rides, games and food! There will be stuff for the kids too, it runs all weekend. Then on Friday, you can join me, the babies, and one of my favorite bands, Big Brother Thunder and the Master Blasters over at Jungle Boogie the St. Louis Zoo’s free summer concert series. You can also head to The Loop, as Craft Alliance will be celebrating their 50 year anniversary with a free party! Craft on Tap will feature live art demonstrations and the music of Kid Scientist and Middle Class Fashion, along with food and drinks from a variety of local joints, including Urban Chestnut & Meshuggah Cafe’! On Saturday morning, you can head out to the Gateway Dragon Boat Festival at Creve Coeur Lake and check out the Asian Fair hosted by the Asian American Chamber of Commerce. Next, you can head over to the Stages St. Louis production of Sleeping Beauty at Chaminade in South County. Afterwards, Studio 7 is hosting a One Night Only Art Show at the Lemp Brewery! Later, you can join me over in my beloved Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood at Greg Freeman Park for the kickoff of the Skinker-DeBalivere BBQ Concert Series featuring Non-Stop Reggae. If that is not enough reggae for you, head down to 2720 Cherokee for their Summer Reggae Festival. On Sunday, relax, and check out the world renowned singer & jazz/r&b

pianist, Patrice Rushen, over at The Sheldon Concert Hall. Next week, on Monday from 1-5, is Family Fun Day at Ballpark Village, followed by their Monday Movie Night with Weird Science on the big screen. On the 2nd, the Miss Webster Pageant will be taking place to kick off the festivities at Webster Groves Community Days which includes a carnival, BBQ, and more all the way through the weekend! If you hanging in St. Charles over the holiday, you can check Riverfest , which will be along the banks of the Missouri River, in Frontier Park on the 3rd-5th. Live music, carnival, and a good time is on the agenda. While your over there, check out the the Heritage and Freedom Festival at the Ozzie Smith Sports Complex in O’Fallon. There will be plenty of live music, food, fireworks, parades and more! You can also head downtown for more live music and food at Rockin’ on the Landing. Of course you can’t forget about Fair St. Louis, which will be in Forest Park this year! There will be 3 stages of music including, Gavin DeGraw, Musiq Soulchild, En Vogue & more! Belly Dancing, BBQ and the best fireworks display! If you missed Big Brother Thunder and The Master Blasters at Jungle Boogie, fear not as they will be blessing the stage on Wednesday, the 9th at the Whitaker Music pg.

Festival in the Missouri Botanical Gardens. If you’re out west, you can Feast in the Park in Chesterfield, at Faust Park where you’ll find food trucks and live music by Hudson and the Hoodoo Cats. Speaking of cats, also on Thursday, you can’t miss the Internet Cat Video Festival, which will be hosted at the Contemporary Art Museum. Later on Thursday, you can check out the blues/ reggae music of Aaron Kamm and The One Drops at the Broadway Oyster Bar. Friday will be a great night to head down to The Muny for the Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess musical, or check out The Saint Louis Art Museum’s Outdoor Film Series. Have a picnic at the base of Art Hill, and visit the food trucks while viewing Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on the enormous outdoor screen. On Saturday, you can celebrate Bastille Day in Maplewood at the Let Them Eat Art fair. Food, Music, Arts & Crafts, Cat Videos, and more! On Sunday, you can Glow in the Park as you light up the night at Queeny Park’s night 5K run. Starting on Monday the 13th, you can enjoy a week of the 14th Annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase at the Tivoli Theater. On Wednesday, the 16th you can join me at the Central Library for “Ideas Worth Spreading” about the future of our region at the Tedx GatewayArch live speaker event. On Friday the 18th, you can check out the Diamond Cut Blues Band along with the fire and glass show at the Third Degree Glass Factory during their and their Third Free Friday event. You might also consider the Missouri Botanical Gardens and their Around the World Wine Dinner, featuring South African Wines and Anglo-Indian Cuisine. You could also check out over 100 hands-on exhibits with the kids at Friday Free Family Night at the Magic House. On Saturday, The Schlafly Tap Room is host the Belgium Beer and Musselfest, where you will enjoy great beer and mussel pairings along with live music and perhaps some Belgium waffles. On Sunday you can ride your bike for a good cause out in Chesterfield for the Tour Des Sharks ride to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, or you can participate in the Paddle with Your Pooch Boat Race starting at the Boathouse in Forest Park. Of course, the 20th Copyright © 2014 - All rights reserved.

also kicks off National Zookeeper Week at the St. Louis Zoo. On Monday, the 21st, you can check out some new poetry with readings from River Styx: Hungry Young Poets series , which will take place at the Tavern of Fine Arts . You’ll find the Cat in the Hat hosting Suessical the Musical on the 22nd to the 28th at The Muny. On Wednesday, Dirty Muggs will be joining the Lions and Tigers and Beers and Wine at Jammin’ at the Zoo . On the 25th and 26th, COCA is presenting Ragtime - The Musical at the Edison Theater at Washington University. Don’t miss the acrobats and animal at The UniverSoul Circus , which is celebrating 20 years under the Big Top- they will be in town for one week only! On Sunday, the 27th, you can head over to Grand Center as KDHX hosts it’s Musical Merry-Go-Round with Grandfather Stark and welcomes the Sugar Free All-Stars for a family music matinee. It looks like another great month to be in St. Louis! Hopefully you will join me in participating in some of the great opportunities that are offered in our region. Take care, and let me know if there is anything that I can do for you. -Nate

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Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

This Monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Poetry

Selena J Enterprises Holistic Health, Fitness & Life Success Group PO Box 775213 St. Louis, MO 63177 Selenaj@selenaj.com

http://www.selenaj.com pg.

Submission

Selena J.

LISTEN

Never The Less

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

pg.

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

pg.

We’re ending Black Music Month with the hottest

live show in the city! This Saturday night, be prepared to be SLAYED by powerhouse Theresa Payne! She has opened for and performed with Jill Scott, Eric Roberson, Anthony David, and N’Dambi to name a few, two-time winner for Best R&B/Soul artist by the RFT(2012, 2014) and this year, we were all glued to the TV to catch her audition on the 6th season of NBC’s The Voice!

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

Transformation Christian Bookstore 4071 Page Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63113 (314) 535-0555

Additional ticket outlets are:

Drop Shop Beauty Salon 2809 Vandeventer Avenue St. Louis, MO 63107 (314) 534-9709 Rib Shack 8642 Natural Bridge Road St. Louis, MO 63106 (314) 427-1777

pg.

Rib Shack Downtown 1300 Cass Avenue St. Louis, MO 63106 (314) 282-2315 Afro World 7276 Natural Bridge Road St. Louis, MO 63121 (314) 389-5194 Community Women Against Hardship 3963 West Belle Place St. Louis, MO 63112 (314) 289-7523

www.the-arts-today.com

Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

This Monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Artist

Submission

Milton Johnson, III Instagram-@kn0saint_art Twitter-MNJohnsonIII DeviantART-Kn0saint79

pg.

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Volume 1.5 June27, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE! David and Thelma Steward

Endow an Annual Role for a Singer at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

$350,000 gift supports Opera Theatre’s commitment to diversity in casting St. Louis, MO (June 27, 2014) – David and Thelma Steward and The Steward Family Foundation have donated $350,000 to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to permanently endow an artist position, which will honor an artist of color each season. The first artist to be recognized as a “Thelma Steward Endowed Artist” is rising young African-American tenor Frederick Ballentine, who appears for his second season with Opera Theatre this year in the role of the First Armed Man in The Magic Flute, which has been a springboard for the prestigious careers of many great tenors through history. Mr. Ballentine performs the role as part of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’s Wells Fargo Advisors 2014 Festival Season. The opera has its final performance Saturday, June 28 at 1 p.m. The Steward Family Foundation gift is a sizeable addition to Opera Theatre’s endowment fund, which, through the generosity of the St. Louis community and careful stewardship, has grown 58% over the last five years, from $16.5M at the close of FY2008 to $26.1M at the close of FY2013. One of St. Louis’s most active philanthropists, David Steward is a former member of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Board of Directors and has remained an engaged supporter. He is the founder of World Wide Technology, one of the largest privately-held companies in the St. Louis region. Together with his wife Thelma, Mr. Steward serves on both the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Symphony and Variety, the Children’s Charity of St. Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Steward received the Excellence in Philanthropy Award from the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis in 2014. Tenor Frederick Ballentine is in his second year as part of Opera Theatre’s Gerdine Young Artist Program, which is designed to nurture and showcase the best young American singers. The program has begun the careers of countless great American singers, recently including Jamie Barton (who received the “Young Singer of the Year” award at the 2014 International Opera Awards), Aubrey Allicock (who premiered the role of Emile Griffith in OTSL’s world premiere Champion and makes his Metropolitan Opera debut in The Death of Klinghoffer later this fall), and Corinne Winters (recipient of both the George London Foundation and Sullivan Foundation awards). Mr. Ballentine has been a member of the inaugural class of Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy and participated in Wolf Trap Opera’s Studio Artist Program and will make his LA Opera debut in their upcoming season in The Ghosts of Versailles and Hercules Vs. Vampires as a new member of their prestigious Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program. He received his Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree at Rice University Shepherd School of Music. His upcoming debuts include performances with the Aspen Music Festival and the Naples Philharmonic. “We are delighted and blessed to be able to support the mission of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and to know that our investment will make a real difference to the company’s gifted artists. We have always held the strong belief ‘To whom much is given, much is required,’” said David and Thelma Steward. “We appreciate the talent and dedication of Opera Theatre’s singers and are pleased to play a role in attracting these extraordinary artists to St. Louis.”

pg.

“

This is truly a special gift, and we are deeply grateful for the incredible generosity of Dave and Thelma Steward,

”

“This is truly a special gift, and we are deeply grateful for the incredible generosity of Dave and Thelma Steward,” said Timothy O’Leary, general director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. “This endowment gift not only honors Opera Theatre’s historical commitment to diversity in casting, but it also supports the growth and lasting effect of that commitment.” In recognizing an artist of color annually, this gift responds to the commitment that Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has had since its inception, of always casting the right artists for each role in its season, irrespective of the ethnicity of the singer. This has ensured that great singers of color have graced Opera Theatre’s stage in operas by Mozart, Puccini, Bizet, Tchaikovsky, Adams, and Britten, including Denyce Graves, Sean Panikkar, Alyson Cambridge, Arthur Woodley, Kendall Gladen, and Kishani Jayasinghe. This commitment to inclusion extends beyond the stage to Opera Theatre’s audiences as well. Through the guidance of OTSL’s Engagement and Inclusion Task Force, in recent years, the company has created a wide range of programs that inspire first-time operagoers throughout the St. Louis region to discover the power and beauty of opera, through musical performances, thought-provoking conversations, and unique access to artists.

About Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is one of the leading American opera companies, known for a spring festival of inventive new productions, sung in English, featuring the finest American singers and accompanied by members of the St. Louis Symphony. With the launch of the 2014 season, Opera Theatre will have presented 24 world premieres and 23 American premieres – which may be the highest percentage of new work in the repertory of any U.S. company. Described by The Sunday Times of London as “one of the few American companies worth the transatlantic fare,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis annually welcomes visitors from nearly every state and close to a dozen foreign countries. Although the size of the theater typically limits box office income to less than a quarter of the budget, the company has consistently produced work of the highest quality while never accumulating a deficit. Opera Theatre also has a long tradition of discovering and promoting the careers of the finest operatic artists of the current generation. Among the artists who had important early opportunities at Opera Theatre are Christine Brewer, Susan Graham, Nathan Gunn, Patricia Racette, Thomas Hampson, Jerry Hadley, Dawn Upshaw, Sylvia McNair, Erie Mills, Dwayne Croft, Kelly Kaduce, and Lawrence Brownlee. Opera Theatre has always been known for distinguished leadership: founding general director Richard Gaddes was succeeded in 1985 by general director Charles MacKay, with famed British stage director Colin Graham as artistic director and Stephen Lord (1992 – present) as music director. Timothy O’Leary was named general director in October 2008 with acclaimed stage director James Robinson succeeding Colin Graham. For more information, visit ExperienceOpera.org. Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges 2014 season presenting sponsor Wells Fargo Advisors. Opera Theatre is a sustaining member of the Arts & Education Council of Greater Saint Louis, and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Regional Arts Commission, and the Missouri Arts Council.

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