UrbanArias Presents ‘Blind Dates’ including ‘Craigslistlieder’ at IOTA on August 5th at 7 PM by Robert Wood

UrbanArias, the DC-area’s purveyor of high-quality, short contemporary opera is performing at Arlington’s IOTA Club and Cafe this coming weekend, on August 5th at 7 p.m.. Our program includes a set of eight songs, set to text from actual, unbelievable Craigslist ads. AND – we do “opera improv,” like Whose Line is it Anyway, but sung. And with audience suggestions.

BLIND DATES, a program of mini-operas and opera improv, is on Sunday, August 5th at 7 p.m. at IOTA Club and Cafe in Arlington. Stephen Negrey of IOTA is a tireless promoter of live music, and a great supporter of local bands, and he also has an interest in a select group of classical performers, including the IBIS chamber ensemble. I’m really delighted to be working with him.

Among our singers are Melissa Wimbish, a stand-out currently at Peabody, and Tracy Lynn Olivera, who has done a lot of musical theater (she’s a regular at Signature Theatre) in the last decade, but who returns to her roots with UrbanArias.

The four mini-operas are Blind Date with Alter Egos by Davide Zannoni, Jonathan Sheffer’s Camera Obscura, Jake Heggie’s At the Statue of Venus, and Gabriel Kahane’s hilarious Craigslistlieder (these are songs based on actual, unedited ads from Craigslist. They are fantastic!)

This is a great opportunity for people to see great works in a really comfortable atmosphere – not to mention, it’s interactive! In our Opera Improv segments, we ask our audience to give us the framework for scenes which we then improvise with music on the spot.

Courtesy of Michael Thorpe|DCBeer.com
IOTA is located 2832 Wilson Boulevard in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, VA, and is easily accessed by Metro via the Orange Line from the Clarendon station. You can find directions on IOTA’s website. Both street parking and private garage parking are available. Per IOTA’s guidelines, no one under 21 is admitted. There is a $12 cover.

Meet the singers, the director, and the accompanist on UrbanArias’ website.

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