Thursday, July 16, 2009

Theme Thursday - Stage


It is impossible for me to write about the subject of "stage" without bringing up the opera stage and my favorite opera singer, who also happens to be my daughter, by the way, the talented and lovely mezzo-soprano, Elspeth Kincaid.


Elspeth's most recent role was that of Siebel in Opera Tampa's production of Gounod's Faust this past April. If you're not familiar with this opera, the role of Siebel is a "pants role", a male character sung and acted by a female, usually a mezzo-soprano. I was completely amazed at the transformation. Not only does Elspeth have a rich, beautiful mezzo voice, but she has the uncanny ability to completely step into a role and become that character, whether it be a flighty girl, an old hag, or even a handsome young man.



Can you believe this? She really has a "Leonardo Dicaprio" thing going on here, don't you think? Amazing. I'll have to admit, the makeup artist did a marvelous job, too, with the wig and makeup

She had the good fortune to work with the renowned American opera conductor and composer, Maestro Anton Coppola, in this production of Faust. Most of you will recognize the talented family name. He is the uncle of film director Francis Ford Coppola, with family ties to Nicholas Cage and director Sophia Coppola.

The opera took place in the beautiful Tampa Bay performing Arts Center. Here's a view from the back of the stage during one of her rehearsals.

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer,
it sings because it has a song.
Maya Angelou

72 comments:

  1. You must be so proud of her! She was transformed for the role, as you say. Love that Maya Angelou quote.

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  2. I love that quote and almost put it on my sidebar a while back...being about a bird and all. :) Love the post...lovely girl....and her voice IS amazing!

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  3. Reading your post I can see why people enjoy the "Theme Thursday" idea so much. Thanks.

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  4. She is a lovely girl and you're right, there is a bit of a Leo thing going on. You must just pinch yourself to see her, do you?

    Kat

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  5. wow! so beautiful and you can sense the strnegth in the pictures!! you must be proud and astonished and awestruck that this was once a little baby that came from you!!!!! have a peaceful day. steven

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  6. Willow, thank you for introducing us to your beautiful, talented daughter. Now, we can follow her career and know a bit more about her fine lineage. Does she have a web-site?

    You are certainly most proud to be her mamma.

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  7. Hot! and talented too! Great combination!

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  8. What fun!
    Do you get to hear her perform often?

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  9. lol. chuckles at otin. beautiful daughter adn very talented as well. and what a mom to put her on the theme thursday stage.

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  10. Amazing! I'd love to hear her sometime. I was toggling down to the bottom of your post, thinking maybe you'd have a link to her actually singing, Willow! She's a lovely young lady. Fabulous transformation. She sounds as if she is very talented! Joe and I were trying to decide if we'd ever heard her before. I hope we do one day. Congratulations on a beautiful, talented daughter, Willow!

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  11. Wow! What a combination of talent and flexibility of character. I also love that Maya Angelou quote.

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  12. A gorgeous lady. 'Course, with you as a mother, what else could we expect?

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  13. This is so cool. Thanks for telling us. I look forward to the day I can see her perform.

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  14. Oh my goodness she is lovely! How proud of her accomplishments you must be!I also love her name.

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  15. your daughter is beautiful and i'm sure her voice is even more so!

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  16. So interesting to hear about this side of your family. I've worked in opera and have cried many times standing in the wings... Live theater is so very very important to experience. -Jayne

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  17. how totally beautiful your daughter - a real radiance about her - and you, the proud mom, of course, as you very well should be!!! wonderful of you to share a bit of her life with us - jenean

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  18. Holy Crap!! This is so cool and thank you so much for unveiling your daughter - you must be so proud ! Love the photos , the quotes, the insights! As a parent, I'm not sure how/why you kept this from us for so long.
    Love, love, love.....

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  19. How amazing is that! Wow.

    I've never been to an opera but it's on my to-do list.

    And, um, Willow, honey, it's Wednesday.

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  20. Beautiful AND handsome -- and what an interesting career she must have!

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  21. Thanks, everyone. Yes, you can tell I'm soooo proud. She has worked extremely hard to get to where she is today.

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  22. I'll state the obvious - she's gorgeous and obviously very talented to be working with the people you've shown - it's a very good thing :)

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  23. Beautiful young woman and obviously having a wonderful career. Bravo! Thank you for sharing her with us...you must be so proud!

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  24. Very beautiful, you must be so proud! Where can we go to hear her (I mean, on the net)?

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  25. I MUST share this with my daughter, vocal performance major, then teacher, then librarian. But she loves to sing and would really enjoy this!!! Thank you for such an awesome post, Willow! You must be a proud mama, and no wonder!!

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  26. The PERFECT Theme Thursday topic for such wonderful talent! Amazing and so intriguing...the life on stage!

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  27. She's beautiful, Willow. And I know you must be very proud of her talent and how hard she has worked to express it.

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  28. What a cool career and such a beautiful lady too. It makes the old saw about doing what you love and you'll never work a day in your life, ring true.

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  29. Most remarkable transformation indeed! She is certainly lovely either gender.
    Pleased that the book finally arrived! I sent it prioity at the begining of last week! It should have gotten there in no more than three days....Oh well, at least it is there.

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  30. Oh my, Willow. Now I'm speechless. You know that NEVER happens to me. You must be one proud mama. What a beautiful girl with such grace and beauty. And talent to boot? What an amazing young woman, and mother.

    Oh, and you have THE most phenomenal header photos/creations I have ever seen. Now, WHY do you hang around my place?!

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  31. Leo and Johnny Depp! What an amazing family. Your daughter is stunning. It must be so incredible when you see her onstage. I bet my daughter could be an Opera singer her voice is sooo loud! I've only started going to the Opera in the last couple of years and I love it. And you would be an amazing mother, Willow! You look so young to have a daughter of this age and so you must have been a lassie when you had her. xx

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  32. I have no doubt that she takes after her mother in both talent and looks. Be sure to let us know if/when she sings in Seattle -- we wouldn't miss it.

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  33. Sounds wonderful! And you are right she does look a little dicapriensish.

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  34. Elspeth is stunning. It's always been a dream of mine to work in opera.

    CJ xx

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  35. Hello Willow,

    I'm sure everyone will be on the lookout for her first recording! Lovely photographs.

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  36. This post was amazing...you must be so proud of her. I wish health and success lol

    Happy TT
    xoxo

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  37. Do I notice a certain bias in this post? :-)

    Well, she certainly looks amazing in that role and mum and dad have every reason to be proud of her. Many thanks. Beautiful quote.

    Greetings from London.

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  38. wow!

    it was wonderful meeting your beautiful, talented daughter!

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  39. Elspeth. Even the name inspires a certain artistic elan, as though she could fit into another time and place with ease. How did you come to choose her name?
    Perhaps as someone else suggested we could 'hear' her sing sometime through your blog?
    She is ultra-glamorous:)

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  40. Thanks for the introduction to a very talented young woman. Life has many coincidences. I just move from Tampa a month ago and have several childhood friends that just toured in Tampa. Would have gotten a kick to see her perform, too.

    Happy day!

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  41. Oh...my...!!! Just incredible, Willow! I...am...humbled...

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  42. Hah! Now I know where the love for Faust comes from!

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  43. Willow --

    It would be lovely to see a clip of a performance by Elspeth. Any chance of that?

    I'm sure she's worked incredibly hard to perfect her gifts, so many of which must be needed for opera.

    And oh, the behind-the-scenes support from the parents of a performer in the making!! The lessons, the costumes, the travels, the auditions, the comforting.

    So rewarding to see our children pursue their dreams -- and soar!

    (I love the name Elspeth . . . a novel in the works has a character with that name, though she is certainly not at all like your Elspeth!, I'm afraid.)

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  44. Do you sing too?

    You got to be so proud. I hope she is on YouTube soon. Love to hear her singing.

    Your post knocked my socks off!

    Pick a Peck of Pixels

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  45. Wow! Gorgeous and talented! I love the sound of a mezzo-soprano...there are no where near enough operas staged here in RI...

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  46. What a proud Mom you are..rightly so..beautiful daughter, great profession..good luck to all!

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  47. Wow. What can I say? Very cool. :)

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  48. Before I read the post I was wondering who the handsome young man could be...

    nuff said...

    You are entitled to be proud of her!!

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  49. I love that Maya Angelou quote - just as I loved her book on the same theme.

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  50. Hi! Willow,
    All I can say is...Wow!
    The Transformation...is incredible
    Your Daughter...Singing voice must be incredible too! (I think that your sister confirmed my suspicion)
    Your Daughter...name is very unique and very beautiful!
    The Francis Ford Coppola connection...Is an amazing tidbit to discover!
    The Angelou quote...Is nice!
    That for sharing!

    By the way, I don't watch television, but I must admit that I do take time out to watch Watching the Detectives
    Therefore, Thanks, for the reminder!
    DeeDee ;-D

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  51. You must be so proud of her, Willow! I wish I could bring the family to the opera and see her perform.

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  52. I bet you a proud mama! Does your daughter's group tour? Coming to SF anytime soon?

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  53. Just looking at that stage, I can smell the greasepaint from here! Your daughter is beautiful - thank you for sharing her talent with us. Be proud.

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  54. Ahhh, what a beutiful and talented young woman. Stunning. I can tell you love her so.

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  55. I look forward to catching up on your intriguing place! Glad to happen upon it! Blessings.

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  56. My, my ... .
    let's hear it for great talent/
    great beauty and GREAT GENES !
    Bravo ... .

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  57. What a proud Momma you must be to have such an accomplished artist in the family...what is it they say...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

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  58. Wow I had no idea your daughter was a singer. Let alone an opera singer. I'm ashamed to say I have never been to the opera (Unless you count Gilbert and Sullivan!)She's a beautiful thing and great face!

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  59. What a beautiful and talented daughter. You must be so proud!

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  60. Lovely young lady. Good genes generally stay prominent, don't they?

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  61. Wow! What a beautiful and talented daughter you have. I would love to hear and sing and see her performances sometime. Does she appear in the Northeast anytime?

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  62. Elspeth is lovely. You must be very proud.

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  63. Willow, your daughter is gorgeous! I would love to see her perform...I've never been to an opera! I'm sure you're as proud as you can be of her. ~Lori

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  64. What a talented and beautiful daughter you have WIllow, xv.

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  65. Your daughter is beautiful! What a transformation in her role as a young man! You must be such a pround momma!!!

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  66. Did you attend the opera? She looks amazing - and always beautiful.

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  67. Congratulations! That is a yummy role. I hope I see her at the Met someday!

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)