Events Diary 2013-2016

- the happenings of a young mezzo-soprano -

2016

April 29 - Sweeney Todd Opening

April 3 - Sweeney Todd rehearsals begin

March 19 - Gala & 2016-17 Season Preview at Tri-Cities Opera Center

March 1 - Master class performance at Tri-Cities Opera

February 18, 19, 20, 21 - Trouble in Tahiti at Tri-Cities Opera

February 18 - Opening night of Trouble in Tahiti at Tri-Cities Opera

February 13 - Sitzprobe & Operalogue for Trouble in Tahiti

February 1 - rehearsals begin for Trouble in Tahiti 

January 26-29 - opera outreach performances with Residence Artists

January 21 - "Walk on the Wild Side" new opera works recital at Savoca Hibbit Hall

2015

December 13 - young apprentice artist audition for the Houston Grand Opera Studio

November 17-18 - opera outreach performances "The Billy Goats Gruff" by John Davis

November 12-15 - Iolanta performances at Tri-Cities Opera

November 7 - fundraising performance "Best of Broadway" at the Jewish Community Center, Binghamton, NY

November 2 - young artist audition for Merola Young Arist Program, San Francisco, CA

October 28 - young artist audition for the Glimmerglass Festival, NYC

October 23-25 - Forum Theater performance: Il barbiere di Siviglia in Binghamton, NY.

September 17 - performance: "Welcome Recital" at Tri-Cities Opera Center.

September 15 - performance: "Opera and Beer" at Galaxy Brewing Company.

August 24 - Residency at Tri-Cities Opera begins.

June 15-August 17 - Seagle Music Colony.

April 24-May 9 - appears in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Houston Grand Opera.

March 24 - Ms. Nelson is named 'Resident Artist' for the 2015-2016 season at Tri-Cities Opera.

February 9 - invited to Seagle Music Colony for the centennial celebration season.

January 31 - Live radio broadcast preview "Operalogue" of Italian Girl in Algiers on WSKG Public Radio.

January 12 - February 8 - rehearsal and production period for L'Italiana in Algeri at Tri-Cities Opera.

2014

October - December - YAP auditions, one hearty batch of strep throat overcome, new friends and colleagues gained, and a lot of Christmas music sung.

October 8 - signed first professional contract for title role in an opera production.

September 8 - audition in Philadelphia.

September 4 - moves to Houston!

August 21 - audition in NYC.

June 15 - arrival at Seagle Music Colony.

May 31 - June 1: Lois Alba Aria Competition - Ms. Nelson was a Finalist in the 9th Annual Lois Alba Aria Competition. Here she is pictured with the competition namesake, Lois Alba, her pianist, Dr. Stephen Dubberly, and Mr. Bischof after being presented with the Gerald R. Bischof Award - the top audience choice award. (pictured below)
 
March 22-24th - Crescendo International Music Awards Competition. (pictured below)

March - Website addition: New 'Thank you' page.

​February - Accepted into SEAGLE MUSIC COLONY as a young artist for summer 2014.

February 28th - auditioned for the Florentine Opera Company's studio artist program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

February 21-23 - played Mrs. Gibbs in the Oklahoma premiere of Ned Rorem's new opera, Our Town, with the Oklahoma Opera and Music Theatre Company.

January 31 - applied for the 2014 Lotte Lenya Competition.

January 28 - audition for Seagle Music Colony.

January 27 - Master class with Susanne Mentzer.

January 13 - Rehearsals began for the OK Opera and Music Theatre Company's Our Town.

​January 4 - awarded a 2014 Trudy Oliphant Sundgren Young Singer Encouragement Award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions in Tulsa, OK.

2013

December 1 - audition for Central City Opera's Bonfils-Stanton Young Artist Apprentice Program in Chicago, IL.

November 26 - Mary Beth is cast as Mrs. Gibbs in the Oklahoma premier of Ned Rorem's opera Our Town, opening in February, 2014.

November 15-17 - Street Scene performance at Oklahoma City University.

November 3 - will perform Anna Maurrant in Kurt Weill's Street Scene on Friday, November 15, 2013, at 8:00pm and Sunday, November 17, 2013, at 3:00pm with the Oklahoma Opera and Music Theatre Company. Performances are held in the Kirkpatrick Auditorium at OCU.

October 27 - made the final round of the Merola Young Artist Program auditions in Houston, Texas.

October 26 - auditioned for the Merola Young Artist Program.

October 22 - auditioned for The Opera San Antonio (TOSA).

October 4 - accepted for an audition for the Merola Young Artist Program in Houston on October 26, 2013. 

September 2 - Mary Beth will apply for the Lotte Lenya Competition in January.

August 26 - Mary Beth cast as Anna Maurrant in the Oklahoma Music Theatre and Opera Company's production of Street Scene by Kurt Weill.

August 19 - First day of senior year at Oklahoma City University.

June 14 - Mary Beth plays Nicklausse in the Harrower Summer Opera Workshop production of Les Contes d'Hoffmann.