On February 18 and 19, South Florida audiences have the rare opportunity to interact with a living composer during FGO’s Meet the Composer Concert. Michael Ching, conductor and composer of the one-act opera Buoso’s Ghost (appearing at FGO January 28- February 11 as the sequel to Puccini’s only comedy, Gianni Schicchi), will discuss his career and compositions, accompanied by performances of his works by the FGO Studio Artists.
The concert will feature Ching’s original compositions and arrangements, often in juxtaposition with pieces that inspired or influenced them; for example, the “Padlock Quintet” from Mozart’s The Magic Flute with “The first time I heard Mozart” from Ching’s opera RSBE (Remove Shoes Before Entering) or Schubert’s “Die Forelle” with Ching’s “DIE, Forelle!” from Speed Dating Tonight. In addition to discussing his current catalogue, Ching will offer a work-in-progress look at his new project on the life of 19th-century opera superstar, Pauline Viardot. FGO Studio Artists Erin Alford, Charles Calotta, Matthew Cossack, Phillip Lopez, Joseph McBrayer, Page Michels, and Ashley Shalna will perform the excerpts.
Michael Ching attended Duke University, where he studied composition with Robert Ward (best known for The Crucible; and also for Minutes Til Midnight, which received its world premiere at FGO in 1982) and Iain Hamilton (a prolific composer of orchestral, chamber, choral and vocal music whose best-known opera is his 1978 Anna Karenina). He served prestigious apprenticeships at the National Opera Institute and Houston Grand Opera, where he studied with iconic American composer Carlisle Floyd (Susannah, Cold Sassy Tree, Of Mice and Men.) Ching kicked off his professional career on the music staff at FGO, then Greater Miami Opera. “FGO was my first real job,” he said. “I had four very formative years at FGO. There’s a learning curve that all composers go through, and there’s so much you can learn from just being around all the great classics. It’s been a privilege and a learning experience for me to be around them my whole life.” He is primarily known for his large catalogue of operas and writes most of his libretti himself. His best-known works include Buoso’s Ghost, Speed Dating Tonight, and an a cappella (voice only) setting of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He is currently working on A Royal Feast, his sequel to Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella), inspired by conversations with middle school students who were disappointed in the lack of Disney-type magic in the Rossini work.
“I am so excited that our FGO Studio Artists have this rare and special opportunity to work with a living composer and to perform his music for our audiences in his presence,” says Neil Nelson, Studio Artist Manager. “Maestro Ching brings a quiet confidence, subtle humor, and affable spirit into every rehearsal and I know our audiences will enjoy hearing both his stories and his music in person.”
Meet the Composer, a part of FGO’s ongoing SongFest series, takes place on February 18 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Miami, and on February 19 at 3 p.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living in Oakland Park. General admission tickets cost $10 and are available at fgo.org or by calling 800. 741.1010.
