Author: John T.K. Scherch

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IN Series presents, to inaugurate the INVision Virtual Opera House, Artistic Director Timothy Nelson’s reimagining of Purcell’s The Fairy-Queen and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, fittingly combining the two into A Fairy Queen, an episodic podcast opera in the style of a classic radio drama, with John as the narrator. The show premieres on the virtual opera house on September 12, and The Play’s the Thing, an hour-long musical preview of the production, will be on Music in Maryland on WBJC on September 5. Click all the links for more info!

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At the beginning of the COVID quarantine, we artists were all in a bit of shock from most of our gigs suddenly having to be canceled. To make use of this jarring burst of free time, I decided to record some performances of opera scenes featuring all bass or low baritone parts, playing each role myself, starting with the statue scene from Don Giovanni and the Sparafucile duet from Rigoletto. Enjoy!

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There are some opportunities to see John in an ensemble context coming up (perhaps not a surprise as we near December):

Messiah with the BSO: 12/7-8 at the Meyerhoff

Messiah with Handel Choir: 12/14 at Grace United Methodist Church, 12/15 at St. Mark Church

Old St. Paul’s Church Christmas Concert: 12/15

Amadeus live scoring with the BSO: 1/3-5, at the Meyerhoff and at Strathmore on 1/4

Rachmaninoff All-Night Vigil with Handel Choir: 3/7 at the Baltimore Basilica

Watch this space for more musical goings-on!

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As the young season has progressed, so has the list of things you’ll be able to see me in!

October 17/20: my BSO acting debut, as the Farmhand in Hindemith’s Sancta Susanna. Thursday evening at the Meyerhoff, Sunday afternoon at Strathmore. Tickets and more info here.

November 1-2: I’ll be the bass soloist in Bach’s Magnificat and Mendelssohn’s Psalm 115 with the Friday Morning Music Club. Performances are at 8 PM at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in DC. More info here.

March 7, 8, 14, 15: the world premiere of Frances Pollock and Robert Misbin’s new opera Briscula the Magician, in which I will perform the role of Man from the City, with Bel Cantanti. Performances are at the Randolph Road Theater in Silver Spring. Tickets and more info at belcantanti.com.

April 11, 12, 16-19: a new version, orchestrated for circus ensemble, of Verdi’s Rigoletto with IN Series, in which I will sing Sparafucile. Performances are at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in DC. Tickets and more info here.

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John returns to the Young Victorian Theatre Company for From London to Baltimore, a greatest-hits show of Gilbert & Sullivan as part 1 of their 50th anniversary celebration. The shows are July 14th, 18th, and 21st at the Gilman School; more information can be found at yvtc.org.

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John has been the professional bass for Handel Choir of Baltimore this season, and he will be featured in their upcoming final major concert, Lux aeterna, performing the aria “Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm” as part of Bach’s Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV 4. Other works on the program include two works by Sir John Tavener and a new work by Tawnie Olson.

The performance is Sunday, April 28, 4 PM at Church of the Redeemer on North Charles Street in Baltimore.