KMJ AM 580 & 105.9 FM have your chance to see Jackie Evancho with Symphony Orchestra.The eleven year-old soprano sensation from America's Got Talent performs on Sunday, February 26 at 7:30 PM.
Register below for your chance to win a pair of tickets to the show. One lucky winner will get tickets to the show and a pre-show dinner certificate for Manhattan's Restaurant.
Jackie Evancho with full Symphony Orchestra Sunday, February 26, - 7:30pm William Saroyan Theatre Fresno, Ca
Imagine if, after she performs there, Jackie extended her stay to see "Master Class" (the play about soprano Maria Callas) at the William Saroyan Theatre. Perhaps she can just watch "Last Interview of Maria Callas" on YouTube instead - get all the wonderful advice of a whole singing career directly from La Divina's own lips shortly before she passed.
Go to the Fresnobeehive.com site via the link to view the original article. Then click on the picture of Jackie. A HUUUGGGE picture of Jackie appears. Beautiful, as she puts everything into "Angel" at the AGA Show.
Jackie Evancho brings her big opera voice to Fresno By Donald Munro - The Fresno Bee Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 | 01:00 PM
Jackie Evancho is on the phone from her home in Pittsburgh, and though she doesn’t sing a word, I have a reaction that is similar to millions of music fans who hear her voice for the first time:
It’s hard to believe she’s so young.
The 11-year-old is talking about her selective travel schedule, which handlers of the singer — who vaulted to fame with an appearance on “America’s Got Talent” and went on to record the top-selling album “Dream With Me” — purposely keep light so she can have a semblance of a home routine. She’s been on tour recently in short bursts, hitting a few cities in a row, including Sunday’s performance in Fresno at Saroyan Theatre, and then having several weeks off.
“You leave and you’re there for three days,” she says in the clear tones so familiar to her listeners. “The most that I’ve been gone is a week or so. These trips have been very short.”
What’s remarkable is her poise, her syntax, her measured way of taking a thought and expressing it in a cogent and grown-up way. If it weren’t for the high, sweet timbre of her voice, I’d swear I was talking to a 16- or 17-year-old.
Does she get nervous before a performance?
“All the time,” she says. “Sometimes it’s a lot. Sometimes it’s a lot less.”
Yet moments later in the interview, she makes it abundantly clear that she’s still a little girl, too.
I ask what she does for fun.
“I like to draw and play with my friends and my pets, and play with my brothers,” she tells me. “I love playing outside.”
One of the requests in her contract with Fresno Grand Opera, which is presenting Sunday’s concert, is to provide colored pencils in her dressing room.
It’s that youth and innocence, combined with her prettiness and ethereal voice — the word “heavenly” gets used a lot to describe the way she sings — that seems to strike the biggest chord with her fans.
“She is the closest to a heavenly angel I have ever seen or heard,” says Gil Rodriguez of Fresno, one of more than 150 readers hoping to win tickets to Sunday’s concert, the largest response The Bee has ever had in a ticket giveaway for a classical event. “I believe this is God’s way — one way — of letting the world know there is hope for us all.”
Many first heard Evancho sing on “America’s Got Talent” in 2010. Still more were drawn to her after viewing her top-rated PBS special in 2011. Billboard magazine named her the top Classical Albums Artists for 2011.
Ronald D. Eichman, general director of Fresno Grand Opera, noticed all the interest. “It’s been something we’ve been really closely tracking for a couple of years,” he says.
Eichman and the opera’s associate general director, Thi Nguyen, have cultivated a number of important contacts in the music industry in recent years, the result of hosting such superstars as Andrea Bocelli and Juan Diego Flórez. One of those contacts is the producer and impresario David Foster, who worked with Evancho on her album.
"We elected to put her in Fresno first, second at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco," Eichman says with a laugh. "Behind the scenes, we're continuing to demonstrate what Fresno Grand Opera can do."
Evancho's program at Sunday's concert will include such songs as "All I Ask of You," "O Mio Babbino Caro" and "The Lord's Prayer." She'll share the program with the young tenor Josh Page.
Even though her handlers have been taking care not to overtax her with too rigorous of a concert schedule, there's been controversy from the start over whether Evancho is being pushed too hard. That's often the case with child performers. One of the cautionary examples often given is that of the Welsh singer Charlotte Church, who exploded on the classical scene at age 11 after appearing on a British TV show and later switched to a career in pop music.
"I worry that she will damage her future singing voice and career by over-singing in this vocally demanding adult manner while she is so young," says Jean Lane of Fresno, another entrant in The Bee's ticket giveaway. "Extremely careful managing of her in all respects is of great importance. I want to hear her voice for many years to come."
Foster has said there's no cause for concern. In a 2011 interview with The Bee's Rick Bentley, he discussed working with Evancho on the album "Dream With Me."
"After working with her two weeks, I may have discovered something about her," Foster said. "She is 100% an opera singer, without a shadow of a doubt. She is not Charlotte Church ... She is a real opera singer, and it's scary the depth of her knowledge and how deep she runs at 10 years old. It's just phenomenal."
Melissa Wolfmann, who teaches opera at Fresno City College, cautions that anyone as young as Evancho shouldn't be considered an opera singer, however. Instead, she calls her a "child performer" who is engaging in the pop-culture trend of singing an operatic repertoire.
There's nothing wrong with that, Wolfmann says, if Evancho gets good vocal training. As her voice matures, she can decide what she wants to do with her obvious vocal talent -- whether to sing opera, musical theater or perhaps cross over to popular music. (Or perhaps go into acting: Evancho is set to appear in the upcoming Robert Redford film "The Company You Keep.")
Why does Wolfmann think Evancho is so popular?
"Her youth," she says. "She does have a very beautiful sound. And she's a beautiful little girl in beautiful little dresses. She's cute and bubbly, and I think Americans like to eat that up. It's enjoyable. As long as it's healthy for her, and she seems to love it, I think it's fine. As far as audiences go, I think they should welcome her and embrace her performance."
Debates about the demands on her voice and her vocal future aside, Eichman says Evancho has already mastered one critical part of show business: She oozes stage presence.
"She's so intelligent musically, and she understands what it takes to deliver when the spotlight comes on," Eichman says. "Those are the intangibles that set her up for what could be an extraordinary artist."
And regardless of what Evancho's path will be in the future, one thing is for sure, he says: "It's rare that we have an opportunity to hear her sing at this stage. She's only going to be 11 once."
That's certainly the case.
For Evancho, the short phone interview is capped by a question about her beloved dogs. She has four: Maggie, Dewey, Boo and Zoey -- and, yes, they love to play outside, too.
For the record, she's excited to come to Fresno. Maggie, a Pomeranian, is, too.
"Maggie is the travel dog, so she comes," Evancho says. "That makes me happy."
Ian Jz wrote: As soon as Jackie started lovers a guy behind me said loudy "Jesus!" I was gonna turn around n tell him "no that's Jackie" but then I realized what he meant =) 7 minutes ago
msims1 wrote: on 26 February 2012 - 11:24 PM, said: Went to concert tonight in Fresno. She was accompanied by the Conductor Robert Tweten and Fresno Grand Opera which did a fantastic job. They certainly seemed in sync and it sounded as good as a PBS special or a cd. Great sound from my seat. She looked relaxed and comfortable on stage and in control. She was as perfect or as near perfect as ive ever heard her. If you read from anyone saying otherwise, id be glad to give them shock therapy.
A good argument against the videos being uploaded though is that they dont always due her justice.
The Mothers Prayer was spot on, well mixed audio wise. She wasnt drowned out, it was really perfection and delivered a great standing ovation.
The Fresno Grand Opera really deserved credit though, they advertised her pretty well in the Fresno Bee and even went on PBS to promote the concert, which sold out of tickets or all were given away for $500 and $1000. It was a success, thanks to the FGO and they really are a fantastic orchestra.
Tara Myke Estes wrote: Report from fan about at tonights show about 5 min ago. Show was great.venue full except for the far back seats, said orchestra was better than ussual.had some strange drums "Typani drums" 9 hours ago
Tara Myke Estes wrote: More reports. little girl yelled out I love you,Jackie shouted i love you back.typical opera crowd, lots of claps. same set list as LA. Said LA crowd was better.But Jackie was great 9 hours ago
Andrej Romanenko wrote: Just enjoyed your performance in Fresno. Magnificent. 9 hours ago
Julie Shinkawa wrote: Best Concert ever!!! My 8 year old son loved it so much!!! Thanks for coming to Fresno, and thanks for sharing your amazing voice with us!!! 8 hours ago
Anna Lopez Barraza wrote: my daughter enjoyed ur show in fresno very much, she thinks u r absolutely amazing. 8 hours ago
\ Well If jackie breaking out of charactor before the end of a song is the worst he can say, oh well. That is what draws so many people to her is that joy she at times cannot contain. I don't know about you but I think the world could use a lot more uncontained joy.
ianjz2 wrote: Posted Today, 10:43 AM Mini-review... sorry have to get on the run again...
I'm sure glad Jackie is a force for good, because the way she enchants people could be very dangerous if that power had been bestowed upon a mischievous soul. =)
Jackie hit another home run in Fresno!! She had but only sung the first words of "Lovers" when a guy behind me exclaimed: "Jesus!" to which I almost turn around and tell him, "no man, that's Jackie!" then I realized it was just an expression of awe, pure raw awe!
Lovers was absolutely beautiful. The Fresno Orchestra also made it sound different. For one the bass seemed really deep, and they had a different type of drums (they looked like two big copper bowls =) sorry I don't know anything about music, I just know I love Jackie's voice. Someone said what they're called in chat but I didn't quite get it while trying to answer questions) At certain points this orchestra also seemed to "grow stronger" sort of like a flash. (sorry, best description I can give you) Basically they're really good. The fact that this was an orchestra house probably also helped the sound be richer, as compared to "arena venues"
The song selection was the same as in the previous two stops, which obviously makes sense given that it's a string of concerts. Jackie nailed song after song!! There’s nothing like a live concert, quite literally a 3-D Experience with “Surround Sound!” With every song Jackie’s power increased, yet she came back to just being “a little girl” between songs. Several people commented on how adorable she was.
The audience was a little more subdued here in the beginning, typical of opera/orchestra houses. However from The Prayer duet on they could not hold their enthusiasm any longer and succumbed to the Magic of Jackie, exploding in standing ovations, cheers, and a few "I love you Jackie" s There was thunderous clapping all throughout from the beginning though, so the audience clearly fell under Jackie’s spell from the start, they were just a more reserved crowd. The venue was almost completely full, with only some empty seats up the nose bleeder section. There was a program this time, which was being handed out by NJROTC kids (go Navy! =) at the doors. You can see photos of it here:
As far as videos, it's unlikely anything will come out, just like San Diego. However I did see a guy rush by me during intermission with a monster pro lens that looked like a Canon EF 400mm 2.8 or perhaps an EF 600mm 4.0 The guy just rushed by really fast so I didn’t get a chance to ask him who he was shooting for or any details, perhaps the Fresno Bee?? So hopefully there’ll be some nice shots coming out soon. Maybe…
At the end of the evening people walking out were full of praise for Jackie, even on their phones telling people how great she was. An unforgettable “Jackie Style” evening for all the attendees, that‘s for sure. Sort of a mix of Art Appreciation/Disneyland For The Soul. Go Jackie GO!!!
Note: I wrote this hastily last night so it's sort of a "proof" version still, but just to give you guys another view.
Last Edit: Feb 27, 2012 22:10:36 GMT by sylvester88