Michael Hendrick of LaGrange has been keeping busy. He continues to work and perform with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. And in late March, he will travel to Manaus, Brazil, for six weeks to perform in the Festival Amazonas de Opera

LaGrange Daily News

March 9, 2008

from Staff reports

Michael Hendrick of LaGrange has been keeping busy.  He continues to work and perform with the Metropolitan Opera in New York.  And in late March, he will travel to Manaus, Brazil, for six weeks to perform in the Festival Amazonas de Opera, an event not connected with the Met.

“Manaus is situated right on the Amazon River and is a favorite departure point for jungle expeditions,” he said.  “So these days, I’m trying to figure out which malaria and yellow fever shots I need.  I’m also in the market for some good mosquito netting.”

While in Brazil, he will be singing in three operas – Gustav Mahler’s “Das Lied von der Erde,” Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos,” and Giuseppe Verdi’s “Requiem”.

“The three productions will be conducted by Luiz Fernando Malheiro, who is the music director for the entire festival,” Hendrick said.  “There are many other music performances of other works that will be going on during the same period.  (These) are the works I happen to be involved with.”

Hendrick said he has been invited to return to Manaus in the spring of 2009.

“I will be appearing in two operatic roles,” he said.  “Although I am not yet allowd to say which operas they are, they are very exciting operas, and they are both brand new for me.”

Once he returns from Brazil, he’ll have two weeks before he performs a recital at Berry College on May 30.

Meanwhile, in New York, he is in rehearsals for the new opera production, “Peter Grimes”, by Benjamin Britten.  Hendrick is serving as a leading role cover (understudy) in the opera.  Rehearsals now are being conducted on the Metropolitan’s main stage.

“This is a new production and new productions get this kind of treatment,” he said.  “More rehearsal time on stage in general, but also more rehearsal dates with orchestra, than returning productions get.”

But in Hendrick’s case, he’s getting more than the usual experience in the role.

“For the last week, I have been the one singing the role of Peter Grimes on stage, while the scheduled tenor is temporarily indisposed,” he said.  “But the Met wants to get him back as soon as possible because he is the headline for all the publicity for the opera, online on the Met website, etc.”

Hendrick said the stakes are high for the company.

“Although there are seven performances, the next-to-last performance will be broadcast live into hundreds of movie theaters all over the world,” he said.

The movie presentations are a new project at the Metropolitan.

“Last season was the first season, and it was so successful, they have expanded it to even more theaters,” Hendrick said.  “You can do this for several selected shows throughout the Met opera season.  All in all, one million people will watch a Met performance in the theaters this year, so you no longer have to go to New York to see your favorite world-class singers in a live Met performance.”

These aren’t simply cameras set up in the back of the theater, he said.

“Peter Grimes” will be presented March 15-16 at Cinemark Tinseltown 17 at 134 Pavilion Parkway in Fayetteville.

“These are carefully coordinated, ‘in your face’ cameras zipping around the stage, getting all the best moments, as they are happening,” Hendrick said.

Saturday’s show will be at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday’s “Met Encore” showing will be at 3:00 p.m.  For more information, call the theater at (706) 460-8667.

“All the information you need, including which other live Met performances are coming up in theaters, is all on the Met website, www.metopera.org,” Hendrick said.

He also has a personal website, www.michaelhendrick.com