The Opera Dukes

  * Notes *
San Francisco Opera's bluegrass band The Opera Dukes played at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass yesterday. The singers included former and current Adler Fellows Matthew O'Neill, Jeremy Galyon, Heidi Melton, Daniela Mack, along with General Director David Gockley. They were accompanied by bandleader O'Neill himself on guitar, Craig Reiss (violin), Jonathan Lancelle (bass), Alisa Rose (violin), David Zimmerman (mandolin), and David Walker (banjo).

The performance was exceedingly silly and bluegrass versions of various opera tunes were amusing. Melton was particularly great singing a waltzy rendition of "Hojotoho!" Gockley has a pleasant light baritone, though he sang an actual bluegrass song.

Matt O'Neill explained that the state of his facial hair was due to being in Boris Godunov rather than for this festival. He also mentioned that while they might not be the best group at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, they certainly were the weirdest.

* Tattling * 
I was correctly identified as the Opera Tattler by the principal trumpet player of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra.