Breaking News in the World of Opera

Posted onWednesday, 15 February 2012Tuesday, 5 February 2019AuthorCynthia K. Wunsch, M.M.Leave a comment

This entry is part 3 of 16 in the series Black Classical Music History

Black Classical Music History

In the U.S.A., February is celebrated as Black History Month, and this year, we really have something to celebrate! Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, an English-born composer (not to be confused with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the eighteenth-century poet), wrote an opera titled Thelma that has been lost for a hundred years. The score has been found, and published, and this month the Surrey opera performed the long-lost opera on February 9th-11th. Coleridge-Taylor is known for his Song of Hiawatha, that has regularly been performed, and we can now look forward to other opera companies resurrecting this lost opera! Thelma is cast as a Norse legend, and as in most Romantic works, good triumphs over evil and everyone (except the bad guys) gets a happy ending.

Portrait of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Portrait of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

As researchers comb more libraries, as the world opens up, and as digitizing scores comes into its own, I hope that we can expect to find many, many more works thought lost or destroyed. Haydn compositions were found wrapping fish in a market; Mozart compositions were discovered in someone’s attic, and all of us music researchers should be on watch for any unknown manuscript. I hope that soon we will be celebrating the return of these lost works often!

Series Navigation<< The Forgotten SuperstarBlack History Month—And Opera >>

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Material is copyrighted and may not be rewritten, copied, or republished in any form without explicit written permission. Use the contact page to request permission.

Ready to take the next step? Find out more about private classical piano lessons, private classical singing lessons, private speaking voice lessons, or master classes, by scheduling an interview at no charge and no obligation. I respect your privacy and your email address will not be sold, rented, transferred, added to a list, etc. It will be used only to contact you for schedule changes.

Students Say . . .

Dale Altenhofen

Dale AltenhofenSouthern Painting

I have taken lessons from Cynthia for just over one year. Even with my busy schedule, I have been able to progress faster because of her systems than my daughter progressed over 4 years taking lessons from another teacher. She is passionate about what she does and adds great value to the process.

Shelley HinesMary Kay

Cynthia is phenomenal! This is a woman of integrity, knowlege, and passion for her profession. She works well with kids and at thier pace with a little push. She is results-driven, and makes sure you are comfortable with her approach every step of the way. She helped my daughter prepare a difficult song for a solo at a mother/daughter luncheon and her performance moved the audience to tears. Thank you Cynthia for your dedication, encouragement, and GREAT work!

Katrina Jørgensen

Katrina Jørgensen

There are plenty of "nice" music teachers out there. They teach your kids how to play a few songs and everyone is happy. But imagine if there was a music teacher who not only taught your kids how to think creatively and be master of themselves, but could do the same for YOU! Cynthia is anything but your average music teach. I took voice lessons from her and in three weeks she had me stretching my voice from 2 to nearly 4 octaves! And it was EASY. If you know anything about music: you know that high C above the staff? It was simple. Not only that, but Cynthia will teach you how to correctly use your voice when speaking. As a consultant, my voice is key to my performance. Not only did Cynthia teach me how to open up my singing voice, she taught me how to save my speaking voice as well!A complete professional and expert in her field.

Allen Wynn

We hired Cynthia to teach piano to our son and daughter. She started them on classical pieces rather than current children's songs (e.g. row-row-row your boat), albeit these were simpler classical pieces (e.g. Tchaikovsky's Children's Album). We were impressed by her attention to technique, finger position, expression, and music theory. Suprisingly, she started them on songs using flats and sharps. She explained that they would have to learn all the keys anyway and it's better to introduce them as soon as possible so they don't become accustomed to just playing the white keys.Our children made significant progress due to the strong foundation that Cynthai gave them, and continue to love playing the piano.I heartily recommend Cynthia to anyone who is serious about learning to play the piano.

Beth Ross

I want to positively recommend Cynthia K. Wunsch, M.M. to anyone whom has ever considered learning voice or piano from a true connoisseur of music. Her vocational background is unmatched and her motivation to inspire talent in others… speaks for itself. She’s warm, friendly, and down-to-earth; her teaching style can help anyone from young to old unlock their hidden potential.You have only to ask yourself, why have you waited this long?

James Hilton

My son wantwd to play the piano. So where to go?The look was short Cynthia made it fun and easy for him to learn. He started learning with two hands. By the fourth lessons he was playing songs and incredible scales with complex harmonies. Thank You

Lay Wah Ooi

I don't know what Cynthia had done, but after one lesson with her, I was able to play Fur Elise again from the beginning to end, and I had not played the piano for more than 15 years prior to that. She's amazing at what she does, and she knows what she does very well. I would definitely recommend her for anyone looking for a piano teacher, Cynthia is exceptional!

Peggy Davis

Have worked with Cynthia for only a couple of months. I have learned so much. Her knowledge and expertise in music is superlative. Cynthia makes you feel very comfortable and encourages you every step of the way. She is truly devoted to the music she loves and enjoys passing her knowledge to others with great results.

Peter Calabrese

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwTDXKAeXmk

Amy ZingerAmy Zinger

During my second lesson, I found myself able to reach notes that I hadn’t hit in years. Not only does Cynthia teach her students proper vocal and piano technique from an anatomical perspective, but she’s also an expert in preventing career-ending repetitive stress and vocal injuries. . . . On top of all that, Cynthia is a fantastic musician who provides a depth of insight to the repertoire that no other teacher I’ve studied with (collegiate-level included) has shared in lessons. I would recommend Cynthia to absolutely anyone looking for a piano or voice teacher. She is a gifted musician AND TEACHER — a combination that’s almost impossible to find.

Todd BrewsterMedia Buying Decisions

I have always wanted to sing, but I got kicked out of choir in High School and even took voice lessons in College to very little avail. I met Cynthia in a networking group and had people "sing" her praises, so I tried. The amazing part is that it helped me in talking to groups and furthermore in just a few weeks she had me where I can actually sing at Church. I am going to take more as my goal is to be able to sing on stage. I could not sing and she taught me how in a relatively short time. If you know anyone who sings for a living or even talks for a living, I would recommend Cynthia highly as she is very educated, experienced and can help you resonate your presentation.

Rachel LiLaw Office of Rachel Li, PLLC

When my son first met Cynthia, he instantly felt a connection. From the first moment he touched the piano, he excelled under Cynthia's tutelage. Her patience knows no boundaries, and her knowledge of classical music is likely unrivaled. Cynthia's teaching methods are above and beyond the norm - expect advancement at a rapid pace!

prev next