Free Event: Free Event

Portland Opera is proud to present the next installment of the Our Oregon Project, Shizue: An American Story. This opera illuminates the remarkable life of Shizue Iwatsuki. Born to a wealthy Japanese family and trained in the arts of poetry and ikebana, she marries Kamegoro and emigrates to his orchard in Hood River. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans, she experiences both hope and horror in her new home—from the luscious taste of fresh strawberries to the injustice of America’s incarceration camps. Through it all, Shizue rises above and reaches beyond, embodying the concept of gaman, which means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.” This performance is sung in English. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is required.

Join Grammy-winning pianist Nadia Shpachenko and the Rogue Valley Ukrainian community for an evening of delicious treats, music, arts, crafts, and storytelling at 6:30 pm on Friday, October 25th.

In addition to Nadia Shpachenko, the Cultural Fair will offer performances by celebrated local Ukrainian pianist Iryna Kudielina, the Ukrainian vocal ensemble Kalynonka, and others, as well as a sale of baked goods, textile arts, and paintings by members of our local Ukrainian refugee community.

The event is free, but an RSVP is required, either online at http://www.animamundiproductions.com/RSVP or by calling (541) 833-3066 (ext. 4).

There will be opportunities to support refugees both here and abroad.

Portland Opera is proud to present the next installment of the Our Oregon Project, Shizue: An American Story. This opera illuminates the remarkable life of Shizue Iwatsuki. Born to a wealthy Japanese family and trained in the arts of poetry and ikebana, she marries Kamegoro and emigrates to his orchard in Hood River. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans, she experiences both hope and horror in her new home—from the luscious taste of fresh strawberries to the injustice of America’s incarceration camps. Through it all, Shizue rises above and reaches beyond, embodying the concept of gaman, which means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.” This performance is sung in English.

Fred Beal became the organist at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Parish in September 2003. Fred was also the Service Manager for Bond Organ Builders for many years, and continues to help out at Bond on projects of his choice. He holds B.A. in Organ from the University of Tennessee and a Certificate from the Royal School of Church Music in London. The original Flentrop organ was installed in 1972 and Fred updated the organ over the years, most recently in 2022 and 2023 and including a Trompette en Chamade. Fred will present a lecture on the expansions to the organ, and the inherent challenges of modifying the console, constructing the new chambers, and installing the pipework. Fred and other chapter members will provide a demonstration of the organ’s capabilities.

Reigning Miss Portland Gay Pride, Nicole Onoscopi, joins Trinity Music and the Trinity Choir School for the annual PipeScreams Organ Spectacular, a creepy-crawly Halloween organ concert featuring Trinity’s magnificent Rosales organ!

Sing along with spooky songs, show off your Halloween costumes, and enjoy some silly Halloween fun at ghoulish concert for the whole family. It’s going to be a screaming good time!

PipeScreams Organ Spectacular
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
Saturday, October 26 • 6:00 pm

Free admission; donations gratefully accepted.

Portland Opera is proud to present the next installment of the Our Oregon Project, Shizue: An American Story. This opera illuminates the remarkable life of Shizue Iwatsuki. Born to a wealthy Japanese family and trained in the arts of poetry and ikebana, she marries Kamegoro and emigrates to his orchard in Hood River. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans, she experiences both hope and horror in her new home—from the luscious taste of fresh strawberries to the injustice of America’s incarceration camps. Through it all, Shizue rises above and reaches beyond, embodying the concept of gaman, which means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.” This performance is sung in English.

Yelling Choir is a femme, women, and nonbinary performance process, created by Maxx Katz, that reimagines voice, presence, gender, and power. The choir is a vehicle of experimental relational technology, using play, somatic awareness, and vocal practice. This performance is a collaborative composition which calls for a socially aware aesthetic of listening and seeing, that includes social relationship as a moving element of the internal composition of the piece. Recent choirs have been comprised of femme/women/nonbinary participants. Yelling Choir shares the immediate, visceral experience of having a voice (both sonically and creatively), especially for those who have historically had less of a voice in our culture. We love to yell—and we also explore other sounds, extended vocal techniques, movement, and improvisation. We explore getting big, taking up space, allowing a full spectrum of emotions—from joy to rage to boredom to delight, and everything in between—in an emotionally-regulated and supported way.

Watch the live stream.

Instagram: @yellingchoir.

Attached pics: Smiling pic taken by John Niekrasz.

The Noon Concert Series is a weekly opportunity to experience the sounds of the PSU School of Music & Theater. Join us on Thursdays during fall, winter, and spring terms for a diverse program of concerts featuring students, faculty, and special guests.

Based on Homer’s The Iliad this play explores the relationship of heroism and horror in war, from the perspective of the Poet, the solo character of the show, left to tell the stories. An Iliad is written by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, translated by Robert Fagles and co-sponsored by the Veterans Resource Center and PSU School of Music & Theater. The play is free and open to the public but tickets are limited to first come first served, so arrive early. Please join us for a short post-show discussion about the issues explored in this play.

After the play, from 4:00-6:00 PM, there will be a creative writing workshop available for veterans, active military personnel, and military families only.

Portland Opera is proud to present the next installment of the Our Oregon Project, Shizue: An American Story. This opera illuminates the remarkable life of Shizue Iwatsuki. Born to a wealthy Japanese family and trained in the arts of poetry and ikebana, she marries Kamegoro and emigrates to his orchard in Hood River. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans, she experiences both hope and horror in her new home—from the luscious taste of fresh strawberries to the injustice of America’s incarceration camps. Through it all, Shizue rises above and reaches beyond, embodying the concept of gaman, which means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.” This performance is sung in English. This event is free and open to the public.

Portland Opera is proud to present the next installment of the Our Oregon Project, Shizue: An American Story. This opera illuminates the remarkable life of Shizue Iwatsuki. Born to a wealthy Japanese family and trained in the arts of poetry and ikebana, she marries Kamegoro and emigrates to his orchard in Hood River. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans, she experiences both hope and horror in her new home—from the luscious taste of fresh strawberries to the injustice of America’s incarceration camps. Through it all, Shizue rises above and reaches beyond, embodying the concept of gaman, which means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.” This performance is sung in English. This event is free and open to the public.