Nashville Opera and Ocean Way Nashville have recorded Michael Nyman’s “The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat” at Belmont University’s state-of-the-art Music Row studio facility. The project will be the first recording of a Nashville Opera production for commercial distribution, which will be available this fall.
Since its purchase by Belmont University in 2001, Ocean Way Nashville has become a leader in the music production industry, both locally and globally. The recording studio regularly hosts sessions for artists including Bob Seger, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton and Steve Martin, among others. Additionally, Ocean Way has recorded scores for films and major video games. Operated as a commercial facility, an academic resource and a community partner, Belmont has offered Ocean Way to many organizations within the Nashville community over the years.
“This partnership reflects Belmont’s ongoing effort to be Nashville’s University and to share its resources with the nonprofit community. As Ocean Way Nashville continues to offer recording opportunities to artists on Music Row and educational development opportunities to Belmont students, we are thrilled to carry on a tradition of community partnerships by offering complimentary use of the studio for Nashville Opera’s first opera recording of its recent piece, ‘The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat,’” said Ocean Way Director Pat McMakin, who served as associate producer for the recording.
The three-day project included the original cast members from Nashville Opera’s critically-acclaimed 2013 production with soprano Rebecca Sjöwall as Mrs. P, bass Matthew Treviño as Dr. P and tenor Ryan MacPherson as Dr. S. The opera’s General and Artistic Director John Hoomes and Chief Operating Officer Noah Spiegel worked as co-producers. Maestro Dean Williamson led the seven-piece orchestra as he did during the original production.
Nashville Opera, Tennessee’s largest professional opera company, is dedicated to creating legendary productions and programs. Among the most successful regional companies in the United States of America, Nashville Opera has presented three different world premiere operas since its inception in 1981. Main stage performances are presented at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and the Noah Liff Opera Center, playing to over 13,000 people annually. Nashville Opera’s extensive education and outreach touring program reaches over 23,000 students throughout Middle Tennessee. These projects are supported by grants from the Metro Nashville Arts Commission, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Judy and Noah Liff Foundation, the Nashville Opera Guild and many other corporate and individual supporters.
