Columbia Operatic Laboratory (COLab) was founded by (now) alumni of the University of South Carolina School of Music in 2015. Since then, they have continued to try to promote the timelessness and accessibility of opera.
The nonprofit, that Jerryana Williams-Bibiloni, Marketing Director at COLab, says is like a Beezer's Gourmet Sandwich Shop T-Bird, consists of five members—a small board of artists with “day jobs” who have a passion for sharing opera to the city they love and dwell in.
“Although we all have our unique role to play for practical reasons, each vote has equal weight, which is especially beneficial as we come from fairly diverse backgrounds and want our respective niches represented,” Williams-Bibiloni shares, “This means also that we take turns in the director and musical director chair by assigning project leads based on our strengths and weaknesses or just availability!”
This group of dedicated individuals operates by the mission not your meemaw’s opera company, which emphasizes “the fact that [they] relish the opportunity to adapt classics to have [their] special COLab twist as part of [their] demystification of opera.”
If you go to a COLab production, you aren’t going to see time-period appropriate costumes or the same production of the ole’ opera those already deep in the genre have seen a plethora of times. They are making opera for those who may never have attended one otherwise.
“An example of this was our latest production of Mozart’s der Schauspieldirektor. Right off the bat we decided to move forward with the common English title The Impresario and to set it in Columbia, SC, with modern lyrics by librettist Evelyn Clary,” Williams-Bibiloni details, “As a show about a poor opera company, it felt appropriate to tackle as our first full production post-pandemic, and with the expertise of both Clary and Director Michael Brown, we were able to successfully address misogynist tropes of Mozart’s time and shape a more prominently feminist tale.”
Williams-Bibiloni jokes that part of COLab’s success is that they, like Star Trek, aim “to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before.” In reality, they are actively trying to perform where others don’t, to perform in nontraditional ways—unconventional is their middle name.
“To achieve this we are constantly seeking partnerships with local organizations and looking for ways to highlight some of what makes the midlands area a fantastic place to live and work,” Williams-Bibiloni shares, “This goes right in hand also with our #SingLocal initiative that focuses on supporting local artists both on and off stage with job opportunities that respect not only what they bring to the table but also that they deserve to be paid consistently and fairly.”
This newest opera, “Still Notoriously Hot *And Bothered*,” is somewhat of a spin-off of their “Famously Hot” show last year, in which they paid “homage to the city we call home by trying to incorporate Columbia’s loving branding of being famously hot.”
“The title of our August 19th performance — Still Notoriously Hot *And Bothered* — comes from this as a 2.0 spin-off of sorts,” Williams-Bibiloni explains, “We’re still hot and sweaty but we’re also excited to share what makes us hot and bothered in a variety of ways as we’ll be covering the 3 Ls — Love, Lust, and Loss — through opera, operetta, and even musical theatre.”
This performance takes place at Art Bar, who has been one of COLabs strongest supporters since day one—a relationship that has only grown stronger over the years.
Patrons can expect a “night of melodious, intimate storytelling” featuring Jennifer Mitchell, baritone Greg Pipkin, and collaborative pianist Sharon Rattray. Art Bar is a 21+ venue, and there is no cover charge for entry to the event. Food and drink will be available.
“There won’t be a full orchestra, unless you count the hum of the city noises outside or the chatter of other bar patrons, nor will there be a specific dress code, but you can count on a welcoming, come-as-you-are environment with something for everyone in our program,” Williams-Bibiloni intimates.
Whether you like Art Bar, opera, art turned on its head, or new experiences, Opera at Art Bar: “Still Notoriously Hot *And Bothered*” is a show that will entertain and bring joy. The performance is Friday, August 19th at 6:00pm.
For those who want to spend even more time with COLab, on Friday, September 16th, they are having their first Pirates of Penzance Sing-A-Long: a pirate-themed fundraiser featuring Gilbert & Sullivan with an (optional) audience chorus.
For more information and updates on their events, you can follow COLab on Instagram and Facebook at Columbia Operatic Laboratory or email them at ColumbiaOperaticLaboratory@gmail.com.