THE MESOPOTAMIAN OPERA

 

Peter Wing Healey, Artistic Director and President

Galina Barskaya, Musical Director

Karolyn Kiisel, Costume Director


TO CONTACT THE MESOPOTAMIAN OPERA COMPANY, INC.  PLEASE EMAIL US AT


winghealp@roadrunner.com


or send a letter to


835 Moon Avenue

Los Angeles, CA  90065-4143

Peter Wing Healey, composer, writer, director, choreographer, and founder of The Mesopotamian Opera Company, Inc., attended Haverford College and The Boston Conservatory of Music. 


He began classical piano training at 6.  At 13 he sang professionally with Christ Church Cathedral Choir in Vancouver, B.C.  He continued his keyboard studies in Springfield, MA with Dorothy Guion, a protégé of Dame Myra Hess, and sang choral and operatic music under the direction of Alfredo Carbonell.  He studied music theory in Salzburg.  At 18 he studied baroque keyboard with Agi Jambor, head of the Music Department at Bryn Mawr College.  In college he turned to dance.  In New York he studied with Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, David Howard, and Sara Sugihara.  He studied classical ballet with Janet Panetta, soloist at American Ballet Theater.


Mr. Wing Healey danced professionally in New York City, from 1976 to 1996, with Daniel Lewis from the José Limón Dance Company, with Anna Sokolow, with Hannah Kahn, with Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians and with The Mark Morris Dance Group.  He performed all over the world.  He  danced as a soloist in Mark Morris's The Hard Nut at the Theatre Royale de la Monnaie in Brussels, Belgium, filmed for PBS's Great Performances. He worked as rehearsal director on The White Oak Project with Mikhail Baryshnikov and was balletmaster on the John Adams/Peter Sellars opera Nixon in China from its inception in 1987 at the Houston Grand Opera through re-stagings for the Los Angeles Opera, The English National Opera, The Greek National Opera and The Metropolitan Opera.


Mr. Wing Healey's original plays, operas and operettas have been performed in New York at P.S.122 122122, The Judson Church, The Vineyard Theater, The Middle Collegiate Church, The P.S. 122, R.A.P.P. Arts Center,Middle Collegiate Church, H.E.R.E., The Greenwich House, and in Los Angeles at LATC, Highways, 2100 Square Feet, The Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, The Highland Park Ebell Club and The Whitmore-Lindley Theater Center. His play Thyestes's Feast was published in the online journal Papotage after winning their writer's competition and was later hailed by critics as "riveting", "interesting and potent theater".  His opera The Tree was awarded a $25,000 grant from the James Irvine Foundation through The Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, Jenny Krusoe, director with significant additional support from the Department of Cultural Affairs of Los Angeles.  He has received support for his work from American Opera Projects, TWEED Productions,  The Howard Gilman Foundation, The Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, The Noah Wyle Foundation and The James Irvine Foundation.


MUSICAL DIRECTOR:


Galina Barskaya  began studying piano at the age of four and started to perform professionally at the age of seven.  She got her BM and MM at Kiev State College and Kiev State Conservatory where she studied piano, organ, conducting, music history, and composition.  She toured extensively in Russia, Ukraine, and other parts of the former USSR.  

 

Since coming to the United States in 1993, Ms. Barskaya has established herself as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, and teacher.  She has also been working as a conductor and music director.  Ms. Barskaya has been on staff at Santa Monica College and California State University at Long Beach and has been a member and founding member of several chamber ensembles.  In the Los Angeles area, she has performed at numerous venues including the Alex Theater and Hollywood Bowl.  She's been involved in different religious music programs as Music Director/Conductor as well as pianist/organist including Emerson UU Church, Kehillat Israel, and Lutheran Church of the Master.  She created the "Musical Explorations" concert series and from 2001 to 2009 had been its founding Artistic Director.  She was also Music Director of the Pacific Palisades-based opera company LA Metropolitan Opera from 2009 to 2012.

 

She was a soloist with Glendale Symphony Orchestra performing Shostakovich concerto #2

at Alex Theater and with Caltech/Occidental Symphony performing Beethoven 3rd concerto.  Ms. Barskaya is a member of Dominant Club, a prestigious organization for professional

women musicians.  Presently, she is on faculty at Occidental College, Music Director at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, Music Director of Mesopotamian Opera Company, and the Founding Music Director/CEO of Independent Opera Company. Galina is also a composer, whose music was recently featured in an educational film titled "Birth In Action."  Galina is thrilled to be in the production of second original work "The Spell of Tradition"  by Maestro Peter Wing Healey with  Mesopotamian Opera Company. 



MISSION STATEMENT


The purpose of the Mesopotamian Opera, Inc. is to further the teaching and employment, in live performance, of expressive performing arts techniques.  The goal is to create work, employment when possible, and contemporary context for the arts of dance, song, recitation and role playing, and all the attendant arts; stage design, music composition, choreography, lighting design, conducting, playing of musical instruments and directing.  This goal supports the infrastructure of teachers and coaches, university and college departments, that every year turn out aspiring talent in the field of live, expressive performing arts by laboring to provide another delivery platform for the many years of work and dedication represented in the lyric population.


Board of Directors  for The Mesopotamian Opera Company, Inc.


Peter Wing Healey, President and Artistic Director

Dr. Michael Pearl  

Edward David Miller, Secretary

Maria Manhattan

Bruce Wright

Karolyn Kiisel, Chief Financial Officer

Daniel Chess, on medical leave


Dr. Larry McCready, in memoriam

Stanley Cranston, in memoriam

Russell Ellison, in memoriam


COSTUME DESIGNER


Karolyn Kiisel is a Los Angeles based designer, author and fashion educator.  Her designs have been sold internationally, including to Barney’s New York and Bergdorf Goodman, and have been featured on the cover of Womens’ Wear Daily.  Her book, Draping, the Complete Course, published by Laurence King, London, is considered the authority on the subject and tapped her 20 plus years experience teaching at the prestigious Otis College of Art and Design.


She is currently working on her second book, Advanced Creative Draping which will focus on draping for couture, avant-garde, and costume design.




The Mesopotamian Opera Performance History

1981 to 2018


June 2017

THE SPELL OF TRADITION

The Highland Park Ebell Club

3 performances, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Galina Barskaya, piano/ conducting with cello, percussion, flute and harp

8 singers, 1 actor, 1 dancer

words and music by Peter Wing Healey


June 2016

THE SPELL OF TRADITION

MOC Studio  Reading

Galina Barskaya, piano/conducting

7 opera singers, 2 actors, 1 dancer


June 2011

THE BLUR: OR

HOW TO MARRY A

BILLIONAIRE

South Pasadena Public Library

1 Staged Reading


Words and music

Peter Wing Healey

Musical director

Galina Barskaya

Cast

6 opera singer, 3 actors, 3 chorus singers


April 26, 2010

Al and Kester

The Village at Ed Gould Plaza:

Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center Hollywood, CA


A new play

Peter Wing Healey

Produced

Kevin Maloney, TWEED

Cast

6 actors, 1 narrator


October 2008

THYESTES' FEAST

Whitmore-Lindly Theater Center

11 performances, 6 weeks

Saturdays  and Sunday


text/direction

Peter Wing Healey

co-director

Russell Ellison

cast

10 actors

set

Tanya Kovaleski

costumes

Karolyn Kiisel

producer

MOC

lighting

Ariane Erbar


March 2006

THE TREE

Los Angeles Theater Center

12 performances 3 weeks


producers

Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock

Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

Latino Theater Company

The Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture

with the Mesopotamian Opera Company


text/direction

Peter Wing Healey

music

Linda Dowdell

pianist/conductor

David O, Twyla Meyer

band

piano, percussion

cast

17 singer  actors, 1 dancer

sets

Tanya Kovaleski, Max Hendler, Claire Keith

costumes

Karolyn Kiisel

lighting

David Kelting

staff

9 member


March 2005

THE TREE –

An Enhanced Reading

Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock

Northeast Los Angeles

1 performance


producers

ERC, MOC, Jon 9

text/direction

Peter Wing Healey

music

Linda Dowdell

pianist

Dan Bridston

cast

14 singer  actors, 4 actors

video

Jon 9


October 2002

ISADORA D. KABARETT

Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena 1 performance


producers

Dominic DiFazio, Zoo District

cast

1 singer, 1 dancer, 1 actor

band

saxaphone, drums, piano, violin, bass

lyrics/choreography

Peter Wing Healey

music

Linda Dowdell


June 2001

THE DEATH OF ISADORA:  Solo Show

We Are All Amneris, The Death of Isadora, Aunt Jane

Highways Performance Space,

Santa Monica   4 performances


producers

Highways, MOC

choreography/text

Peter Wing Healey

music

Verdi, Berlioz, Beethoven

costumes

Karolyn Kiisel

cast

1 dancer


October 2000

THE DEATH OF ISADORA

Siren, We Are All Amneris, The Death of Isadora

Los Angeles Theater Center

2 performances


producer

MOC

choreography

Peter Wing Healey

music

Strauss, Verdi, Berlioz - taped

costumes

Karolyn Kiisel

lighting

Tal Kendra


January 1999

SOLO: THE ONE PERSON SHOW FESTIVAL:

Daughter of Earth

2100 Square Feet, Los Angeles

4 performances


producers

2100 Square Feet, MOC

performer

1 dancer

music

taped, Richard Strauss

choreography

Peter Wing Healey


April 1996

SUNSET SALOME

HERE, NYC  4 week run


producers

HERE, HOME for Contemporary Theater, MOC

text/dances/direction

Peter Wing Healey

music

Max Kinberg

costumes

Willa Kim

sets

Anne Patterson

lighting

Chenault Spence

cast

5 singers, 4 dancers, 4 actors

orchestra

2 pianos, string quartet, percussion, harp


April 1996

A BENEFIT FOR PEOPLE WITH AIDS

Alice Tully Hall

1 performance


producers

T.W.E.E.D., God’s Love We Deliver

presented

selections Sunset Salome


June 1994

SUNSET SALOME: PART ONE

The Vineyard Theater, Union Square, NYC  4 performances

1 added performance


producers

T.W.E.E.D., MOC

text/directions

Peter Wing Healey

music

Max Kinberg

set

Sara Brecht

conductor

Constantin Kitsopolous

costumes

Mary Brecht

cast

5 singers, 4 dancers, 4 actors

orchestra

piano, oboe, cello, harp, percussion


May 1992

THE NORMA: SITZA PROBA

Greenwich House, NYC

4 perfomances


producer

MOC

text/direction

Peter Wing Healey

music

Linda Dowdell

lighting

Tom Brockland

cast

5 singers, 2 dancers, 3 actors

orchestra

piano, accordian, percussion, harp, cello, trumpet, violin


April 1992

A RIDE ON A MAGIC CARPET


Tribecca Rugs, NYC 

1 performance


producer

Under One Roof

excerpts from The Norma

22 performers


April 1991

THE NORMA OF THE MESOPOTAMIAN OPERA

R.A.P.P. Arts Theater, NYC

4 performances


producer

MOC

text/direction

Peter Wing Healey

music

Linda Dowdell

arranger/conductor

Richard Gordon

costumes

Susan Rudie

lights

Berverly Emmons

set

Maria Manhattan

cast

6 singers, 7 dancers, 3 actors

orchestra

2 violins, viola, cello, harp, timpani, piano, harpsichord


June 1989

“Imagining Stonewall” The Center Show

1 performance


areas from Jane Heir

3 performers


May 1989

JANE HEIR

P.S. 122, NYC 

4 performances


producers

P.S. 122, MOC

text/direction

Peter Wing Healey

music

Richard Gordon, Janet Norquist

costumes

Mary Brecht

sets

Kristin Ordahl, Bruce Mellet

cast

9 dancers, 3 singers, 4 actors

orchestra

piano, violin, percussion, cello




April 1989

JANE HEIR (excerpts)

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Continental Atrium Series, NYC

1 performance


producers

LMCC, Kevin Duffy, MOC

cast

17 performers


Feb. 1989

JANE HEIR (excerpts)

Wired:  A Benefit for P.S. 122

1 performance


May 1988

JANE HEIR

Middle Collegiate Church, NYC

4 perf.


producer

MOC, Divine Theater Company

cast

8 dancers, 8 singers, 5 extras

orchestra

piano, cello, violin, dumbek, harp

costumes

Shirley Finnesey


April 1988

JANE HEIR: Part One

Jusdon Memorial Church, NYC

3 perf.


producers

Judson Church, MOC

cast

6 dancers, 3 singers

music

tape with piano


May 1986

THE MUMMY

Middle Collegiate Church

4 week run


producers

The Divine Theater Company, MOC

text/choreography/direction

Peter Wing Healey

music

Peter Wetzler, Janet Norquist

cast

8 dancers, 5 actors, 3 singers

orchestra

U.S. Steel Cello Ensemble, percussion, cello, violin, viola, piano

costumes

Peter Wing Healey, Dunya


set

Jon Johnson




Jan 1986

THE PRECIOUS FLOWER

excerpts

P.S. 122, NYC

Dancing for Our Lives: A Benefit for Persons with A.I.D.S.


producers

Jason Childers, P.S. 122


cast

4 performers




Oct 1985

TWO STUDIES

New Dance Alliance


producers

Karen Bernard


choreography

Peter Wing Healey


cast

4 dancers




June 1985

THE PRECIOUS FLOWER

Middle Collegiate Church, NYC

4 performances


producers

Aglaia Dance Productions, MOC


text/choreography/direction

Peter Wing Healey


music

Peter Wetzler, Hearn Gadbois, Janet Norquist


cast

2 singers, 4 dancers


orchestra

The U.S. Steel Cello Ensemble, piano, violin, percussion




March 1985

THE PRECIOUS FLOWER

Theater of the Riverside Church,

NYC  3 performances


producers

Riverside Dance Festival, MOC


text/choreography

Peter Wing Healey

music

Peter Wetzler, Janet Norquist

cast

7 dancers, 1 singer

orchestra

piano, tape