An afternoon of music to benefit Temple Israel of Catskill
Sunday, November 20 at 3 pm
Temple Israel of Catskill, 220 Spring St.
Tickets: $20 limited seating
There will be a "Meet and Greet" with the artists after the program, as well as a reception during intermission when there will be a 50/50 raffle and an opportunity to bid on silent auction items.
Hear Rachel during a recent rehearsal here.
Purchase tickets by check
Checks made out to Temple Israel of Catskill must be received by November 7, 2022, to allow time for tickets to be mailed to you. Send to: Temple Israel of Catskill, 220 Spring Street, Catskill, NY 12414. Attention: Steven Mann
Purchase tickets through our donation page here. Please designate “fall concert” at checkout.
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Immersed in the World of Classical Song
CATSKILL – Rachel Wagman discovered her life’s work when she was in the fourth grade. “I started singing before I could speak,” she says. “Then, when I was 10, my music teacher assigned me a solo in a concert.” The result, years later, is a 25-year-old fully fledged opera soprano. “Music and singing are my passions.”
On November 20th, Wagman will be appearing in concert at Temple Israel of Catskill at 3PM. She will be singing selections from Strauss, Mozart, Duparc, Stravinsky and more. Tickets are $20.00 each and can be purchased through the Temple website – www.TempleIsraelofCatskill.org/donate.
It wasn’t until Wagman got to SUNY - Fredonia – majoring in theater, that she became immersed in classical song. I was definitely into Broadway,” she explains. “I always went to plays and musicals growing up.” But college brought her to ‘voice performance’ and, from there, to opera. “Fredonia is very classical and opera based,” the singer says. “I became immersed in the world of classical song. And now it encompasses everything I love to do – singing, acting, dancing. Even the historical and cultural aspects are appealing.”
A life-long member of Temple Israel of Catskill, the soprano performed there on several occasions while still a student. She also appeared in concert at the Orpheum in Tannersville to benefit the Temple’s Cemetery Fund. Now, as a graduate and professional, she has been asked to return prior to her anticipated departure to Germany where she hopes to study at The Berlin Opera Academy.
“Every opera singer’s journey is different,” she says. “I love that I can combine my career and my love for travel, theater and music. I plan on singing at opera companies all over the world.” This is just the first step.
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An Opera Singer in the Time of Covid
CATSKILL- “When I graduated from SUNY Fredonia in 2020,” says Rachel Wagman, “all my final performances and graduation were cancelled.” The promising young opera singer had no opportunities, no video footage. “I basically got thrown out into the pandemic world. There was absolutely nothing for me career-wise.”
And so, she headed home to Catskill, NY where she’s been for the past two years.
But things are looking up. On Sunday, November 20th, the operatic soprano will be performing selections including Strauss, Mozart, Puccini, Duparc, Debussy, Stravinsky and more. The live concert is a benefit for Temple Israel of Catskill and is being held at that location, 220 Spring Street, Catskill, beginning at 3PM. Tickets are $20.00 and should be purchased in advance at www.TempleIsraelofCatskill.org. Click here.
“I’ve certainly had a lot of time to think about what my next step should be,” she says. “How I can make my dreams reality.” Her decision? To apply to The Berlin Opera Academy. “It’s the capital of opera,” she adds. “It offers the most opportunity for singers. And, I love that I can combine my career and my love for travel, theater and music. I hope to sing at opera companies all over the world.”
She will be applying in December for the 2023 Summer program and, if all goes well, Wagman will be speaking rudimentary German by June. (The school offers language classes each morning prior to the musical curriculum.)
In the meantime, the 25-year-old continues to study with her voice teacher of almost 15 years, Kinderhook resident and singer, Amanda Boyd. In spite of the dearth of performance opportunities, having two years of intense training has helped develop and strengthen her voice. “It’s been wonderful to realize how much I’ve grown as a singer during this down time.”
All that quiet reflection is about to end. With a concert scheduled and Germany looming in her future, the soprano anticipates making her postponed dreams a reality.
Rachel Wagman will be performing in concert on Sunday, November 20th at 3PM. Tickets are $20.00 each. The performance takes place at Temple Israel of Catskill 220 Spring Street, Catskill, NY. For more information and to hear Rachel in rehearsal, go to www.TempleIsraelofCatskill.org.