Arias & Suds

The Glimmerglass Festival, an annual summer opera event on Oisego Lake in northern New York, has launched a competition involving beer. No, not how much can be consumed, attractive as that might be to some. This competition is for the creation of a new beer. 

Francesca Zambello, festival artistic director, says, "Opera and beer have a long history, with many drinking arias and choruses. One of the gems of our area is the superb Brewery Ommegang, and I am proud our organizations can work in tandem to create one special brew."

Amateur brewmasters are asked to "describe your perfect beer, one that brings together your appreciation for both opera and beer." For the whole frothy story, go to glimmerglass.org/the-festival/beer-creation-contest/.

This summer's festival is staging four operas, including "Medea" and the not-quite-opera "Annie Get Your Gun," with--wait for it--Wagnerian superstar Deborah Voigt as Annie Oakley. We look forward to her rendition of "Anything You Can Brew, I Can Brew Better."

Program suggestions for festival planners: "The Brewer of Seville," "The Bartered Brewer," "Die Meisterbrewer von Nuremberg," and anything by Giacomo Meyerbeer.

And now I believe it's your turn to spring for a round.