Pittsburgh Opera Opens ‘The Last American Hammer’; Brittney Chantele Album Release Party at Thunderbird (Sat., 2/22/20)

Caitlin Gotimer (Tink Enraught)and Timothy Mix (Milcom Negley) in Pittsburgh Opera’s ‘The Last American Hammer. (photo: David Bachman)

1) Contemporary operas have been written about subjects that Mozart couldn’t have imagined, from the civil rights movement to climbers on Mt. Everest. Now Pittsburgh Opera is staging The Last American Hammer, about a conspiracy theorist in a toby jug museum. This is a satirical chamber opera, with a cast of three and a seven-piece musical ensemble. The central character, an unemployed hammersmith in a down-and-out town, believes the U.S. government has no legitimate authority and has betrayed the country. Clad in militia gear, he protests by conducting a solo “occupation” of the town’s toby jug museum. We are not making this up—librettist Matt Boresi and composer Peter Hilliard did—but, a toby jug is a ceramic jug or mug in the shape of a person, and there is a real American Toby Jug Museum in Evanston, Illinois. Pittsburgh Opera’s production of The Last American Hammer has baritone Tim Mix as the irate militant, soprano Caitlin Gotimer as the museum director, and mezzo-soprano Antonia Botti-Lodovico as an FBI agent on the case. At Pittsburgh Opera headquarters, 2425 Liberty Ave., Strip District. 

2) Brittney Chantele describes herself on her Twitter page as a singer-songwriter/visual artist/dancer/activist/ and as an organizer of Earth Guardians PA. I haven’t seen her work in the other areas, but I have seen her perform, and Chantele is very talented. In her performances, Chantele’s been playing the hot track “Fade and the Balance” off her last release, A Fire on Venus, to the delight of many fans. She will be holding an album release party at Thunderbird Café & Music Hall for A Golden Opportunity, with songs dealing with her time in the military. DJ QRX, Saïd, and Treble NLS (a co-writer on her new album) will also be performing. 8 p.m. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville.  

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