Opera stars stay home for show
Two members of the Metropolitan Opera didn't have to bother with travel plans for Opera Las Vegas' "Don Giovanni" this weekend at Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at UNLV.
Las Vegas has been home base for more than a decade for soprano Luana DeVol and tenor Mark Thomsen.
DeVol, known around the world for her Brunhilde performances, plays Donna Elvira while Thomsen, a co-founder of Opera Las Vegas, is cast as Don Ottavio.
The first performance is tonight, with the second on Sunday afternoon.
Thomsen has been hosting a special house guest for the past month: old friend Jeff Mattsey, who plays Giovanni.
They are among five Met singers in Mozart's masterpiece, with Met conductor Gregory Buchalter and stage director Jonathon Loy. Buchalter also serves as Opera Las Vegas' artistic director.
Thomsen, who met Mattsey 25 years ago while performing in "Giovanni" in Florida, has taken on a side role: tour guide. They've been to Hoover Dam, the Strip and Fremont Street.
"One of his kids wanted to go to the Heart Attack Grill," said Thomsen, a Las Vegas resident since 1998.
DeVol, who moved here in 1996 and traveled up to 250 days a year during her busy career, has scaled back her opera work since suffering a knee injury two years ago.
The 6-foot-1 blonde is nearing retirement after a 25-year major international career that started with a seven-year run in Germany, almost exclusively as Brunhilde, the maiden warrior.
"I'm the lady with the horns on the helmet and spear in hand," said DeVol, who grew up in San Bruno, Calif.
Not long after The Venetian opened in 1999, she was with some friends in the hotel's version of St. Mark's Square.
This was when The Venetian hired accomplished opera singers to stroll along the faux Grand Canal and perform for crowds.
When volunteers were asked to join in, DeVol pushed her voice teacher, an accomplished baritone, up to the mic.
He in turn forced DeVol to the mic, and when she unleashed her version of Brunhilde's high C note, "I got applause from the entire St Mark's Square, including a restaurant. So when people ask me if I've sung in Las Vegas, I say, 'Sure, I've played at The Venetian.' "
She will add the real deal to her resume this weekend.
There's talk that Opera Las Vegas has plans to team up DeVol and Thomsen for a duet or two in the fall.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
"Best Ink," a reality show on Oxygen, is casting for skilled tattoo artists from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Tommy Rock-er's Mojave Beach Bar & Grill.
SIGHTINGS
Joey Fatone of "Dancing With the Stars: Live from Las Vegas," performing a ceremonial smashing Thursday at Smashburger's newest location inside Station Casinos' Fiesta Rancho. He got double takes from customers when he filled in on the cash register. ... Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, dining at N9ne Steakhouse (Palms) on Wednesday. ... Kiss star Gene Simmons and Mike Tyson at Kiss by Monster Mini Golf on Wednesday. Actor Taye Diggs and "Vegas! The Show" performer Eric Jordan Young, attending "Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular" (Venetian) on Monday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Hey, have you seen that video that's gone viral of Mitt Romney having trouble trying to recognize the chocolate doughnut? Did you see this video? Yeah, it's all over the Web. At first he said, 'Is that beluga caviar on the bagel? What is that?' See, that's why he needs (N.J. governor) Chris Christie as his vice president. Because if anyone can identify a doughnut, it's Chris Christie." - Jay Leno
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
