Cherokee Art Market - Native American Times

12RNATIVE OKLAHOMA • OCTOBER 2013NATIVE OKLAHOMA • OCTOBER 2013 13RBy the time she was 13, McAlisterreached a crossroads. She wanted tosing just like her idol of the time, PatriceMunsel, the coloratura soprano famousoutfits as Opéra de Monte Carlo (thanksto a letter to Prince Rainier of Monaco),the New Bulgarian Opera and theFlorentine Opera Company.Oklahoma Arts Council. Much of hertime, however, is taken up with teachingand painting. McAlister offers free voicetraining to Cherokee Nation members. Sliver of a Full Moonas the youngest singer to star with theMetropolitan Opera Company in NewMcAlister has numerous roles to herresume, including the aforementionedShe currently has 15 pupils as such inaddition to a few private students.York City. She also discovered popular Carmen, Amneris from “Aida,” She began painting as a youth when sheis a portrayal of resistance and celebration. It is the story of a movement that restored the authority of Indianmusic on the radio and wanted to Azucena from “Il Trovatore,” Ostrud fell in love with the works of celebratedtribes over Non-Indian abusers to protect women on tribal lands. Although hundreds, if not thousands,become a country singer playing guitar from “Lohengrin” and Santuzza from Muscogee-Seminole artist Jerome Tiger,contributed to this victory, Sliver of a Full Moon follows the story of five Native women who took a stand, and twoon horseback between opportunities to “Cavalleria Rusticana” among her his brother Johnny Tiger Jr. and theirbarrel race. Opera won, of course, and favorites. She has performed in operas contemporaries. Today, she paints in theNative men who stood with them to win this victory under the Violence Against Women Act in 2013. Their storiesthe quiet girl prepared for a life of singing and as a soloist with the Houston style that influenced her then.are that of a movement with a vision of a Full Moon under which the sovereignty of Indian tribes is fully restoredwith her first vocal teacher, a soprano in Symphony, Dusseldorf Symphony, McAlister is also learning to speakover their lands and peoples. It sheds lights on how we are stronger together.Muskogee’s First Presbyterian Churchchoir named Jeanne Parker.“I think I really did go up to her andsay, ‘I want to sing as beautifully as youdo. How do you do it?’” McAlister says.It was a bold move for her.“I was very shy growing up,” McAlistersays.“Still is,” Sue Gaston, seated nearby,interjects. “… By that I mean she won’tsay what all she really can do.”If McAlister has a “weakness,” it’s amissing zeal to promote herself, Gastonsays.Marketing generally isn’t taught inuniversity music programs.McAlister first attended the Universityof Tulsa, but left after two years to finishher studies at Oklahoma City University.Semester breaks were taken up withsummer stock gigs with regional musicalWashington Opera, New York Grand and sing in Cherokee, which she didtheater and opera companies. AfterMezzo-soprano singing sensation Barbara McAlister sits at piano.graduation, she moved around fromPHOTO BY KAREN SHADENew York to North Carolina (whereshe worked with TV and film actor CluGulager, another Muskogee native) andback to Muskogee before heading to LosAngeles, where she met her master voiceteacher Lee Sweetland. With SweetlandOpera and Tulsa Opera.Throughout her career, she always feltthe support of her family, particularlyher parents.not hear growing up. Her grandmother,Susie Sevier, was in her mid-20s whenshe died.“She spoke Cherokee, but because(and later with his son, Steve Sweetland), “They were wonderful, wonderful I never met her, I never really wasshe made her greatest strides.people. I was very blessed. People used introduced to Cherokee culture,”“One day this huge voice came out,” to say, ‘You really sacrificed to do what McAlister says. “My dad was very proudKickapoo actress, Cherokee writer team upshe says. “It never left me from that you’re doing’ … Just recently it dawned that we were Cherokee, I know that. Hetime.”on me that my parents sacrificed a lot, always talked about it.”Sweetland’s training and too. They really believed in me as a She may not live in a city renowned for to tackle a serious issue in Indian Countryencouragement led McAlister to singer,” she says.opera culture, but McAlister is still livingacceptance into the competitive Los In 2009, she returned to Muskogee. the artist’s life. There is no secret to it.KAREN SHADEinstallment of her “Super Indian” comic the more enlightening plays to hit a localAngeles Civic Light Opera Music “This is where I grew up, so I wanted to “I never thought of it as a business,”Cherokee | Dinéseries. “I’m political in my own way, but stage because it focuses on certain facts.Theatre Program. She also won theprestigious National Vocal Competitioncome home,” she says. “When I left NewYork as a singer, I didn’t have any idea ofshe says. “I just did it because I lovedoing it.”Kickapoo actress and playwrightthis is really, really quite different.”“Sliver of a Full Moon,” the drama StarrFor instance, 39 percent of AmericanIndian and Alaska Native women willfor Young Opera Singers in New Yorkand Los Angeles sponsored by the LorenL. Zachary Society for the PerformingArts. The award led to work in Europe,including a 10-year stint in Germanrepertory opera and roles with suchwhat I would do when I got here.”But a dramatic mezzo-soprano canfind work even in Oklahoma. McAlisteris a fine arts instructor and performerfor Cherokee Nation. She is also aperforming artist registered with theTickets to the OMHF ceremony are $10-$175 each, available at www.mabeecenter.com. If you would like to contact McAlisterabout voice lessons, call 646-241-3299 orvisit www.barbaramcalister.com.Arigon Starr is known for comic timing,her comic books and hilarious touchwith a song.“I don’t do a lot of political kind ofstuff, usually,” she says from her LosAngeles office, hard at work on the nextwill next appear in, is about the effortsof five Native Americans who pushedhard for the recent passage of the federalViolence Against Women Act (VAWA).It’s not light, fluffy entertainment, yet“Sliver of a Full Moon” may be one ofbe subjected to violence by a spouse,boyfriend or intimate partner in theirlifetimes, higher than for women of anyother ethnicity in the U.S., according toa 2008 study by the Centers for DiseaseControl.T