The Diva and the Baritone, stars Metropolitan Opera baritone Theodore Lambrinos and soprano Hallie Neill. Elliot Finkel, a concert pianist with the chops of a Broadway musical director wrote the arrangements to showcase the couple's amazing vocal talents in a surprising mix of Broadway, opera and the best of the Great American songbook.
In a friendly vocal "competition" Miss Neill's powerful soprano ascends to the high E flat and in almost the next breath descends to three octaves below while Lambrinos' rich Baritone (hitting easily the low F) caps a ringing high A flat.
The Diva and the Baritone defies category - a refreshing change with casual humor and personal warmth - the elegant Baritone and the Diva/comedienne are an irresistible combination.
Demo Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuaOnhaic0I
The Players Club is located at 16 Gramercy Park at E. 20th Street, NYC. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night, October 25th, 2012. Tickets are $20.00 Call or Email for Reservations: 212-475-6116/ reservations@theplayersnyc.org.
For more information about The Diva and the Baritone, visit
www.DivaBaritone.com.
HALLIE NEILL (Soprano) San Diego native Hallie Neill is a "fiery soprano" (Opera News). A winner of the
Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation study grant, Miss Neill made her
Carnegie Hall debut in Verdi's Jersualem with celebrated tenor Enrico di Giuseppe. "A beautiful soprano with a voice of glory", noted
Placido Domingo, and a "terrific singer who can act!" according to
Hal Prince, Miss Neill has created leading roles in two operatic world premieres:
Anton Coppola's Sacco and Vanzetti for Opera Tampa and
Philip Glass's La Belle et la Bete throughout Europe, and recorded for Nonesuch Records. Hallie has appeared in concert at Lincoln Center with the New York Grand Opera Orchestra and the
Little Orchestra Society, and in leading operatic roles of Tosca, La Traviata, Carmen, Falstaff, Don Giovanni, La Boheme, Pagliacci, Die Fledermaus and The Merry Widow in the US and abroad including Cairo Opera, Netherlands Opera, Opera Tampa, New York Grand Opera in Central Park, Metro Lyric Opera, Opera 2001 European Tour and Teatro Lirico d'Europa in European and US tours. Hallie has appeared in over 25 countries in opera and concert including Hong Kong, Bangkok, Egypt, Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Qatar, Indonesia and Korea.
The talented singing actress is also a noted playwright, having created the musical "A Scandalous Affair" about the love story of Hollywood film icons
Jeanette MacDonald and
Nelson Eddy. The CD with Neill and Lambrinos was featured on the 50th Annual Grammy Awards Entry List for "Best Musical Show Album" and has received standing ovations around the country, including the famed Players Club and Lincoln Center.
Hallie and Theodore will soon be heard as the "Opera Singers" in the upcoming film "Doggie Boogie", Audience Favorite Feature Award Winner in the Sonoma International Film Festival.
THEODORE LAMBRINOS
Mr. Lambrinos' has sung over 60 major baritone roles with the Metropolitan Opera and opera companies throughout the US including Chicago, Seattle, Cincinnati, Colorado, Des Moines, New Jersey, Arizona, Nevada and abroad including Cairo, Beijing, Greece, and Indonesia. His powerful voice and compelling stage presence make him one of the finest Verdi baritones appearing before the public today. His appearance at the Metropolitan Opera in the title role of Rigoletto was described by the New Jersey Star Ledger as a "The Metropolitan Opera's A Team – a gripping performance that brought down the house" Following ovations in Beijing, China, he was honored to perform Rigoletto in the historical first-ever performance of opera in Hanoi, Vietnam. He created the role of Carlo Tresca in the premiere of
Anton Coppola's Sacco and Vanzetti for Opera Tampa. Theodore has sung numerous roles with Metro Lyric Opera including Rigoletto, Tosca, Traviata, Cavalleria and Pagliacci.
He performed a marathon of leading roles for the New York Grand Opera Verdi Festival in Central Park, including Macbeth, Ernani, Simon Boccanegra and La Forza del Destino. He has sung nearly 200 performances of Rigoletto, Nabucco, Il Trovatore, Cav and Pag, Aida and Tosca with the European touring companies Opera 2001 and Teatro Lirico d'Europa throughout Europe and the US. His performances have taken him to nearly 20 countries from the Middle East to the Far East and he has performed with such luminaries as Domingo, Fleming, Zajick, Corelli, Scotto, Moffo and Hines. Born in Brooklyn, NY Theodore began his career as soloist with the famed Russian Don Cossack Chorus throughout the US and Canada. He went on to appear in musicals On and Off-Broadway and in Summer Stock.
Mr. Lambrinos has an active voice studio in NY sharing his vast experience with the new performers on the horizon. With his wife, soprano Hallie Neill he has appeared in opera/Broadway concerts, in Neill's original operetta "A Scandalous Affair" and operas including Falstaff, Tosca, La Boheme and Don Giovanni in New York and throughout Europe.
Elliot Finkel is a pianist, conductor and composer of great magnitude and versatility. Not only is his six-foot plus stature commanding, but his unique talent bridges the gap between the classical and pop idioms.
Elliot has appeared on the great stages of the world including
Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, London Palladium and three appearances at the White House. Some of the symphony orchestras he has performed with include Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. (National), Baltimore, Dallas and the Queens Pop Orchestra, which he served as music director for two seasons. This coming season, he will be performing with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony Orchestra. He has played hundreds of recitals across the globe, both as a soloist, and together with his brother,
Ian Finkel, xylophone virtuoso. Three times he has costarred on Broadway with
Michael Feinstein, with
Sid Caesar, and with
Ian Finkel and their father,
Fyvush Finkel.
Mr. Finkel's concerts have become a favorite on cruise ships of the world, such as the QE2 and the Rotterdam. He has played and conducted for such diverse artists as
Ginger Rogers,
Milton Berle,
Danny Thomas,
Regis Philbin, and
Theodore Bikel. He is proud of his eight-year association with the legendary tenor,
Jan Peerce.
Mr. Finkel's musical
Fyvush Finkel Live! (featuring both Ian and
Fyvush Finkel) was nominated for a 2010 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revue and Finkel's Follies was a great favorite in 1990 both in Los Angeles and New York.
