New York City Opera To Begin Its 2010 Spring Season on March 18
By: BWW News Desk Mar. 18, 2010
New York City Opera will celebrate the opening of its 2010 Spring Season on Thursday, March 18, with a gala performance of Emmanuel Chabrier's glittering, comic L'Étoile, followed by a grand evening on the Promenade of the David H. Koch Theater and dancing to waltzes played by the New York City Opera Orchestra.
The Spring Gala, honoring Chairman Susan L. Baker, will be the first in this season's series of performances of the rare Chabrier opera, conducted by Emmanuel Plasson. Jennifer Zetlan is Laoula, Julie Boulianne makes her City Opera debut as Lazuli, Liza Forrester debuts as Aloès, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt is King Ouf I, Andrew Drost is Tapioca, William Ferguson is Hérisson de Porc-Épic, and François Loup makes his company debut as Siroco. L'Étoile which was first seen at New York City Opera in 2002 is directed by Mark Lamos with associate director Alain Gauthier. Sets are by Andrew Lieberman, costumes by Constance Hoffman, lighting by Robert Wierzel, and choreography by Seán Curran. L'Étoile will be sung in French, with English supertitles.Regular performances of L'Étoile will continue through April 1. On Saturday, April 3, at 1:30pm, City Opera will present a 60-minute abridged version of L'Étoile, sung in French with English dialogue, as a special Family Matinee. The performance will be preceded at 12:00 p.m. by a concert on the Promenade by the New York City Opera Children's Chorus and the InterSchool Orchestras of New York. City Opera General Manager and Artistic Director George Steel will then host a musical introduction to the story and characters of L'Étoile featuring the New York City Opera Orchestra and select singers. Conducted by Ryan McAdams in his City Opera debut, the cast of the Family Matinee will include Jason Ferrante in his company debut as King Ouf I, Jeffrey Tucker as Siroco, Phumzile Sojola debuts as Hérisson de porc Épic, Katherine Jolly as Laoula, Matt Morgan as Tapioca, Hai-Ting Chinn makers her City Opera debut as Aloès, and Abigail Nims debuts as Lazuli. Special family pricing is available for this performance only, ranging from $6 - $50.On Tuesday, April 27 at 12 pm, New York City Opera will hold its Spring Luncheon, which this year celebrates outstanding leaders in music education. The luncheon will honor the great American soprano and City Opera alumna Phyllis Curtin, as well as Emilie Roy Corey, and other individuals who have played a vital role in supporting New York City Opera's award-winning education programs. The afternoon will feature performances from City Opera artists and personal stories from schoolchildren participating in City Opera education programs. All proceeds from the Spring Luncheon will support the company's wide-ranging education programs, which reach more than 5,000 students in more than 30 schools each year. New York City Opera will present its annual VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab on Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 La Guardia Place, at Washington Square South) at New York University. VOX is a workshop for new operas that offers American composers and librettists the opportunity to hear their works with the City Opera orchestra, chorus, and soloists. Every year, VOX presents previously unproduced works from both emerging and established composers in readings that are free and open to the public. This year's selections represent a diverse array of experimental and boundary-pushing works, encompassing all of the diverse qualities that define contemporary American opera.Spring Season Opera Matters Events Connect Opera to Contemporary CultureOpera Matters continues this spring with a series of events that reveal opera's vital place in today's culture. Curated by City Opera's dramaturg Cori Ellison, Opera Matters brings together prominent artists, scholars, and celebrities from diverse artistic and cultural communities for programs of conversation, media, and live music that celebrate opera's connections to other social and cultural forces, including the visual arts, film, literature, mass media and pop culture, and the African-American experience. Forthcoming events include: A Chabrier Salon - Tuesday, March 2 at 7:00 pm
Venue: La Maison Française, New York University, 16 Washington Mews, New York, NY 10003 , 212-998-8750In tandem with City Opera's revival of L'Étoile, the company presents a festive evening of works by Emmanuel Chabrier, a key figure in Belle-Époque salons and a flamboyant bon vivant who partied with Manet, Degas, Verlaine, and Mallarmé, and wielded huge influence on Ravel, Satie, and Les Six. Join L'Étoile cast members Julie Boulianne, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, and François Loup, stage director Alain Gauthier, and conductor Emmanuel Plasson for the kind of intimate, fun-filled salon evening of live music and lively repartee that Chabrier would be sorry to miss.A Tribute to Robert McFerrin - Saturday, March 6, at 7:00 pm Venue: The Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard (at 135th Street) New York, NY 10037 The inimitable Bobby McFerrin will join New York City Opera and the Schomburg Center to honor the legacy of his father, the great American baritone Robert McFerrin. Robert McFerrin made headlines as one of the first African-American artists to sing at New York City Opera (making his 1949 debut in the world premiere of William Grant Still and Langston Hughes's opera Troubled Island) and the first African-American man to perform at the Metropolitan Opera, in 1955. This special evening will honor the extraordinary man and artist through historical film and sound clips, as well as live musical selections and commentary by baritone Stephen Salters and Bobby McFerrin.The Life and Times of Malcolm X - Wednesday, May 12, at 7:00 pm
Venue: The Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard (at 135th Street) New York, NY 10037Marking the 45th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X, New York City Opera will collaborate with Opera Noire of New York to present an abridged concert version of The Life and Times of Malcolm X, the brilliant, ground-breaking opera about the great civil rights leader which premiered at City Opera in 1986. Composer Anthony Davis and scenarist Christopher Davis will offer insights on their inspiration and creative process. Tickets
All of New York City Opera's stage productions will take place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center (63rd St. & Columbus Ave). Single tickets, ranging from $12 to $145, can be purchased in person at the box office, online at nycOpera.com, or by calling CenterCharge at 212-721-6500.All evening performances begin at 8:00pm, except for Tuesday evening performances, which begin at 7:30pm. The performance of L'Étoile on Thursday, March 18 begins at 7:00pm.To purchase tickets for or request further information regarding the L'Étoile Spring Gala, please call the New York City Opera Special Events Department at 212-870-5595.To purchase tickets for or request further information regarding the Spring Luncheon celebrating Outstanding Leaders in Music Education, please call the New York City Opera Special Events Department at 212-870-405o.Opera Matters Tickets:
$10 tickets for La Maison Française at New York University can be purchased online at nycOpera.com or by calling 212-870-5643. Advance reservations advised due to limited space. $10 tickets for A Tribute to Robert McFerrin and The Life and Times of Malcolm X can be purchased at the Schomburg Shop at (212) 491-2206 or Telecharge.comCasting and Performance ScheduleL'Étoile
Jennifer Zetlan (Laoula), Julie Boulianne (Lazuli), Liza Forrester (Aloès), Jean-Paul Fouchécourt (King Ouf I), Andrew Drost (Tapioca), William Ferguson (Hérisson de Porc-Épic), François Loup (Siroco). Emmanuel Plasson (conductor), Mark Lamos (production director), Alain Gauthier (associate director), Seán Curran (choreographer), Andrew Lieberman (set designer), Constance Hoffman (costume designer), Robert Wierzel (lighting designer), Cori Ellison (supertitles). Sung in French with spoken French dialogue and English supertitles.Thursday, March 18, 7:00pm
Saturday, March 20, 8:00pm
Friday, March 26, 8:00pm
Sunday, March 28, 1:30pm
Thursday, April 1, 8:00pm
Saturday, April 3, 1:30pm Family Matinee of L'Étoile (abridged).Partenope
Cyndia Sieden (Partenope), Stephanie Houtzeel (Rosmira), Iestyn Davies (Prince Arsace of Corinth), Anthony Roth Costanzo (Prince Armindo of Rhodes), Nicholas Coppolo (Emilio), Daniel Mobbs (Ormonte). Christian Curnyn (conductor), Francisco Negrin (production director), Andrew Chown (stage director), John Conklin (set designer), Paul Steinberg (costume designer), Robert Wierzel (lighting designer), Cori Ellison (supertitles). Sung in Italian with English supertitles. Saturday, April 3, 8:00pm
Friday, April 9, 8:00pm
Sunday, April 11, 1:30pm
Tuesday, April 13, 7:30pm
Thursday, April 15, 8:00pm
Saturday, April 17, 1:30pmMadama Butterfly
Cast for performances on March 19, 21, 25, 27 and April 2, 4, 8: Shu-Ying Li (Cio-Cio-San), Steven Harrison (B.F. Pinkerton), Jeffrey Halili (Goro), Nina Yoshida Nelsen (Suzuki), Quinn Kelsey (Sharpless), Eric Jordan (The Bonze). Steven Mosteller (conductor, March 19, 21), George Manahan (conductor), Mark Lamos (production director), David Grabarkewitz (stage director), Michael Yeargan (set designer), Constance Hoffman (costume designer), Robert Wierzel (lighting designer), Cori Ellison (supertitles). Sung in Italian with English supertitles.Cast for performances on April 10, 16 & 18: Yunah Lee (Cio-Cio-San), Konstantin Stepanov (B.F. Pinkerton), Krysty Swann (Suzuki), Nicholas Pallesen (Sharpless), Eric Jordan (The Bonze). George Manahan (conductor), Mark Lamos (production director), David Grabarkewitz (stage director), Michael Yeargan (set designer), Constance Hoffman (costume designer), Robert Wierzel (lighting designer), Cori Ellison (supertitles). Sung in Italian with English supertitles.Friday, March 19, 8:00pm
Sunday, March 21, 1:30pm
Thursday, March 25, 8:00pm
Saturday, March 27, 8:00pm
Friday, April 2, 8:00pm
Sunday, April 4, 1:30pm
Thursday, April 8, 8:00pm
Saturday, April 10, 1:30pm
Friday, April 16, 8:00pm
Sunday, April 18, 1:30pm City Opera DebutsThursday, March 18, L'Étoile
Julie Boulianne (Lazuli)
Liza Forrester (Aloès)
François Loup (Siroco)
Alain Gauthier (Associate Stage Director) Saturday, April 3, L'Étoile (abridged)
Abigail Nims (Lazuli)
Hai-Ting Chinn (Aloès)
Jason Ferrante (King Ouf I)
Phumzile Sojola (Hérisson de porc Épic)
Ryan McAdams (conductor)Saturday, April 3, Partenope
Stephanie Houtzeel (Rosmira)
Anthony Roth Costanzo (Prince Armindo of Rhodes)
Nicholas Coppolo (Emilio)
Christian Curnyn (conductor)Friday, March 19, Madama Butterfly
Quinn Kelsey (Sharpless)
Jessica Klein (Kate Pinkerton)
Nina Yoshida Nelsen (Suzuki)Saturday, April 10, Madama Butterfly
Konstantin Stepanov (B.F. Pinkerton)
Nicholas Pallesen (Sharpless)
Krysty Swann (Suzuki)City Opera FirstsThursday, March 18, L'Étoile
Jean-Paul Fouchécourt (King Ouf I)
Jennifer Zetlan (Laoula)
Andrew Drost (Tapioca)Friday, March 19, Madama Butterfly
Steven Harrison (B.F. Pinkerton)
Jeffrey Halili (Goro)
Daesan No (Yamadori) Saturday, April 3, L'Étoile (abridged)
Katherine Jolly (Laoula)
Matt Morgan (Tapioca)
Jeffrey Tucker (Siroco)Saturday, April 3, Partenope
Cyndia Sieden (Partenope)
Iestyn Davies (Prince Arsace of Corinth)
Daniel Mobbs (Ormonte)Sponsors and SupportersThe Spring 2010 season is dedicated to the memory of James C. Slaughter.New York City Opera gratefully acknowledges the following institutions for their leadership support of our 2009-2010 Season: the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Estate of Ruth Klotz, Lincoln Center Corporate Fund, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, and The Alice Tully Foundation. Production support for L'Étoile generously provided by Susan Baker and Michael Lynch., The Florence Gould Foundation, and The Geoffrey C. Hughes Foundation.Production support for Partenope generously provided by Joan Granlund and the Charles and Mildred Schnurmacher Foundation, Inc.The Family Matinee concert featuring the City Opera Children's Chorus and the InterSchool Orchestras of New York is made possible by the Alfred and Jane Ross Foundation. American Airlines is the Official Airline of New York City Opera. The 2009-2010 Season is made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. About New York City Opera
Since its founding in 1943, New York City Opera has been recognized as one of America's preeminent cultural institutions, celebrated for its adventurous programming and innovative, risk-taking production style. The company's wide-ranging repertory of 275 works spans five centuries of music and includes 29 world premieres and 61 American and/or New York premieres of such notable works as Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle, Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shostakovich's Katerina Ismailova, Busoni's Doktor Faust, Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges and The Flaming Angel, Zimmermann's Die Soldaten, Schoenberg's Moses und Aron, and Glass' Akhnaten. The company has been a leading showcase for young artists, helping to launch the careers of more than 3,000 singers, including José Carreras, Phyllis Curtin, David Daniels, Plácido Domingo, Lauren Flanigan, Elizabeth Futral, Jerry Hadley, Catherine Malfitano, Bejun Mehta, Sherrill Milnes, Samuel Ramey, Gianna Rolandi, Beverly Sills, Norman Treigle, Tatiana Troyanos, and Carol Vaness. In 1983, City Opera made operatic history when it became the first American Opera Company to use supertitles, an innovation that has revolutionized the way opera is produced and appreciated worldwide. In November 2009, under new General Manager and Artistic Director George Steel, the company inaugurated the newly renovated David H. Koch Theater, the shared home of New York City Opera and New York City Ballet, following a joint $107 million project to refurbish and modernize the theater and enhance both the artistic and visitor experience.
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