The Skokie Theatre Music Foundation Presents Lesley Goodman In 'From the Moulin Rouge to Broadway' 12/20

The Skokie Theatre Music Foundation presents Lesley Goodman in "From the Moulin Rouge to Broadway" on December 20, 2009 at 2:00pm. Join Lesley Goodman and accompanist Jeffrey Panko on incredible musical journey from the beautiful songs of the Parisian Cafés to the great music of Broadway. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets can be purchased by calling (847) 677-7761 or by visiting www.skokietheatre.com.

Lesley Goodman, a graduate of Northwestern University, has performed as a soloist around the world with organizations such as Chicago Opera Theater, Light Opera Works, Florentine Opera, Opera of DuPage, and Piccolo Teatro in Milan, Italy.

"The intimacy of the Skokie Theater offers a rare opportunity for an artist to connect quite closely with her audience," states Goodman. "I wanted to stray a bit from the conventional way in which people associated my work as an opera singer, to explore some of the other colors and qualities I love about singing."

Songs include September Song, The Saga Pirate Jenny, and Here I'll Stay by Kurt Weill, three selections from the song cycle Fiancialles Pour Rire by Francis Poulenc, La Cage Aux Folles by Jerry Herman, Back to Before from Ragtime, and many more.

"In addition to the whimsical and edgy art songs of Poulenc, and the timeless Weill tunes that people can hum as they leave the theater, one lesser known composer who I am very excited to showcase is the one who is not a household name: Ricky Ian Gordon," explains Goodman. "His songs are a singer's dream, possessing vocal lines and sublime phrasing set to texts that are poignant yet so simply stated. They have sparked an interest in me to increase my repertoire of his work. "

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About Lesley Goodman:
Lesley Goodman, a graduate from Northwestern University, began her musical studies at age five with piano lessons in Germany while her father was in the military. Upon returning to the states, the family settled down in Chicago and Ms. Goodman's musical education continued at the Music Center of the North Shore with the well-known pianist and teacher, Emilio del Rosario. She was a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions, as well as a semi-finalist in the MacAllister Awards. Her concert work includes work as a featured soloist at the Northwest Indiana Symphony, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and the North Shore Choral Society at Pick Staiger Auditorium in Evanston.

Ms. Goodman made her operatic debut in the role of Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro with Chicago Opera Theater. She continued working with regional companies such as Light Opera Works in the role of Gabrielle in La Vie Parisienne, Beppe in L'Amico Fritz with Chicago Opera Theater, Angel Moore in The Mother of Us All under the direction of Frank Galati, Isolier in The Count Ory, and Niclausse in The Tales of Hoffmann. At Florentine Opera, she sang the role of Rosette in Manon and the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with DuPage Opera. She has been heard on the radio in a live broadcast of a Dame Myra Hess concert, as well as the featured mezzo-soprano soloist on a recording of works by Chicago area composer, Dan Tucker, entitled "Many Moons."

In 1997, Ms. Goodman was a soloist at Carnegie Hall in Durufle's Requiem, Mass-Con Jubilo. In 1998, she was discovered at a New York audition by the Italian director Giorgio Strehler for his production of Cosi fan tutte at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan. She was ultimately cast in the role of Dorabella for an extended tour of the production. Ms. Goodman has been an understudy for roles such as The Second Lady for Lyric Opera of Chicago's production of Die Zauberflöte, as well as Papagena for its Outreach Program. Today, she is equally comfortable in musical theater and contemporary songs, and looks forward to continuing her career as a singer and actress.

 

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