Francesca Zambello News

According to the New York Post, Ronald Russo , lawyer for producer Ben Sprecher has now said that 'Sprecher had been led to "Abrams" by shadowy Long Island businessman, Mark Hotton, who told him Abrams died before he could hand over the dough, sources have said. There also were three other investors Hotton told Sprecher about who supposedly promised another combined $2 million for the show, the sources have said. But "following an extensive search over the last week, I can now confirm that there is no evidence whatever that "Paul Abrams" or any of the other three investors brought to this production by Mr. Hotton, ever existed," said Sprecher's lawyer, Ronald Russo. The lawyer said they conducted an investigation in both the US and England.'

This morning, October 3, the following letter was composed by one of the Principal cast members of REBECCA, Karen Mason, in hopes of clearing up the ongoing speculation of the cancelled Broadway prodution of REBECCA

Now according to the New York Times, the United States attorney's office is investigating whether the investor ever existed in the first place. Sprecher told NYT: "I never made up or fabricated any investor, and I never made up Paul Abrams." He also revealed that a new production of Rebecca is in the works that he 'hoped to mount soon, on Broadway or elsewhere.'

Ben Sprecher and Louise Forlenza, producers for Rebecca, the Musical, announced this afternoon that they were left with no option but to postpone the show. A new timeline has not been announced.

The offstage saga of REBECCA the musical continues to twist and turn with drama of its own. Today, Michael Riedel reports exclusively in the New York Post that, according to his sources, the show 'has been cancelled due to a lack of financing.'

The Royal Opera House Muscat has invited The Glimmerglass Festival of Cooperstown, N.Y., to present its acclaimed 2012 production of The Music Man in Oman, located on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula.

As BroadwayWorld reported last week, REBECCA's lead producer Ben Sprecher recently confirmed the receipt of new financial commitments from investors to alleviate the $4.5 million gap in the musical's budget. Now according to the New York Times, the cast of the show has been notifoed that rehearsals will indeed begin on Monday, October 1.

Houston Grand Opera announced today that the award-winning Broadway legend Tommy Tune and style icon Lynn Wyatt will join the cast of HGO's new production of Show Boat, January 18 - February 9, 2013.

According to the Houston Chronicle, nine-time Tony Award winner, Broadway performer, choreographer and director Tommy Tune is set to play 'Cap'n Andy Hawks' in the Houston Grand Opera production of Show Boat, opening January 18, 2013.

Emerging Pictures, North America's largest supplier of alternative content for movie theaters, today announced the launch of its Fall-Winter 2012 season of Opera in Cinema and Ballet in Cinema HD presentations that will be shown on screens in nearly 400 multiplexes, art houses, museums and performing arts centers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

After sending an email to cast and creative team members as previously reported yesterday, September 20, REBECCA's lead producer Ben Sprecher has confirmed the receipt of new financial commitments from investors to alleviate the $4.5 million gap in the musical's budget, according to The New York Times' ArtsBeat blog.

According to The New York Times' ArtsBeat blog, producer Ben Sprecher of the Broadway musical Rebecca sent an email to the show's cast and crew today with details about the production's fate.

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2012-2013 season with Mozart's Don Giovanni, tonight, September 20 to October 13 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Powerhouse Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov stars in the title role for most performances, while Tony Award® winning Brazilian baritone Paulo Szot (South Pacific) sings the title role on October 9. This WNO production, last seen in 2007, is directed by John Pascoe and conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin.

Washington National Opera (WNO) opens its 2012-2013 season with Gaetano Donizetti's Anna Bolena, tonight, September 15 to October 6 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Celebrated American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky returns to WNO to make her role debut as Anne Boleyn. This striking production, new to Washington, is directed by Stephen Lawless, and the WNO Orchestra will be led by Italian conductor Antonello Allemandi in his WNO debut.

Washington National Opera (WNO) today named Francesca Zambello as its Artistic Director, effective January 1, 2013. She has served as the company's Artistic Advisor since June 2011.

REBECCA, the new musical based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier novel, has delayed the start of its rehearsals by two weeks due to the death of a key investor responsible for a $4.5 million investment pool in the production . REBECCA was scheduled to begin rehearsals Monday, September 10 prior to an October 30 first preview and November 18 premiere at the Broadhurst Theatre.

Deborah Voigt launches her 2012-13 opera season on network television, as the host of a special five-night presentation of Wagner's complete "Ring" cycle in the PBS series "Great Performances from the Met" (Sep 10-14).

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2012-2013 season with Mozart's Don Giovanni, September 20 to October 13 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Powerhouse Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov stars in the title role for most performances, while Tony Award® winning Brazilian baritone Paulo Szot (South Pacific) sings the title role on October 9. This WNO production, last seen in 2007, is directed by John Pascoe and conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin.