Jake Heggie News

On Saturday, March 9 (7 pm), as part of Symphony Space's The Music of Now Series, pianist Anthony de Mare returns to the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre for the second installment of Liaisons: Reimagining Sondheim from the Piano. Marrying his reputation as a champion of contemporary classical music with his deep respect for legendary musical theater composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, de Mare is building a unique piano repertory by commissioning 36 leading contemporary composers from the classical, jazz, theater, and film worlds to write short solo piano pieces inspired by Sondheim's music.

On Saturday, March 9 (7 pm), as part of Symphony Space's The Music of Now Series, pianist Anthony de Mare returns to the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre for the second installment of Liaisons: Reimagining Sondheim from the Piano.

The Dallas Opera has announced that Broadway legend and Drama Desk and Tony Award-winning director, producer, playwright, and lyricist Jack O'Brien has been engaged to direct the company's world premiere production of GREAT SCOTT, a new, full-length opera by acclaimed American composer Jake Heggie (Moby-Dick) and the Tony Award-winning playwright/librettist Terrence McNally (Master Class) in their first joint opera since their groundbreaking masterpiece, Dead Man Walking.

Two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone is set for Bravo's 'What What Happens: Live' today, January 23, according to the show's listings.

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, has announced that it has awarded grants to 10 opera companies and four teams of artists through two funding programs: The Opera Fund: Repertoire Development and the Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase. These grants support the production of new North American opera and help develop the careers of promising directors and designers, respectively.

Fort Worth Opera (FWOpera) announced today a call for submissions for its second annual Frontiers new works showcase to be held during the 2014 Fort Worth Opera Festival. A pioneering leader in the production of contemporary opera, FWOpera launched Frontiers in the 2012-2013 season. One of the only programs world-wide designed to seek out unproduced works by up-and-coming composers from North, South, and Central America, the showcase provides composers and librettists a platform by which to gain exposure for their pieces in a live performance environment while also affording them valuable networking opportunities with industry professionals, including artistic directors of opera companies, artist managers, classical music publishers, funding organizations, and conductors.

Two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone is set for Bravo's 'What What Happens: Live' this Wednesday, January 23, according to the show's listings.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO)-the only opera company with two Grammys, two Emmys, and a Tony - continues to raise the bar for American opera with next season's gripping new line-up.

Award-winning musical troublemaker David Yazbek takes the stage with his band at 92YTribeca in a new series, presented the first Monday of each month. Yazbek - whose influences range from Captain Beefheart to Frank Loesser - plans to deliver musical pyrotechnics, new songs debuted at every show, and unexpected, thrilling guests from the worlds of theater, music, comedy and beyond.

Known for his thrilling live performances and irreverent style, award-winning musical troublemaker David Yazbek takes the stage with his band at 92YTribeca in a new series, presented the first Monday of each month. Yazbek - whose influences range from Captain Beefheart to Frank Loesser - plans to deliver musical pyrotechnics, new songs debuted at every show, and unexpected, thrilling guests from the worlds of theater, music, comedy and beyond.

Can't get enough of Patti LuPone? A documentary following the legendary performer has just been released on Youtube, titled 'Entrances, Exits, and Everything In Between.' Creator Josh Johnston writes: 'What she and I have collaborated on is our effort to show aspiring performers and fans of the arts what it's like in the shoes of a veteran of the craft: everything from the Sunset lows to the Rainbow Highs of performing, Patti LuPone has seen and lived it all.' Check out the third episode below!

Darren K. Woods, General Director of Fort Worth Opera (FWOpera) appeared on KERA's widely popular program Think-the daily topic driven and call-in radio show hosted by Krys Boyd-this afternoon, Monday, January 7, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. (CST). During this special hour long, in-depth interview he discussed the recent announcement of the organization's new artistic vision, Opera of the Americas, a ten-year commitment to the production of thought-provoking works by contemporary composers of the Americas.

Bette Midler will star in John Logan's new play, I'll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers, directed by Joe Mantello, opening on Broadway on Wednesday, April 24 at a Shubert theatre to be announced. I'll Eat You Last is produced by Graydon Carter, Arielle Tepper Madover, James L. Nederlander, and The Shubert Organization.

Opera San Jose continues its 29th season with Giuseppe Verdi's powerful drama, Il trovatore. Set in 15th-century Spain, Verdi's classic has it all: vengeance, war, jealousy, and passion, with an emotional, heart-stopping score. Il trovatore will be sung in Italian with English supertitles. Eight performances are scheduled from February 9 through 24 at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street in downtown San Jose. Tickets are on sale at the Opera San Jose Box Office, by phone at (408) 437-4450 or online at www.operasj.org. Il trovatore is made possible, in part, by a Cultural Affairs Grant from the City of San Jose. Il trovatore, with libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, is a mesmerizing story of romance, obsession, and retribution. Verdi mixes together personal vendetta, a doomed love triangle and one gypsy's lifelong obsession for revenge, creating a compelling and dramatic love story. Based on the play El Trovador (The Troubadour) by Spanish playwright Antonio Garcia Gutierrez, this powerful opera score features breathtakingly beautiful arias and one of the most famous choral melodies ever written, the "Anvil Chorus."

Washington National Opera (WNO) will present the world premieres of three new 20-minute operas today, November 19, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater: The Game of Hearts by composer Douglas Pew and librettist Dara Weinberg, Part of the Act by composer Liam Wade and librettist John Grimmett, and Charon by composer Scott Perkins and librettist Nat Cassidy. The three operas, each highlighting American culture and themes, are the first new works created under the auspices of the American Opera Initiative, WNO's new commissioning program.

Check out the recently released commercial for the show below and meet the cast with videos of them from past productions and roles!

Celebrating the American Spirit, performed by Essential Voices USA (EVUSA) and conducted by Judith Clurman along with guest artists, Broadway stars Kelli O'Hara and Ron Raines and composer-arranger Larry Hochman, represents an American songbook for the 21st century.

Houston Grand Opera opens its 2012-13 season in grand style on October 19, with a brand-new production of Puccini's La boheme starring Dimitri Pittas and Katie van Kooten.

Washington National Opera (WNO) will present the world premieres of three new 20-minute operas on Monday, November 19, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater: The Game of Hearts by composer Douglas Pew and librettist Dara Weinberg, Part of the Act by composer Liam Wade and librettist John Grimmett, and Charon by composer Scott Perkins and librettist Nat Cassidy. The three operas, each highlighting American culture and themes, are the first new works created under the auspices of the American Opera Initiative, WNO's new commissioning program.

Can't get enough of Patti LuPone? A documentary following the legendary performer has just been released on Youtube, titled 'Entrances, Exits, and Everything In Between.' Creator Josh Johnston writes: 'What she and I have collaborated on is our effort to show aspiring performers and fans of the arts what it's like in the shoes of a veteran of the craft: everything from the Sunset lows to the Rainbow Highs of performing, Patti LuPone has seen and lived it all.' Check out the second episode below!