Los Angeles Opera News

Spring will bring a trio of striking productions to Houston Grand Opera, starting with the return-by-popular-demand of the world's first mariachi opera - Cruzar la Cara de la Luna ('To Cross the Face of the Moon'). Cruzar - an HGO commission that the company premiered to acclaim in 2010, with the Houston Chronicle calling it 'a multicultural winner' - will run today, March 22-24 at the Wortham Theater Center. Next up is HGO's new production of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde (April 18-May 5), conducted by the company's music and artistic director, Patrick Summers, and starring two of today's greatest Wagnerian singers: soprano Nina Stemme as Isolde and tenor Ben Heppner as Tristan, both in their company debuts.

The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) has announced that author and co-director of the Acquavella Gallery Michael Findlay, composer Elliot Goldenthal, filmmaker Mira Nair and visual artist Fred Wilson will be inducted into the NYFA Hall of Fame on Tuesday, April 23rd at Espace (635 West 42nd Street). The evening begins at 6:30 with a cocktail reception featuring interactive art by past and current NYFA grantees, followed by dinner and remarks from all the honorees. Tickets start at $500 and tables at $5,000; tickets for the Young Patrons After party, which begins at 9:30, are $250. Tickets and tables at all levels can be purchased at www.nyfa.org.

Opera San Jose will celebrate classical stars in classical voice at the Seventh-Annual Irene Dalis Vocal Competition on May 4 at 8pm at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street in downtown San Jose.

Twelve exceptionally talented young singer-actors, with previous stage experience ranging from roles on Broadway to the Metropolitan Opera House, have been named finalists in the 2013 Lotte Lenya Competition. They will compete for top prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500 on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Acclaimed soprano and 2010 Opera News Award winner Patricia Racette, British opera and musical theater conductor James Holmes, and Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization President and American Theater Wing Vice-Chairman Theodore S. Chapin will serve as judges.

Yale Repertory Theatre presents Paul Giamatti in HAMLET by William Shakespeare, directed by James Bundy, at the University Theatre (222 York Street), tonight, March 15-April 13. Opening Night is Thursday, March 21, at 7:30PM.

The Hartt School has announced that celebrated tenor Robert Brubaker '77 (Bachelor of Music) will be honored with the 2013 Hartt Alumni Award at the annual Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 19. Mr. Brubaker has established himself as a leading tenor in opera companies throughout the United States and Europe, praised for the clarity and power of his voice and the impact of his acting. He has appeared at The Metropolitan Opera, the Salzburg Festival, Opera National de Paris, Covent Garden, Teatro alla Scala, and other major opera houses around the world. Mr. Brubaker, who will speak at Hartt's graduation ceremony, also will share his experiences and insights with students and other interested members of the University of Hartford community at Hartt's Paranov hour on April 25, from 12:15 PM to 1:05 PM, in Millard Auditorium.

Diana Damrau will make her role debut as the courtesan Violetta in La Traviata, conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin in his first Met performances of the Verdi tragedy. Saimir Pirgu sings Violetta's lover Alfredo, and Placido Domingo sings the role of Alfredo's father, Giorgio Germont, in this revival of Willy Decker's 2010 production. This season's performances will be Damrau's first time singing the role of Violetta anywhere, while Domingo will move from the tenor role of Alfredo, which he has sung at the Met numerous times since 1970, to the baritone role of Giorgio.

As part of Artists at Play's mission statement to present stories of underrepresented communities, they will be developing and showcasing two new works by L.A.-based playwrights to add to the growing support of new plays by L.A.'s theatre community.

Richard Tucker Award-winner Stephen Costello made his role debut as Tonio in La fille du regiment at San Diego Opera last month. This auspicious start marked the first of the tenor's three Donizetti leads this year, the next of which sees him return to the Vienna State Opera to sing Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore opposite his wife and frequent co-star, Ailyn Perez, (March 1-8) before taking on Edgardo in David Alden's groundbreaking staging of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Canadian Opera Company (April 17-May 24).

Richard Tucker Award-winner Stephen Costello made his role debut as Tonio in La fille du regiment at San Diego Opera last month. This auspicious start marked the first of the tenor's three Donizetti leads this year, the next of which sees him return to the Vienna State Opera to sing Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore opposite his wife and frequent co-star, Ailyn Perez, (March 1-8) before taking on Edgardo in David Alden's groundbreaking staging of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Canadian Opera Company (April 17-May 24).

“Go and see her. A huge star in the making is amongst us,” urged the Opera Creep blog after Ailyn Pérez's recital at London's historic St. John's Smith Square last March.

According to her official website, Patti LuPone will tour with her cabaret show, Far Away Places, in the coming months. Lupone will bring the show to San Francisico's The Rrazz Room (3/19-24), The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (6/1-2), Broadway on the High Seas 3 on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager (8/4-14), and Carnegie Hall (11/7).

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 Today 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.

A new musical is being developed by the creative team of Christopher D'Amboise, Paige Price, Michael Paternostro and Kelly Crandall.

Yale Repertory Theatre presents Paul Giamatti in HAMLET by William Shakespeare, directed by James Bundy, at the University Theatre (222 York Street), March 15-April 13. Opening Night is Thursday, March 21, at 7:30PM.

Multiple Tony Award-winner JULIE TAYMOR will direct and ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL will compose original music for William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the inaugural production in Theatre for a New Audience's first home in the Downtown Brooklyn Cultural District, 262 Ashland Place between Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Streets. Previews begin October 19, 2013 for an opening November 2.

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.

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.

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.