Robert Bass News

This fall, a once-in-a-lifetime experience comes to New York as Howard Shore's Grammy® and Academy Award®-winning score for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring comes to life at the world-famous Radio City Music Hall for two performances only, on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th. Beneath an immense 60-foot screen, Mr. Shore's complete original score will be performed live to Peter Jackson's award-winning epic.

The Collegiate Chorale, led by new music director James Bagwell, announces its 68th season, including The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, a concert performed live to the film on October 9 and 10, 2009 at 7:30pm at Radio City Music Hall; a Gala Evening, A Jubilant Song, on December 1, 2009 at 7pm at Carnegie Hall; the World Premiere Two Act Concert Version of Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie's rendering of The Grapes of Wrath on March 22, 2010 at 8pm at Carnegie Hall; and George Frideric Handel's Israel in Egypt, conducted by James Bagwell, on May 12, 2010 at 8pm at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, New York University.

The Collegiate Chorale announces the appointment of conductor James Bagwell to lead the organization as Music Director.

This fall, a once-in-a-lifetime experience comes to New York as Howard Shore's Grammy® and Academy Award®-winning score for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring comes to life at the world-famous Radio City Music Hall for two performances only, on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th. Beneath an immense 60-foot screen, Mr. Shore's complete original score will be performed live to Peter Jackson's award-winning epic.

The Collegiate Chorale returns for its fourth appearance as part of the 16th annual Verbier Festival in Switzerland from July 18 - 20, 2009.

On Wednesday, April 29, at the historic Hudson Theatre in the Millennium Hotel, Tony Award-winner Roger Rees will host Sing Happy!, The Collegiate Chorale's spring benefit celebrating 'The Great White Way'. The evening features special musical guest and Tony Award-winning actress Victoria Clark, who recently starred in the The Chorale's highly praised concert revival of Kurt Weill & Ira Gershwin's Firebrand of Florence on March 12.

On Wednesday, April 29, at the historic Hudson Theatre in the Millennium Hotel, Tony Award-winner Roger Rees will host Sing Happy!, The Collegiate Chorale's spring benefit celebrating 'The Great White Way'. The evening features special musical guest and Tony Award-winning actress Victoria Clark, who recently starred in the The Chorale's highly praised concert revival of Kurt Weill & Ira Gershwin's Firebrand of Florence on March 12.

On March 12, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., The Collegiate Chorale appears with The New York City Opera Orchestra at the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall in a performance of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin's 1945 Broadway operetta The Firebrand of Florence. The performance, led by guest conductor Ted Sperling, stars baritone Nathan Gunn, soprano Anna Christy, baritone Terrence Mann, and soprano Victoria Clark. Krysty Swann, David Pittu and Patrick Goss complete the cast, and narration will be provided by Stage Director Roger Rees. Boasting a score by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by playwright and screenwriter Edwin Justus Mayer, The Firebrand of Florence had a short run on Broadway in 1945. The work was subsequently not heard for over a half-century until three presentations - Ohio Light Opera (1999), the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London (2000) and the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna (2000) - shed new light on the relatively obscure work. The performances were not only accepted, but widely acclaimed, thus giving hope for a new life in a new century. Variety's theater critic Steven Suskin says 'I have long believed that Firebrand in concert should be a dazzling delight.' Benvenuto Cellini, the great Florentine artist, is sentenced to hang, but he is pardoned when the duke realizes that he has not completed a previously commissioned sculpture. Freed, he is able to turn his attention to his favorite model (and object of his affections), Angela. The Duke also is interested in Angela. In a typical operetta plot, Cellini swashbuckles around the stage, keeping the Duke away from Angela, keeping himself away from the Duchess, and escaping yet another death sentence by fleeing to Paris, as the end of the show recapitulates the beginning.

On March 12, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., The Collegiate Chorale appears with The New York City Opera Orchestra at the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall in a performance of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin's 1945 Broadway operetta The Firebrand of Florence. The performance, led by guest conductor Ted Sperling, stars baritone Nathan Gunn, soprano Anna Christy, baritone Terrence Mann, and soprano Victoria Clark. Krysty Swann, David Pittu and Patrick Goss complete the cast, and narration will be provided by Stage Director Roger Rees. Boasting a score by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by playwright and screenwriter Edwin Justus Mayer, The Firebrand of Florence had a short run on Broadway in 1945. The work was subsequently not heard for over a half-century until three presentations - Ohio Light Opera (1999), the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London (2000) and the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna (2000) - shed new light on the relatively obscure work. The performances were not only accepted, but widely acclaimed, thus giving hope for a new life in a new century. Variety's theater critic Steven Suskin says 'I have long believed that Firebrand in concert should be a dazzling delight.' Benvenuto Cellini, the great Florentine artist, is sentenced to hang, but he is pardoned when the duke realizes that he has not completed a previously commissioned sculpture. Freed, he is able to turn his attention to his favorite model (and object of his affections), Angela. The Duke also is interested in Angela. In a typical operetta plot, Cellini swashbuckles around the stage, keeping the Duke away from Angela, keeping himself away from the Duchess, and escaping yet another death sentence by fleeing to Paris, as the end of the show recapitulates the beginning.

The Collegiate Chorale and St. Luke's Orchestra performed the concert version of Leonard Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner's s 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Collegiate Chorale, led by Music Director Robert Bass, presents the New York premiere of Leonard Bernstein's and Alan Jay Lerner's A White House Cantata on March 31 at 8PM at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater. The performance will be conducted by The Collegiate Chorale's Music Director Robert Bass, with the Orchestra of St. Luke's.

On May 22nd, Judy Kaye, Roger Rees, Kate Burton, Jan Maxwell and more will star in the benefit A Swell Night for Romance

He's referred to nowadays as 'The King of Ragtime', composer of classic American works such as 'Maple Leaf Rag' and 'The Entertainer', but if Scott Joplin had his way, he'd be most remembered for his rarely performed opera, Treemonisha

Two formidable forces in musical and theatrical history were given the royal treatment by the Collegiate Chorale.

The Collegiate Chorale, presents scenes from 3 Verdi operas and the Shakespeare plays that inspired them.

Roger Rees, Robert Bass, and the Collegiate Chorale presented an evening of American operetta that lead directly to the American musical.

Tony Award winner Roger Rees will host the Collegiate Chorale's 'An Evening of American Operetta' at Lincoln Center.

Bebe Neuwirth, Roger Rees, and Larry Marshall joined the Collegiate Chorale for a one-night-only concert of Kurt Weill music.

The Two-time Tony winner talks about Kurt Weill, Bob Fosse, Broadway, and herself.