Susan Graham News

Noted director Robert Lepage makes his Met debut with a technologically innovative new production of Hector Berlioz's masterpiece, La Damnation de Faust, opening on November 7. Music Director James Levine will conduct the first staging of the work at the Met since 1906, with Marcello Giordani in the title role, Susan Graham as Marguerite, and John Relyea as Méphistophélès.

New York Festival of Song, whose recent 'A Bernstein/Bolcom Celebration' was performed with 'Comic and dramatic flair,'(The New York Times) presents Fugitives, songs by composers who fled Hitler's Europe, on November 18 and 20 at the newly restored Merkin Concert Hall in New York. The program will feature music from Broadway, the concert stage and Berlin cabaret by Kurt Weill, Erich Korngold, Alexander Zemlinsky and many others.

The Metropolitan Opera opens its 2008-09 season on September 22 with a gala performance that kicks off its 125th anniversary, starring Renée Fleming in three fully-staged scenes, including some of her most acclaimed portrayals. Costumes for Fleming have been specially created for each of the scenes in the Opening Night Gala by three of the world's legendary fashion designers: John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

When Erwin Schrott took on the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni last year at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, The New York Times wrote: 'The surprise was the riveting Giovanni: the seductively handsome young Uruguayan bass Erwin Schrott, who boasts a strong, dusky voice and chiseled physique. Exuding charisma, he galvanized the audience with his unabashedly narcissistic portrayal.' Now Schrott, who sang the role when the Met toured Japan in 2006, is bringing his portrayal to the Met stage for the first time beginning Saturday, September 27.

Metropolitan Opera on SIRIUS Satellite Radio channel 78 launches its regular live broadcasts of the company's 2008-09 season with the Opening Night Gala starring Renée Fleming, which airs on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. The third season of Met Opera Radio on SIRIUS features four live broadcasts weekly as the Met celebrates its 125th anniversary with six new productions, including the company premiere of John Adams's Doctor Atomic, 18 revivals, and the season grand finale of Wagner's epic Ring cycle, conducted by Music Director James Levine.

The Metropolitan Opera opens its 2008-09 season on September 22 with a gala performance that kicks off its 125th anniversary, starring Renée Fleming in three fully-staged scenes, including some of her most acclaimed portrayals. Costumes for Fleming have been specially created for each of the scenes in the Opening Night Gala by three of the world's legendary fashion designers: John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

Tickets for the third season of The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera's live transmissions in movie theaters around the world, go on sale to the general public on Friday August 22.

National CineMedia (NCM) LLC, operator of the largest digital in-theatre network in North America for cinema advertising and alternative entertainment and events, and the Metropolitan Opera are proudly partnering to bring a third season of the critically-acclaimed The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD series transmitted live, in high-definition, to more than 440 movie theatres and performing arts centers in the United States.

Tickets for the third season of The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera's live transmissions in movie theaters around the world, go on sale to the general public on Friday August 22.

New York Festival Of Song (NYFOS, www.nyfos.org), co-founded and directed by pianists Steven Blier and Michael Barrett, who 'reinvented the song recital during the 1990's with daring and dramatic programming' (The New Yorker), announces its 21st season (2008-2009).

Emmy and Tony-winner Tyne Daly joins the cast of 'Here To Stay,' a Gala evening featuring performances by Susan Graham, Judy Kaye, Anna Christy, John Musto, Bruce Adler and Vince Giordano, in celebration of New York Festival of Song's (NYFOS) 20th Anniversary season, on Wednesday, May 21. Ms. Daly has graciously stepped in to replace the previously announced Frederica von Stade, who is not able to perform due to family matters. The concert takes places at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall at 7:00pm, and is followed by a dinner and additional musical surprises at the Rainbow Room at 9:00pm.

New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) will present 'Here To Stay,' a Gala evening celebrating its 20th Anniversary season, featuring performances by Frederica von Stade, Susan Graham, Judy Kaye, Anna Christy, Darius de Haas, Karen Holvik, Bruce Adler, and other artists of NYFOS's past, present and future on Wednesday, May 21 Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. Proceeds from the Gala will support NYFOS programs, in New York as well as national tours, recordings and commissions, and education programs.

The Met's March 22 live HD transmission of TRISTAN UND ISOLDE will use innovative live editing techniques to bring viewers into the onstage action in engaging new ways. For this transmission of Wagner's great love story, conducted by Music Director James Levine, the Met will use multiple-frame effects, so that audiences worldwide will see as many as six frames on the screen at once. This editing technique allows for close-ups, wide angles, and reaction shots to be shown on screen simultaneously-all cued to the music.

Small Pond Entertainment in association with Elana Gartner is pleased to present the world premiere production of Because of Beth, the Open Book 2007 Playwriting Competition finalist drama by Elana Gartner at the Workshop Theater's Mainstage (312 West 36 th St., 4th Floor, between 8th and 9th Ave.). Previews of Because of Beth begin January 9th Clara Barton Green (Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Festival winner Three Questions) directs.

David Mamet's November officially opened on Thursday, January 17, 2008 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre

New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) continues its 20th Anniversary season by presenting Bastianello and Lucrezia, two newly commissioned comic operas by composers John Musto and William Bolcom with libretti by Mark Campbell. The concerts will take place on Tuesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 13 at 8PM, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, West 57th Street and 7th Avenue.

January is overflowing with musical and theater events at Barnes & Noble. Below are the Any Wednesday events for the month, followed by some musical theater events, and then other music events of interest.

Dozens of stars of stage and screen attended the Opening Night of the 40th Anniversary revival of Harold Pinter's Tony Award-winning masterwork The Homecoming at The Cort Theatre (138 West 48th St) on Sunday, December 16 at 7PM.

The 40th Anniversary revival of Harold Pinter's Tony Award-winning masterwork The Homecoming officially opened at The Cort Theatre (138 West 48th St) on Sunday, December 16 at 7PM. The After Party was held at Restaurant Bond 45.

The official opening night of Young Frankenstein was a star-studded event, November 8 at the Hilton Theatre (213 W 42nd St).