Butterfly 1987 - Articles Page 5

In the fall of 1987, Houston Grand Opera's world premiere of Nixon in China made political headlines and galvanized the opera world. Thirty years later, John Adams's trailblazing opera returns in a new-to-Houston production that sheds light on the electronic media's role in political history, just as a new media-savvy American president takes office.

'PREformances with Allison Charney" December 5th Concert to feature violinist Laura Goldberg, composer Moshe Knoll, soprano, Indira Mahajan, mezzo-soprano Sara Murphy and Russian-born American pianist Julia Zilberquit.

Anna Netrebko will add a new role to her wide-ranging Met repertory tonight through December 3 when she sings her first company performances of the seductive, tragic heroine of Puccini's Manon Lescaut.Marcelo Álvarez makes his role debut as Manon's obsessed lover des Grieux, with Christopher Maltman stars as Manon's brother Lescaut and Brindley Sherratt as Geronte, Manon's older lover. The November 21, December 7, and December 10 performances will star Kristine Opolais as Manon, reprising a role she first sang with the company in last season's premiere of Sir Richard Eyre's staging. Marco Armiliato will conduct all performances of Manon Lescaut at the Met this season.

A new production of Rossini's Guillaume Tell, the composer's final opera, will open at the Met on October 18 in the first company performances of the ambitious historical epic in more than 80 years-and its first-ever Met performances in its original French. The new staging is directed by Pierre Audi, the incoming Artistic Director of the Park Avenue Armory and conducted by Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi. Rossini's opera tells the story of a Swiss revolutionary on a quest for freedom. Its famous "William Tell Overture" is one of the best-known and most performed pieces in the standard classical repertory, though the opera, which makes considerable demands on its stars, orchestra, and chorus, has rarely been presented in modern times. Gerald Finley will star in the title role, which he has made a specialty of in recent seasons, with Marina Rebeka as the Princess Mathilde;  Bryan Hymel as her suitor Arnold; Maria Zifchak as Tell's wife Hedwige; Janai Brugger as their son Jemmy; Italian bass Marco Spotti in his Met debut as Walter Furst; Kwangchul Youn as Arnold's father Melcthal; and John Relyea as Gesler. 

A new production of Rossini's Guillaume Tell, the composer's final opera, will open at the Met on October 18 in the first company performances of the ambitious historical epic in more than 80 years-and its first-ever Met performances in its original French. The new staging is directed by Pierre Audi, the incoming Artistic Director of the Park Avenue Armory and conducted by Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi. Rossini's opera tells the story of a Swiss revolutionary on a quest for freedom. Its famous "William Tell Overture" is one of the best-known and most performed pieces in the standard classical repertory, though the opera, which makes considerable demands on its stars, orchestra, and chorus, has rarely been presented in modern times. Gerald Finley will star in the title role, which he has made a specialty of in recent seasons, with Marina Rebeka as the Princess Mathilde;  Bryan Hymel as her suitor Arnold; Maria Zifchak as Tell's wife Hedwige; Janai Brugger as their son Jemmy; Italian bass Marco Spotti in his Met debut as Walter Furst; Kwangchul Youn as Arnold's father Melcthal; and John Relyea as Gesler. 

The 70th Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday June 12th at 8/9c hosted by James Corden. It's the biggest award show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long awards season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. We can't help but wonder what chances this year's Best Musical and Best Play nominees have of taking home the ultimate prize.

-This summer marks another historic milestone for the annual Bard SummerScape festival. For the first time since its founding, this season's focus is on the music and culture of Italy, with seven weeks of music, opera, theater, dance, film, and cabaret keyed to the theme of the 27th Bard Music Festival, "Puccini and His World." This intensive examination of the life and times of Giacomo Puccini opens a window onto Italy's rich musical heritage from Palestrina to Menotti, by way of the most popular and successful - yet, paradoxically, frequently critically underrated - opera composer of all time. Complementing the music festival, some of the Tuscan master's most compelling compatriots provide other key SummerScape highlights.

This summer marks another historic milestone for the annual Bard SummerScape festival. For the first time since its founding, this season's focus is on the music and culture of Italy, with seven weeks of music, opera,theater, dance, film, and cabaret keyed to the theme of the 27th Bard Music Festival, "Puccini and His World." This intensive examination of the life and times of Giacomo Puccini opens a window onto Italy's rich musical heritage from Palestrina to Menotti, by way of the most popular and successful - yet, paradoxically, frequently critically underrated - opera composer of all time. Complementing the music festival, some of the Tuscan master's most compelling compatriots provide other key SummerScape highlights. These include a rare, fully staged production of Iris, a forerunner of Madama Butterfly by Puccini's close contemporary Pietro Mascagni; the world premiere of Demolishing Everything with Amazing Speed, four newly unearthed puppet plays from leading Italian Futurist Fortunato Depero, as reimagined by Dan Hurlin;the world premiere of Fantasque, a new ballet set to the music of Respighi and Rossini by John Heginbotham and Amy Trompetter; a film series on "Puccini and the Operatic Impulse in Cinema"; and the return of Bard's authentic and sensationally popularSpiegeltent,hosted by the inimitable Mx. Justin Vivian Bond. Taking place between July 1 and August 14 in the Frank Gehry-designed Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts and other venues on Bard College's stunning Hudson River campus, SummerScape's 2016 offerings provide new opportunities to discover that, as Time Out New York puts it, "the experience of entering the Fisher Center and encountering something totally new is unforgettable and enriching." Tickets go on sale on Monday, February 15; click here for more information.

I wasn't surprised when the reaction to the announcement that Michael Crawford would return to the stage, immediately started to trend on Twitter in the UK and to generate internet traffic across the globe. Here, in his own words Michael Crawford, brings us up to date.

?PEE STICK is a one-woman comedy written and performed by Carly Milroy (LEGENDS, POST-POST), kicking off at The Butterfly Club on Wednesday 17 February for five nights only.

Beginning tonight, October 16, Puccini's Tosca returns to the Met for thirteen performances starring four sopranos as the tempestuous title character.

Actors Co-op (Ovation Award-Winner 2014 Best Intimate Theatre Musical for 110 in the Shade) is thrilled to announce the second show in its 2015-2016 season (and 24th year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Tim Kelly, based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and directed by Moosie Drier.

Actors Co-op (Ovation Award-Winner 2014 Best Intimate Theatre Musical for 110 in the Shade) is thrilled to announce the second show in its 2015-2016 season (and 24th year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Tim Kelly, based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and directed by Moosie Drier.

Beginning October 16, Puccini's Tosca returns to the Met for thirteen performances starring four sopranos as the tempestuous title character.

Giacomo Puccini's indelible characters, led by doomed lovers Mimì and Rodolfo, make a 120-year leap from the 1840s to the 1960s as Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) premieres a new production of the much beloved, often-reinvented La Bohème. Transitioning the story of mid-19thcentury Parisian bohemian artists to mid-20th century student artists on the brink of social change, thisBohème opens BLO's French-influenced 2015/2016 Season and runs tonight, October 2, through October 11, 2015 at the Citi Performing Arts CenterSM Shubert Theatre.

Puccini's opera set in ancient China, TURANDOT, will return to the Metropolitan Opera for 16 performances beginning tonight, September 23.

Actors Co-op (Ovation Award-Winner 2014 Best Intimate Theatre Musical for 110 in the Shade) is thrilled to announce the second show in its 2015-2016 season (and 24th year of producing theatrical excellence in Los Angeles!) with HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Tim Kelly, based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and directed by Moosie Drier.

The Old Globe opens its 2015-2016 Season with IN YOUR ARMS, a World Premiere dance-theatre musical featuring direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Newsies, Godspell, Lincoln Center Theater's The King and I and South Pacific) and original music by Tony Award winner Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island; two-time Oscar nominee for Anastasia). The production begins tonight, September 16, with an opening slated for September 24, and runs through October 25, 2015.

Puccini's opera set in ancient China, TURANDOT, will return to the Metropolitan Opera for 16 performances beginning September 23.

The Minnesota Opera kicks off its 2015 – 2016 season at the Ordway Music Theater on September 26, 2015, with Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos, the company's first production of this meltingly beautiful — yet hilarious — work since 1987.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Boston, MA — Giacomo Puccini's indelible characters, led by doomed lovers Mimì and Rodolfo, make a 120-year leap from the 1840s to the 1960s as Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) premieres a new production of the much beloved, often-reinvented La Bohème.  Transitioning the story of mid-19thcentury Parisian bohemian artists to mid-20th century student artists on the brink of social change, thisBohème opens BLO's French-influenced 2015/2016 Season and runs October 2-11, 2015 at the Citi Performing Arts CenterSM Shubert Theatre.

Among them, the company can claim 18 Tony Awards, 4 Pulitzer Prizes, 6 Pulitzer finalist distinctions, 3 Emmy Awards, and 2 Academy Awards; to list all their honors would take several pages.

ACTORS CO-OP is thrilled to announce its 2015-16 most singing, most dancing and most thrilling season of shows yet!

The 69th Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday June 7th at 8/9c hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming. It's the biggest award show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long award season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. We can't help but wonder what chances this year's Best Musical and Best Play nominees have of taking home the ultimate prize.