Cerveris, Rose in Met's 'Shakespeare Goes to the Opera' 9/17

The Shakespeare Society in collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera will present Shakespeare Goes to the Opera, a musical celebration of opera inspired by the plays of William Shakespeare, Monday September 17 at 6:30PM at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College.

Broadway stars Michael Cerveris (Lovemusik, King Lear, Sweeney Todd), and Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls; Caroline, or Change) will read scenes from Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and Macbeth.

Metropolitan Opera singers Andrzej Dobber (Macbeth), Dmitri Pittas (Macduff), Olivia Gorra (Juliette), Raúl Melo (Romeo), and Courtney Mills (Desdemona) perform arias from operas by Verdi and Gounod inspired by these Shakespeare plays.  Craig Rutenberg, the Met's Director of Music Administration, serves as the evening's pianist.

Adrian Noble, former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and director of this season's new production of Verdi's Macbeth at the Met, opening October 22, will provide commentary on the scenes and arias.

Shakespeare Goes to the Opera on Monday September 17, at 6:30PM at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (East 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues). 

A very limited number of tickets, priced at $25-$40, will be available for purchase by non-members two weeks prior to the event.  To purchase tickets or for ticket information, phone the Kaye Playhouse box office at (212) 772-4448.  For more information about the Shakespeare Society or Shakespeare Goes to the Opera, visit www.shakespearesociety.org.

Michael Cerveris: Photo by Mark Rupp