The little OPERA theatre of ny Presents THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

The little OPERA theatre of ny(LOTNY) presents the New York Premiere of Adrienne Danrich's one-woman show, THIS LITTLE LIGHT of MINE: The Stories of Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price as part of the 3rd Annual New York OperaFest on Wednesday June 6, 2018 at 7:30pm at Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 W. 67th Street, NYC. Tickets are $20 ($12 for students at the box office) and are available at http://www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org/mch/event/little-opera-theater-of-ny-this-little-light-of-mine/. Appropriate for all ages.

THIS LITTLE LIGHT of MINE is an inventive one-woman musical tribute honoring the ground breaking careers of two African-American opera legends who overcame many racial barriers from the Jim Crow era through the Civil Rights Movement to become international opera stars. With live singing, storytelling, recorded excerpts and documentary images, the performance shines a light on African-American singers who walk in the footsteps of Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price and features opera arias and songs associated these two operatic legends.

Featuring:
Adrienne Danrich, Soprano, Performer & Author
Mila Henry, Music Director & Pianist
Geoffrey Burleson & Drew Hemenger, Commissioned Arrangements
Patrick Mahaney, Production Manager

Originally commissioned by Cincinnati Opera, Ms. Danrich has presented THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE across the country including Next Act Theater in Milwaukee, Laredo Philharmonic, Baltimore Concert Opera, Delaware Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra/Mann Center, Artists Series at Asolo/Sarasota, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and was televised on Cincinnati Public Television (WCET).

A special presentation of THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE was also televised on Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) for which Adrienne Danrich won a Midwest Emmy.

The voice of Emmy award winning soprano Adrienne Danrich has been described as "fresh liquid-silver", "radiant", and "meltingly tender in its high, floating vulnerability" by Opera News. She has performed, covered and workshopped leading roles with the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Cincinnati Opera, among others. She has also performed at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall & Alice Tully Hall Lincoln Center Theater and Feinstein's/54 Below. Ms. Danrich won an Emmy for her performance in the MPTV production of This Little Light of Mine: The Stories of Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price, which she wrote under a commission from Cincinnati Opera. She recently recorded her newest show, Love & Trouble: Five Personas ~ One Voice, written in collaboration with composer Dave Hall, on the Roven Records label [available on iTunes and Amazon]. This recording marks her solo album debut as well as her first foray into writing lyrics and composing songs. With LOTNY, concerts: Liberté, Egalité, et Fraternité; Make Believe. www.adriennedanrich.com

Music Director and pianist MILA HENRY has been lauded for her "sublime" playing (Feast of Music) and heralding orchestral scores of "incredible range and color"(OperaPulse). Mila Henry has performed with Opera Philadelphia, Dutch National Opera and LA Opera, assisted at BAM and Lincoln Center, and appeared at The Apollo, 54 Below and Library of Congress. She recorded Love & Trouble (Roven Records) with Adrienne Danrich and Voices of Womenwith Heather Fetrow (Affetto Records), and is a member of the band Opera Cowgirls. milahenry.com

GEOFFREY BURLESONis widely acclaimed as a soloist, chamber musician, and jazz performer. He is a core member of the American Modern Ensemble and Boston Musica Viva, is winner of a BBC Music Choice Award, and is on the piano faculties of Princeton University and Hunter College.

DREW HEMENGER has been commissioned by the AIDS Quilt Songbook @ 20, Boulder Philharmonic, Goldman Memorial Band, The Lively Arts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, The Vogler Quartet, University of Texas at Austin, pianists Pascal and Ami Rogé, and Symphony New Hampshire. He is a winner of the ALEA III International Composition Competition.

The little OPERA theatre of ny (LOTNY) is a chamber opera company that was founded in September of 2004. The most recent production was the NY premiere of J.A. Hasse's Piramo e Tisbe, was described as "superbly smart and affecting" by Parterre and "fit for a king" by ConcertoNet.

The 2017 New York premiere of Carlisle Floyd's Prince of Players, was widely praised, described by the New York Times as "well made and stylish." Other recent productions include Chevalier de Saint-George's L'Amant Anonyme, which was heralded as "an exercise in restrained beauty;" and the 2014 production of Carlisle Floyd's Slow Dusk & Markheim was warmly received, described as "ambitious and rewarding" by Opera News. Past seasons have included Rossini's Opportunity Makes the Thief, a production that Opera News called a "lively and enlightening contribution... to New York City's operatic life"; Gluck's 1760 comic opera, The Reformed Drunkard; and a double bill entitled Travelers, which included two rarities by Gustav Holst (The Wandering Scholarand S?vitri). A "Critic's Pick" in The New Yorker and The New York Times, Travelers garnered critical praise. The NY Times commending the operas "delicate balance of grandeur and intimacy." In 2011, LOTNY presented the New York stage premiere of Mozart's youthful opera, Mitridate, re di Ponto to sold-out houses, and received widespread press coverage. Work with living composers include the production of Inessa Zaretsky's Man in a Black Coat as part of Target Margin's Last Futurist Lab at The Bushwick Starr. Concert presentations have included: Make Believe: A tribute to Jerome Kern, and The Bohemians both presented at Socrates Sculpture Park. www.lotny.org