BWW Previews: A New Beginning For NEW YORK CITY OPERA at Rose Theater, Lincoln Center

NEW YORK CITY OPERA RENAISSANCE - Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall, Time Warner Center, New York, NY, March 9, 2015

New York City Opera was one of the great artistic treasures of New York. It was famously dubbed "The People's Opera" by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia at its founding in 1943 and throughout its nearly 70 year history, the NYCO helped launch the careers of many of the world's greatest opera stars including Beverly Sills, Sherrill Milnes, Plácido Domingo, Maralin Niska, Carol Vaness, José Carreras, Shirley Verrett, Tatiana Troyanos, Jerry Hadley, Catherine Malfitano, Samuel Ramey. Sills later famously served as the company's director and chief ambassador for the art form from 1979-1989. It also sought to produce an innovative choice of repertory, and provide a home for American singers and composers.

The original company was active from 1943 to 2013, before filing for bankruptcy - a bankruptcy that left a particularly bitter taste in the mouths of New York Opera fans who felt that the organization's leadership had bungled the job they were entrusted with. A series of questionable executive moves, artistic decisions and the economic collapse, sealed the fate of the company.

Now in 2015, more than 70 years after its launch, NYCO Renaissance has an exciting new plan to renew the company's historic mission to inspire audiences with innovative and theatrically compelling opera, nurture the work of promising American artists, and build new audiences through affordable ticket prices and extensive outreach and education programs. It is particularly welcome news given New York's increasingly uninspired operatic landscape.

To help announce the new company's arrival, an absolutely astounding ensemble of operatic royalty will be performing for one night only at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater on March 9th in a gala concert tribute to long time City Opera Conductor/Musical Director Julius Rudel. The performers appearing include David Daniels, Mark Delavan, Plácido Domingo, Christine Goerke, James Morris, Diana Soviero, Frederica von Stade, and rock legend Sting. Highlights to Include A World Premiere of "The Waking" by Tobias Picker, Based on the Poem by Theodore Roethke, as well as Works by American Composers Carlisle Floyd, Ricky Ian Gordon, Jake Heggie, and Stephen Sondheim.

"When I first sang Carmen under Julius Rudel's baton at New York City Opera in 1965," writes Maestro Domingo, "I could never have imagined that I would be singing in a gala tribute to him fifty years later. His faith in a 24-year-old tenor from Mexico via Tel Aviv really helped to launch my international career, and I am not only happy but also grateful to be able to pay homage to his memory in 2015."

"I am honored and thrilled to sing in honor of dear, amazing, wonderful Julius Rudel," says Ms. von Stade. "He was a big part of my career, starting way back at the Mannes College of Music and my admiration and affection for him just grew with the years. The idea that his beloved company might be reborn is a thrill to all and a great tribute to him."

All gala proceeds will benefit NYCO Renaissance Ltd., a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit company committed to an artistically vibrant and financially sound renewal of the city's beloved opera company.

The new team behind the reboot of City Opera has very strong credentials both in the cultural and financial circles of New York. Chairman of the Board, Roy Niederhoffer, President of the Board Jeffrey Laikind, and General Director Michael Capasso make an impressive and formidable leadership team. They bring to the table an extremely unique combination of skills and experience that bode very well for the long term financial health of the company, prudent financial management, risk assesment, asset management. In addition, each has a deep-rooted passion and understanding of the arts (a very rare combination these days!) When not running his Capital Management Company, Mr. Niederhoffer is an accomplished classical pianist and plays violin in the wonderful Park Avenue Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Laikind served for over a decade on the previous NYCO Board and Mr. Capasso is the founder and executive director of New York's DiCapo opera and has directed productions worldwide for over thirty years.

The cast that they have assembled for the March 9th benefit far surpasses anything seen on the Met stage any time recently (or any other operatic stage for that matter!) and one can only hope they can maintain the level of committment and passion that has clearly gone into the preparation for this event. BWW Classical salutes the efforts of NYCO Renaissance and wishes it every possible success and looks forward to more news in the not too distant future.

The event is shaping up to look like an evening that people will be talking about for decades to come. Don't miss the chance to hear these legends while you still can!

A few tickets are still available for the gala and they can be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center website or by clicking here: http://ticketing.jazz.org/single/SelectSeating.aspx?p=4354

For more information please visit: http://www.nycorenaissance.com

Peter Danish

BWW Classical Music Editor-in-Chief

Photo Credit: © Beth Bergman

Editor's note: In December 2014, New York City Opera entered into an agreement to sell certain of its assets, including the trademark "New York City Opera," to NYCO Renaissance LTD (an entity led by Michael Capasso and Roy Niederhoffer). The sale is subject to the final approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and is currently being contested by a competing bidder. Although New York City Opera has advised the Bankruptcy Court that it believes the bid of NYCO Renaissance is the highest and best bid for the assets, the transfer of the name "New York City Opera" to NYCO Renaissance will not be final unless and until the Bankruptcy Court issues an order approving the sale. NYCO Renaissance is a separate, new organization with no relationship to New York City Opera. NYCO Renaissance does not own the "New York City Opera" trademark, and is not authorized to use the name in connection with its activities unless and until the sale is approved by the Bankruptcy Court.