Fusion Theatre Launches Opera Series March 23

On March 23 and 30, Fusion Theatre will present Spinto Soprano Eilin O'Dea and Tenor Byron Singleton in "A Night at the Opera," an evening of extracts (duets and arias) from "Aida," "Tosca" and "Madama Butterfly," at Marc A. Scorca Hall of National Opera Center, 330 Seventh Ave., 7th floor. Musical direction is by pianist Maestro Brian Holman.

Eilin O'Dea founded Fusion Theatre in 2016 to fulfill her concept that synthesizing the worlds of theater and opera can provide the ultimate theatrical experience. O' Dea describes this as "the culmination and joining of both great art forms." The company injected operatic arias into Sartre's "No Exit" in 2016 and Anouilh's "Antigone" in 2017. Now it is giving its first opera performance. Fusion chose three of the best known and loved operas of all time to launch its Opera Series. The excerpts presented will be representative of the dramatic and musical journey of each of the chosen operas and the performers, dual-trained as classical actors/opera singers, aim to maintain their absolute commitment to dramatic truth.

The performances will be in Italian without surtitles.

Eilin O'Dea (Spinto Soprano) is an award-winning Irish actress and soprano who trained at the prestigious LIR Academy, Trinity College, Dublin and the Conservatory of Music, Dublin. She has performed both in concert and operatic platforms including as guest soprano at St George's Hall, UK, Mansion House, Dublin, Edgerton Performing Arts, Symphony Space, Broadway, American/Irish Historical Society, New York. She is best known to-date for her groundbreaking interpretations of the works of James Joyce, where she has merged music into Joyce's text. She received numerous Culture Ireland awards that have allowed her bring her work here to the United States. Among her favorite opera roles to date are Tosca, Aida, Cio Cio San, Suor Angelica and Leonora ("La Forza del Destino"). O'Dea's performances as a theater actress have consistently received enthusiastic notices. Theater critic Belinda McKeown described her performance as Madama Cassandra at a sold out episode of Symphony Space's Selected Shorts as "staggering." O'Dea's performances as Joyce's Molly Bloom have been described as "rich, passionate, compelling" (Irish Theatre Magazine), "O'Dea is every inch the sensualist Joyce imagined" (Irish Times) and "brilliant" (Sunday Business Post).

Byron Singleton (Tenor) made his solo Carnegie Hall debut in "Beyond Boundaries," a concert featuring the music of Bernstein and Sondheim. He has sung in eleven productions with the chorus at the Metropolitan Opera. His career highlights include Cavaradossi in "Tosca" with MORE Opera conducted by Maestro Anton Coppola, the title role in "Les Contes D'Hoffmann" with Vocal Productions NYC, Manrico in Vera Musica Opera's production of "Il Trovatore, Rodolfo in "La Boheme" with the Crotan Symphony, Tenor Soloist in Verdi's Requiem and Foresto in "Attila" with Empire Opera, Riccardo in "Un Ballo in Maschera" at Symphony Space and Der Steuermann in "Der Fliegende Hollander" with the United Nations Orchestra. Recently he was a guest performer with the NY City Slickers' Bluegrass to Broadway concert at Feinstein's/54 Below.

Brian Holman (Musical Director, Piano) has been described as "dazzlingly talented" (The Sunday Mail, Zimbabwe) and wielding a "magic baton" (Brooklyn Eagle). This past season, he was named Principal Conductor of New Rochelle Opera, where he led a new production of "La Bohème," and returns this season to conduct "La Traviata." His debuts this season include appearances with Red River Lyric Opera ("Suor Angelica," "Gianni Schicchi"), Inland Northwest Opera ("Le nozze di Figaro"), Opera Orlando ("Les contes d'Hoffmann"), and a special Christmas concert with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra and tenor Amine Hachem at Casino du Liban. Recent engagements include Cleveland Opera Theater ("Amelia Lost"), Marble City Opera ("La Traviata"), Harare International Festival of the Arts (opera gala with Baroque 2000 Chamber Orchestra), Film Fest Tucson ("The Mine With the Iron Door"), Mediterranean Opera Festival in Sicily and Merkin Concert Hall ("Tosca"). He has worked with New York City Opera, Opera Africa, Treasure Coast Opera, New York Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Pops Orchestra and Ensemble Mise-En.

Fusion Theatre will present "A Night at the Opera" March 23 and 30 at 8:00 PM at Marc A. Scorca Hall of National Opera Center, 330 Seventh Ave., 7 fl. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4075758 or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006.

Photo by Jonathan Slaff