LA Opera Off Grand and The Wallis Add Second Performance of Matthew Aucoin's CROSSING

Due to ticket demand, LA Opera Off Grand and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts have scheduled an additional performance of Crossing, composed and conducted by Matthew Aucoin, LA Opera's Artist in Residence. The added performance will take place on Friday, May 25, at 8pm, which will be the work's West Coast premiere.

Crossing will now have two concert performances, on May 25 and 26, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (9390 North Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210).

About Crossing
Inspired by poet Walt Whitman's experiences tending to wounded soldiers during the Civil War, this haunting, compassionate opera by Matthew Aucoin explores the connections that come between us and pull us apart. As Whitman listens to wounded veterans share their memories and messages, he forges a bond with an enigmatic young soldier. Their encounter forces him to examine his own role as writer and poet. Intricately scored for chamber orchestra, with beautifully detailed ensembles, Crossing shines in special concert performances starring Rod Gilfry as Whitman and conducted by Mr. Aucoin himself.

The world premiere of Crossing took place in Boston in 2015, presented by The American Repertory Theatre, in association with Music-Theater Group.

The Artists
Baritone Rod Gilfry, an internationally celebrated artist whose long association with LA Opera began with the company's inaugural production in 1986, returns as Walt Whitman. Mr. Gilfry created the role of Whitman in the work's world premiere. Tenor Brenton Ryan, an alumnus of the company's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program who has subsequently appeared with the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and San Francisco Opera, returns as John Wormley, a wounded soldier in Whitman's care.

Crossing is conducted by Matthew Aucoin, who both composed the opera and wrote its libretto. Born in 1990, Mr. Aucoin has been Artist in Residence at LA Opera since 2016. This position, created for him, fuses his work as composer and conductor. He made his LA Opera debut conducting Philip Glass's Akhnaten in 2016, and will conduct the company's upcoming spring production of Rigoletto. He is also composing a new full-length work for LA Opera which will premiere in a future season. Additionally he serves as the company's advisor on new music and works regularly with members of its opera studio. Mr. Aucoin has also worked as a composer and conductor with the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Music Academy of the West.

Crossing will feature musicians from the LA Opera Orchestra.

Performance Dates and Times
Two concert performances of Crossing will be presented by LA Opera at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts:

Tickets
Tickets are on sale now. Tickets begin at $30 and can be purchased online at TheWallis.org, by phone at 310.746.4000, or in person at the box office at The Wallis (9390 North Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210).

For additional information about this presentation, visit LAOpera.org/Crossing.

Crossing is a co-production of LA Opera Off Grand and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

LA Opera Off Grand and Matthew Aucoin's residency are made possible by a generous grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Additional support provided by donors to LA Opera's Contemporary Opera Initiative.

LA Weekly is the Official Media Sponsor of LA Opera Off Grand performances.

LA Opera is a non-profit organization dedicated
to serving the greater Los Angeles community.

Yamaha is the Official Piano of LA Opera.

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