New York City Opera Concerts Presents PASIÓN LATINA

After opening with a critically acclaimed new double-bill production of Rachmaninoff's Aleko and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, New York City Opera's 2016-17 season continues with Pasión Latina. A 90-minute concert celebrating and honoring the diverse musical traditions of Latin America, Pasión Latina continues City Opera's commitment to engaging New York's Spanish-speaking community.

Pasión Latina is the idea and creation of Italian-Uruguayan soprano Luz del Alba Rubio who has a long association with New York City Opera. Luz del Alba Rubio will be joined by Mexico City-born singer and composer Plácido Domingo Jr., and Uruguayan tango singer Fernando Pirez Lenzuén. The musical director of the evening is Frank Valiente. New York City Opera is presenting Pasión Latina as part of its New York City Opera Concerts series at 7:30 p.m.on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room.

Michael Capasso, General Director of New York City Opera, "I'm thrilled to welcome Luz del Alba Rubio back to New York City Opera?. Like so many prominent artists, she first appeared at City Opera early in a career that has since spanned the globe. Her collaboration with Plácido Domingo Jr. and Fernando Pirez Lenzuén promises to be a lively, enjoyable evening celebrating the extraordinary Latin American culture that they share with so many New Yorkers, and that contributes so much to our city's vibrant lifestyle."

The program presents a musically rich portrait of the diverse Latin American culture with bolero and tango rhythms alongside melodies from opera and popular songs. Audience members will recognize familiar favorites and Latin-inspired arrangements of operatic selections from The Magic Flute, La traviata and Carmen while being introduced to contemporary sounds, styles and rhythms from all across Latin America. One of the highlights of the evening will be a performance celebrating the 100th anniversary of the composition of La Cumparsita, one of the most recognizable tango songs.

Pasión Latina, which has been presented internationally, brings together three of Latin America's most exciting talents. Plácido Domingo Jr., son of the tenor and philanthropist Plácido Domingo, is a Mexico City-born singer and composer. He has written songs for a number of celebrated recording artists from Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras to Tony Bennett and Diana Ross and can be heard on the albums Amore Infinito and Songs for Christmas/Canciones de Navidad. Luz del Alba Rubio is an Italian-Uruguayan soprano who has appeared in recital throughout the globe and has performed with some of the world's most prestigious orchestras, including Teatro Regio Torino, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic and the Munich Philharmonic, among others. Born in Montevideo, Fernando Pirez Lenzuén is a renowned tango singer and winner of several national and international tango competitions. He has performed his solo show De Tango Somos throughout Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Frank Valiente's extensive work as a director, pianist and arranger have contributed to the growth of Latin music in New York.

New York City Opera inaugurated its Spanish-language opera series Ópera en Español last June with a widely praised production of the long-awaited New York premiere of Daniel Catán's Florencia en el Amazonas. The series was created to better serve the diverse population of New York City and its 2.5 million Spanish-speaking residents. Pasión Latina shows New York City Opera's continued dedication to presenting a variety of programming for all New Yorkers. The Ópera en Español series continues with the American premiere of Antonio Literes' early 18th-cenutry opera Los Elementos at Harlem Stage in May 2017.

Pasión Latina is presented as part of the New York City Opera Concerts series, a vibrant showcase for new music, twentieth-century and contemporary work and established repertoire by today's leading performers.

Tickets are now on sale for Pasión Latina on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

Please visit www.nycopera.com for casting and other updated information.

New York City Opera Concerts

Pasión Latina

Plácido Domingo Jr.

Luz del Alba Rubio

Fernando Pirez Lenzuén

Frank Valiente

October 26, 2016, 7:30PM

The Appel Room

Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall

Time Warner Center

New York, NY

For tickets to New York City Opera Concerts:

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ABOUT NEW YORK CITY OPERA

Since its founding in 1943 by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia as "The People's Opera" New York City Opera has been a critical part of the city's cultural life. During its history, New York City Opera launched the careers of dozens of major artists and presented engaging productions of both mainstream and unusual operas alongside commissions and regional premieres. The result was a uniquely American Opera Company of international stature.

For more than seven decades, New York City Opera maintained a distinct identity, adhering to its unique mission: affordable ticket prices, a devotion to American works, English-language performances, the promotion of up-and-coming American singers, and seasons of accessible, vibrant and compelling productions intended to introduce new audiences to the art form. Stars who launched their careers at New York City Opera include Plácido Domingo, Catherine Malfitano, Sherrill Milnes, Samuel Ramey, Beverly Sills, Tatiana Troyanos, Carol Vaness, Shirley Verrett, among dozens of other great artists.

In 1999, New York City Opera founded VOX, Contemporary Opera Lab, an annual concert series that offered composers and librettists the opportunity to hear excerpts of their works performed by professional singers and musicians. For decades New York City Opera has been committed to introducing opera to the young, bringing the art form to new audiences with educational outreach performances in New York City's public schools.

Now, having returned to the stage, New York City Opera continues its legacy at a new, state-of-the-art home at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater with revitalized outreach and education programs, and programming designed to welcome and inspire a new generation of City Opera audiences.

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