OPERA IN EDEN Set for Symphony Space, 6/16

Lawrence Edelson, Producing Artistic Director of American Lyric Theater (ALT), has announced that OPERA IN EDEN, an evening of one act operas written by Resident Artists from ALT's Composer Librettist Development Program, will return to the Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space on Monday, June 16th, 2014, at 7:00 PM. Tickets to OPERA IN EDEN are $20 in advance, or $25 on the day of the performance, and are available from www.symphonyspace.org or by calling (212) 864-5400. Student and senior discounts are available at the box office.

OPERA IN EDEN is part of InsightALT, American Lyric Theater's series of events designed to bring the public inside the development process of new operas, and to open a dialogue between the audience and the creative artists creating these new works. OPERA IN EDEN will feature four operatic fantasies on temptation: ENCHANTRESS by composer Kamala Sankaram and librettist Rob Handel; ARRANGEMENT by composer Elizabeth Lim and librettist Jermoe A. Parker; THE DISINHERITED by composer Clarice Assad and librettist Niloufar Talebi and THE RESURRECTION ENGINE by composer Evan Meier and Librettist EM Lewis. Composer/librettist Mark Adamo will moderate the event, which is the culmination of an intensive workshop led by Adamo as part of the core curriculum of ALT's Composer Librettist Development Program.

Edelson explained that "all of these pieces were borne out an assignment designed by Mark Adamo. Mark provided an outline that was very loosely based on the story of Adam and Eve, but with many missing pieces... sort of a 'MadLibs' project, where the artists were asked to fill in the blanks, make distinct choices about their takes on the story, and then to realize their visions in an operatic context. Throughout the workshop, the composers and librettists have been challenged to rethink assumptions, justify their choices, and to find their own voices as they create something that is both dramatically riveting and musically engaging. I'm always amazed at the variety of works that emerge from this process."

The short one-act operas will be performed in concert by an exceptional group of guest artists, including soprano Katherine Guthrie; mezzo soprano Sarah Heltzel; tenor Glenn Seven Allen; baritone Kyle Guglielmo; bass baritone Adrian Rosas; and music director Jody Schum. Following the performance, the audience will be invited to discuss the pieces and the compositional process with Mark Adamo and ALT's Resident Artists.

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