OPERAtion Brooklyn Presents CURIOUSER & CURIOUSER Burlesque Circus

OPERAtion Brooklyn presents "Curiouser & Curiouser: An Opera-Burlesque Circus in Wonderland," a two-evening, Alice-themed opera-burlesque party in celebration of the 75th birthday of David Del Tredici, the composer whose name has become synonymous with "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn through March 26 at 8 p.m.

Composers Manly Romero and Susan Botti will also be on hand to present music from their Alice-inspired operas alongside Rita MenWeep's burlesque-circus "Through the Peeping Glass."

The program features HADDOCKS' EYES, WONDERGLASS and DREAMING OF WONDERLAND.

"HADDOCKS' EYES"

American Opera Projects presents David Del Tredici's "Haddocks' Eyes" performed by soprano Amy van Roekel with ten-piece orchestra. Conducted by Conrad Lawrence Chu. In celebration of the 75th birthday of David Del Tredici.

About the piece: "Is the White Knight, who sings Alice his famous nonsense song in "Through the Looking-Glass," really a caricature of Lewis Carroll himself? Like the knight, Carroll had shaggy hair, mild blue eyes, a kind and gentle face. Like the knight, his mind seemed to function best when it saw things in topsy-turvy fashion. . . Of all the characters Alice meets on her two dream adventures, only the White Knight seems to be genuinely fond of her and to offer her special assistance... His melancholy farewell may be Carroll's farewell to Alice when she grew up (became a queen) and abandoned him. With this idea in mind, David Del Tredici's uses his post-Romantic musical style to bring a touchingly personal dimension to the Alice universe. "Haddocks' Eyes" was commissioned by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and premiered at Alice Tully Hall in 1986."

David Del Tredici's musical involvement with "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" began in 1968 with the composition of Pop-Pourri, a "Cantata of the Sacred and Profane" which set 'Turtle Soup' from "Alice's Adventures..." and 'Jabberwocky' from "Through the Looking Glass..." alongside the Litany of the Blessed Virgin and a Lutheran chorale (in a harmonization by Bach). Since that time, all of Del Tredici's works have concentrated exclusively on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland books.

"WONDERGLASS"
Opera On Tap presents fully-staged scenes from Susan Botti's chamber opera "Wonderglass" featuring Kamala Sankaram with chamber orchestra. The scenes will be directed by seasoned stage opera director Beth Greenberg. Conducted by Yoon Jae Lee.

About the piece: ""Wonderglass" is a journey exploring the visions of Lewis Carroll. The sequence of events unfolds as it might in a dream. Because the characters and their adventures are already familiar, they become a point of departure - allowing each person's unique imagination to lead the way through the boundless world of Lewis Carroll. "Life, what is it but a dream?""

"DREAMING OF WONDERLAND"

American Opera Projects in collaboration with Manhattan School of Music and Opera Index present a preview of Act II of the new opera by composer Manly Romero

Featuring performances by Nadia Petrella, Elise Jablow, Becca Conviser, Rachelle Pike, Dory Schultz, and James Ioelu. Conducted by Zachary Schwartzman. Directed by LemUel Wade. Piano by Scott Rednour and Mila Henry.

About the show: "In this post-modern romp through Lewis Carroll's Wonderland, Manly Romero presents the story of Alice's older, wiser, and far less famous real-life sister, Lorina Liddell--and the not-so-true account of the Knave of Hearts and his close call with the chopping block. After awakening from her famous dream of Wonderland, Alice can't wait to tell her sister, Lorina about the strange personalities she has met and her crazy experiences. Impatient to leave childhood behind, Lorina can hardly wait for Alice's story to end. But when it does, Lorina is drawn into her own dream of Wonderland, four scenes that push the limits of sanity while questioning whether growing up is that great an idea to begin with. A coming of age tale for audiences of all ages, Romero's score supports Lorina's real-life teenage dreamings of love and success with bel canto lyricism, and the colorful madness of Wonderland with quirky, chromatic edginess. Act II of Dreaming of Wonderland will premiere March 18 at the Manhattan School of Music as part of their New American Opera Previews: From Page to Stage program."

OPERAtion Brooklyn is a partnership between Opera on Tap and American Opera Projects, two of Brooklyn's most acclaimed producers of indie opera. Previously presented under the title Opera Grows in Brooklyn, the series premiered in March 2009 at Galapagos Art Space in DUMBO, Brooklyn with the idea of presenting the most daring of contemporary opera and song in a relaxed, nightclub-style evening that encouraged drinks and discussion as part of the new classical experience.

Tickets: $20 / $30 for both nights advance, $25 day of show

Information: www.operationbrooklyn.com