Andrew Davis News

Theatre Uncovered returns with its third annual production, after producing Heathers The Musical in 2016 and Spring Awakening in 2017. BARE, by Jon Hartmere Jr. and Damon Intrabartolo, explores the relationships between a group of catholic high school students who are struggling to feel heard by church leaders and are desperate to hear the voice of God over their individual struggles. At the center of the story are Peter Simonds (played by Andrew Sabonis-Chafee) and Jason McConnell (played by Nicholas Carlin), two students who secretly are engaged in a on-and-off relationship. Both struggle to reconcile their love for eachother with their belief that being gay might be sinful.

Theatre Uncovered returns with its third annual production, after producing Heathers The Musical in 2016 and Spring Awakening in 2017. BARE, by Jon Hartmere Jr. and Damon Intrabartolo, explores the relationships between a group of catholic high school students who are struggling to feel heard by church leaders and are desperate to hear the voice of God over their individual struggles. At the center of the story are Peter Simonds (played by Andrew Sabonis-Chafee) and Jason McConnell (played by Nicholas Carlin), two students who secretly are engaged in a on-and-off relationship. Both struggle to reconcile their love for eachother with their belief that being gay might be sinful.

Theatre Uncovered returns with its third annual production, after producing Heathers The Musical in 2016 and Spring Awakening in 2017. BARE, by Jon Hartmere Jr. and Damon Intrabartolo, explores the relationships between a group of catholic high school students who are struggling to feel heard by church leaders and are desperate to hear the voice of God over their individual struggles. At the center of the story are Peter Simonds (played by Andrew Sabonis-Chafee) and Jason McConnell (played by Nicholas Carlin), two students who secretly are engaged in a on-and-off relationship. Both struggle to reconcile their love for eachother with their belief that being gay might be sinful.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is pleased to announce Simon Rivard as the TSO Resident Conductor & Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO) as of the 2018/19 season. Rivard was chosen in a nationwide search that culminated in a live audition with both the TSO and TSYO earlier this spring.

The North American premiere of Timothy Sheader's explosive Olivier Award-winning production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar opens at Lyric tonight, April 27, with performances through May 20 (press opening April 28). Lyric is the only place to experience the grand scale of this acclaimed production in its first staging outside London.

Michael Tilson Thomas Makes MET Orchestra Debut with Soprano Pretty Yende Singing Mozart and Mahler on June 5   The MET Orchestra returns to Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage for a series of three concerts, led by three dynamic conductors, this May and June.

The Women's Board of Lyric Opera of Chicago is pleased to announce the Lyric Opera Wine Auction catalogue is now live for viewing and online bidding online at www.lyricopera.org/wineauction2018. The triennial fundraiser's digital platform offers wine enthusiasts across the globe the ability to access some of the world's most sought-after wines as well as one-of-a-kind travel and dining experiences.

The New York Choral Society (NYCHORAL) will hold its annual Spring Gala at New York's Metropolitan Club (1 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022) on Thursday evening, April 5, 2018, starting at 6:00 pm. The organization will honor renowned opera singer and recitalist Stephanie Blythe with the NYCHORAL Music Excellence Award for her contributions to the musical profession, as well as Sylvia R. Hoisington who is celebrating her 50th season with the chorus. Produced in partnership with the Richard Tucker Music Foundation, the evening's showcase performance will feature soprano Amanda Majeski and tenor Ben Bliss, both of whom will be participating in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Cosi fan tutte from March 15 to April 9, 2018. Members of the NYCHORAL Chamber Ensemble will also perform. The evening will feature a silent auction of unique items and experiences. The program is as follows:

The New York Choral Society (NYCHORAL) will hold its annual Spring Gala at New York's Metropolitan Club (1 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022) on Thursday evening, April 5, 2018, starting at 6:00 pm.

Today the Edinburgh International Festival unveils its 2018 programme. The International Festival runs Friday 3 to Monday 27 August. The event welcomes 2,750 artists from 31 nations to perform in Scotland's capital city and attracts visitors from all over the world, with audiences expected to travel from over 80 nations to be part of Edinburgh's global celebration of culture.

From Sibelius to Bernstein, with a detour by Broadway and a foray into the music of Bruckner and Beethoven, the April lineup at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is refreshing as spring.

Ars Lyrica Houston's A Roman Feast Gala, Honoring Rhonda and Donald Sweeney chaired by Drs. Rachel and Warren Ellsworth IV, and Sarah and Gabriel Loperena took place March 3, 2018 in the historic Esperson building in downtown Houston, an event to raise funds for the organization's first fully-staged Baroque opera, Handel's Agrippina to be produced November 2018. The evening began with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the contemporary Rusk Lobby, filled with fragrant lavender, ferns and Romanesque decor with live harp music. An intimate concert of Handel arias followed, performed by acclaimed countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Artistic Director Matthew Dirst on harpsichord, and violinist Alan Austin in the Esperson Neils Lobby. Guests then enjoyed a grand feast on theme and ended with an Italian disco after party in the transformed Neils Lobby complete with dancing, drinks, light bites, and craft beer sponsored by Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co.  

American baritone Nathan Gunn and pianist Julie Gunn, partners in life and often on stage, will make their debut at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in an evening of cabaret by iconic composers ranging from Leonard Bernstein and Cole Porter to Billy Joel and Tom Waits.  The evening concert from an eclectic American Songbook joins Bernstein at 100, the worldwide celebration of the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein, one of the most prodigiously talented and successful musicians in American history. An Evening with Nathan and Julie Gunn takes place Thursday, March 15, 2018 at 7:30pm in the Bram Goldsmith Theater at The Wallis.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) launches its 97th season on September 20 at Roy Thomson Hall (for a 37th season). The opening concert, with Interim Artistic Director Sir Andrew Davis on the podium, highlights the Orchestra through the music of Berlioz-Symphonie fantastique and Fantasy on Shakespeare's The Tempest.

The Cinema Audio Society Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing Motion Picture - Live Action was presented to the sound mixing team from “Dunkirk” of Mark Weingarten CAS, Gregg Landaker, Gary Rizzo CAS, Alan Meyerson CAS, Thomas J. O'Connell and Scott Curtis.

Pride Films and Plays' monthly festival of LGBTQ independent films, which was launched in October, will continue with its sixth monthly festival on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. The theme for this 95-minute program of eight films is 'Social Issues Here and Abroad.”

Artists from the bands Postmodern Jukebox, tUnE-yArDs and Diane Coffee join Broadway and West End talent for Lyric Opera's North American premiere of Timothy Sheader's explosive Olivier Award-winning production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, presented from April 27 to May 20, 2018 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago (press opening April 28).

The McCallum Theatre presents Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel on Monday, February 26, at 7:00pm. This performance, "The Golden Age of the Piano," will feature "Minuet in G" by Ignace Paderewski; "Spinning Song" by Felix Mendelssohn; "Humoresque, Op. 101, No. 1" by Antonin Dvorak; "Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23, No. 5" by Sergei Rachmaninoff; "April, Op. 39, No. 4" from The Seasons by Peter Ilyich Tchaikowsky; "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen" by Edvard Grieg; "Valse Triste, Op. 44" by Jean Sibelius; and "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" by Franz Liszt.

The New York Philharmonic will return to Bravo! Vail in Colorado for the Orchestra's 16th annual summer residency there, performing six orchestral concerts July 20-27, 2018.

A season filled with unforgettable music, thrilling singers from around the world, and stirring new productions goes on sale via subscription Wednesday, February 7 at 10am.  Seven new and new-to-Chicago productions, including four Lyric premieres, will engage and entertain audiences from October 2018 through June 2019.