Aretha Franklin News

VH1's beloved, popular franchise 'VH1 Divas' is throwing the hottest dance party of 2012 LIVE on Sunday, December 16 at 9PM/8c with Grammy Award-nominated host Adam Lambert.

GPR Records (Glen Roven, Peter Fitzgerald, Richard Cohen, artistic directors) will release a children's CD of Catherine Zeta-Jones narrating The Runaway Bunny, based on the best selling children's classic by Margaret Wise Brown. Michael Douglas narrates everyone's favorite elephant - The Story of Babar - The Little Elephant, a 1931 classic written by Jean de Brunhoff. Also on the CD will be English Baritone Mark Stone singing Goodnight Moon also by Margaret Wise Brown. The CD, distributed by Naxos, will be released on November 15th and will be available at www.GPRRecords.com, Amazon, and iTunes.

The 2013 Lincoln Center American Songbook series has just been announced via the New York Times.

Florida Grand Opera (FGO) is proud to join opera organizations nationwide to celebrate NATIONAL OPERA WEEK (October 26 - November 4), coordinated by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with support of the National Endowment for the Arts. In honor of this week, FGO has prepared a series of free digital activities to increase opera awareness and engagement. Watch Aretha Franklin talk about her love for opera in the video below!

A.J. Croce will play Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center in Huntsville, Ala on November 15, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.

„Die Show erobert die Welt im Flug“ prophezeite die Sonntagszeitung aus Zürich 2009 begeistert anlässlich der Premiere von ROCK THE BALLET in der Schweiz. Und sie sollte Recht behalten: Angesichts des beeindruckenden Erfolges von mittlerweile fast 500.000 begeisterten Zuschauern weltweit und ausverkauften Tourneen in Europa, Australien und Asien ist längst offensichtlich, dass Rasta Thomas und seine Bad Boys of Dance mit ihrer spektakulären Tanz-Show genau den Zeitgeist getroffen haben

With December fast approaching, it's the perfect time to take a look back at some memorable LES MISERABLES performances. See Aretha Franklin singing 'I Dreamed a Dream' in 1993, at President Bill Clinton's inauguration, below!

Sarasota Opera joins opera organizations nationwide to celebrate NATIONAL OPERA WEEK (October 26 - November 4), coordinated by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Nearly 100 opera companies, schools and organizations across the nation will celebrate the fourth NATIONAL OPERA WEEK from Sunday, October 26 through Sunday, November 4, 2012 by offering free, accessible events to their communities. National Opera Week is coordinated by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with support of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

The Opera Company of Philadelphia joins opera organizations nationwide to celebrate National Opera Week (today, October 26 - November 4), coordinated by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

OPERA EXPOSURES joins opera organizations nationwide to celebrate NATIONAL OPERA WEEK (October 26 - November 4), coordinated by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Cristina Morrison brings songs from her new CD I LOVE, The Jazz Beat of Galapagos to Somethin' Jazz Club (212 E. 52nd St. 3Fl. NYC) tonight, Oct 25 at 9 p.m.

The Joyce Theater announced today the programming for its 2013 Spring/Summer Season featuring extraordinary international companies, including two festivals, one focusing on Nordic dance and the other on American ballet choreographers.

92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2013 season of Lyrics & Lyricists™. Jason Danieley, Rebecca Luker, Barbara Carroll and James Naughton are among the performers from the worlds of Broadway, jazz and cabaret presenting a panoramic journey through the American Songbook via New York, London, Hollywood, and Stratford-on-Avon. L&L's shows this season explore Shakespeare on Broadway, iconic singer/lyricist Peggy Lee, a fresh take on Jerome Kern, and our look at Vernon Duke's and W. S. Gilbert's influence on Broadway. The season is curated by series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer (also returning as artistic director for one of the shows), and a line-up of guest artistic directors - Rob Fisher (with host Sheldon Harnick), Billy Stritch, David Loud and Mark Lamos.

The 1st Annual Bob Stewart Tuba Competition, created by The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, will be held today, October 20, 2012 from 12 Noon to 5 PM as part of The 37th Annual 52nd Street Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. The competition has been created to provide enhanced exposure to the many dynamic tuba players who perform in improvisational music ensembles in and around the New York area. The five groups chosen for the competition perform in a wide range of genres from traditional and contemporary Jazz to Blues, hip-hop, funk rock and world music.

Stoopid Daddy Records will present An Evening of Swing, Stride and Boogie Woogie Piano tonight, October 19, 2012, 9 PM in association with the 12 Grapes Restaurant, 12 North Division St., Peekskill NY. The talents of 5 New York-based pianists will be featured: Dave Keyes, Jon Cobert, Scott Staton, Loren Korevec and Chase Garrett. Also featured will be 5 guest vocalists: The Blues Buddha, Duchess Di, Curtis Winchester, Susan McMahon and a rare NY performance by Denny Leroux.

The most exciting moment in ZACH's Theatre's history will happen this fall with the opening of the new Topfer Theatre. The once-in-a-lifetime first season will include a world premiere, an American musical with a full orchestra for the first time at ZACH, a beloved classic made new, an international concert guest star, and the biggest, snowiest holiday favorite of all time, all taking full advantage of the technological capabilities of the extraordinary new theatre.

House of Blues, the country's pre-eminent live music venues are set to kick off a 20th Anniversary extravaganza to commemorate 20 years of music and over 20,000 amazing live music performances at their world-famous venues. The 20-month long celebration commences December 4 at its renowned Sunset Strip location featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and legendary rock band ZZ Top.

Now running at Arena Stage through November 4, ONE NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN is a living, breathing collage of musical theatre, time capsule, and reunion concert with the late Janis Joplin. Performer Mary Bridget Davies was born to play Janis Joplin and Johnson has given her the perfect vehicle for her talents.

Cristina Morrison brings songs from her new CD I LOVE, The Jazz Beat of Galapagos to Somethin' Jazz Club (212 E. 52nd St. 3Fl. NYC) on Thurs., Oct 25 at 9 p.m. Reservations are strongly recommended. Tickets are $20.