Bridgette A. Wimberly News

Lyric Opera of Chicago and Lyric Unlimited are proud to present the Chicago Premiere of a jazz-infused operatic event, Charlie Parker's Yardbird - A Chamber Concert.

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee, who's justly acclaimed for his high notes--forget about a high C; how about an F above that!?--just finished the New York premiere of the Daniel Schnyder opera CHARLIE PARKER'S YARDBIRD (Bridgette A. Wmberly, librettist), at the famed Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Famed jazz saxophonist Charlie (“Bird”) Parker is a role that was written expressly for him--but that doesn't mean it was without its challenges.

Opera Philadelphia General Director & President David B. Devan today announced that soprano Emily Pogorelc will replace Rachel Sterrenberg as 'Chan Parker' for the New York premiere of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, April 1 and 3 at the Apollo Theater.

The Apollo Theater and Opera Philadelphia announced today that Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, composed by Daniel Schnyder with a libretto by Bridgette A. Wimberly, will have its New York premiere in a co-production between the two institutions, April 1 and 3, 2016.  The engagement marks the first time opera will be performed on the Apollo Theater stage, and the first time Opera Philadelphia will produce in New York. The opera will also be recorded for broadcast in November 2016 on New York City's classical music station 105.9 WQXR, at wqxr.org, and distributed nationally by the WFMT Radio Network.

With the historic New York premiere of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD just days away, The Apollo Theater and Opera Philadelphia today announced a multi-year partnership that will continue the staging of contemporary operas at the Apollo in future seasons. The next co-production between the two institutions will be the New York premiere of We Shall Not Be Moved, set for the fall of 2017.

With the historic New York premiere of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD just days away, The Apollo Theater and Opera Philadelphia today announced a multi-year partnership that will continue the staging of contemporary operas at the Apollo in future seasons. The next co-production between the two institutions will be the New York premiere of WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED, set for the fall of 2017.

Opera Philadelphia General Director & President David B. Devan today announced that soprano Emily Pogorelc will replace Rachel Sterrenberg as Chan Parker for the New York premiere of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, April 1 and 3 at the Apollo Theater. Ms. Sterrenberg, who made her professional debut in the role in June's World Premiere in Philadelphia, has withdrawn from the New York production for personal reasons.

Opera Philadelphia General Director & President David B. Devan today announced that soprano Emily Pogorelc will replace Rachel Sterrenberg as 'Chan Parker' for the New York premiere of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, April 1 and 3 at the Apollo Theater.

The Apollo Theater and Opera Philadelphia announced today that Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, composed by Daniel Schnyder with a libretto by Bridgette A. Wimberly, will have its New York premiere in a co-production between the two institutions, April 1 and 3, 2016.  The engagement marks the first time opera will be performed on the Apollo Theater stage, and the first time Opera Philadelphia will produce in New York. The opera will also be recorded for broadcast in November 2016 on New York City's classical music station 105.9 WQXR, at wqxr.org, and distributed nationally by the WFMT Radio Network.

Sundance Institute today announced the seven artists selected for the 2016 Playwrights & Composers Retreat at Ucross Foundation in Wyoming, February 2-20. The retreat is one of the 25 residency Labs the Institute hosts each year for independent artists in theatre, film, new media and episodic content, and is made possible through the generosity of the Ucross Foundation. Over 90 Sundance artists have benefitted from time at Ucross Foundation including Charlayne Woodard, Jeanine Tesori, Doug Wright, Annie Baker, Adam Guettel, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Tanya Saracho.

Legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was “a genius who lived fast and died young, revolutionizing an art form in a few short years” (NPR). The Grammy Award-winning bebop legend is the subject of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, the first world premiere in almost four decades for Opera Philadelphia, recognized by Opera News as “one of the leading instigators of new work in the country.” The new chamber opera was created for American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, a nominee for the 2015 International Opera Male Singer of the Year Award, by composer Daniel Schnyder, whose “thrilling classical-tinged jazz blend…constantly pushes the envelope” (Jazz Times), to a libretto by award-winning poet and playwright Bridgette Wimberly. Directed by Ron Daniels under the leadership of Music Director Corrado Rovaris, Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD premieres in Opera Philadelphia's Aurora Series for Chamber Opera, crowning the company's 40th Anniversary Season with a five-performance run in the Kimmel Center's intimate Perelman Theater (June 5–14). Tickets are available from Ticket Philadelphia at 215.893.1018 or operaphila.org.

Legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was "a genius who lived fast and died young, revolutionizing an art form in a few short years" (NPR). The Grammy Award-winning bebop legend is the subject of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, the first world premiere in almost four decades for Opera Philadelphia, recognized by Opera News as "one of the leading instigators of new work in the country." The new chamber opera was created for American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, a nominee for the 2015 International Opera Male Singer of the Year Award, by composer Daniel Schnyder, whose "thrilling classical-tinged jazz blend…constantly pushes the envelope" (Jazz Times), to a libretto by award-winning poet and playwright Bridgette Wimberly. Directed by Ron Daniels under the leadership of Music Director Corrado Rovaris, Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD premieres in Opera Philadelphia's Aurora Series for Chamber Opera, crowning the company's 40th Anniversary Season with a five-performance run in the Kimmel Center's intimate Perelman Theater (June 5-14). Tickets are available from Ticket Philadelphia at 215.893.1018 or operaphila.org.

Gotham Chamber Opera announces Edward Barnes as the company's new Executive Director, effective June 1, 2015. Mr. Barnes will succeed Gotham's previous executive director, David Bennett, who will become general director of the San Diego Opera. In addition, David Rubeo has been promoted to Associate Director.

Legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was “a genius who lived fast and died young, revolutionizing an art form in a few short years” (NPR). The Grammy Award-winning bebop legend is the subject of Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, the first world premiere in almost four decades for Opera Philadelphia, recognized by Opera News as “one of the leading instigators of new work in the country.” The new chamber opera was created for American tenor Lawrence Brownlee, a nominee for the 2015 International Opera Male Singer of the Year Award, by composer Daniel Schnyder, whose “thrilling classical-tinged jazz blend…constantly pushes the envelope” (Jazz Times), to a libretto by award-winning poet and playwright Bridgette Wimberly. Directed by Ron Daniels under the leadership of Music Director Corrado Rovaris, Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD premieres in Opera Philadelphia's Aurora Series for Chamber Opera, crowning the company's 40th Anniversary Season with a five-performance run in the Kimmel Center's intimate Perelman Theater (June 5–14). Tickets are available from Ticket Philadelphia at 215.893.1018 or operaphila.org.

Gotham Chamber Opera announces its 15th Anniversary Season, which will begin in the fall of 2015 with a 15th Anniversary Celebration Concert (date and venue tba). The season continues in February 2016 with Alessandro Stradella's 1675 San Giovanni Battista (Saint John the Baptist)in a co-production with the Netherlands Nationale ReisOpera, and a concert at (le) poisson rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, NYC, featuring a new work by David Hertzberg, winner of the Catherine Doctorow Prize for Music. The season concludes with the New York premiere of Charlie Parker's Yardbird, a co-production of the Apollo Theater, Gotham Chamber Opera and Opera Philadelphia, at the world famous Apollo Theater in May/June 2016.

Legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was 'a genius who lived fast and died young, revolutionizing an art form in a few short years' (NPR).

?OPERA America is pleased to announce it has awarded grants to 11 opera companies through its Opera Fund: Audience Development grant program, which promotes deep learning experiences about new or infrequently produced American operas and music-theater works. Each grant supports audience development activities associated with a specific work being produced by an OPERA America Professional Company Member.

Tickets go on sale today, August 13, for Opera Philadelphia's 40th Anniversary Season, featuring a stellar cast of international opera stars in five new productions at the Academy of Music and the Perelman Theater.

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, August 13, for Opera Philadelphia's 40th Anniversary Season, featuring a stellar cast of international opera stars in five new productions at the Academy of Music and the Perelman Theater. Single tickets will be available at operaphila.org or 215-893-1018.