David Murakami News

The New York premieres and world premiere production of Gordon Getty's Scare Pair, a double-bill by the San Francisco-based composer, pairs his two one act-operas -- Usher House and The Canterville Ghost - together for the first time on October 19 and 21 (7:30pm) at The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (located at East 68th Street, between Lexington and Park Avenues).

The New York premieres and world premiere production of Gordon Getty's "Scare Pair," a double-bill by the San Francisco-based composer, pairs his two one act-operas -- Usher House and The Canterville Ghost -- together for the first time on October 19 and 21 (7:30pm) at The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (located at East 68th Street, between Lexington and Park Avenues).  Both works, with the libretto and music by Mr. Getty, will be sung in English and have a running time of 60 minutes each.

The New York premieres and world premiere production of Gordon Getty's "Scare Pair," a double-bill by the San Francisco-based composer, pairs his two one act-operas -- Usher House and The Canterville Ghost -- together for the first time on October 19 and 21 (7:30pm) at The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (located at East 68th Street, between Lexington and Park Avenues).  Both works, with the libretto and music by Mr. Getty, will be sung in English and have a running time of 60 minutes each.

The New York premieres and world premiere production of Gordon Getty's "Scare Pair," a double-bill by the San Francisco-based composer, pairs his two one act-operas -- Usher House and The Canterville Ghost -- together for the first time on October 19 and 21 (7:30pm) at The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (located at East 68th Street, between Lexington and Park Avenues).  Both works, with the libretto and music by Mr. Getty, will be sung in English and have a running time of 60 minutes each.

Fort Worth Opera (FWOpera) announced today details of the company's full line-up of thrilling productions scheduled to take the stage during the 2018 season, running April 27 – May 13. In 2018, the company will offer opera lovers an entirely new Festival experience with the first production of Richard Wagner's magnificent fantasy opera Das Rheingold; Gaetano Donizetti's hysterical bel canto gem, Don Pasquale; and composer Astor Piazzolla's genre-defying tango opera, María de Buenos Aires. The Festival will also usher in the sixth year of Fort Worth Opera's critically-lauded new works showcase, Frontiers, featuring eight unpublished operas from some of the most talented composers and librettists in the 21st-century.

Due to extraordinary ticket sales, Center Theatre Group's 'Zoot Suit' has announced a second one-week extension. Performances will now continue through March 26, 2017, at the Mark Taper Forum. Previews for 'Zoot Suit' began January 31; the show officially opened on Sunday, February 12. Written and directed by Luis Valdez, 'Zoot Suit' is presented in association with El Teatro Campesino. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

San Francisco, CA, April 9, 2015 – Opera Parallèle has announced its 2015--2016 season, which will feature its first collaboration with SFJAZZ, a new production of Peter Maxwell Davies' riveting and mysterious The Lighthouse, and the world premiere of a new children's opera by Chris Pratorius. Opera Parallèle and SFJAZZ will present their first collaboration: a new, fully staged production of Champion: An Opera in Jazz by Terence Blanchard, SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director, with eight performances to be given February 19-28, 2016 at SFJAZZ Center. Based on the life of African-American boxing champion Emile Griffith (1938-2013), the production marks both Opera Parallèle's first foray into an operatic jazz idiom and SFJAZZ's first opera. The complete schedule of performances will be announced and tickets go on sale to the general public mid-July, 2015. For more information, visit www.operaparallele.org and www.sfjazz.org. Peter Maxwell Davies' three-character opera, The Lighthouse, based on the mysterious and unsolved disappearance of three people off the Scottish coast in 1900 will be given a new production April 29-May 1, 2016 at Z Space in San Francisco. The season will open with the world premiere of a new children's opera by Chris Pratorius entitled Amazing Grace, featuring San Francisco fourth graders and soloists, November 12-14, 2015, at a venue to be announced. For more information about the Opera Parallèle season, visit www.operaparallele.org .

Hard on the heels of the highly successful premiere of its acclaimed new production of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking in February, Opera Parallèle will present the U.S. premiere of Tarik O'Regan's Heart of Darkness May 1-3 at Z Space in San Francisco. The opera will be staged in an innovative new production overseen by Opera Parallèle Creative Director Brian Staufenbiel, with Artistic Director Nicole Paiement conducting. Performances are Friday, May 1, at 8 pm; Saturday, May 2, at 2 pm and 8 pm; and Sunday, May 3, at 2 pm; Z Space is located at 450 Florida Street in San Francisco. Tickets are priced $30-$85 and may be purchased at www.operaparallele.org .

Acclaimed contemporary opera company Opera Parallèle will open its 2015 season with the premiere of a new production of Jake Heggie's landmark work Dead Man Walking-marking the 15th anniversary of one of the most widely performed operas of the 21st century-in three performances this weekend, February 20 and 21, 2015 at 8 pm and February 22, 2015 at 2 pm at YBCA Theater in San Francisco.

In anticipation of its February 20-22 YBCA Theater premiere of a new production of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking, award-winning contemporary opera company Opera Parallèle will present a special free public event tonight, January 21, 7-8:30 pm at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco. The evening will feature a discussion of the opera—which has had 40 productions, spanning the globe, in its 15-year history—and its controversial topic, the death penalty, along with performances of excerpts from the opera and other works. Opera Parallèle founder and Artistic Director Nicole Paiement and Creative Director Brian Staufenbiel will host special guests including activist and author Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, which chronicles her relationship with a Louisiana death-row inmate, and which was also made into a celebrated motion picture; composer Jake Heggie, mezzo-sopranos Frederica von Stade and Catherine Cook, sopranos Kristin Clayton and Nicolle Foland, and Roslyn Barak, cantor of Temple Emanu-El. Admission for the event is free of charge and advance reservations are required at opdmw.brownpapertickets.com .

In anticipation of its February 20-22 YBCA Theater premiere of a new production of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking, award-winning contemporary opera company Opera Parallèle will present a special free public event Wednesday, January 21, 7-8:30 pm at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco. The evening will feature a discussion of the opera—which has had 40 productions, spanning the globe, in its 15-year history—and its controversial topic, the death penalty, along with performances of excerpts from the opera and other works. Opera Parallèle founder and Artistic Director Nicole Paiement and Creative Director Brian Staufenbiel will host special guests including activist and author Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, which chronicles her relationship with a Louisiana death-row inmate, and which was also made into a celebrated motion picture; composer Jake Heggie, mezzo-sopranos Frederica von Stade and Catherine Cook, sopranos Kristin Clayton and Nicolle Foland, and Roslyn Barak, cantor of Temple Emanu-El. Admission for the event is free of charge and advance reservations are required at opdmw.brownpapertickets.com .

San Francisco, November 24, 2014 – Acclaimed contemporary opera company Opera Parallèle will open its 2015 season with the premiere of a new production of Jake Heggie's landmark work Dead Man Walking—marking the 15th anniversary of one of the most widely performed operas of the 21st century—in three performances Friday and Saturday, February 20 and 21, 2015 at 8 pm and Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 2 pm at YBCA Theater in San Francisco. Based on Sister Helen Prejean's memoir and passionate statement against capital punishment of the same title, Dead Man Walking plumbs the depths of human emotion, resilience, fortitude, hope, and redemption, making it an ideal subject for the operatic stage and for Opera Parallèle's brand of story-telling, exploring the human experience in provocative and intense stagings. The premiere will be followed by the Company taking to the road for the first time to present a concert version of Dead Man Walking at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA, March 7 and 8, 2015.

Founder and Artistic Director Nicole Paiement has announced details of Opera Parallèle's 2014--2015 season, which will feature the premiere of a new production of Jake Heggie's acclaimed Dead Man Walking--marking the 15th anniversary of one of the most widely performed operas of the 21st century--and the U.S. premiere of vibrant composer Tarik O'Regan's Heart of Darkness. Both operas, based on significant literary works, plumb the depths of human emotion, resilience, fortitude, hope and redemption, making them ideal subjects for the operatic stage and for Opera Parallèle's brand of story-telling and rich exploration of the human experience in provocative and intense stagings. Both original Opera Parallèle productions will be led by Paiement on the podium, with production design and direction by Opera Parallèle Creative Director Brian Staufenbiel and members of the creative team responsible for OP's acclaimed productions of Orphée, The Great Gatsby, Ainadamar, and Trouble in Tahiti.