Eric Owens News

The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) congratulates the 50th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, announced today by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The 20 Scholars in the Arts, all 2014 YoungArts Winners, were nominated to The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars by YoungArts, and selected based on academic, civic and artistic achievement. The award, presented on behalf of the President of the United States, is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an artistically talented graduating high school senior. Each year, up to 141 high school seniors are recognized as U.S. Presidential Scholars for their accomplishments.

The Collegiate Chorale announces the New York premiere of battle hymns on May 15, 2014 at 7:30pm at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, 12th Ave. & 46th Street in New York, NY.

This summer, 40 of the most exciting young singers from every corner of the globe will converge upon Los Angeles to compete in Operalia, the prestigious voice competition created byPlácido Domingo to discover the next generation of international operatic superstars. This year's contest, its third time in Los Angeles, will be hosted by LA Opera from August 25 through 30, 2014. Tickets to the competition's final round—a Gala Finals Concert conducted by Mr. Domingo at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at 7:00pm on Saturday, August 30—are now on sale.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announces a second set of performances to complete the 2014 Summer season. Wolf Trap offers unparalleled diversity in programming in a stunning natural environment, and builds upon its founding principles of celebrating music while nurturing the next generation through education.

The Collegiate Chorale announces the New York premiere of battle hymns on May 15, 2014 at 7:30pm at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, 12th Ave. & 46th Street in New York, NY.

Internationally renowned director Peter Sellars returns to the Canadian Opera Company this spring with a new company production of Handel's Hercules that propels the Greek myth into the modern day, giving voice to the untold horrors of war and the unspoken complications faced by veterans returning home. The COC premiere of Hercules reunites Sellars with celebrated conductorHarry Bicket and the all-star cast that presented this co-production with Lyric Opera of Chicago to unequivocal praise at its debut in Chicago in 2011. Hercules is sung in English with English SURTITLES and runs for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts today, April 5, 11, 15, 19, 24, 27, 30, 2014.

The April broadcasts of The New York Philharmonic This Week — the weekly radio series of concerts and recordings by the New York Philharmonic, hosted by Alec Baldwin — begin with Music Director Alan Gilbert leading the Orchestra in Beethoven's Coriolan Overture; Korngold's Violin Concerto, with soloist Leonidas Kavakos; Nielsen's Symphony No. 3, Sinfonia espansiva, with soprano Erin Morley and baritone Joshua Hopkins; and Nielsen's Symphony No. 2, The Four Temperaments. This recording of the two Nielsen symphonies was selected by The New York Times as one of the Best Classical Music Recordings of 2012. The following week Alan Gilbert leads the Philharmonic in Nielsen's Flute Concerto, with Principal Flute Robert Langevin as soloist, and Violin Concerto, featuring Nikolaj Znaider, as well as Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2, Little Russian.

Twenty-three singers, five apprentice coaches and one apprentice stage director, representing ten countries, will participate in the 57th season of the Merola Opera Program from June 2 to August 17. More than 900 artists vied for the 29 coveted spots in the 2014 summer program. Offered free of charge for all participants, the prestigious Merola Opera program is unique in the industry in many ways. Merola is the only young artist program to provide financial support to developing artists for five years following participation. In the past year alone, more than $150,000 was distributed to more than 100 artists supporting varied needs from coaching to language classes to audition travel. In addition, only Merola graduates are considered for participation in the San Francisco Opera's Adler Fellowship program. Selected through an extensive world-wide audition and application process, nearly one third of this season's artists come from countries outside the United States, including: Canada, China, Taiwan, Italy, South Korea, Russia, Iran, Poland and Israel. This year, the program will have three returning Merola artists, Casey Candebat (Merola 2012), Sahar Nouri and Rhys Lloyd Talbot (both Merola 2013).

The National YoungArts Foundation's (YoungArts) second of six YoungArts Salons will feature award winning actor, film director, and producer Robert Redford and environmental artist Sibylle Szaggars Redford tonight, March 12 at 6:00pm at the YoungArts Campus in Miami. The discussion on art and activism will be moderated by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation's Vice President/Arts, Dennis Scholl.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announces its 2014 summer opera productions.

The National YoungArts Foundation's (YoungArts) second of six YoungArts Salons will feature award winning actor, film director, and producer Robert Redford and environmental artist Sibylle Szaggars Redford on Wednesday, March 12 at 6:00pm at the YoungArts Campus in Miami. The discussion on art and activism will be moderated by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation's Vice President/Arts, Dennis Scholl.

The Glimmerglass Festival, the Central New York hub for lovers of opera and musical theater, has appointed bass-baritoneEric Owens as chairman of The Glimmerglass Festival Artistic Advisory Board, making him an ex-officio member of the company's Board of Trustees.

The Glimmerglass Festival, the Central New York hub for lovers of opera and musical theater, has appointed bass-baritone Eric Owens as chairman of The Glimmerglass Festival Artistic Advisory Board, making him an ex-officio member of the company's Board of Trustees.

Washington National Opera (WNO), led by Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, today announced its 2014-2015 season. It includes the company premiere of Daniel Catán's Spanish-language Florencia in the Amazon, a brand-new production of Puccini's classic La bohème, the company premiere of Rachel Portman's family opera The Little Prince, an English-language production of Poulenc's 20th-century drama Dialogues of the Carmelites, a revival of Wagner's epic The Flying Dutchman, and an acclaimed new-to- Washington staging of Rossini's Cinderella. A third season of the American Opera Initiative, including the world premiere of Penny by two alumni of the program, continues WNO's efforts to commission new works and expand the American repertory. Highlights from the 2014-2015 season will be performed by the WNO Orchestra and special guests at a free preview concert on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 6 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Coming up tonight, February 28 at 9:00PM EST, PBS will present the national, TV broadcast premiere of Jazz and the Philharmonic, a co-production by the National YoungArts Foundation-a national organization that identifies and supports the next generation of artists-the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, and JAZZ ROOTS Producer Larry Rosen. Jazz and the Philharmonic was presented and filmed at the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center on January 11, 2013 and is a unique and wholly American concert experience which highlights two of the greatest musical art forms, classical and jazz. Scroll down to see a trailer for the broadcast!

Internationally renowned director Peter Sellars returns to the Canadian Opera Company this spring with a new company production of Handel's Hercules that propels the Greek myth into the modern day, giving voice to the untold horrors of war and the unspoken complications faced by veterans returning home. The COC premiere of Hercules reunites Sellars with celebrated conductorHarry Bicket and the all-star cast that presented this co-production with Lyric Opera of Chicago to unequivocal praise at its debut in Chicago in 2011. Hercules is sung in English with English SURTITLES and runs for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on April 5, 11, 15, 19, 24, 27, 30, 2014.

Internationally renowned director Peter Sellars returns to the Canadian Opera Company this spring with a new company production of Handel's Hercules that propels the Greek myth into the modern day, giving voice to the untold horrors of war and the unspoken complications faced by veterans returning home. The COC premiere of Hercules reunites Sellars with celebrated conductor Harry Bicket and the all-star cast that presented this co-production with Lyric Opera of Chicago to unequivocal praise at its debut in Chicago in 2011. Hercules is sung in English with English SURTITLES and runs for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on April 5, 11, 15, 19, 24, 27, 30, 2014.

Strange things are afoot in the deep darkness of the woods when humans, wood nymphs, water sprites, goblins, witches, and other creatures intermingle - knowingly or otherwise. Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Antonin Dvorák's Rusalka, the famed Czech composer's darkly sensual fairy tale, which makes its eagerly anticipated company premiere in a new production opening on Saturday, February 22, with six performances through Sunday, March 16. Performance dates are February 22, 26, March 4, 7, and 10, all at 7:30pm, with a matinee on March 16 at 2pm.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is pleased to announce that soprano Ana María Martínezand bass-baritone Eric Owens will serve as the inaugural Community Ambassadors as part of the Lyric Unlimited initiative. These two artists will strengthen and actively participate in new, ongoing, and future Lyric Unlimited programs that serve and engage schools and the larger community, including the Vocal Partnership Program, Youth Opera Council, Teen Opera Circle, Lyric's ongoing relationship with Latino communities, and other collaborative community events. Martínez and Owens are starring in Lyric's new production of Rusalka, which opens on Saturday, February 22 and runs through March 16.

General Director & President David B. Devan and Music Director Corrado Rovaris are pleased to announce 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.