Giovanni News

This summer marks another historic milestone for the annual Bard SummerScape festival. For the first time since its founding, this season's focus is on the music and culture of Italy, with seven weeks of music, opera,theater, dance, film, and cabaret keyed to the theme of the 27th Bard Music Festival, "Puccini and His World." This intensive examination of the life and times of Giacomo Puccini opens a window onto Italy's rich musical heritage from Palestrina to Menotti, by way of the most popular and successful - yet, paradoxically, frequently critically underrated - opera composer of all time. Complementing the music festival, some of the Tuscan master's most compelling compatriots provide other key SummerScape highlights. These include a rare, fully staged production of Iris, a forerunner of Madama Butterfly by Puccini's close contemporary Pietro Mascagni; the world premiere of Demolishing Everything with Amazing Speed, four newly unearthed puppet plays from leading Italian Futurist Fortunato Depero, as reimagined by Dan Hurlin;the world premiere of Fantasque, a new ballet set to the music of Respighi and Rossini by John Heginbotham and Amy Trompetter; a film series on "Puccini and the Operatic Impulse in Cinema"; and the return of Bard's authentic and sensationally popularSpiegeltent,hosted by the inimitable Mx. Justin Vivian Bond. Taking place between July 1 and August 14 in the Frank Gehry-designed Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts and other venues on Bard College's stunning Hudson River campus, SummerScape's 2016 offerings provide new opportunities to discover that, as Time Out New York puts it, "the experience of entering the Fisher Center and encountering something totally new is unforgettable and enriching." Tickets go on sale on Monday, February 15; click here for more information.

The Florentine Opera Company General Director William Florescu announced the nation's sixth oldest opera company's 83Rd season with a 'grand reveal party' in the Marcus Centers newly renovated Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall:

The East West Players' latest, the world premiere of Giovanni Ortega's CRIERS FOR HIRE, most entertainingly introduces a wonderful injection of Filipino culture in early 1990's Los Angeles via a fusion of laugh-inducing situations and tear-duct-emptying relationships. Jon Lawrence Rivera quite ably directs his talented ensemble in Ortega's depiction of a group of professional funeral criers.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2016-17 season, the 50th anniversary of its home at Lincoln Center, will feature 225 opera performances of 26 operas in a varied repertory that ranges from 18th century masterpieces to one of the most acclaimed operas in recent years. Repertoire for the company's 132nd season will include the Met premiere of Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho's 2000 opera L'Amour de Loin, as well as new stagings of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, Rossini's Guillaume Tell, Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, Dvo?ak's Rusalka, and Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. A gala concert on May 7, 2017 will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company's Lincoln Center location with performances by opera's leading stars honoring the Met's past and future. Ticket prices will not increase, remaining the same as in the current season, and audience development programs instituted by the company in recent years will continue.  

Michael Foster commands the stage with his new cabaret, Heroes and Villains, at The Winter Park Playhouse as part of their monthly Spotlight Cabaret Series, tonight and tomorrow, February 17 and 18. Christopher Leavy, Playhouse Musical Director, will accompany on piano.

Robert Falls' and Seth Bockley's world premiere adaptation of Roberto Bolaño's famed novel, 2666, which has received extraordinary audience enthusiasm during previews, officially opens tonight, February 16, 2016.

Following critical acclaim at the Savoy Theatre, the Chichester Festival Theatre revival of Guys and Dolls will be extending its run at the Phoenix Theatre from 19 March 2016. Casting for the West End extension includes multiple Olivier Award-winning actress Samantha Spiro (Hello Dolly) as Miss Adelaide, Richard Kind (Disney/Pixar's BAFTA award-wining Inside Out) as Nathan Detroit and Oliver Tompsett (Wicked) as Sky Masterson. Continuing in their roles from the Savoy to the Phoenix Theatre are Siubhan Harrison as Sarah Brown, and Gavin Spokes as Nicely Nicely Johnson.

Robert Falls' and Seth Bockley's world premiere adaptation of Roberto Bolaño's famed novel, 2666-which has received extraordinary audience enthusiasm during previews and officially opens tomorrow, February 16-has been extended. Four additional performances include March 17, 18 and 19 at 6:30pm and March 20 at 1pm. The 15-member all-Chicago ensemble cast remains unchanged during the added performances.

Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) is proud to present the funny and moving Stupid f**king Bird. The show which is "sort of" adapted from Chekhov's The Seagull by Aaron Posner will be helmed by Gerard Stropnicky. The play runs at MET for four weeks beginning February 12. Check out production shots photos below!

NEW YORK, NY - Iconic Brands Inc (OTC PINK: ICNB) is pleased to announce BiVi Vodka has been awarded a prestigious 'Gold' medal from the Artisan Spirits Awards of San Francisco. This award is a result of an international competition with evaluations by expert judges. Award winners are selected on the ability to produce an outstanding spirit using traditional distilling methods and the finest ingredients that fully demonstrate the skills of the artisan distiller. The brand performed beautifully with a rating score of '91,' which truly affirms the handcrafted manner and meticulous attention to detail by our master distiller Giovanni La Fauci. The company is very proud of this award and will continue its public awareness campaigns to build on the success it has established in the marketplace.

 The Dallas Opera resumes the 2015-2016 Season in early spring with Jules Massenet's heart-wrenching and seductive tale of love, lust, and spectacularly bad choices: MANON, opening March 4, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House for the first of four performances.

Salon/Sanctuary Concerts presents LeStrange Viols, part of Salon/Sanctuary Concerts' Bernini in Paris series, on Thursday, March 3rd at 8 p.m.

In scena al Teatro Brancaccino di Roma lo spettacolo "Un uomo a meta" di Giampaolo G. Rugo, vincitrice del Napoli Fringe Festival 2015. La piece, diretta da Roberto Bonaventura, e allestita dall' 11 al 14 febbraio e ancora in replica giovedi 18 e venerdi 19 (h 20).

Syracuse University's Department of Drama tackles the volatile combination of adolescence and anxiety in Simon Stephens' 2009 play Punk Rock. Directed by Robert Moss, this production from one of Britain's most celebrated contemporary playwrights runs at the Storch Theatre February 19-28, 2016 in the Syracuse Stage/SU Drama Complex. Opening night performance is Saturday, February 20 at 8 p.m.

The man, the myth and the legend. Mozart's Don Giovanni comes to the Arizona Opera stage February 26-28 in Symphony Hall in Phoenix and March 5-6 in Tucson Music Hall. Don Giovanni is sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Washington Concert Opera is proud to continue its season of Italian masters with Gaetano Donizetti's LA FAVORITE in its original, rarely performed, French version (with English supertitles). At the height of his career and his creative genius, Donizetti wrote LA FAVORITE - one of the few operas with a mezzo-soprano in the title role. Set amidst the Moorish invasion of medieval Spain, it is filled with the passions of war, love, and sacrifice. 

Rehearsals begin Monday, February 8 for the spring Broadway production of Waitress, following its sold-out limited engagement at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. 

Madison Opera presents the company premiere of Mark Adamo's LITTLE WOMEN today, February 5 and Sunday, February 7 in the Capitol Theater at the Overture Center for the Arts.

(WASHINGTON)—Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 60th anniversary season with Leah Crocetto in Recital, featuring the celebrated star of last season's Dialogues of the Carmelites, on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Accompanied by acclaimed pianist Mark Markham, Ms. Crocetto will perform art songs by Strauss, Duparc, and Barber, as well as popular opera arias and a few of her favorite jazz standards.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has chosen the finalists for the 28th annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers Concert of Arias, to be presented in the Cullen Theater at the Wortham Theater Center tonight, February 4, at 7 p.m.