The lemon room @ ZajacStudio is delighted to welcome Lena Hill as she makes her cabaret debut accompanied by LA favorite musical director Cassie Nickols. The evening includes tunes ranging from the legit standards of Rogers & Hammerstein to the newest showstoppers from recent Broadway seasons. This diverse set of songs gives Lena a chance to show a voice that has no limits, a shimmery and vibrant head voice to a belt that could peel paint off the walls!
Composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer's award-winning opera Moby-Dick, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN's Great Performances tonight, November 1, 2013 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.
In the first pops concert of the season, Utah Symphony will welcome back to Utah Brian Stokes Mitchell, a much-loved vocalist who performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during their annual Christmas Concert in 2008.
In the first pops concert of the season, Utah Symphony will welcome back to Utah Brian Stokes Mitchell, a much-loved vocalist who performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during their annual Christmas Concert in 2008.
Today, October 21 marks the release of HERE/AFTER: Songs of Lost Voices, a two-CD set of recent songs and music by Jake Heggie, 'the finest American art song composer of his generation' (John von Rhein, Classical Review), to texts by the Grammy Award-nominated Gene Scheer. The generous PentaTone Classics collection features more than two hours of music from the composer and librettist of the operas Moby-Dick and Three Decembers, with performances by some of the foremost exponents of their work, including soprano Talise Trevigne, mezzo Joyce DiDonato, tenor Stephen Costello, baritone Nathan Gunn, flutistCarol Wincenc, and the Alexander String Quartet. Recorded at LucasFilm's Skywalker Ranch and produced by Grammy Award-winner Steve Barnett,HERE/AFTER seeks to give voice to silenced individuals whose stories deserve to be heard, including victims and survivors of 9/11 (Pieces of 9/11) and the great French sculptor Camille Claudel (Camille Claudel: Into the Fire). The composer explains that he and Scheer set out to capture 'the hope and newness that can come from grief,' and, as the Associated Press recently recognized, HERE/AFTER succeeds in transmuting 'memories of grief into survivor songs - some of them surprisingly joyous.' Video trailers featuring excerpts from five of the songs may be viewed here.
Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2013-2014 season with a new production honoring the 200th birthday of Giuseppe Verdi, one of opera's most legendary composers: The Force of Destiny, tonight, October 12-26 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Verdi's epic romantic and political drama, which hasn't been seen in Washington in nearly 25 years, will be presented in a daring and visually striking new production directed by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. Conductor Xian Zhang, in her WNO debut, leads the WNO Orchestra in interpreting some of Verdi's most beautiful melodies.
Music Director Alan Gilbert will lead the New York Philharmonic in a celebration of the centennial of English composer, conductor, and pianist Benjamin Britten. The program will include Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, featuring tenor Paul Appleby and Philharmonic Principal Horn Philip Myers, and Britten's Spring Symphony, with soprano Kate Royal (in her Philharmonic debut), mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke (Philharmonic subscription debut), tenor Paul Appleby, New York Choral Artists directed by Joseph Flummerfelt, and Brooklyn Youth Chorus directed by Dianne Berkun-Menaker. The concerts, which include a performance on the composer's 100th birthday, November 22, will take place Thursday, November 21, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, November 23 at 8:00 p.m.
On January 18, 2014, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) presents the American premiere of The Passenger (1968), a powerful Holocaust opera by exiled Polish-Jewish composer Mieczyslaw Weinberg. Based on a novel by Auschwitz survivor Zofia Posmysz, The Passenger was recognized as "a perfect masterpiece" by Shostakovich but was censored by the Soviet establishment and never performed in Weinberg's lifetime. It premiered at the 2010 Bregenz Festival, and its subsequent UK premiere at the English National Opera took place only thanks to award-winning British director David Pountney, whose staging inspired the Telegraph to write: "Risky though it may be to label a first production 'definitive,' it is hard to imagine it ever being done better." Now HGO brings the same production across the Atlantic, complete with mezzo-soprano Michelle Breedt, who "excelled" (New York Times) in the leading role at two European premieres. All five of The Passenger's first American performances (Jan 18-Feb 2) will be led byPatrick Summers, HGO's artistic and music director.
Sing With Haiti presents a star-studded gala benefit concert to aid the rebuilding of the Holy Trinity Music School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which was destroyed in the earthquake of 2010. The Grammy Award-winning soprano Deborah Voigt - beloved for her performances on the opera, concert, and recital stage, as well as for her turns as host of the Metropolitan Opera's popular 'Live in HD' series - will host the gala concert in San Francisco's Grace Cathedral today, October 2. This important event will include performances by Voigt as well as from 'America's favorite mezzo' (Gramophone)Susan Graham, children's choirs from the Holy Trinity Music School, and other distinguished guests. A gala reception at the Fairmont San Francisco Hotelwill follow the concert.
Carol Wincenc's 25th Anniversary Recital at The Juilliard School, taking place tonight, September 30, 2013, at 8:00 PM at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater, features Debussy's Sonata for flute, viola, and harp, L. 137; the world premiere of Yuko Uebayashi's Misericordia for flute and string quartet, a work written for Wincenc; the U.S. premiere of Schnittke's Moz-Art a la Mozart for eight flutes and harp; the New York premiere of Henze's I Sentimenti di Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach for solo flute, solo harp, double string quartet, and bass; and an arrangement by Daniel Paget: One Hundred Roses: Seven Neapolitan Serenades and Dances for flute, strings, mandolin, guitar, and percussion.
Tony Award winner and Broadway star Patti LuPone returns to Carnegie Hall on Thursday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, presenting her solo show, Far Away Places-a travelogue of styles and stories that traces the actress's wanderlust with songs from the likes of Kurt Weill, Cole Porter, and Edith Piaf, conceived and directed by Scott Wittman, and with music direction and arrangements by Joseph Thalken.
Composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer's award-winning opera Moby-Dick, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN's Great Performances Friday, November 1, 2013 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.
The Dallas Opera is proud to announce today that the company has achieved its first balanced operating budget since Fiscal 2005, a full two years ahead of schedule. The company's latest fiscal year ended on June 30th.
CMASH, the new music repertory group dedicated to establishing long-term collaborative relationships between composers and performers and welcoming new audiences to the genre of contemporary chamber music, is proud to announce and welcome John Grimmett in the newly created position of Managing Director. Mr. Grimmett's responsibilities include overseeing marketing and fundraising campaigns, designing and implementing educational initiatives in the communities the company serves, and developing a national audience that further promotes CMASH's mission statement.
October 21 marks the release of HERE/AFTER: Songs of Lost Voices, a two-CD set of recent songs and music by Jake Heggie, “the finest American art song composer of his generation” (John von Rhein, Classical Review), to texts by the Grammy Award-nominated Gene Scheer. The generous PentaTone Classics collection features more than two hours of music from the composer and librettist of the operas Moby-Dick and Three Decembers, with performances by some of the foremost exponents of their work, including soprano Talise Trevigne, mezzo Joyce DiDonato, tenor Stephen Costello, baritone Nathan Gunn, flutistCarol Wincenc, and the Alexander String Quartet. Recorded at LucasFilm's Skywalker Ranch and produced by Grammy Award-winner Steve Barnett,HERE/AFTER seeks to give voice to silenced individuals whose stories deserve to be heard, including victims and survivors of 9/11 (Pieces of 9/11) and the great French sculptor Camille Claudel (Camille Claudel: Into the Fire). The composer explains that he and Scheer set out to capture “the hope and newness that can come from grief,” and, as the Associated Press recently recognized, HERE/AFTER succeeds in transmuting “memories of grief into survivor songs – some of them surprisingly joyous.” Video trailers featuring excerpts from five of the songs may be viewed here.
Washington National Opera (WNO) opens its 2013-2014 season with a production honoring the 200th birthday of one of opera's most renowned composers: Richard Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, today, September 15 through the 27th in the Kennedy Center Opera House. This epic romantic drama stars Deborah Voigt as Isolde and Ian Storey and Clifton Forbis as Tristan, and will be seen in a production new to Washington directed by Neil Armfield in his WNO debut. WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin leads the WNO Orchestra in interpreting some of Wagner's most passionate and powerful music.
Stephen Costello's 2013-14 season sees the Philadelphia native set to realize more of that potential than ever with high-profile performances on the concert stage and in the opera house, along with appearances on TV and recordings.
Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2013-2014 season with a new production honoring the 200th birthday of Giuseppe Verdi, one of opera's most legendary composers: The Force of Destiny, October 12-26 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Verdi's epic romantic and political drama, which hasn't been seen in Washington in nearly 25 years, will be presented in a daring and visually striking new production directed by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. Conductor Xian Zhang, in her WNO debut, leads the WNO Orchestra in interpreting some of Verdi's most beautiful melodies.
Sing With Haiti presents a star-studded gala benefit concert to aid the rebuilding of the Holy Trinity Music School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which was destroyed in the earthquake of 2010. The Grammy Award-winning soprano Deborah Voigt - beloved for her performances on the opera, concert, and recital stage, as well as for her turns as host of the Metropolitan Opera's popular "Live in HD" series - will host the gala concert in San Francisco's Grace Cathedral on Wednesday, October 2. This important event will include performances by Voigt as well as from "America's favorite mezzo" (Gramophone)Susan Graham, children's choirs from the Holy Trinity Music School, and other distinguished guests. A gala reception at the Fairmont San Francisco Hotelwill follow the concert.
Houston Grand Opera's (HGO) 2013–14 season includes the launch of the company's first Ring cycle, in a visionary and captivating production by the Catalan company La Fura dels Baus; the hotly anticipated American premiere of Mieczyslaw Weinberg's Holocaust opera The Passenger; the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's A Coffin in Egypt, based on the play of the same name by renowned Texas writer Horton Foote and starring iconic mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade; a new HGO production of Carmen from Broadway sensation Rob Ashford; revivals of Aida, Rigoletto, and Die Fledermaus; and, in tribute to the nation's homegrown musical theater tradition, Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music designed by fashion star Isaac Mizrahi. Through its HGOco S o n g o f H o u s t o n project—winner of the National MultiCultural Institute's Leading Lights Diversity Award—the company continues to celebrate Houston's cultural diversity with the world premieres of two new commissions exploring the city's Vietnamese and Indian communities as part of the East + West series.
