John Musto News

Thirty years ago, Steven Blier and Michael Barrett embarked on a mission to redefine the song recital, mixing elements of theater, scholarship, fun, and great voices.

The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) has announced the details of its 2017-18 centennial season.

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.

AOP (American Opera Projects) and Composers & the Voice Artistic Director Steven Osgood have selected six composers and three librettists to receive fellowships for its upcoming ninth season of Composers & the Voice. The 2017-2019 season will train, and present new works from, composers Matthew Browne, Scott Ordway, Frances Pollock, Pamela Stein Lynde, Liliya Ugay, and Amber Vistein and librettists Laura Barati, Kim Davies, and Sokunthary Svay. The primary focus of Composers & the Voice is to give emerging composers and librettists experience working collaboratively with singers on writing for the voice and contemporary opera stage.

AOP (American Opera Projects) and Composers & the Voice Artistic Director Steven Osgood have selected six composers and three librettists to receive fellowships for its upcoming ninth season of Composers & the Voice. The 2017-2019 season will train, and present new works from, composers Matthew Browne, Scott Ordway, Frances Pollock, Pamela Stein Lynde, Liliya Ugay, and Amber Vistein and librettists Laura Barati, Kim Davies, and Sokunthary Svay. The primary focus of Composers & the Voice is to give emerging composers and librettists experience working collaboratively with singers on writing for the voice and contemporary opera stage.

Well, three cheers for On Site Opera, for completing its trilogy of works based on Beaumarchais' 18th century 'Figaro' plays and digging deep into the repertoire to deliver some lesser known works. First, a BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA not by Rossini (theirs, by Giovanni Paisiello) and then a FIGARO not by Mozart (instead, Marcos Portugal). This week, the whip-smart company presented the American premiere, in partnership with the Darius Milhaud Society, of Milhaud's LA MERE COUPABLE (THE GUILTY MOTHER), based on the least known and, to some, the unknown, among the Beaumarchais plays.

Opera Saratoga's Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson announced today complete casting for the three exciting new productions that will comprise the company's 2017 Summer Festival, which will build on the company's commitment to producing masterpieces from the operatic cannon, important American works, and works in which dance plays an integral role. In addition, a wide variety of free and ticketed concert events will be presented from May 28th through July 16th at venues throughout the region.

Opera Saratoga's Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson announced today complete casting for the three exciting new productions that will comprise the company's 2017 Summer Festival, which will build on the company's commitment to producing masterpieces from the operatic cannon, important American works, and works in which dance plays an integral role. In addition, a wide variety of free and ticketed concert events will be presented from May 28th through July 16th at venues throughout the region.

NYFOS Next at New York Festival of Song-concludes its season Wednesday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. at National Sawdust with a theatrical evening from Lauren Worsham, Kyle Jarrow, and Sky-Pony.

Table Pounding Music is proud to present two benefit concerts for the American Civil Liberties Union, produced by Grammy-nominated clarinetist David Krakauer, pianist-composer Kathleen Tagg and Table Pounding Music on Saturday, April 15th at 7:30pm and Sunday, September 24th at 6pm. This all-star group of virtuosic, boundary-pushing New York City musicians share two common attributes: a quest for pushing outside the box in their respective genres, exploring what it means to be a musician from multiple different angles; and a desire to use their artistic voices to raise funds for the protection of civil liberties. One hundred percent of the artist fees will be donated to the ACLU. The concerts will take place at Symphony Space. Please see the lineup and further details below. A selection of tracks will be available to download for purchase and these revenues will also benefit the ACLU.

On Wednesday, April 19 at 7:00 p.m. at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York Festival of Song presents Honoring Stephen Sondheim, an evening to benefit NYFOS's 29th Season. The Gala is co-chaired by Jamie Bernstein and Hal Prince, and Guest of Honor Stephen Sondheim will be in attendance.

For the fifth year running, Opera Memphis will be in midtown for ten days of opera, concerts, parties, and more, including the reading of a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the US Army. Midtown Opera Festival takes place March 31-April 9 at Playhouse on the Square.  

Known for staging 'the ultimate in intimate productions' (The New York Times), On Site Opera (OSO) presents a trio of exciting new site-specific opera productions in 2017, beginning May 11-13 with Mozart's rarely-performed early opera The Secret Gardener (La finta giardiniera) at the West Side Community Garden.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Music Director Jeffrey Kahane conducts some of his top musical picks in this deeply personal orchestral program that includes the world premiere of Shiver and Bloom by rising composer Julia Adolphe on Saturday, March 18, 8 pm, at Glendale's Alex Theatre, and Sunday, March 19, 2017, 7 pm, at Royce Hall. 

New York Festival of Song rounds out its 2016-17 Mainstage season alongside its ninth annual residency at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts with a program entitled FOUR ISLANDS on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. at Merkin Concert Hall.

Known for staging "the ultimate in intimate productions" (The New York Times), On Site Opera (OSO) will present a trio of exciting new site-specific opera productions in 2017.

New York Festival of Song continues its NYFOS Mainstage series at Merkin Concert Hall today, January 24, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. with a sumptuous recital entitled Pyotr the Great: The Songs of Tchaikovsky and His Circle.

Washington National Opera (WNO) presents the fifth season of its acclaimed American Opera Initiative, a comprehensive commissioning program that brings contemporary American stories to the stage while fostering the talents of rising American composers and librettists.

American Lyric Theater (ALT) in partnership with MasterVoices (formerly The Collegiate Chorale), presents The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turingon on January 12, 2017 at 7:30pm in the Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 W 67th Street, New York City.

American Lyric Theater (ALT) in partnership with MasterVoices (formerly The Collegiate Chorale), presents The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turingon January 12, 2017 at 7:30pm in the Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 W 67th Street, New York City.