Julius Rudel News

New York City Opera Renaissance will host a Gala Concert and Dinner to celebrate the life of the late Maestro Julius Rudel and his invaluable contribution to the New York City Opera as General Director and Principal Conductor from 1957 to 1979. Maestro Rudel passed away on June 26, 2014 at age 93. The Gala Concert will take place at the Rose Theater in the Time Warner Center, Broadway & 60th Street, New York, NY, this evening, March 9, 2015, at 7 pm.

New York City Opera was one of the great artistic treasures of New York. It was famously dubbed 'The People's Opera' by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia at its founding in 1943 and throughout its nearly 70 year history, the NYCO helped launch the careers of many of the world's greatest opera stars including Beverly Sills, Sherrill Milnes, Placido Domingo, Maralin Niska, Carol Vaness, Jose Carreras, Shirley Verrett, Tatiana Troyanos, Jerry Hadley, Catherine Malfitano, Samuel Ramey. Sills later famously served as the company's director and chief ambassador for the art form from 1979-1989. It also sought to produce an innovative choice of repertory, and provide a home for American singers and composers.

New York City Opera Renaissance will host a Gala Concert and Dinner to celebrate the life of the late Maestro Julius Rudel and his invaluable contribution to the New York City Opera as General Director and Principal Conductor from 1957 to 1979. Maestro Rudel passed away on June 26, 2014 at age 93. The Gala Concert will take place at the Rose Theater in the Time Warner Center, Broadway & 60th Street, New York, NY, on Monday evening, March 9, 2015, at 7 pm.

?On Sunday, January 11, Opera Index will present its 36th Distinguished Achievement Award to Susan Graham, one today's foremost opera stars, at its winter gala in the Grand Salon of the JW Marriott Essex House, 160 Central Park South, beginning at 6 p.m. with a reception at the Petit Salon. Presenting Ms. Graham with this year's award will be the revered American mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne, a previous Distinguished Achievement Award-winner.

NYCO Renaissance Ltd. has partnered with the Rudel family to celebrate the illustrious career of Maestro Julius Rudel and his invaluable contribution to the New York City Opera as principal conductor and director for 22 years from 1957 to 1979. The beloved musical figure passed away on June 26, 2014 at age 93. The tribute will take place on Monday evening, March 9, 2015 at the Frederick P. Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Time Warner Center, Broadway & 60th Street. Scheduled performers include Placido Domingo, whose career developed under the care of Maestro Rudel, as well as mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, countertenor David Daniels, bass-baritone Mark Delavan, soprano Christine Goerke, bass-baritone James Morris, soprano Diana Soviero, and Sting.

OPERA NEWS Editor in Chief F. Paul Driscoll today announced the recipients of the 10th Annual Opera News Awards. This year's honorees—Piotr Beczala, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Sondra Radvanosky, Samuel Ramey and Teresa Stratas—will be feted at a black tie gala celebration on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Previous Opera News Award Winners Martina Arroyo,Gerald Finley and Susan Graham are among the presenters.

Broadway stars Nat Chandler (Scarlet Pimpernel, The Phantom of The Opera) and Teri Dale Hansen (Boys from Syracuse, Show Boat) will be appearing with the Pueblo Symphony Orchestra (under conductor Dr. Jacob Chi) in MANCINI AND MOONLIGHT tonight, October 4th at 7:30pm in Hoag Recital Hall on the campus of Colorado State University -- Pueblo.

Broadway stars Nat Chandler (Scarlet Pimpernel, The Phantom of The Opera) and Teri Dale Hansen (Boys from Syracuse, Show Boat) will be appearing with the Pueblo Symphony Orchestra (under conductor Dr. Jacob Chi) in MANCINI AND MOONLIGHT Saturday, October 4th at 7:30pm in Hoag Recital Hall on the campus of Colorado State University -- Pueblo.

Clearly the people at SDO can learn a lot from William Mason.

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is holding general vocal auditions on Monday, Jan. 20 from 4 to 6 PM at Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, Buffalo 14201.

On Sunday, January 12, 2014, Opera Index will presents its 35th Distinguished Achievement Award to mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias, described as one of the finest singing actresses of our time, at its Winter Gala in the Grand Salon of the JW Marriott Essex House, 160 Central Park South, beginning at 6 p.m. with a reception in the Petit Salon. The three-time Grammy and two-time Emmy Award-winning artist made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1954 and over her half-century-long career, has sung more than 50 roles. Ken Benson, renowned artists manager and longtime Opera Index supporter, will present the award to Ms. Elias.

Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor David Hyde Pierce will take a star turn together when they co-host the Ninth Annual Opera News Awards, set to take place on Sunday, April 13, 2014, in the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel in New York City. They will be joined by a distinguished line-up of presenters – Luca Pisaroni, Susan Graham, Renata Scotto, Eva Wagner-Pasquier and Francesca Zambello – who will pay tribute to five superb artists who have made an invaluable contribution to the art form: the late director Patrice Chéreau, tenor Juan Diego Flórez, mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig,bass-baritone James Morris, and soprano Nina Stemme. First introduced in 2005, the Opera News Awards gala dinner, which features the hosts and presenters speaking about the awardees and introducing video performance clips, has become one of the most anticipated opera events of the season: an evening of celebration, appreciation, reuniting and celebrity-spotting that is without parallel in the industry.

Los AngeLes Children's Chorus, acclaimed for its pure, agile, Bel Canto sound that has made it one of the most in-demand children's choirs in the county, spotlights the music of Benjamin Britten and the English choral tradition and also performs a compelling array of music from around the globe at its popular annual Winter Concert tonight, December 7, 7 PM, and Sunday, December 8, 2013, 7:30 PM, at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

Los Angeles Children's Chorus, acclaimed for its pure, agile, bel canto sound that has made it one of the most in-demand children's choirs in the county, spotlights the music of Benjamin Britten and the English choral tradition and also performs a compelling array of music from around the globe at its popular annual Winter Concert on Saturday, December 7, 7 PM, and Sunday, December 8, 2013, 7:30 PM, at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. The repertoire includes Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols, Friday Afternoons and selections from his extensive collection of folksong settings, as well as a selection of English carols and cathedral anthems from Sir David Willc*cks, John Rutter and others.

The editors of Opera News are pleased to announce the honorees for the ninth annual Opera News Awards, paying tribute to five superb artists who have made invaluable contributions to the art form: director Patrice Chéreau, tenor Juan Diego Flórez, mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig, bass-baritone James Morris and soprano Nina Stemme. The Opera News Awards ceremonywill take place on Sunday, April 13 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. All the winners - and a host of the city's cultural, civic, and social luminaries - will be present at the gala awards dinner, which will feature celebrity presenters speaking about the awardees and introducing video performance clips.

In this week's featured regional orchestra of the week, we're thrilled to spotlight the Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under Music Director JoAnn Falletta.

There's usually not much in the way of fireworks in New York between New Year's and July 4th, but there certainly is no shortage of pyrotechnics in the Met's new Maria Stuarda, which is having its long-overdue premiere in the house. It brings us two sensational performances: American mezzo Joyce DiDonato in the title role, Mary Stuart (Maria), and South African soprano Elza van den Heever as Elizabeth I (Elisabetta).

OPERA America, the national nonprofit service organization for opera in the U.S. and Canada, will open the field's custom-designed NATIONAL OPERA CENTER, employing urban repurposed architecture in the heart of New York City. The National Opera Center opens for business on September 4, with the official ribbon cutting taking place on September 28. The National Opera Center of OPERA America provides an array of essential facilities and services to the opera industry that have been sorely needed and never before available under a single roof. Encompassing 25,000 square feet on two floors of a former fur factory on Seventh Avenue at 29th Street, this $14 million project of OPERA America ($6 million for construction, $6 million for operating endowment and $2 million in relocation costs from Washington, D.C. to NYC) will serve as the heart of an industry that is widely disbursed, yet inherently collaborative. OPERA America's National Opera Center is the first-ever such facility built specifically for opera rehearsals, auditions and meetings. The creation of this facility was an innovative, dynamic and comprehensive response to the lack of appropriate spaces for these activities in New York City. It is truly a convening hub, a place to audition, a place to rehearse, a place to perform, a place to unite. Andrew Berman Architect designed the center, with acoustics by Robert R. Mahoney & Associates.

The editors of Opera News have announced the honorees for the 2012 Opera News Awards, paying tribute to five superb artists who have made an invaluable contribution to the art form: sopranos Mirella Freni and Dawn Upshaw, countertenor David Daniels, baritone Simon Keenlyside, and bass-baritone Eric Owens. The eighth annual Opera News Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 21 at The Plaza in New York City. All the winners - and a host of the city's cultural, civic, and social luminaries - will be present at the gala awards dinner, which will feature celebrity presenters speaking about the awardees and introducing video performance clips.

Contracted marriage, the lady kills her husband, goes 'mad' and dies, and then her real lover kills himself at her graveside. That's the formula for Lucia that showcases the great sopranos and tenors of the day in Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti's most popular opera, set to screen as part of the Metropolitan Opera's HD summer encores series.