Ever since it premiered on Broadway in 1973, Stephen Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, with a book by Hugh Wheeler, has been a favorite of musical theatre fans. The Michigan Opera Theatre was the first American opera company to present the piece in 1983, and other companies followed suit. It last graced Houston Grand Opera's (HGO) stages in 1999. Now, the musical, with an extraordinary set and gorgeous costumes by Isaac Mizrahi, is thrilling Houston audiences again with HGO's latest production of this American masterpiece.
The Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus (www.holocaustcenter.org) will host a special members-only event on March 12 featuring survivor Ela Stein Weissberger and a performance by the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus.
Beginning at 7 p.m., at the Holocaust Memorial Center located at 28123 Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills, Weissberger will discuss her experience as a prisoner at the Theresienstadt concentration camp and an original cast member of the children's opera Brundibár, which tells the story of a brother and sister who join forces with a sparrow, cat and dog to outwit an evil organ grinder. The performance is appropriate for middle school students and older. Member event chairs are Elyse and David Foltyn.
The Nazis allowed artistic activity in the Theresienstadt concentration camp to help support their false claim that it was a benign haven for Jews. Brundibár, which was performed 55 times, was the centerpiece of the Red Cross visit to the camp that was prominently featured in the Nazi propaganda film The Führer Gives the Jews a City. The composer and most of the camp were among the 20,000 people transported from Theresienstadt to death camps in September and October 1944. Weissberger, who played the cat, survived the war.
Following Weissberger's presentation, the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus will perform an excerpt from Brundibár, which they present in its entirety on March 16 with an appearance by Weissberger.
For membership information to attend this and future exclusive performances and presentations, please contact the Holocaust Memorial Center at 248-553-2400 or go to https://www.holocaustcenter.org/membership. This tax-deductible membership entitles users to a year of complimentary museum admission and library usage, a subscription to our newsletter, advance notice of special events/exhibitions, and a 10 percent discount in the Holocaust Memorial Center's museum shop. It also supports museum programs and operations, teacher education, and training for museum staff and docents. Prices start at $18 for college students, $36 for individuals and $50 for families.
About the Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus
The Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus opened in 1984. Local Holocaust survivors, with community support, founded the museum to teach about the senseless murder of millions, and why everyone must respect and stand up for the rights of others if the world is to prevent future discrimination, hate crime and genocide. As Michigan's only Holocaust museum, the Holocaust Memorial Center annually touches the lives of more than 85,000 individuals, who leave the museum profoundly affected with a newly acquired sense of history, social responsibility and morality. The Holocaust Memorial Center's exhibits create a call to action, teaching visitors through the examples of those who risked their lives to save others, and asking its guests to react to contemporary challenges such as racism, intolerance, bullying and prejudice.
The facility is wheelchair accessible and free parking is available at both the North and South entrances.
For more information on the Holocaust Memorial Center, visit www.holocaustcenter.org, or call 248-553-2400.
Perhaps the most controversial opera of the 20th century makes its Southern California debut when Long Beach Opera (LBO) stages John Adams' The Death of Klinghoffer on March 16 and March 22 at the Terrace Theater in downtown Long Beach. This powerful and unsettling work chronicles the 1985 hijacking of the Mediterranean cruise ship Achille Lauro by Palestinian terrorists and the murder of disabled Jewish-American passenger, Leon Klinghoffer. LBO's production is a partner presentation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's 'Minimalist Jukebox' Festival.
The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music's (CCM) Philharmonia Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Chorale and Cincinnati Children's Choir proudly present a stirring rendition of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Adams' El Ni'o at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 2, in UC's Corbett Auditorium. CCM welcomes guest artists Michael Maniaci, Eric Jurenas and Steven Rickards for this performance. Director of Choral Studies Earl Rivers conducts.
Winter brings a trio of momentous house debuts for Richard Tucker Award-winner Stephen Costello. On the heels of headlining La bohème in his first appearances at Munich's Bavarian State Opera (Dec 15-23), he heads home to the States to make debuts at Houston Grand Opera, as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto (Jan 24–Feb 9), and the Washington National Opera, where he revisits Ishmael/Greenhorn, the role he originally created, in the East Coast premiere of Jake Heggie's Moby-Dick (Feb 22–March 8). The tenor will then remain in DC to reprise his star turn as Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore (March 20-29). One of today's most compelling exponents of Donizetti's lovelorn peasant, Costello was the obvious choice to sing favorite Nemorino numbers at Lincoln Center's star-studded Richard Tucker Gala last month.
Winter brings a trio of momentous house debuts for Richard Tucker Award-winner Stephen Costello. On the heels of headlining La bohème in his first appearances at Munich's Bavarian State Opera (Dec 15-23), he heads home to the States to make debuts at Houston Grand Opera, as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto (Jan 24–Feb 9), and the Washington National Opera, where he revisits Ishmael/Greenhorn, the role he originally created, in the East Coast premiere of Jake Heggie's Moby-Dick (Feb 22–March 8). The tenor will then remain in DC to reprise his star turn as Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore (March 20-29). One of today's most compelling exponents of Donizetti's lovelorn peasant, Costello was the obvious choice to sing favorite Nemorino numbers at Lincoln Center's star-studded Richard Tucker Gala last month.
Join The Philhallmonics swingin' and singin' their way through holiday favorites in 'Man With The Bag' presented by The Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts and The PhilHallmonics (www.philhallmonics.com) today, December 7, 2013, 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center (entrance at 65th St & Amsterdam). The PhilHallmonics is led by founder, Broadway conductor and composer, Phil Hall and directed by Broadway choreographer Sharon Halley.
DETROIT, Dec. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ Wayne S. Brown, Director of Music and Opera for the National Endowment for the Arts since 1997 and a native Detroiter, has been named President and CEO of the Michigan Opera Theatre (MOT) effective January 1. He succeeds David DiChiera who founded MOT in 1971 and has served as General Director of the theatre since its inception. Dr. DiChiera will remain as Artistic Director.
One of America's finest orchestra's will take the stage in one of its most fabled and historic halls when the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs the final concert of the 2014 Spring for Music Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York on Saturday, May 10, 2014.
Join The Philhallmonics swingin' and singin' their way through holiday favorites in "Man With The Bag" presented by The Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts and The PhilHallmonics (www.philhallmonics.com) on Saturday, December 7, 2013, 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center (entrance at 65th St & Amsterdam). The PhilHallmonics is led by founder, Broadway conductor and composer, Phil Hall and directed by Broadway choreographer Sharon Halley.
Top-of-the-charts Romanticism meets a contemporary fusion of symphony, electronic music and improvisation in a tour-de-force concert that will open Oakland East Bay Symphony's 25th anniversary season tonight, November 8, at 8 pm at the Paramount Theatre. Music Director Michael Morgan has programmed the kind of musical range, interest and innovation for the opening that dynamically demonstrates the orchestra's long-established reputation for audience-captivating and imaginative music.
The University Musical Society (UMS) presents two incredible events this December, starting with the beloved community tradition of Handel's Messiah (Saturday-Sunday, December 7-8). December also ushers in the first-ever high definition delayed cinema broadcast from the Royal Shakespeare Company in the Michigan Theater; the company performs Richard II, starring David Tennant and directed by Gregory Doran (Sunday, December 8 and Wednesday, December 11).
During the holiday season Performance Network Theatre presents a new take on the larger than life Broadway musical "Jerry's Girls", a revue of the work of Jerry Herman who wrote the music for shows such as "Hello, Dolly!", "La Cage Aux Folles", and "Mame". "Jerry's Girls" is directed by Carla Milarch and stars an all female cast including award-winning musical theatre actress, Naz Edwards, from November 14 - January 5, 2014 as well as a special New Year's Eve performance followed by a champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are available now at performancenetwork.org, over the phone at 734-663-0681, or at the theatre at 120 East Huron in Downtown Ann Arbor.
Tenor Matthew Polenzani, who has been praised as "perhaps the finest tenor voice of his generation" (Boston Phoenix), and fast-rising young star soprano Corinne Winters will launch the 2013-14 season of events of The George London Foundation for Singers with a recital at The Morgan Library and Museum on Sunday, October 20, 2013, at 4:30 PM. The George London Foundation Recital Series presents pairs of outstanding opera singers, many of whom were winners of a George London prize early in their careers or are recent George London Award recipients. Mr. Polenzani is a 1998 George London Award winner, and Ms. Winters won a George London Award in 2012 (watch Corinne Winters's George London Award-winning performance of Meyerbeer's "Robert, toi que j'aime"here).
Top-of-the-charts Romanticism meets a contemporary fusion of symphony, electronic music and improvisation in a tour-de-force concert that will open Oakland East Bay Symphony's 25thanniversary season Friday, November 8, at 8 pm at the Paramount Theatre. Music Director Michael Morgan has programmed the kind of musical range, interest and innovation for the opening that dynamically demonstrates the orchestra's long-established reputation for audience-captivating and imaginative music.
It truly was 'One Wilde Night,' as approximately 250 professional thespians and their guests attended The 2013 Wilde Awards Aug. 19 at The Berman Center for the Performing Arts in West Bloomfield. Through coincidences and through recurring reference in thoughtful, cogent and brief acceptance speeches, the event was very much a 'family affair.'
It truly was 'One Wilde Night,' as approximately 250 professional thespians and their guests attended The 2013 Wilde Awards Aug. 19 at The Berman Center for the Performing Arts in West Bloomfield. Through coincidences and through recurring reference in thoughtful, cogent and brief acceptance speeches, the event was very much a 'family affair.' Scroll down for a full list of the winners!
Professional theaters from across Michigan will share the spotlight August 19 when The 2013 Wilde Awards are presented at The Berman Center for the Performing Arts in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield. Presented by EncoreMichigan.com, the most comprehensive resource for news and information about the state's professional theater industry, The Wilde Awards were established by Pride Source Media Group in 2002 to honor the excellent work produced by Michigan's professional theaters.
Everything's coming up roses July 17, as Maine State Music Theatre continues its 55th season of professional musical theater at the Pickard Theater on the Bowdoin campus in Brunswick, Maine with the smash musical fable, Gypsy. Scroll down for a sneak peek at Mama Rose and Gypsy Rose Lee!
Professional theaters from across Michigan will share the spotlight August 19 when The 2013 Wilde Awards are presented at The Berman Center for the Performing Arts in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield. Presented by EncoreMichigan.com, the most comprehensive resource for news and information about the state's professional theater industry, The Wilde Awards were established by Pride Source Media Group in 2002 to honor the excellent work produced by Michigan's professional theaters.
