New York City Opera News

Parsons Dance presents the World Premiere of an all-new, as-yet-untitled collaboration with the lead vocalists of East Village Opera Company (EVOC), featuring the music of the acclaimed rock opera band. Program A premieres the new evening-length work with EVOC's two lead vocalists live onstage with Parsons Dance. Program B will feature Parsons Dance favorites, including Caught and Nascimento.

VANITIES, A New Musical by Jack Heifner, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by two-time Tony? Award-winner Judith Ivey and musical staging by Dan Knechtges, has postponed a planned Broadway run.

Plain Language Productions, Inc. will present a reading of the new musical, SILAS, (www.silasthemusical.com) based on George Eliot's novel Silas Marner, on Friday, December 5th at 11a.m. and 3:30p.m.

Parsons Dance presents the World Premiere of an all-new, as-yet-untitled collaboration with the lead vocalists of East Village Opera Company (EVOC), featuring the music of the acclaimed rock opera band. Program A premieres the new evening-length work with EVOC's two lead vocalists live onstage with Parsons Dance. Program B will feature Parsons Dance favorites, including Caught and Nascimento.

Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced today that Craig Bierko (Tony Award nominee for The Music Man; Scary Movie 4) will star as 'Sky Masterson' and Kate Jennings Grant (Proof) will also star as 'Sarah Brown' in the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS.

The New York City Ballet's 2008-2009 opening night celebration took place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on November 25, 2008. BroadwayWorld.com spent the evening with the starry crowd as they savored the beautiful magic that only the NYC Ballet can bring.

Cambodia's first-ever modern music theater work, Where Elephants Weep, will have its official world premiere in Phnom Penh, Cambodia this November, it was announced by John Burt, the show's Executive Producer.

Plain Language Productions, Inc. will present a reading of the new musical, SILAS, (www.silasthemusical.com) based on George Eliot's novel Silas Marner, on Friday, December 5th at 11a.m. and 3:30p.m.

New York City Opera is proud to present the company premiere of Samuel Barber's Antony and Cleopatra in concert on January 15 and 16, 2009 at 8 PM in Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium. Soprano Lauren Flanigan sings the role of Cleopatra opposite baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes, in his New York City Opera debut, as Antony. The cast includes rising tenor Simon O'Neill as Caesar and City Opera favorites David Pittsinger as Enobarbus, Sandra Piques Eddy as Charmian and Laura Vlasak Nolen as Iras. City Opera Music Director George Manahan will conduct. The company's celebration of Samuel Barber's upcoming centennial will also include a Symposium on Antony and Cleopatra on Saturday, January 10, co-presented by and taking place at Miller Theatre at Columbia University, which will feature City Opera soprano Elizabeth Futral in a unique recital of musical depictions and evocations of Cleopatra.

New Yorkers will get an early listen of the first opera by Stephen Schwartz, Seance on a Wet Afternoon when American Opera Projects hosts a New York workshop on November 21 & 22. Opera Santa Barbara will present the world premiere in 2009.

Tony Award winners Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons return to Broadway to star together in the world premiere of Impressionism, a new American play by Michael Jacobs. The production, which will be directed by Tony Award-winner Jack O'Brien, will play the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, reports The New York Times.

Plain Language Productions, Inc. will present a reading of the new musical, SILAS, (www.silasthemusical.com) based on George Eliot's novel Silas Marner, on Friday, December 5th at 11a.m. and 3:30p.m.

In February of 2009, in honor of the bicentennial of Joseph Haydn's death, Gotham Chamber Opera will present the New York City stage premiere of L'isola disabitata (Desert Island) in a new production staged by Mark Morris at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College.

The YORK THEATRE COMPANY (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) and Melanie Herman, who produced The Musical Of Musicals (The Musical!) announces the Off-Broadway Premiere of My Vaudeville Man!, a new musical based on the life of legendary eccentric tap star Jack Donahue. It opens tonight, Monday November 17th.

The American Theatre Wing's 'Working in the Theatre' Features 'Arias to Showstoppers: The Worlds of Opera and Theatre' on CUNY TV Premieres Sunday, November 16 at 5 p.m. Additional Air Dates: Friday, November 21 at 9 a.m, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 22 at 11 a.m.

The American Theatre Wing's 'Working in the Theatre' Features 'Arias to Showstoppers: The Worlds of Opera and Theatre' on CUNY TV Premieres Sunday, November 16 at 5 p.m. Additional Air Dates: Friday, November 21 at 9 a.m, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 22 at 11 a.m.

New Yorkers get early listen of first opera by Stephen Schwartz, Séance on a Wet Afternoon American Opera Projects hosts New York workshop November 21 & 22. Opera Santa Barbara to present world premiere in 2009.

VANITIES, A New Musical by Jack Heifner, with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by two-time Tony® Award-winner Judith Ivey and musical staging by Dan Knechtges, will open on Broadway Thursday, February 26, 2009 at the Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th Street (preview performances will begin Monday, February 2).

Bass-Baritone David Pittsinger will assume the role of Emile de Becque in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, during two upcoming periods when the production's current Emile de Becque, baritone Paulo Szot, leaves the musical to honor two previously scheduled opera commitments.

Variety is reporting that the due to the recent departure of City Opera Artistic Director Gerard Mortier, some upcoming opera projects will be shelved. Among them, the adaption of the film 'Brokeback Mountain' anda new opera based on the life of Walt Disney, 'The Perfect American'