Paulo Szot News

Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD

Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD

On Friday, April 16, 2010 at 8:00PM, The New York Pops will celebrate Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe at Carnegie Hall with a vibrant program of the timeless music created by the iconic songwriting duo. Headlining the program are Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot, the stars of the Tony award-winning Broadway revival South Pacific. Tenor Michael Slattery, The Clurman Singers, and dancers from the New York Theatre Ballet join The New York Pops and Music Director Steven Reineke for this thrilling collection of classic favorites from My Fair Lady, Camelot, Paint Your Wagon, Gigi and Brigadoon.

Dmitri Shostakovich's The Nose has its Metropolitan Opera premiere on March 5 at 8:00 pm, conducted by Valery Gergiev, in a visually arresting new production by artist William Kentridge that features original collage, film, sculpture, and massive projections of the artist's drawings and prints. Making his Met debut, baritone Paulo Szot performs the role of Kovalyov in the story of the Russian official who wakes one morning to discover his nose has disappeared (and taken on a higher bureaucratic rank). Based on the short story of the same name by Nikolai Gogol, the opera is what Kentridge has called an exploration of "learning from the absurd." In this production, visuals include renderings of Soviet workers, snatches of newspaper, and projections of propaganda - as well as the missing appendage in adventures ranging from delivering a speech to riding a horse.

The breathtaking Broadway revival production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific will play its final show at the Lied Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.

The breathtaking Broadway revival production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific lights up the Lied Center for Performing Arts in a Nebraska exclusive showing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25, 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.

Patti LuPone, Jessica Biel, Sherie Rene Scott, Paulo Szot and Oscar Isaac are amongst the actors participating in a staged reading of the new musical 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' at Lincoln Center Theatre next week, reports Variety. Rehearsals are set to begin March 4.

Franco Vassallo will sing the role of Ezio in Verdi's Attila on March 19, 22, and 27, replacing Carlos Alvarez, who is ill. Vassallo is currently appearing at the Met as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the role of his 2005 company debut. Last season the Italian baritone was Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore, and in 2007, audiences around the world saw him as Riccardo in The Met: Live in HD transmission of I Puritani, now available in DVD.

Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Flórez star in La Fille du Régiment, Donizetti's comedy about the tough-hearted young woman who was rescued and raised by the 21st regiment of the French army, and her romance with a hapless soldier-suitor.

THE COTERIE, an up-and-coming downtown opera-theater company, will present a benefit concert The Coterie Un/Plugged, Volume One: Lauren Worsham and Friends at the Canal Room on February 22nd, 2010 at 7:30PM. Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at the door.

THE COTERIE, an up-and-coming downtown opera-theater company, will present a benefit concert The Coterie Un/Plugged, Volume One: Lauren Worsham and Friends at the Canal Room on February 22nd at 7:30PM. The evening will feature Lauren Worsham (Candide, Spelling Bee) and special guests including Tony nominee Barbara Walsh (Falsettos, Company), Theresa McCarthy (Floyd Collins, Titanic) and Andrew Nolan (Wooster Group's La Didone).

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) announced three productions that it will produce during the 2010-2011 season at the Vivian Beaumont Theater and on Broadway. The first, a musical version of the Pedro Almodóvar film WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, with book by Jeffrey Lane, music and lyrics by David Yazbek and direction by Bartlett Sher, will begin previews Saturday, October 2 when it will reopen the newly restored Belasco Theatre (111 W. 44 Street). Opening night is Thursday, November 4.

Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, directed by Bartlett Sher, will end its record-breaking run at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on Sunday, August 22. By the time it ends its long run in August SOUTH PACIFIC will have played 1000 performances and 37 previews, making it the longest-running Broadway revival of any of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals.

Puccini's love story La Bohème returns to the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday, February 20, with Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and Polish tenor Piotr Becza?a as Puccini's star-crossed lovers, Mimì and Rodolfo.

THE COTERIE, an up-and-coming downtown opera-theater company, will present a benefit concert The Coterie Un/Plugged, Volume One: Lauren Worsham and Friends at the Canal Room on February 22nd, 2010 at 7:30PM. Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at the door.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook finishes up its twelfth season celebrating the diversity of American popular song with a final week of different and dazzling concerts. For 16 nights of pop, folk, cabaret, country, rock, and show tunes, the series explored the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic contemporary songwriting.

The breathtaking Broadway revival production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific lights up the Lied Center for Performing Arts in a Nebraska exclusive showing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25, 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.

Tony Award winner Faith Prince returns to the Center to close the 2009-10 Cabaret Series April 8 - 11 in Samueli Theater. Prince has been dazzling Broadway audiences since she swept the theater awards, winning the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance as Ms. Adelaide in the critically-acclaimed revival of Guys and Dolls. In 2008, she was nominated for Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for A Catered Affair. This is Prince's second visit to the Center, following her debut here in February 2008. She replaces Paulo Szot who is unable to appear due to his extended run in South Pacific at Lincoln Center.

Tony® Award winner Faith Prince returns to the Center to close the 2009-10 Cabaret Series April 8 - 11 in Samueli Theater. Prince has been dazzling Broadway audiences since she swept the theater awards, winning the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance as Ms. Adelaide in the critically-acclaimed revival of Guys and Dolls. In 2008, she was nominated for Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for A Catered Affair. This is Prince's second visit to the Center, following her debut here in February 2008. She replaces Paulo Szot who is unable to appear due to his extended run in South Pacific at Lincoln Center.

THE COTERIE, an up-and-coming downtown opera-theater company, will present a benefit concert The Coterie Un/Plugged, Volume One: Lauren Worsham and Friends at the Canal Room on February 22nd, 2010 at 7:30PM.