Rod Gilfry News

Today (June 5) in live streaming: Jon Reynolds teaches a dance workshop, Joe's Pub presents CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE!, and so much more!

Metropolitan Opera soprano Amanda Woodbury and pianist Aurelia Andrews, both of whom are graduates of the Los Angeles Opera Young Artist Program, will give a Living Room Recital on the LAO website Friday, May 29, at 4:00 PM Pacific Time. It will also be available later for those readers who cannot watch it live.

Find out where to tune in to free opera and music performances, May 22-29!

The Met has announced the Weeks 10 and 11 schedules for its Nightly Met Opera Streams, a free series of encore Live in HD presentations streamed on the company website during the coronavirus closure. 

Today (May 18) in live streaming: Laura Benanti hosts Stars in the House, Broadway comes together for Covenant House, and so much more!

During its unplanned hiatus from public performances, LA Opera has created an extensive array of online programming under the banner LAO at Home. Here's what's on tap for next week.

The 2020-21 Boston Symphony Orchestra season, September 16-May 1, has been specially programmed to offer the BSO's most devoted audiences and newcomers alike a fascinating and wide-ranging spectrum of musical styles and periodsa?"awe-inspiring works with an extraordinary potential to move us through their thrilling beauty, power, and brilliance.

In place of its previously scheduled Live Concert on April 18, The Verdi Chorus will offer its first online concert:  a streaming of its Spring 2018 program The Force of Destiny led by Founding Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum. The concert will be launched online April 18 at 7:30pm on the Verdi Chorus website at https://www.verdichorus.org and will also be available on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VerdiChorus/

In place of its previously scheduled Live Concert on April 18, The Verdi Chorus will offer its first online concert:  a streaming of its Spring 2018 program The Force of Destiny led by Founding Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum. The concert will be launched online April 18 at 7:30pm on the Verdi Chorus website at https://www.verdichorus.org and will also be available on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VerdiChorus/

The New York Philharmonic has announced plans for the 2020–21 season, Jaap van Zweden's third as Music Director. Van Zweden once again conducts a wide range of repertoire, including four World Premieres, a US Premiere, and symphonic cornerstones. As in his first two seasons as Music Director, he continues to connect with New Yorkers through impactful projects, performances, and collaborations with other cultural institutions, and conducts the Orchestra on an Asian tour.

On February 1, 2020, Los Angeles Opera presented the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin's third opera, Euridice. He composed it together with Sarah Ruhl who wrote the original 2003 play. Aucoin, Ruhl, and this presentation's stage director, Mary Zimmerman, have been the recipients of the MacArthur Fellowships known as 'Genius Grants.' 

LA Opera President and CEO Christopher Koelsch today announced the company's 35th season, which will include six mainstage productions a?" one of them a company premiere and five productions new to Los Angeles a?" and two concerts presented at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, with additional performances presented in other venues through the company's Off Grand and Connects initiatives.

The LA Opera and the Metropolitan Opera join forces to co-produce the world premiere of EURYDICE from the creative minds of composer/conductor Matthew Aucoin and librettist Sarah Ruhl; beginning February 1, 2020 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Based on Sarah's 2003 play EURYDICE, this Greek myth unfolds from the heroine's perspective. Mary Zimmerman directs a talented cast that includes: Danielle de Niese, Rod Gilfry, Joshua Hopkins, John Holiday, Barry Banks, Stacey Tappan, Raehann Bryce-Davis and Kevin Ray. Sarah graciously took time out to answer a few of my inquisitive queries.

LA Opera begins the new year with a new opera: the world premiere of Eurydice  by composer Matthew Aucoin and librettist Sarah Ruhl, based on her 2003 play of the same name. Directed by Mary Zimmerman, Eurydice opens on February 1, 2020.

LA Opera begins the new year with a new opera: the world premiere of Eurydice  by composer Matthew Aucoin and librettist Sarah Ruhl, based on her 2003 play of the same name. Directed by Mary Zimmerman, Eurydice opens on February 1, 2020.

The holiday season is one of joy, warmth, and togetherness . . . but it can include some other emotions that choirs never seem to sing about! We're taking an honest and humorous musical look at the a?oemost wonderful time of the yeara?? with a program that combines the music of community and celebration with works about everything from the winter doldrums to the overabundance of Facebook posts on Christmas morning. Hear works by Cécile Chaminade, Joan Szymko, Eleanor Daley, Daniel Pinkham, and more! The concerts will take place at Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 798 Dover Drive, Newport Beach on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. and at St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church, 18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach on Sunday, December 8, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. Please join us for a reception after each performance.

Composer, conductor, writer, pianist, and 2018 MacArthur Fellow Matthew Aucoin is a?oeone of the most sought-after young voices in classical musica?? (Wall Street Journal). Next February, he conducts the world premiere production of his third opera, Eurydice, in six performances at LA Opera, where he has served since 2016 as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence.

Boston Court Pasadena continues their 2019 Music Season with the Fall Music Series featuring offerings curated by Artistic Director Mark Saltzman. The Fall Series commences with the return of Piano Spheres with Susan Svrček (September 20) and concludes with Après un Rêve with Josh Nelson, Lilian Sengpiehl, Kathleen Grace (October 26).

On July 26, 2019, Santa Fe Opera presented R. B. Schlather's rambunctious production of W. A. Mozart's dramma giocoso Così fan tutte. His first act started with Don Alfonso as a cowboy and the two couples, Fiordiligi with Gugliemo and Dorabella with  Ferrando dressed in tennis whites. Amanda Majeski, who has sung several leading roles at Santa Fe,  showed herself to be a capable Fiordiligi whose top notes bloomed with silver magic as she romped around the stage. For a?oeCome Scoglioa?? (a?oeLike a rocka??), she was comedically impassive and for a?oePer pietàa?? (a?oeFor pitya??) she truly begged for forgiveness as she used every note in her wide range to encompass the  scope of Mozart's writing.  whose top notes bloomed with silver magic as she romped around the stage.

Something old, something new…there's still plenty going on for fans of opera and classical vocal music in the Northeast now that summer is upon us. Here's a taste of what to look for.