Samuel Ramey News

Alan Gilbert, music director of the New York Philharmonic, conducts Mozart's Don Giovanni with an internationally renowned cast led by Swedish baritone Peter Mattei, who is widely recognized as one of the world's foremost interpreters of the title role. South African soprano Elza van den Heever returns to the Met for the first time since her acclaimed debut two seasons ago as Queen Elizabeth I in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda. In Don Giovanni, she takes on the demanding role of Donna Anna, who seeks to exact revenge on the infamous rake who has killed her father. British sopranoEmma Bell returns as the lovelorn Donna Elvira and young American mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey adds a new role to her Met repertory as the ingenue Zerlina. Russian tenor Dmitry Korchak makes his Met debut as Anna's patient fiance, Don Ottavio, and Italian bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni returns as Don Giovanni's comic sidekick, Leporello, a role that won him plaudits at the 2011 premiere of this production by Michael Grandage. Czech bass-baritone Adam Plachetka makes his Met debut as Masetto, and veteran James Morris sings the role of the Commendatore, following his triumph as Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg earlier this season. Sets and costume designs are by Christopher Oram, lighting by Paule Constable, and choreography by Ben Wright. At the final performance on March 6, Jennifer Check will sing Donna Elvira, and Ievgen Orlov will sing the Commendatore.

San Francisco Opera Center and the Merola Opera Program present the 33rd season of the Schwabacher Debut Recitals, beginning February 8, 2015 with soprano Erin Johnson and pianist Sun Ha Yoon at Temple Emanu-El's Martin Meyer Sanctuary in San Francisco.

Serrano NY, LLC is thrilled to present the World Premiere of SERRANO THE MUSICAL, book and lyrics by Madeline Sunshine, music by Robert Tepper, musical direction by Jeff Rizzo (Sunset Blvd. The Wizard of Oz), choreography by Peggy Hickey (A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder) and directed by Tony nominee Joel Zwick (Dance With Me, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'). SERRANO THE MUSICAL will begin previews on Thursday, January 8, 2015 and will open tonight, January 16 at 8pm and run through Sunday, March 29 at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood.

Serrano NY, LLC is thrilled to present the World Premiere of SERRANO THE MUSICAL, book and lyrics by Madeline Sunshine, music by Robert Tepper, musical direction by Jeff Rizzo (Sunset Blvd. The Wizard of Oz), choreography by Tony nominee Peggy Hickey (A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder) and directed by Tony nominee Joel Zwick (Dance With Me, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding').

?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.

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.

Serrano NY, LLC is thrilled to present the World Premiere of SERRANO THE MUSICAL, book and lyrics by Madeline Sunshine, music by Robert Tepper, musical direction by Jeff Rizzo (Sunset Blvd. The Wizard of Oz), choreography by Tony nominee Peggy Hickey (A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder) and directed by Tony nominee Joel Zwick (Dance With Me, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding').

On Monday, November 17, 2014 at 10:00 p.m., New York Festival of Song presents a special NYFOS After Hours celebrating the record release of CANCIÓN AMOROSA: SONGS OF SPAIN with Corinne Winters and Steven Blier. The album is released the same day on GPR Records, distributed by Naxos.

JCC Manhattan presents PREformances with Allison Charney on Monday, November 17th at 12:30pm.

Come along with brothers Wirt and Greg on their puzzling adventures filled with twists and turns, friends and foes. Cartoon Network's first animated miniseries Over The Garden Wall will premiere over five consecutive nights beginning tonight, November 3 at 7pm ET/PT.

JCC Manhattan launches the sixth season of PREformances with Allison Charney on Monday, October 20th at 12:30pm.

On Monday, November 17, 2014 at 10:00 p.m., New York Festival of Songpresents a special NYFOS After Hours celebrating the record release ofCANCIÓN AMOROSA: SONGS OF SPAIN with Corinne Winters and Steven Blier. The album is released the same day on GPR Records, distributed by Naxos.

Come along with brothers Wirt and Greg on their puzzling adventures filled with twists and turns, friends and foes. Cartoon Network's first animated miniseries Over The Garden Wall will premiere over five consecutive nights beginning Monday, November 3 at 7pm ET/PT.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Joseph Kaiser will no longer be participating in the Sunday, September 21st performance of Voce: Rising Opera Stars in Recital. Paul Appleby (tenor) and Andrew Garland (baritone) will be joining Julia Bullock (soprano) and pianist, Steven Blier for the afternoon featuring French and American repertories.

THE MET: LIVE IN HD's 'Summer Encores' series presents Puccini's bittersweet romance LA RONDINE. The production returns with opera stars Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna tonight, June 25 at 7 p.m.* (*check local theaters for dates and times). Scroll down for a sneak peek at the production!

THE MET: LIVE IN HD's 'Summer Encores' series presents Puccini's bittersweet romance LA RONDINE. The production returns with opera stars Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna on Wednesday, June 25 at 7 p.m.* (*check local theaters for dates and times). Scroll down for a sneak peek at the production!

Lyric Opera general director Anthony Freud today announced that Jane Lynch, the Emmy-winning actress acclaimed for portraying coach Sue Sylvester on the hit television series Glee, will serve as master of ceremonies for Lyric Opera of Chicago's 60th Anniversary Concert, November 1, 2014, at 6:30 pm at the Civic Opera House.

One of the world's most innovative and respected architects, Jeanne Gang, and her firm Studio Gang Architects (studiogang.net), are designing a new concert shell for Lyric Opera of Chicago. The shell will be used for the first time at Lyric's 60th Anniversary Concert, which takes place at the Civic Opera House on November 1, 2014, at 6:30 pm.

The Music Institute of Chicago, now in its 84th year, hosts its annual gala Monday, May 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 East Delaware Place. The oldest community music school in Illinois and one of the three largest community music schools in the nation, the Music Institute is planning a celebratory evening highlighted by the presentation of the Dushkin Award to conductor, composer, and pianist Andre Previn.