Stephanie Blythe News

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, has announced that it has awarded grants to 10 opera companies and four teams of artists through two funding programs: The Opera Fund: Repertoire Development and the Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase. These grants support the production of new North American opera and help develop the careers of promising directors and designers, respectively.

Live From Lincoln Center's winter and spring broadcast season kicks off with a special concert from Lincoln Center's 2013 American Songbook series celebrating the legendary songwriting duo of John Kander and Fred Ebb. The broadcast, "RingThem Bells! Rob Fisher Celebrates Kander & Ebb," is hosted by Audra McDonald and will air on PBS stations on Friday, February 15, 2013, at 9 p.m. (ET) (check local listings).

Elena Manistina will make her Met debut as Azucena in the Saturday, January 19 evening performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore, replacing Stephanie Blythe, who is ill.

Live From Lincoln Center, the award-winning series celebrating live performance at the world's largest performing arts center, will expand its 2013 broadcast season to a total of nine programs. Live From Lincoln Center's winter and spring broadcasts are: 'Ring Them Bells! Rob Fisher Celebrates Kander & Ebb', 'Kristin Chenoweth: The Dames of Broadway...All of 'Em!!!', Josh Groban, 'Stephanie Blythe: We'll Meet Again - The Songs of Kate Smith', Carousel and Audra McDonald.

According to an Equity castng notice, the New York Philharmonic's staged production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel (February 27-March 2, 2013) will feature choreography by Warren Carlyle. The evening will feature Kelli O'Hara as Julie Jordan, Nathan Gunn as Billy Bigelow, Stephanie Blythe as Nettie Fowler, and Alexander Gemignani as Enoch Snow. The production will be directed by John Rando, replacing the previously announced James Brennan due to scheduling conflicts, and conducted by Rob Fisher.

Angela Meade will sing the role of Leonora in tomorrow afternoon's performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore, replacing Patricia Racette, who is ill. The performance will be broadcast worldwide over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera Radio Network. As previously scheduled, Meade will also sing the role on Wednesday, January 16.

The Opera Orchestra of New York presents an opera-in-concert performance of Umberto Giordano's verismo opera, Andrea Chénier conducted by Music Director Alberto Veronesi at Avery Fisher Hall today, January 6, 2013 at 4:00 pm. Tenor Roberto Alagna sings the title role of Andrea Chénier, one of opera's most dramatic lyric-tenor roles, for the first time, with soprano Kristin Lewis as Maddalena di Coigny, baritone George Petean as Carlo Gérard, with a special appearance by mezzo soprano Rosalind Elias as Madelon.

Under General Director Speight Jenkins' 30 years of leadership, Seattle Opera has become known as "America's Bayreuth," drawing worldwide audiences to its acclaimed productions of all of Richard Wagner's major works, especially to the company's signature work, Wagner's ambitious four-opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen. To date, opera-goers from 22 countries and all 50 states (plus the District of Columbia) have purchased tickets for Seattle Opera's 2013 Ring.

One of America's most revered Broadway and cabaret stars-she was a favorite chanteuse of the Algonquin Hotel's late, lamented Oak Room and an original cast member of the Great White Way's production of Nine-performs songs from her sparkling career in the spotlight.

The Opera Orchestra of New York presents an opera-in-concert performance of Umberto Giordano's verismo opera, Andrea Chénier conducted by Music Director Alberto Veronesi at Avery Fisher Hall on Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 4:00 pm. Tenor Roberto Alagna sings the title role of Andrea Chénier, one of opera's most dramatic lyric-tenor roles, for the first time, with soprano Kristin Lewis as Maddalena di Coigny, baritone George Petean as Carlo Gérard, with a special appearance by mezzo soprano Rosalind Elias as Madelon.

The Collegiate Chorale announces its upcoming performance with the American Symphony Orchestra, Beatrice di Tenda by Vincenzo Bellini tonight, December 5, 2012 at 6pm at Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Avenue, NYC. Tickets start at $12.50 and are available at www.carnegiehall.org.

On Saturday, December 8, at 1pm, The Met: Live in HD series continues at the Warner's Nancy Marine Studio Theatre witha new production of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera.

Two operas by Giuseppe Verdi will be simulcast live on the Peterborough Players big screen on two successive Saturdays at 1:00 pm: a new production of Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball) on December 8; and Aida on December 15.

The New York Philharmonic has announced casting details for its staged production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel, February 27-March 2, 2013. The evening will feature Kelli O'Hara as Julie Jordan, Nathan Gunn as Billy Bigelow, Stephanie Blythe as Nettie Fowler, and Alexander Gemignani as Enoch Snow. The production will be directed by John Rando, replacing the previously announced James Brennan due to scheduling conflicts, and conducted by Rob Fisher.

Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi will lead his first Met performances of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera, in a new production by renowned opera director David Alden, beginning tonight, November 8. The staging is the first of two new Verdi productions in the current Met season, which includes seven operas by the great composer in honor of the 200th anniversary of his birth.

Seattle Opera's critically acclaimed production of Wagner's four-opera epic Der Ring des Nibelungen returns for three cycles in August 2013. Online ticket sales to the general public will begin on Monday, November 12, at 9 a.m. Phone and in-person sales will begin on Thursday, November 15. Fans of Seattle Opera on Facebook may secure tickets early, beginning November 8.

Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi will lead his first Met performances of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera, in a new production by renowned opera director David Alden, beginning November 8. The staging is the first of two new Verdi productions in the current Met season, which includes seven operas by the great composer in honor of the 200th anniversary of his birth.

The 2013 Lincoln Center American Songbook series has just been announced via the New York Times.

The Collegiate Chorale announces its encore performance with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra of Arnold Schoenberg's Kol Nidre and Israeli composer Noam Sheriff's Mechaye Hametim (Revival of the Dead), which they performed this summer at the Salzburg Festival. Tonight's October 25 performance will be the New York premiere of Mechaye Hametim.

The Collegiate Chorale announces its upcoming performance with the American Symphony Orchestra, Beatrice di Tenda by Vincenzo Bellini on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 6pm at Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Avenue, NYC. Tickets start at $12.50 and are available at www.carnegiehall.org.