Stephen Wadsworth News

As part of the "Seattle Celebrates Bernstein" festival, Seattle Opera will present "Collaborating with Bernstein," a panel discussion moderated by General Director Speight Jenkins and featuring composer Daron Aric Hagen and stage directors Stephen Wadsworth and Peter Kazaras - a group of artists who joined forces with Leonard Bernstein and lived to tell the tale.

Rossini's rarely performed Armida has its Met premiere on April 12 with a gala performance of Mary Zimmerman's new production. Renowned soprano Renée Fleming stars as the mythological sorceress, Armida, one of the greatest virtuoso roles from the bel canto repertory. Fleming is joined by Lawrence Brownlee, who sings Armida's chief love interest, Rinaldo, and five more tenors in the roles of the crusader knights. José Manuel Zapata portrays Rinaldo's deadly rival Gernando.

The Kennedy Center will end its run of Golden Age, a new play by Terrence McNally, on April 4th. Following its world premiere with the Philadelphia Theatre Company ran in the Kennedy Center Family Theater as part of Terrence McNally's Nights at the Opera, a five-week event featuring three of the playwright's works performed concurrently on three Kennedy Center stages.

Rubicon Theatre Company continues its 2009-2010 Season with a revival of BETH HENLEY's Pulitzer Prize-winning play CRIMES OF THE HEART. Set in Mississippi in 1974 (five years after Hurricane Camille), this sweet, sexy comedy follows the travails of the three Magrath sisters, who come together at the family home in Hazelhurst when the youngest Babe is charged with shooting her husband 'cause she didn't like his looks.'

As the Helen Hayes Awards ceremony on April 5th honors performances and productions from the past year, DC theatergoers will be hearing two gorgeous scores by Jason Robert Brown and Jeanine Tesori, and seeing a new opera about a boxer, a splashing pool on stage, Tyne Daley as diva Maria Callas, Maurice Hines tapping his way on the Lincoln Theatre stage, Mrs. Robinson seducing Benjamin, a red balloon thrilling young audiences, Harvey Fierstein wishing he was a rich man, tales and songs from a Scottish Jewish composer, a new children's show with lots of princesses, a little musical with the title in [ ], a triumphant mounting of a short-lived Broadway musical, and a wordless Kafka classic performed in Georgian style. The crocuses, cherry blossoms, and azaleas will be in full bloom, as the nation's capital will be awash in beautiful colors. It's the perfect time to visit and see some great shows in our DC area theatres.

The Kennedy Center today announced additional casting for Terrence McNally's Master Class. Joining the previously announced Tyne Daly as Maria Callas is Jeremy Cohen as Manny, Laquita Mitchell as Second Soprano (Sharon), Ta'u Pupu'a as Tenor (Tony), and Alexandra Silber as First Soprano (Sophie).

Pacific Stages Ovation recommended production of "Lobby Hero," by award winning writer Kenneth Lonergan will end its run March 21st.

The Kennedy Center today announced casting for Terrence McNally's The Lisbon Traviata. The play will star Malcolm Gets as Stephen, John Glover as Mendy, and Chris Hartl as Paul and will run March 20 to April 11, 2010 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.

Pacific Stages will follow up their debut production of Lobby Hero with the world premiere of Something Happened, by award-winning playwright L. Trey Wilson. Something Happened runs April 1 through May 16 at Pacific Stages in El Segundo and will be directed by L. Trey Wilson. The press opening begins April 8 and there will be an opening reception Saturday, April 10.

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

In the weeks leading up to the world premiere of Amelia, Seattle Opera will present a variety of panel discussions, lectures, and other special events designed to provide unique insight into the development of this new work and reach out to new communities with particular ties to the opera's story and themes.

The Kennedy Center today announced the casting for Golden Age, a new play by Terrence McNally. Following its world premiere with the Philadelphia Theatre Company, the production will run March 12 to April 4, 2010 in the Kennedy Center Family Theater as part of Terrence McNally's Nights at the Opera, a five-week event featuring three of the playwright's works performed concurrently on three Kennedy Center stages.

In the weeks leading up to the world premiere of Amelia, Seattle Opera will present a variety of panel discussions, lectures, and other special events designed to provide unique insight into the development of this new work and reach out to new communities with particular ties to the opera's story and themes.

Pacific Stages Ovation recommended production of "Lobby Hero," by award winning writer Kenneth Lonergan has been extended through March 21.

California Stage of Sacramento will be presenting the Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill musical, The Threepenny Opera, begining February 5th. This classic show tells the story of what happens when the banks get richer and the poor get poorer. The musical incorporates the tale of the doomed love affair of Mac Heath, London's reining thief, and Polly Peachum, the deceptively sweet daughter of a successful businessman who specializes in human misery and controls the city's beggars. Based loosely on John Gay's much earlier Beggars' Opera, it is filled with betrayals, schemes, revenge, reversals of fortune, and Weill's famously dissonant score.

Seven new productions, including two company premieres and the first two parts of a new Ring cycle, featuring many of the world's greatest singers and conductors, will highlight the Metropolitan Opera's 2010-11 season.

California Stage of Sacramento will be presenting the Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill musical, The Threepenny Opera, begining February 5th. This classic show tells the story of what happens when the banks get richer and the poor get poorer. The musical incorporates the tale of the doomed love affair of Mac Heath, London's reining thief, and Polly Peachum, the deceptively sweet daughter of a successful businessman who specializes in human misery and controls the city's beggars. Based loosely on John Gay's much earlier Beggars' Opera, it is filled with betrayals, schemes, revenge, reversals of fortune, and Weill's famously dissonant score.

The Kennedy Center today announced additional casting for Terrence McNally's Master Class. Joining the previously announced Tyne Daly as Maria Callas is Jeremy Cohen as Manny, Laquita Mitchell as Second Soprano (Sharon), Ta'u Pupu'a as Tenor (Tony), and Alexandra Silber as First Soprano (Sophie).

The Kennedy Center today announced casting for Terrence McNally's The Lisbon Traviata. The play will star Malcolm Gets as Stephen, John Glover as Mendy, and Chris Hartl as Paul and will run March 20 to April 11, 2010 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.