Steven Blier News

The NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG continues its 25th anniversary season, honoring two of the 20th century's greatest balladeers in JACQUES BREL & CHARLES TRENET: Fire and Fantasy tonight, February 19 at 8:00PM at Merkin Concert Hall.

The NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG concludes its 2012-13 Merkin Concert Hall season with its annual showcase featuring four of the nation's most promising young artists, performing music by some of the great Scandinavian composers in SONG OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN on Tuesday, March 12 at 8:00PM at Merkin Concert Hall.

Wolf Trap Opera Company, one of America's top residency programs for emerging opera professionals, announces its 2013 summer season and the line-up of Filene Young Artists and Studio Artists. The diverse roster includes 36 up-and-coming singers selected in a comprehensive nationwide audition tour. The season will feature three new productions, including Verdi's masterpiece La traviata (July 19). The Company, joined by the National Symphony Orchestra, will celebrate the composer's bicentennial birthday with a new production featuring a video projection-based scenic design created specifically for the Filene Center, Wolf Trap's outdoor amphitheater. This is the first Wolf Trap Opera Company produced La traviata at the Filene Center since 1977 and was made possible in part through generous philanthropic support from Wolf Trap Foundation Board member Dan D'Aniello and his wife, Gayle, as well as through the generosity of other loyal Wolf Trap Opera Company supporters. The Company will also present original productions of Rossini's The Journey to Reims (June 21, 23, 29) and Verdi's Falstaff (August 9, 11, 14, 17) at its summer home, The Barns at Wolf Trap.

The NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG continues its 25th anniversary season, honoring two of the 20th century's greatest balladeers in JACQUES BREL & CHARLES TRENET: Fire and Fantasy on Tuesday, February 19 at 8:00PM at Merkin Concert Hall.

NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG-the group that "charms audiences with programs that combine meticulous research with an infectious strain of vocal hedonism" (The New York Times)-will mark its eighth annual co-presentation with Juilliard's Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts with a program titled A NIGHT AT THE OPERETTA to be performed on Wednesday, January 16 at 8:00PM in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

The NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG (NYFOS) presents a new program entitled Women, tonight, December 4 at 8:00PM at Merkin Concert Hall. One of the highlights of its 2012-2013 season, this will be an evening exploring the lives of women, narrated both in their own words, and also observed through the eyes of men.

Tonight, November 13 at 7:00pm, New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) opens a new season of its contemporary music mini-series NYFOS Next with CARLA KIHLSTEDT & FRIENDS at Mary Flagler Cary Hall in the DiMenna Center for Classical Music.

The NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG (NYFOS) presents a new program entitled Women, on Tuesday, December 4 at 8:00PM at Merkin Concert Hall. One of the highlights of its 2012-2013 season, this will be an evening exploring the lives of women, narrated both in their own words, and also observed through the eyes of men.

On Tuesday, November 13 at 7:00pm, New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) opens a new season of its contemporary music mini-series NYFOS Next with CARLA KIHLSTEDT & FRIENDS at Mary Flagler Cary Hall in the DiMenna Center for Classical Music.

On September 24th, pianist Steven Blier headlined a benefit concert at the New York Botanical Gardens to raise funds for FSH Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD). The most common form of muscular dystrophy, FSHD has left Blier unable to walk. Sharing the stage with him was his friend Kelli O'Hara, the multi Tony award-nominated singer and actress who has entranced audiences in such Broadway hits as South Pacific, The Pajama Game and, currently, Nice Work If You Can Get It. At the benefit event, the pair captivated the crowd with Gershwin, Sondheim and other classics from the American songbook, but they also had an urgent message to deliver through a new video, which appears below.

The NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG opens its 2012-2013 season amidst election fever with a semi-staged political musical theater satire, MR. GERSHWIN GOES TO WASHINGTON, on Saturday, October 20 at 8:00PM at Merkin Concert Hall.

Broadway to Main Street has announced the following upcoming events, including appearances from Emily Bergl, Mary Testa, Marc Kudisch and more.

Peter Dinklage (GAME OF THRONES) emceed a sold-out benefit for The Play Company on Monday, April 30 at the American Airlines Theatre in Manhattan. Among those who attended CABARET GOURMET 2012 were Dinklage's wife Erica Schmidt, who directed Play Co's Obie Award-winning production of Jonas Khemiri's play INVASION!, along with producer Ruth Hendel (FELA!), The Play Company's Founding Producer Kate Loewald and Executive Producer Lauren Weigel. Lauren Worsham (CANDIDE, WHERE'S CHARLEY?) performed. See photos of Dinklage, Schmidt, Lauren Worsham, Ruth Hendel and Andrew Gerle at the event below!

Off-Broadway's The Play Company will feature a cornucopia of food prepared by some of NYC's top chefs at its 9th annual benefit gala CABARET GOURMET 2012, set for tonight, April 30th at 7PM at the American Airlines Theatre Penthouse (227 West 42nd Street). Lauren Worsham, who most recently appeared as Amy in the City Center Encores! production of Where's Charley, will perform. Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Peter Dinklage ("Game of Thrones") will serve as emcee for the event.

Off-Broadway's The Play Company will feature a cornucopia of food prepared by some of NYC's top chefs at its 9th annual benefit gala CABARET GOURMET 2012, set for Monday, April 30th at 7PM at the American Airlines Theatre Penthouse (227 West 42nd Street). Lauren Worsham, who most recently appeared as Amy in the City Center Encores! production of Where's Charley, will perform. Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Peter Dinklage ("Game of Thrones") will serve as emcee for the event.

We have the rehearsal footage of Harold Arlen's songs included in the NYFOS' OVER THE RAINBOW Gala on April 2 at 7pm at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Watch the video below!

NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG announces its spring gala, a beloved evening of extraordinary singing and celebration, OVER THE RAINBOW: A GALA EVENING OF HAROLD ARLEN SONG on Monday, April 2 at 7:00PM in Weill Recital Hallat Carnegie Hall, to be followed by supper at the 21 Club, 21 West 52nd Street.

We have the rehearsal footage of Harold Arlen's songs included in the NYFOS' OVER THE RAINBOW Gala on April 2 at 7pm at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Watch the video below!

NEW YORK FESTIVAL OF SONG announces its spring gala, a beloved evening of extraordinary singing and celebration, OVER THE RAINBOW: A GALA EVENING OF HAROLD ARLEN SONG on Monday, April 2 at 7:00PM in Weill Recital Hallat Carnegie Hall, to be followed by supper at the 21 Club, 21 West 52nd Street.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announced yesterday 35 new shows to its summer schedule at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Tickets are on sale now to members and go on sale Saturday, March 24 at 10am to the public.