William Ferguson News

The Dallas Opera is set to revive—by popular demand—the exciting festivities marking the opening of a new season, known as FIRST NIGHT.

The Dallas Opera has announced that it will revive—by popular demand—the exciting festivities marking the opening of a new season, known as FIRST NIGHT. The one-night-only celebrations presented by NGP Energy Capital Management will take place both inside and outside the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District, on Friday, October 25, 2013 beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a lavish black-tie dinner at 6:00 provided by Puck Catering in a beautifully appointed tent in Sammons Park (located just off the main promenade to the Winspear Opera House).

The Dallas Opera has announced the opening production of their 2013-2014 “By Love Transformed” Season: Georges Bizet's colorful, sensual and passionate 19th century masterpiece, CARMEN, one of the most beloved and popular works in the entire opera canon.

The Dallas Opera is extremely proud to present the opening production of the 2013-2014 'By Love Transformed' Season: Georges Bizet's colorful, sensual and passionate 19th century masterpiece, CARMEN, one of the most beloved and popular works in the entire opera canon. CARMEN opens on Friday, October 25, 2013 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District.

The Dallas Opera, in partnership with the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University, is delighted to introduce the first in a series of new programs hosted by Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny and designed to present informed personal perspectives on the arts.

The Dallas Opera is pleased to announce that “theatrically masterly” (Seattle Times) German/American stage director Chris Alexander, has agreed to stage our season-opening production of Georges Bizet's CARMEN, starring French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine in her American debut. Born in Provo, Utah but a life-long resident of Germany, Alexander recently received critical acclaim for his staging of Seattle Opera's production of Beethoven's Fidelio (Mr. Alexander is a favorite of opera audiences in the Pacific Northwest), as well as Cincinnati Opera's presentation of Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss earlier this summer.

New York City Opera is pleased to announce casting for numerous roles in its 2013-14 productions: Anna Nicole, a co-production with BAM that kicks off the 2013 Next Wave Festival, September 17 - 28 at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House; Johann Christian Bach's Endimione, February 8 - 16, 2014 at El Museo del Barrio; Bluebeard's Castle, a co-production with St. Ann's Warehouse, February 28 - March 15, 2014; and The Marriage of Figaro, April 19 - April 26, 2014 at New York City Center. The Company will announce additional casting soon.

Italian modernist composer Luigi Dallapiccola's serialist opera Il Prigioniero, featuring bass- baritone Gerald Finley as The Prisoner and soprano Patricia Racette (in her Philharmonic debut) as The Mother, highlights the next installment of Gilbert's Playlist - four weeks of programs conducted by Alan Gilbert showcasing themes and ideas that have become a hallmark of the Music Director's tenure - tonight, June 6, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 8 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Italian modernist composer Luigi Dallapiccola's serialist opera Il Prigioniero, featuring bass- baritone Gerald Finley as The Prisoner and soprano Patricia Racette (in her Philharmonic debut) as The Mother, highlights the next installment of Gilbert's Playlist - four weeks of programs conducted by Alan Gilbert showcasing themes and ideas that have become a hallmark of the Music Director's tenure - Thursday, June 6, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 8 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m.

The LA Phil's Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy continues with The Marriage of Figaro with sets designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel and costumes by legendary couturier Azzedine Alaia. Joining Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in this fully staged production is a stellar cast of internationally renowned soloists:

The June broadcasts of The New York Philharmonic This Week - the weekly radio series of concerts and recordings by the New York Philharmonic, hosted by Alec Baldwin - begin with the final program from The Bach Variations: A Philharmonic Festival, with Andras Schiff in his Philharmonic conducting debut and performing as the piano soloist.

The LA Phil's Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy continues with The Marriage of Figaro with sets designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel and costumes by legendary couturier Azzedine Alaia. Joining Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in this fully staged production is a stellar cast of internationally renowned soloists:

She is a beast to an exceptional degree. She is a Don Juan among women. She is insatiable, unnatural and altogether fairly appalling. (Hotel Manager as Judge POWDER HER FACE, Act II, Scene 6: 1955)

New York City Opera opens its spring 2013 season with a new production of Powder Her Face (1995), composed by Thomas Ades (b.1971) to a libretto by Philip Hensher (b. 1965).

New York City Opera opens its spring 2013 season with a new production of Powder Her Face (1995), composed by Thomas Adès (b.1971) to a libretto by Philip Hensher (b. 1965).

New York City Opera opens its spring 2013 season with a new production of Powder Her Face (1995), composed by Thomas Ades (b.1971) to a libretto by Philip Hensher (b. 1965). The world premiere of the opera, inspired by a sex scandal that rocked Britain in the early 60s, not only caused controversy, with its on-stage depiction of fellatio, but also propelled Ades to international recognition. Reviewing the premiere, The Sunday Times critic Paul Driver called Powder Her Face "one of the most striking new operas I have seen in years," and added, "From the tango of the overture to the tango of the close, one is on the edge of one's seat trying to catch as much as possible of the prolific, fast-altering, vividly etched and instrumentally outrageous detail of a score which is boiling with life."

Song stylist and performance artist Kim Smith is a truly unique performer who brings together the worlds of cabaret and theatre in a wholly idiosyncratic and arrestingly amusing manner. Part Marlene Dietrich, part Eartha Kitt and all Kim Smith, Kim and I recently had the chance to discuss his solo show, MISFIT - what inspired it; what he will be singing; what we can expect from the show - as well as a host of other topics, such as his Australian upbringing, the music and performers who inspire him most, performing in Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and other musicals, as well as other collaborations with director Christian Coulson. Plus, Smith and I take an overview of his favorite current pop artists - many of whom he pays tribute to in his shows, such as Bjork and Robyn - and what elements draw him most in creating his series of surreal solo shows, the most recent being the highly regarded MISFIT, which returns to New York this Sunday. Also, we have first news on his forthcoming solo album and much, much more!

Noël Coward's Bitter Sweet will receive its first fully-staged production since its original run in 1929 when it opens at the Bard SummerScape festival for nine performances August 4 - 14.

Noël Coward's Bitter Sweet will receive its first fully-staged production since its 1929 premiere when it opens on Thursday at the Bard SummerScape festival, running for nine performances between August 4 and Sunday, August 14

Noël Coward's Bitter Sweet will receive its first fully-staged production since its original run in 1929 when it opens at the Bard SummerScape festival for nine performances August 4 - 14.