Anna Christie (World Premiere Recording) 2019

Anna Christie is a story of survival that explores family, forgiveness and fierce feminism long before its time. This new and vibrant musical interpretation is evocative of old New York, while straddling both the dramatic leitmotifs of opera and the immediacy and forward momentum of musical theatre writing. Through the adapted words of Eugene O'Neill, composer Edward Thomas and librettist Joseph Masteroff breathe new musical life into this Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Following the successful world premiere stage production by Encompass New Opera Theatre as directed by Nancy Rhodes in October 2018, music director Julian Wachner, NOVUS NY and the original cast gathered for two days at Bunker Studio in Brooklyn with legendary producer Thomas Z. Shepard to record this dynamic score.

The creative team for Anna Christie includes Grammy nominee Edward Thomas (Composer), Tony Award winner Joseph Masteroff (Librettist), Grammy nominee Julian Wachner (Conductor), NOVUS NY (Orchestra), twelve time Grammy winner Thomas Z. Shepard (Producer), and features Melanie Long (Prototype Festival, Oslo Opera) as Anna Christie, Frank Basile (Metropolitan Opera) as Chris Christopherson, Jonathan Estabrooks (Carnegie Hall, Seattle Symphony) as Mat Burke, Joy Hermalyn (Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music Live!) as Marthy Owens and Mike Pirozzi (All About Walken, The Boychick Affair!) as Larry the Bartender. Anna Christie is directed by Encompass New Opera Theatre Artistic Director Nancy Rhodes.