Maria, Maria 2006 - Articles Page 20

Eight new productions, four of which are company premieres, will highlight the Metropolitan Opera's 2009-10 season. General Manager Peter Gelb and Music Director James Levine jointly announced plans that include: the Met premieres of Rossini's Armida, Verdi's Attila, Jan?ček's From the House of the Dead, and Shostakovich's The Nose; new productions of Bizet's Carmen, Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Thomas's Hamlet, and Puccini's Tosca; and 18 revivals from the company's repertory. The season is the first to be entirely planned under Gelb's leadership, in collaboration with Levine (the past three seasons were planned before Gelb became General Manager in 2006-07 but included some productions, repertoire, and casting changes made by Gelb).

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch will lead the New York Philharmonic in New York Moments, a concert featuring iconic musical moments from Broadway and film, with stars from the stage and screen (in alphabetical order): Ashley Brown, who originated the title role in Mary Poppins on Broadway; Maria Friedman, who played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Marian in The Woman in White in London; Joel Grey, whose numerous starring roles have included the famous M.C. in Cabaret, on Broadway and in the film; Jennifer Holliday, one of the original Dreamgirls; Liza Minnelli, last seen on Broadway in Liza's at The Palace; Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot, stars of the current Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific; and 15-year-old up-and-coming singer, Nikki Yanofsky. The concert will take place Monday, April 20, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. All except Mr. Hamlisch and Ms. O'Hara are making their New York Philharmonic debuts.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to announce the full cast for the upcoming New York premiere of Distracted, by Lisa Loomer, directed by Mark Brokaw. Distracted will begin previews on Saturday, February 7th and open officially on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street).

Maria Guleghina and Pl?cido Domingo star in Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur, which opens at the Metropolitan Opera on February 6 with Domingo returning to sing the role of his Met debut 40 years ago. Guleghina sings Adriana, the famous actress in love with the military hero Maurizio, sung by Domingo. Olga Borodina sings the Principessa di Bouillon, Adriana's rival for Maurizio's affections, and Roberto Frontali is Adriana's faithful friend Michonnet. Marco Armiliato conducts all performances, and Marcello Giordani sings the role of Maurizio on February 17. All the principal singers other than Domingo are performing their roles for the first time at the Met. Mark Lamos stages this revival, with set designs by C.M. Cristini after sketches by Camillo Paravicini and costume designs by Ray Diffen with additional costumes by Jane Greenwood. Lighting design is by Duane Schuler and choreography by Sergei Gritsai.

Kerry Ellis is to hang up her broomstick and swap her career-changing, award-winning role as green witch Elphaba in the hit musical 'Wicked' for a series of intimate shows celebrating the very best British music from the worlds of theatre, film and pop.

Maria Guleghina and Pl?cido Domingo star in Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur, which opens at the Metropolitan Opera on February 6 with Domingo returning to sing the role of his Met debut 40 years ago. Guleghina sings Adriana, the famous actress in love with the military hero Maurizio, sung by Domingo. Olga Borodina sings the Principessa di Bouillon, Adriana's rival for Maurizio's affections, and Roberto Frontali is Adriana's faithful friend Michonnet. Marco Armiliato conducts all performances, and Marcello Giordani sings the role of Maurizio on February 17. All the principal singers other than Domingo are performing their roles for the first time at the Met. Mark Lamos stages this revival, with set designs by C.M. Cristini after sketches by Camillo Paravicini and costume designs by Ray Diffen with additional costumes by Jane Greenwood. Lighting design is by Duane Schuler and choreography by Sergei Gritsai.

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch will lead the New York Philharmonic in New York Moments, a concert featuring iconic musical moments from Broadway and film, with stars from the stage and screen (in alphabetical order): Ashley Brown, who originated the title role in Mary Poppins on Broadway; Maria Friedman, who played Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Marian in The Woman in White in London; Joel Grey, whose numerous starring roles have included the famous M.C. in Cabaret, on Broadway and in the film; Jennifer Holliday, one of the original Dreamgirls; Liza Minnelli, last seen on Broadway in Liza's at The Palace; Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot, stars of the current Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific; and 15-year-old up-and-coming singer, Nikki Yanofsky. The concert will take place Monday, April 20, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. All except Mr. Hamlisch and Ms. O'Hara are making their New York Philharmonic debuts.

The most successful stage musical of all time, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, will reach an unprecedented milestone when it celebrates its Twenty-First Anniversary on Broadway on Monday, January 26, 2009. On that date, playing its 8,732nd performance at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), it will become the first Broadway production ever to have run 21 years. The longest-running show in Broadway history (a feat it achieved in January 2006 when it surpassed the run of Cats), the musical is the winner of 7 1988 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Since its Broadway debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed $715 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Total New York attendance is at 13 million. Having since surpassed Cats? record by a phenomenal 3 years and 1,200 performances, it has now played over 8,700 performances ? the only show in Broadway history to do so ? and all with no end in sight. As a major vote of confidence in the future of the Broadway production, last August the producers took the extraordinary step of installing a brand-new Digital Sound System (at an investment of $750,000) to bring the production?s sound design technology into the 21s Century. The move followed last May?s successful installation of the same new Digital Sound System into the London production.

San Francisco's cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater announces the extension of the company's current production of Mar?a Irene Forn?s's poetic and penetrating MUD. MUD will extend for an additional week of performance, playing now through February 15 at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at Exit on Taylor, 277 Taylor Street in San Francisco. For tickets ($15-30) and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 800-838-3006. It is 1973 and Mae has just begun to learn how to read; things finally seem to be taking a turn for the better. As she tries to rise above her humble Midwestern origins, Mae must keep the two men in her life, foster brother and former lover Lloyd, and new boyfriend Henry, from dragging her back down. Little does Mae know that the first strong decision she's ever made about her life may be the last decision she will ever make. 'After spending two weeks at the Dialog Festival in Wroclaw, Poland last year, I came back to San Francisco with a new idea about what really good and interesting theater ought to be,' said MUD director Paige Rogers. 'The sense of humanness I experienced, where the audience breathes along with the performance, is such an elemental aspect of theater and something I feel Cutting Ball can give its audience in its new performance space. I am directing Fornes' MUD with this idea, that less is more, and I believe that each audience member will take away something personal and different that will stay with them for a long time.'

The most successful stage musical of all time, the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. production of Andrew Lloyd Webber?s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, will reach an unprecedented milestone when it celebrates its Twenty-First Anniversary on Broadway on Monday, January 26, 2009. On that date, playing its 8,732nd performance at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street), it will become the first Broadway production ever to have run 21 years. The longest-running show in Broadway history (a feat it achieved in January 2006 when it surpassed the run of Cats), the musical is the winner of 7 1988 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Since its Broadway debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed $715 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. Total New York attendance is at 13 million. Having since surpassed Cats? record by a phenomenal 3 years and 1,200 performances, it has now played over 8,700 performances ? the only show in Broadway history to do so ? and all with no end in sight. As a major vote of confidence in the future of the Broadway production, last August the producers took the extraordinary step of installing a brand-new Digital Sound System (at an investment of $750,000) to bring the production?s sound design technology into the 21s Century. The move followed last May?s successful installation of the same new Digital Sound System into the London production.

Theater for the New City presents 'STAY OVER' by Matt Morillo and Maria Micheles, Directed by Matt Morillo. 'STAY OVER' is a dark sex comedy of a couple trying to reconcile after infidelity teaches an important lesson: if you're trying to kiss and make up on a snowy night, don't answer the door buzzer.

Kerry Ellis is to hang up her broomstick and swap her career-changing, award-winning role as green witch Elphaba in the hit musical 'Wicked' for a series of intimate shows celebrating the very best British music from the worlds of theatre, film and pop.

Theater for the New City presents 'STAY OVER' by Matt Morillo and Maria Micheles, Directed by Matt Morillo. 'STAY OVER' is a dark sex comedy of a couple trying to reconcile after infidelity teaches an important lesson: if you're trying to kiss and make up on a snowy night, don't answer the door buzzer.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to announce the full cast for the upcoming New York premiere of Distracted, by Lisa Loomer, directed by Mark Brokaw. Distracted will begin previews on Saturday, February 7th and open officially on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street).

Multi-award-winning leading lady Maria Friedman returns to the West End for one night only to headline this year's instalment of Christmas in New York, the annual celebration of classic carols and seasonal show-stoppers, at the Lyric Theatre on Sunday 7 December 2008, alongside Avenue Q's Julie Atherton, Wicked's Oliver Tompsett and Ashleigh Gray, Spamalot's Michael Xavier and a full supporting cast including Adrian Hansel, Zoe Rainey, Richard Reynard and Lorna Want.

'THE SOUND OF MUSIC' has announced it will be closing on February 21, 2009. The Andrew Lloyd Webber production will be on national tour with Connie Fisher playing the role of Maria. She was the original casting for this role.

Dorothea Roschmann will sing Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni on December 1, 5, 9, 13, and 19, replacing Petra-Maria Schitzer, who has withdrawn. German soprano Roschmann has previously sung three roles at the Met, all in operas by Mozart. Her company debut in 2003 as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro was followed by Pamina in the new production of Die Zauberfl?te directed by Julie Taymor in 2004. Her most recent Met appearances were in 2006 as Ilia in Idomeneo.

Dorothea Roschmann will sing Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni on December 1, 5, 9, 13, and 19, replacing Petra-Maria Schitzer, who has withdrawn. German soprano Roschmann has previously sung three roles at the Met, all in operas by Mozart. Her company debut in 2003 as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro was followed by Pamina in the new production of Die Zauberfl?te directed by Julie Taymor in 2004. Her most recent Met appearances were in 2006 as Ilia in Idomeneo.

LAByrinth Theater Company (John Ortiz, Artistic Director; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Co-Artistic Director; John Gould Rubin, Co- Artistic & Executive Director) opens its alternative festival of free staged readings, Live Nude Plays (November 16-19, 2008).

LAByrinth Theater Company (John Ortiz, Artistic Director; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Co-Artistic Director; John Gould Rubin, Co- Artistic & Executive Director) opens its alternative festival of free staged readings, Live Nude Plays (November 16 ? 19, 2008).

Patrick Barlow's adaptation of The 39 Steps, directed by Maria Aitken, will celebrate its second birthday this month as over 140,000 tickets are released for a new booking period, until 6 September 2009. On 13 October 2008 Tessa Churchard will join current cast members Jo Stone-Fewings, Alan Perrin and Nigel Betts at the Criterion Theatre to play the three female roles - Annabella Schmidt, Pamela and Margaret - in this hilarious 100 minute whodunnit.

Multi-award-winning leading lady Maria Friedman returns to the West End for one night only to headline this year's instalment of Christmas in New York, the annual celebration of classic carols and seasonal show-stoppers, at the Lyric Theatre on Sunday 7 December 2008, alongside Avenue Q's Julie Atherton, Wicked's Oliver Tompsett and Ashleigh Gray, Spamalot's Michael Xavier and a full supporting cast including Adrian Hansel, Zoe Rainey, Richard Reynard and Lorna Want.

Top Broadway performers to sing the music of Larson Award winners Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk in NYMF concert - Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 at 10 PM at the Zipper Factory, 336 W. 37th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues).

Patrick Barlow's adaptation of The 39 Steps, directed by Maria Aitken, will celebrate its second birthday this month as over 140,000 tickets are released for a new booking period, until 6 September 2009.

When Erwin Schrott took on the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni last year at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, The New York Times wrote: 'The surprise was the riveting Giovanni: the seductively handsome young Uruguayan bass Erwin Schrott, who boasts a strong, dusky voice and chiseled physique. Exuding charisma, he galvanized the audience with his unabashedly narcissistic portrayal.' Now Schrott, who sang the role when the Met toured Japan in 2006, is bringing his portrayal to the Met stage for the first time beginning Saturday, September 27.