NYC Opera Blog: Blog

It's National Opera Week!

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:35:51 GMT

This week, opera companies across America are celebrating National Opera Week. For our part in this celebration, City Opera will be dedicating all performances ...

The Reviews are Pouring In

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:28:18 GMT

The reviews for our Fall productions of Esther and Don Giovanni are pouring in. You can access them all in one place in our pressroom. If you have any reviews or comments about these productions please post them on our Facebook ...

The Don Giovanni Cast Guide to Surviving Cold & Flu Season

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:23:00 GMT

With all the changes in the weather lately, it seems like everyone in New York is reaching for tissues and hand sanitizer. But although we all may get a bit fidgety when the person sitting next to us on the subway starts coughing or ...

20 (Plus) Questions with Joyce DiDonato

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:14:00 GMT

Joyce DiDonato Playbill Arts recently interviewed Joyce DiDonato, who will be appearing here next week in our American Voices concert. Click here to read the ...

Join the Vintage Revolution October 28th

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:54:41 GMT

Greetings Shoppers! It's Dame Lori, writing in to report that October is the Spookiest Month for us at City Opera Thrift Shop...there is so much scary great fun going on. Last week we celebrated with The Costume Event--what an ...

NYCO in the News - Week of 10/23/09

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:29:32 GMT

We're less than two weeks away from opening night, and everyone's abuzz! Check out what the press is saying about New York City Opera this week: City Opera and City Ballet Reconcile as Roommates What Audiences Won't ...

For City Opera Costumes, Lofty New Roles

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:39:00 GMT

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times The New York Times published an article yesterday about artist E.V. Day's installation, which will be on view in the David H. Koch theater throughout our fall and spring seasons. ...

Where the Wild Things Are

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:41:00 GMT

Where the Wild Things Are, 1987 It's hard not to get a little nostalgic for your childhood with all of the trailers running for the new movie of Where the Wild Things Are, opening this weekend. Certain childhood books, ...

Clown on Wire

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:30:00 GMT

The next tenor to approach Canio in Pagliacci could learn a thing or two from Bello Nock. The star clown of the Big Apple Circus performed a "skywalk" high-wire stunt yesterday from the portico of the David H. Koch theater to the roof of Avery ...

Additional Performance of Esther Added

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:12:58 GMT

Due to a high demand for Esther, we are very excited to be adding a performance on Tuesday, November 17th at 8pm. For tickets and information, click ...

Beverly Sills Estate to be Auctioned

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:46:10 GMT

Doyle New York will be holding an auction of Beverly Sills' Estate next Wednesday, October 7th. Beverly loved to shop for art and antiques, and a number of the items up for sale were purchased while on tour with New York City Opera or ...

New Esther Podcast with Charles Kondek

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:58:11 GMT

We've posted a new episode of this Moment in Opera with special guest Charles Kondek, notable playwright and librettist of Esther. Listen here or subscribe to This Moment in Opera on Itunes to ...

Perusing the News this Week

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:58:00 GMT

Broadwayworld.com recently wrote about our Exploding Couture exhibit by artist E.V. Day. In this piece, "a series of dynamic sculptures made from a selection of vintage City Opera costumes and costume accessories will be dramatically ...

The Pianos are Multiplying

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:38:00 GMT

Run-ins happen all the time around the Koch Theater, especially now that our artists and rehearsal staff are returning to get ready for the fall season. Still, this blogger wasn't expecting my discovery while we were taking ...

Construction Update: September 2009

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:06:39 GMT

According to the countdown clock on the homepage, we're only 44 days from our opening night American Voices concert and gala, making us officially in the home-stretch for the current construction on the David H. Koch theater. There ...

Whats Cooking, George?

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:16:53 GMT

George Steel was recently featured in Edible Manhattan. Read all about tacos, caviar, and the woes of searching for good barbecue in New York by clicking here. George with his son Alexander. Photo by Jennifer ...

Fashion's Night Out at the City Opera Thrift Shop

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:45:04 GMT

Shoppers all over New York City are getting ready for tomorrow night's Fashion's Night Out, a one-night event when many stores will be staying open until 11pm and hosting tons of great activities. Combine your love of shopping and opera in one place ...

Tickets for 09-10 On Sale Now

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:44:55 GMT

Labor Day is over, you've packed away your beach balls and white jeans, and after a quick goodbye to the summer, you're ready to welcome a new season: Opera Season Tickets for American Voices, Esther, Don Giovanni, L'Étoile, ...

Dame Lori at the Thrift Shop

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:10:29 GMT

Hello Shoppers! It's the Dame here, your personal soul stylist reporting from my favorite thrift shop in NYC, (described by Vogue magazine as “the highest quality thrift shop in New York”)... City Opera Thrift Shop, where Opera is Ultra Chic ...

Announcing Auditions for our Associate Chorus

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:33:14 GMT

Attention all singers! We are looking for singers of all voice types to join our Associate Chorus this season. If you've ever dreamed of singing with New York City Opera, here's a great opporutnity. Read the audition announcement ...

New York City Opera in the News

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:13:52 GMT

New York City Opera was featured in the New York Times this weekend. In the article, Anthony Tommasini interviews George Steel and explores our renovations, upcoming season, and plans for the future. Click here to read the ...

New Episode of This Moment in Opera

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:35:06 GMT

A new episode of This Moment in Opera, our podcast series, is now available. Rabbi Jill Hammer joins Cori Ellison to discuss the story of Esther and its relevance today. You can listen to it here or on ...

Getting Your August Opera Fix

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:15:20 GMT

August in New York, though hot as ever, marks the beginning of the end of summer and also tends to be a slow month in the opera world. Caught between the end of summer festivals and the beginning of the major seasons of most houses, it may feel like ...

CATcerto

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:21:18 GMT

Lithuanian conductor, composer, and artist Mindaugas Piečaitis composed and directed this piece, entitled CATcerto for Nora The Piano Cat and orchestra, where Nora, the soloist, was brought in via video. Not exactly ...

Lauren Flanigan in the News

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:20:51 GMT

"Oh a diva's work is never done" --Maury Yeston, Phantom Lauren Flanigan might have gotten a kick out of googling herself yesterday. First, Variety took a look at ...

Construction Update

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:15:19 GMT

Construction is charging ahead here at the David H. Koch Theater. The biggest news this month is that aisles have been created in our orchestra section. The stepped levels first had to be sanded down and then workers ...

NEA Grants Support the Arts in New York

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:13:00 GMT

Last week, Congressman Jerrold Nadler announced that $2.4 million in National Endowment for the Arts Direct Grants would be given to various arts organizations in New York City. We're thrilled to be among the many worthy organizations to ...

Pigoletto

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:10:39 GMT

Got "a case of the Mondays?" Here's a quick cure with the divine Miss Sills in the rarely-seen opera jewel: Pigoletto. Many thanks to our friends at Aria ...

Breaking a Leg

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:02:41 GMT

American mezzo soprano Joyce DiDonato, who sang the role of Sister Helen Prejean in our production of Dead Man Walking a few years ago, broke her leg this weekend during a performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Royal Opera House in ...

Construction Update

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:22:48 GMT

The biggest news around here right now is the construction going on at the David H. Koch Theater (formerly the New York State Theater). It's not every day that a major performing arts venue undergoes such a dramatic makeover, so we'll be updating ...

River To River Recap

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:46:06 GMT

Thanks to all of the amazing fans who braved the rain and came out to our River To River performances last weekend! The three concerts were a great success--even the weather participated, adding a sense of foreboding to La Navarraise with ...

River to River: Magic Flute in Concert

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:00:00 GMT

We kicked-off our three River to River performances yesterday with a one-hour version of The Magic Flute. The warm and sunny evening weather couldn't have been better--a rare treat for New Yorkers these days. We could tell by the number ...

Divas Part 2: The Big Bash

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:36:00 GMT

When the doors opened for the Divas Shop for Opera event on Wednesday night at our Madison Avenue pop-up shop, everything was (miraculously) in place. Even the rain couldn't deter the fashionistas on a mission to have a good ...

Divas is the talk of the town

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:19:00 GMT

What do divas, housewives, and hot dogs have in common? An appearance in the Wall Street Journal blog. Read ...

Divas Part 1: Setup

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:02:00 GMT

Last night New York City Opera raised funds with style at the annual Divas Shop for Opera event. In what was probably the fastest turnaround Madison Avenue has ever seen, our volunteers and staff managed to convert two floors of an empty ...

Busy Week

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:15:00 GMT

Although we miss the excited frenzy of performances here in the Koch Theater, nothing quite compares to the orderly chaos when we have to pack up our singers, instrumentalists, and staff to travel to other venues. As we mentioned earlier, we're ...

River To River: Magic Flute in Rehearsal

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:50:43 GMT

The Queen of the Night's aria is in the halls (and our heads) once again, which can only mean that we're in rehearsals for next week's performance of The Magic Flute with the River To River festival. Here are some pictures from ...

Subscriptions for 09-10 Now on Sale

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:22:57 GMT

Subscriptions for our 2009-2010 season are on sale to the general public. Now you can purchase a subscription to our season online at www.nycopera.com/subscribe. In addition to purchasing online, you can also ask for the help of the friendly folks ...

El Paso Opera names David Grabarkewitz as Artistic and General Director

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:14:00 GMT

El Paso Opera recently appointed our own resident director David Grabarkewitz as their Artistic and General Director. His work here at New York City Opera won a 2008 Emmy award for his staging of Madama Butterfly Live from ...

This Moment in Opera Podcast Episode 10

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:41:35 GMT

This Moment in Opera, our podcast series, is back with a new episode where "Cori and the Georges" (Cori Ellison, George Steel and George Manahan) preview the upcoming 2009-2010 season. Subscribe on Itunes or listen ...

George Steel on WNYC's "Mad About Music"

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:56:00 GMT

George Steel can be heard this week on WNYC's "Mad About Music" with host Gilbert Kaplan talking about some of his favorite recordings. The interview will be available for streaming on Sunday, June 7 at 9pm . Click ...

Amato Opera Closes the Curtain

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:14:03 GMT

Amato Opera Theater (c) Spatch With our mission of spreading a love of opera to the people of New York City and around the world, it would be impossible for us not to notice the work of our kindred spirits Tony and ...

Alceste with Deborah Voigt and the Collegiate Chorale

Thu, 14 May 2009 14:15:45 GMT

The Collegiate Chorale will be presenting Gluck's Alceste in concert with George Manahan, the NYCO Orchestra, and soprano Deborah Voigt on May 26th at the Rose Theater (Jazz at Lincoln Center). The cast is also ...

River To River

Wed, 13 May 2009 11:27:00 GMT

We'll be performing three free concerts around downtown Manhattan this June as part of River To River, New York's largest free summer arts festival. June 25, 2009 7:00pm THE MAGIC FLUTE Rockefeller Park, River ...

Opera on Two Wheels

Tue, 12 May 2009 11:13:31 GMT

George Manahan enjoys his new way to get around Portland Portland Opera has found a new way for visiting artists to get around town--on bikes. An article by Bike Portland shows George Manahan and the cast of Portland Opera's Rigoletto ...

Lincoln Center's West Side Story

Mon, 11 May 2009 09:49:43 GMT

The Daily News posted this article today with a timeline of Lincoln Center in honor of its 50th Anniversary. See how City Opera fits in with Lincoln Center's history: 1966: New York City Opera presents the premiere of "Julius Caesar," the ...

Lincoln Center Turns 50

Fri, 08 May 2009 12:32:30 GMT

This Monday, May 11, Lincoln Center will begin a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary with a special ceremony in the newly-transformed Alice Tully Hall. New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert, acclaimed ...

Intern Report: VOX 2009

Tue, 05 May 2009 09:06:00 GMT

Last weekend NYCO held its Tenth Annual VOX Showcase, with a wide array of contemporary American works. New York City Opera interns Kristina, Dimitri, and Alex give their take on VOX 2009. All three of us really liked Ted Hearne’s Katrina ...

VOX In Rehearsal

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:34:47 GMT

The weather is getting warmer, the birds and flowers are returning to New York, but to the staff of New York City Opera, nothing harkens spring more than the sound of VOX rehearsals. Once again ...

NYC Opera to Begin New Season on High Note

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:54:49 GMT

New York One spoke with George Steel at our Spring Luncheon this week. Click below to see the full report. City Opera to Begin New Season on High ...

What Makes an Opera Fan?

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:09:20 GMT

"...most of the interviewed fans described the intense attraction they felt the first time at the opera house as something explosive that was waiting for them and that they had been waiting for their whole lives." --Benzecry Lately, our ...