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Tuesday, June 1, 2010 | 12:51 PM
Hello City Opera Shopping Divas!
So glad to be back, recovered from—and reporting about—our fabulous DIVAS Shop for Opera Event last Thursday. What an intensive shopping and beauty scene. Each time I turned around, I was hugging, styling, searching, and sipping with the best dandies, darlings, designers, and dealers around. Dare I drop a few, ahem, names? There were soooo sooo many . . .
E.V. Day, the installation artist who created 3 hanging DIVAS, wearing a Madama Butterfly-esque open kimono and black lace leggings…the most fun writer ever, Cator Sparks, with Rod Keenan, the legendary hat designer to superstars…Amy Fine Collins, who delightfully hard-bargained with me and the powers that be to buy a gorgeous green Ralph Rucci hammered silk ball gown…Co-chair Michael Bruno, who really enjoyed that I took pleasure in selling all the clothes off my back and is brainstorming an event for us with 1stDibs.com…my inspiration and genius, Robert Verdi, with a friend who bought the hottest full-length mink—perfect condition, of course…Hamish Bowles, seeing, touching, and buying only the best collectibles…the visionary designers threeasFOUR interested in creating costumes…our darling Lorry Newhouse, snatching up Prada and other divine ditties along with her husband Mark Newhouse, who is on my best-dressed list for finding designer duds that fit perfectly (I LOVE when men have their soul-stylin' eye on. LOVE THAT!)…and, of course, our George Steel, Artistic Director of New York City Opera who, after I told him he reminds me of my best friend's brother who went to Choate, admitted his prepster-style secret—J. Press. So cool to know that, right?
DIVAS Shoppers Judy Rabinowitz, The Dame, E.V. Day, and Christina De Limur
Cator Sparks & Rod Keenan stop to chat.
Can you tell that I have a crush on Michael Bruno?
The whole evening--a shopper's dream of retail ecstasy--was assisted by the best volunteer crew imaginable from NYCO and my amazing team of DIVAS Stylists—five fab stylin' beauties who selected and carried frocks and finds, and trudged their tired tootsies all evening long in service to the highest purpose of fashion. And when we were all tuckered out and the lights went down, I took us all out for dinner so that we could chatter and gossip and regale each other with DIVAS stories and our conquests of chicness for our customers. The only people missing from that dinner were Patricia Field and the SATC2 crew!
DIVAS Soul Stylists: Susanne, The Dame, Cathy, Chica, Linda & Ilene!
As great as this party was, I can even top it off for you because . . .the Divine DIVAS shopping scene continues at City Opera Thrift Shop! Yes, indeed . . . it is all available and more (and they do have secret stockpiles at the store) right now. No admission price --the only requirement is a desire to find amazing pieces for barely a breath. I am here to confirm that I was down there yesterday and found the best uptown cocktail frock in hot pink silk from Ildiko New York for $50 plus a brand-new pair of natural leather Kork-Ease (since 1953) sandals for $25—which inspired my new muse, jewelry designer Michele Lerner (specializing in silver and skins), to come back for a second pair after finding hers at Bloomingdale's the day before for $165. She was bedazzled by the high platform to customize and adorn with her designs. That is what I call a classic example of thrift shop collaboration!
Every day is DIVAS down at the shop, attracting the best creative minds from New York City . . . our very own in-house thrift shop style-maker and eyeglass designer extraordinaire, Ashley Blake, found Japanese jeans for $25 (originally $300); Jeffrey Gladstone, who attended DIVAS and then came back, was toting his new huge Roberta Freymann pony-skin satchel while flashing me his new Bruno Magli orange leather sandals—already on his feet. And then, to top it off, I bumped into a very snappy dresser called Tristan, an advertising man who knows luxury, has a website, and was dashing off with his new well-fitted Zegna suit to show off at his next client meeting with—who else? THE Ermenegildo Zegna, of course!
The retail empire has many levels of fine quality to pursue and, as you may not be aware, our dear friend Vogue Magazine knows that we at City Opera are where it’s at for thrift, calling us “the highest quality thrift shop in NYC."
WARNING: City Opera Thrift Shop is filled with DIVAS selections while supplies last so please take advantage of this special time and find yourself a sweet something-something. Who knows? You may even break out into an aria—our balcony has been known to hold a few singing divas turned on by a great purchase.
So, on that high note, here's to more dropping to shopping, more tongue-in-cheekiness and chicness, andwith a huge wink from the Dame, here’s wishing you find the best finds that will catapult your dreams and desires into reality . . . at least for this season, anyway!
Yours in Style & Pleasure,
The Dame
City Opera Thrift Shop
www.CityOperaThriftShop.org
222 East 23rd Street
New York, NY 10010-4605
(212) 684-5344
Open Weekdays 10am-7pm; Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 12pm-5pm
Monday, April 26, 2010 | 3:27 PM
Amelia Watkins (or "Mimi" for short) made her New York City Opera debut in this season’s L'Étoile covering the role of Laoula. Amelia will join us again for our VOX Lab this Friday and Saturday in the presentations of With Blood, With Ink and Acquanetta. She was gracious enough to answer a few questions in another round of “Questions with…”Describe VOX
Necessary exposure for new operas supported by a major opera house.
With Blood, With Ink is about…
The incredible life story of an intellectually gifted 17thcentury nun.
Summarize Acquanetta
B-movie horror actress has run-in with mad scientist and ape.
21st Century Opera is…
What opera is from any century; the ultimate culmination of music & storytelling.
You should come see With Blood, With Ink and Acquanetta because…
I’m an ape and 2 nuns!
Role you most want to play and why:
Today: toss-up between Lulu & Zerbinetta. Tomorrow: another story...
Your diva role model is…
Diana Damrau.
When you are on a date and tell the other person that you are an opera singer, the common reaction is…
Them: Really? But you’re… um… really? Me: You mean I’m not a 7 ft tall scary Viking-woman in horns?
Favorite opera to listen to?
I don’t listen to opera that much at home anymore (gasp!). More likely: Kate Bush, Radiohead, Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Favorite opera to sing?
Of late, Queen of the Night in Magic Flute – 2 arias, 2 minute finale and, done! I’m waiting for a new favorite (offers welcome).
Pre-performance diet?
Sandwich of some kind (usually in dressing room) and apples.
If volcanic ash were to keep you from a visit overseas, where would that be?
My parents live in Singapore, so probably there.
Growing up, did you ever attend a tea party?
Attend?! I have hosted countless tea parties for my stuffed animals, and can be found at Alice’s Tea Cup very frequently. Any excuse for scones and clotted cream!
Album you can’t live without?
Who needs to choose an album when you have an iPod? That I can’t live without!
Secret talent (other than singing!)?
Cooking, yodeling, ukulele playing, skiing.
Worst costume you ever wore?
Midsummer Night’s Dream in college: tie-died pajamas with matching headbands. With a sheepskin vest, I could have been in Hair!
Who would play you in the movie about your life?
Any b-movie actress who has a run-in with an ape & a mad scientist.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | 9:50 AM
Mezzo soprano Ariana Chris has been singing with City Opera since her debut in 2007 as Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana and we’re thrilled to have her back next weekend for VOX, City Opera’s lab showcasing the most promising works of contemporary American Opera. She’ll be pulling double-duty, performing in both David T. Little and Royce Vavrek’s Dog Days as well as Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar. Ariana took a few minutes out of her busy schedule to answer to some questions for the NYCO Blog…In 10 Words or Less…
Describe VOX.
A showcase with the courage to fund and try new music.
Song from the Uproar is about…
the ultimate feminist.
Summarize Dog Days
"The Day After" meets "Alive"
21st Century Opera is…
Fearless exploration of sounds.
You should come see Dog Days and Song from the Uproar because…
You should come see Dog Days and Song from the Uproar because…
Dog Days is music, the way real people talk. Song from the Uproar because it's beautiful sounds of the desert.
Role you most want to play and why?
Rosina. I’ve done all the parts, just want to put it together!
Your diva role model is…
Your diva role model is…
Maria Callas. I'm Greek, people! I can't escape her!
When you are on a date and tell the other person that you are an opera
singer, the common reaction is…
singer, the common reaction is…
"but… you're not fat!"
Favorite opera to listen to?
Lucia di Lammermoor (sung well)
Favorite opera to sing?
Carmen
Pre-performance diet?
Usually a sandwich I grabbed from Starbucks on the way to the dressing room.
If volcanic ash were to keep you from a visit overseas, where would that be?
Greece. Love it there and have gone almost every year of my life!
Growing up, did you ever attend a tea party?
The plastic Disney kind?
Album you can’t live without?
Britney Spears. Turns off my brain.
Secret talent (other than singing)?
Cooking-- not so secret!
Worst costume you ever wore?
Female Pig in Noah's Arc. Hands down. Tears.
Who would play you in the movie about your life?
Eek! Sandra Bullock? In her classic slapstick.
Thursday, March 25, 2010 | 3:24 PM
Want the chance to sing on the stage of the David H. Koch Theater stage at New York City Opera? No, we’re not going to throw you in Cio-Cio San’s kimono for an upcoming performance of Madama Butterfly, but you can enjoy this opportunity as part of our Backstage Tours. These pre-performance tours give you a glimpse into the inner workings of New York City Opera.
Lead by one of our knowledgeable staff members and volunteers, tours are taken on stage where Plácido Domingo inaugurated City Opera’s tenure at Lincoln Center in Don Rodrigo . The tours get the chance to check out the workshops, including the costume area where anyone can examine one of the 40lbs dresses worn by our opera stars (A lucky few may even get to try on a piece or two!).
Already been on the tour? City Opera’s expert tour guide James Daly assures, "No two tours are ever the same." And with the renovations to the theater finally at a close, many more facts about the opera house have surfaced. See if you can answer these questions…
--Why is the theater known as "The Jewelry Box"?
--Which of the several elevators backstage is known lovingly as "The Beverly Sills Elevator"?
--What major delay in the completion of the theater’s original construction was caused by the pair of marble ladies found in the promenade?
--Why is a footprint included in the otherwise pristine work of art known as "Numbers" by Jasper Johns?
--With several million metal beads on the beaded curtains hanging upon the Promenade window, why is there one strand of beads that is only half completed?
Find the answers to these questions and more on the City Opera’s Backstage Tour, Tuesday through Saturday at 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 5:30pm and Sunday at 11:30am. Click here for tickets.
Monday, March 22, 2010 | 9:37 AM
Photographer Gus Powell took a sneak peek backstage at City Opera's current production of Chabrier's L'Étoile. Check out The New Yorker's "Eye on Culture" to see the antics on and off stage of this zany, madcap operetta!
Friday, March 19, 2010 | 8:35 AM
Here we go! Last night, City Opera celeberated the opening of the Spring 2010 season with the first performance of Chabrier's L’Étoile. The performance was followed by the annual Spring Gala and Opera Ball hosted on the Promenade of the David H. Koch Theater. The Spring Gala honored City Opera’s devoted Chairman Susan L. Baker for her outstanding dedication to the company in this role, her strong leadership through challenging times, and for her great friendship to the Opera as both ardent advocate and generous supporter. Kate D. Levin, the City of New York Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs, along with Mark Newhouse, President of the New York City Opera Board, both gave speeches about Ms. Baker’s leadership and dedication to City Opera. The Spring Gala helped raise over $1,000,000! Click here to check out photos from the event.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 | 9:08 AM
City Opera's Erik Gensler speaks with two staff operaphiles about the 2010 Spring Season which includes: a sparkling production of Chabrier’s L’Etoile; the return of the Emmy Award-winning production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, and Handel’s intimate romantic comedy Partenope. Dramaturg Cori Ellison and Director of Music Administration Kevin Murphy provide a behind-the-scenes look at each of these operas - what they are most looking forward to, their favorite moments from each of the opera, and their thoughts on the new and returning artists performing this season. Cori and Kevin also reveal their favorite moments from each of these works.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 | 8:15 AM
"Man’s love is of his life a thing apart; ‘Tis woman’s whole existence." --Lord Byron
On February 17, 1904, Giacomo Puccini premiered his latest work--a two-act opera about a faithful geisha and a reckless American naval officer--at La Scala in Milan to boos and hisses. That work would go on to become the most performed opera in North America according to Opera America.
Today marks the 106th anniversary of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, the story of the trusting Cio-Cio San whose love for the caddish American B.F. Pinkerton ends tragically when their Eastern and Western worlds collide. Puccini actually wrote five versions of the opera before it was completed in 1907; the final version has been performed in opera houses around the world from Argentina to Australia. City Opera will be performing this version in Mark Lamos's Emmy Award-winning production this season March 19-April 18.
Check out this NPR broadcast from the 100th anniversary a few years ago. It includes interviews from famed Cio-Cio San Renata Scotto and Plácido Domingo (who made his New York debut as Pinkerton in City Opera's 1965 production of Butterfly) and talks about the many incarnations the opera has taken over the past century.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 | 8:56 AM
City Opera returns this year to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture to present Opera at the Schomburg Monday February 1st at 7:00 p.m. As part of our Opera Matters program, this is the beginning of a three part series celebrating the great American opera repetoire that celebrates African-American culture.
Opera at the Schomburg will delve into the substantial role of opera in African-American culture, as documented by the Schomburg’s prized collections of rare scores, librettos, images, recordings, films, and documents. City Opera will once again partner with artists from Opera Noire of New York in presenting live excerpts from operas by composers including John Adams, Edward Boatner, Mark Fax, Scott Joplin, Thea Musgrave, Virgil Thomson, and Clarence Cameron White, interspersed with rare visual images, audio, and video clips of such legendary singers as Jules Bledsoe, Ellabelle Davis, Gloria Davy, and Dorothy Maynor, and lively commentary by distinguished guests.
We stopped by the office of Cori Ellison, NYCO's in-house dramaturg and the curator for the events at the Schomburg Center to ask her a few questions...
How did the partnership with the Schomburg Center start?
Cori Ellison: Shortly after becoming City Opera's dramaturg, in 1997, and delving into the company's history, I was struck by our amazing history of nurturing and presenting the work of African-American composers and performers, as far back as 1945, when the great American baritone Todd Duncan made his NYCO debut, and 1949, when NYCO presented Troubled Island by William Grant Still and Langston Hughes as its very first world premiere. Not only was that early in NYCO's history, but at a time when the Civil Rights movement was barely a twinkle in anyone's eye. And that's just the beginning of a long and proud association between NYCO and the African-American community.
Well, this story seemed to be City Opera's best-kept secret, but I felt strongly that we should get that story told. So the idea of presenting an outreach program on the subject was hatched long ago, but they opportunity didn't present itself until last year, when I was charged with creating a free-standing, travelling outreach series to bolster NYCO's presence while our theatre was being renovated. And the Schomburg Center, New York's foremost institution for the study of black culture, just immediately seemed to be the perfect partner. And they are! Last year we co-presented three sold-out events. And we're aiming for the same this year.
This Monday's program focuses on operas found in the Schomburg's own collection. One of the operas featured will be Clarence Cameron White's little-known but powerful opera Ouanga, a story about the Haitian Revolution. Was the decision to include this piece influenced by the recent earthquake in Haiti?
Actually, Ouanga was selected way before the recent tragic events in Haiti. For one thing, it's a great favorite of George Steel, our General Manager and Artistic Director, and a really original and wonderful piece. That said, we're certainly glad to focus more attention on that struggling nation right now, and our excerpt from Ouanga will definitely be performed very much in that spirit.
Following up on this idea, there will also be an excerpt from the opera I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky, a lesser-known piece by John Adams, and also a particularly relevant opera. Can you give us a little background on the piece?
Ironically, it's about an earthquake, the big Northridge earthquake in 1994, and its impact on impoverished minority communities in Los Angeles. Though John Adams is a white composer, the libretto is by June Jordan, the late African-American author and activist, and several of its protagonists are black. We also planned that piece well before the earthquake in Haiti, but we've ended up with a surprisingly topical program.
Also on Monday night's program are excerpts from Scott Joplin's great Treemonisha, Virgil Thomson's Four Saints in Three Acts, and operas by Edward Boatner, known mostly for his arrangements of spirituals, and Mark Fax. And we have a great cast: soprano Donita Volkwijn, mezzo Kendall Gladen, tenor Robert Mack, and baritone Sidney Outlaw, with our Director of Music Administration Kevin Murphy at the piano. I can hardly wait!
Click here to purchase tickets and learn more about these events.
Friday, January 15, 2010 | 11:35 AM
With American Idol returning to the airwaves this month, it’s hard not to notice all of the talent-competition television shows crowding one’s DVR. With every click of the remote, you’re bound to stumble up on some amateur designers competing to create the best outfit/hairstyle/model pose or celebrities dancing to win who knows what. Low and behold, another profession is being tackled by the reality-television world: the opera singer. ITV Studios in London has been commissioned to produce a new reality series entitled Popstar to Operastar. According to WorldScreen.com, “The show will follow eight singers as they transition into the world of opera, with the help of professional mentors Katherine Jenkins and Rolando Villazon. The contestants will perform world-famous opera songs, training in a completely different style than they are used to and also a completely different language. The viewers decide the winner of the show, voting each week for who stays.” Interesting fact: host Rolando Villazon (pictured below) played Rodolfo in the 2000-2001 season production of Puccini’s La Bohème, which was filmed for Live from Lincoln Center. The show is slated to be filmed and released early this year. What do you think? Will they find the next opera star?
Photo by Carol Rosegg
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 | 8:30 AM
Rice Krispies have been a staple of the American breakfast table for years, but have yours ever been accompanied by a famous aria? Check out this commercial from the late 60s where a father laments the loss of his favorite breakfast cereal. You may recognize the tune as the big tenor aria "Vesti la giubba", the first act finale of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, made famous by Enrico Caruso.
The song has been featured in numerous films, television shows, commercials, and video games, anywhere ranging from Seinfeld to Grand Theft Auto.
Monday, December 7, 2009 | 12:02 PM
Who knew New York City Opera could be your stepping stone to an Oscar? Wowing critics and audiences, Anna Kendrick is getting rave reviews and Oscar buzz in her role as the uptight Natalie Keener in the new film Up in the Air costarring George Clooney. Kendrick is no stranger to the theater and opera community, having starred in the cult indie hit Camp and earning a Tony nomination for her performance in Broadway’s High Society. City Opera had the chance to work with Anna in our starry 2003 revival of A Little Night Music (seen here with Claire Bloom). Check out her interview with Moviefone where she discusses her young start on the stage and her budding film career.
Photo by Carol Rosegg
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 | 7:36 AM
Think you've heard every version of the world's most famous aria? Check out this rousing rendition of one of Bizet's most beloved classics!
Monday, November 23, 2009 | 2:14 PM
One couple who attended Jewish Singles Night at Esther are Jewish Singles no more. Darren, an opera lover, took his girlfriend, Tracy, to Jewish Singles Night last Thursday. During the first intermission Darren proposed to Tracy who said "yes." This was their last singles event. Mazel Tov.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 | 9:35 AM
This week, opera companies across America are celebrating National Opera Week. For our part in this celebration, City Opera will be dedicating all performances to this celebratory occasion.
We will pay special tribute to Frank Corsaro, who made his directorial debut with us in 1958, and Julius Rudel, who became the General Director of City Opera in 1957, with a short speech from George Steel on stage prior to the performance of Esther this Thursday. Mr. Corsaro and Mr. Rudel are both recipients of the 2009 National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors.
We will pay special tribute to Frank Corsaro, who made his directorial debut with us in 1958, and Julius Rudel, who became the General Director of City Opera in 1957, with a short speech from George Steel on stage prior to the performance of Esther this Thursday. Mr. Corsaro and Mr. Rudel are both recipients of the 2009 National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors.
Check out these videos about each recipient, including City Opera Dramaturg Cori Ellison's interview about the Julius Rudel era at City Opera.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | 8:28 AM
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 page: http://www.facebook.com/nycopera
Friday, October 30, 2009 | 12:23 PM
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 sneezing, there are few professions that require more health-consciousness than being an opera singer. Since we've been interviewing the cast of Don Giovanni lately for an upcoming behind-the-scenes video, we got their opinions on how to survive cold & flu season singer-style.
- "It is all about sleep. That is number one, really and truly," says Daniel Okulitch, who plays Don Giovanni. If you're well rested, he says, you can handle situations that could leave you prone to sickness, like riding the subway or touching props that may have been coughed on...kissing your costars in rehearsal doesn't help, either. His castmates all put being well-rested near the tops of their lists.
- When Gregory Turay, who's singing Don Ottavio, says to "eat right," he has very specific ideas of what it means. Only fruit in the mornings, sushi, veggies, no dairy, starches, sugars, or carbs. "You want to make your body as alkaline as possible," Turay says, "so the viruses don't have an opportunity to thrive." He also recommends tea with lemon, honey and cayenne pepper when you're feeling under the weather.
- "I've used three things to keep me healthy: sleep, Zicam, and chocolate" says Joélle Harvey, who's playing Zerlina. "Definitely chocolate. I don't know about health benefits, but it makes everything feel better."
- Amanda Pabyan, who's covering the role of Donna Anna, has to be the one left standing when everyone gets sick. What's her secret? "Swish with pineapple extract and water when you feel that scratch on your throat. You can also buy it in pill form. The extract is a homeopathic anti-inflammatory and the juice takes the sting away from a sore throat."
Other popular answers from the whole cast were to exercise regularly and wash your hands frequently. "Basically, take care of yourself and be considerate of your colleagues," says Amanda Pabyan, "if one person is sick, it's really easy to pass it from person to person."
Monday, October 26, 2009 | 12:14 PM
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 interview.
Friday, October 23, 2009 | 11:29 AM
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:
(Ok, not from this week, but worth watching anyway)
Also, tune in to channel Thirteen at 12:00pm on Sunday, to watch an interview with George Steel on this weekend's SundayArts.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 | 3:39 PM
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. Our favorite quote:
“This is couture,” [Ms. Day] said, pointing out the intricate, tiny beadwork on a dress, details that would probably be lost even to operagoers in the first row. “There are no glue guns with these clothes, no Bedazzlers. These are all hand-stitched. It's an art form.”
Click here to read the article or check out the fantastic slide show.