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Wednesday, May 5, 2010 | 7:21 AM
POST 2
Dear Mr. Bernstein,
There are so many things I’d like to say to you. How did you do it all? Your life has become the model for the 21st century artist. Your music is dynamic, lovely. Your passion for education has become the model, and is a benchmark from which we judge a program’s success. (I think you’d be happy with El Sistema, but I digress....)
Your opera Candide was done in 1982 at New York City Opera, and your opera A Quiet Place will be done this Fall, 2010.
This segment of Candide makes me think about how as emerging composers we view success:
Their old teacher reveals his new plan for happiness to the quartet: man must "work from dawn til’ dusk, in the fields, patiently learning to make his garden grow."
Ahhhh....patience. Yes, something I can always learn more about. But it is also the invaluable lesson that life is the sum of all parts, and that steady work equals a full life of art.
This reminds me of a similar statement from Cage in his book Silence:
After a long and arduous journey a
young Japanese man arrived deep in
a forest
where the teacher of his
choice was living in a small house he
had made. When the
student arrived, the teacher
was sweeping up fallen leaves.
Greeting his master,
the young man received no greeting
in return. And to
all his questions, there
were no replies.
Realizing there was nothing he could do
to get the teacher’s attention,
the student went to another part
of the same forest and built
himself a house.
Years later, when he
was sweeping up fallen leaves,
he was enlightened.
He then dropped everything,
ran through the forest
to his teacher, and
said, “Thank you.”
In this same way, I have learned from your life, and from that of many masters.
I am currently writing to you from a plane...back from New York to San Francisco. I am savoring moments from the VOX week, replaying music in my head, and wishing like all good things, that they would never end. But that is New York, at it’s best, instant community, at its hardest, transient souls depositing glory, and then on to new journeys.
Mr. Bernstein, one other thing that strikes me is that most of my colleagues are composers with diverse careers. Each has a will of steel, and has not waited for opportunity. Some are composer/conductors, composer/producers, and others composer/performers. All, to some capacity, are educators. It reminds of over ten years ago, when I co-founded the company I still direct, VisionIntoArt. There was no clear path at the time for what I wanted to do, which was to create a school beyond a school, a place where I could take my career into my own hands, commission artists to play, create, and live across disciplines. Fast-forward ten years, and boy do I feel like I’ve found my place in opera!
The VOX lab/festival was designed to give us a view into all sides of creating an opera.
Steven Mosteller, the assistant conductor assigned to my piece, was attentive, kind, and brilliant at working across styles, from classical, to improvisation and folk. He created parallels that we all found useful, e.g. between Helga’s blues dripped voice, and “expressive flatting” in baroque practice. Most pointers were universal: phrasing, diction, breath, arc....
Lunch with patrons was next. The patrons I am assigned to are energetic lovers of opera. Ken Kaiserman tells us about receiving a MET subscription at his Bar Mitzvah and being hooked ever since. He loves everything but Puccini. (I wince as I had just mentioned that my favorite recent MET production was actually Minghella’s Madame Butterfly--the use of puppetry for Sorrow’s role, and a mirrored ceiling completely entranced me)...Susan Kaiserman’s introduction to opera was Woyzek. These are incredibly intriguing people.
The panels set up prior to each day of the festival allow us to reach out to the new opera audience, which is an open, lively one. My panel is with VOX producer Beth Morrison. She asks wonderful questions; one is specifically about muses. Most certainly, my singers who joined me on stage, are muses for me. Hila Plitmann’s timbre, range and acting push me to write better music...her performances leave me always in bliss, as she delivers soulful and perfectly nuanced interpretations. Helga Davis is a woman with a four octave range, a deeply hued and richly bruised voice that allows audiences in to see her soul. She is personal, and regal. This conversation reminds me of a great book about muses: Francine Prose’s The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women & the Artists They Inspired. An interesting tidbit (from Bibliofemme): At the age of eighty (in 1932) Alice Liddell (from Alice in Wonderland) was awarded an honorary doctorate (perhaps the only ever doctorate in musedom) from Columbia University. As far as history was concerned, her inspiration to Charles Dodgson (Carroll) was her life's greatest achievement...Today, we have different perceptions of muses. They are artists in their own right, full personas: take Suzanne Farrell to Balanchine, or Yoko Ono, to Lennon.
Another question from the audience was one I found quite important to any young composer in the audience:
“Is it will, or inspiration that drives a composer?”
Both. But without will, one cannot survive in today’s society. Times are increasingly difficult for artists. The rejections are plentiful, but they are also our learning blocks. The moments of acceptance and joy, such as the one we were about to embark on, are the ones that tell us yes, you are good enough (for now), and then on, to more rejections. This is the life of any artist. The great MacArthur winning artist/composer Trimpin actually shows off a massive file of rejection letters in a recent documentary film made on him!
If only Mr. Bernstein, you could say to us: You are an artist.
to each performer: Do you have any idea how beautiful you each are, breathing life into new art?
-----------------------------
The festival had a buzz, and was filled with an interesting cross-section of producers, patrons, and concert-goers. The films created by Greg Emetaz that go before each opera selection are all hits. If you have not seen them yet, you should!
A few of my personal highlights:
Du Yun’s ZOLLE is inventive, passionate, and as crazy as she is. She uses walkie talkies to manipulate sound and create a distorted image of time and place. Hila Plitmann is masterful as narrator. Hai-Ting Chinn, who I had recently seen in the Wooster Group’s La Didone, was brilliant. Du-Yun coached her movements, which were sparse and essential; the minimal staging was enough to give you a port into her dreamy and eerie world.
Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar is a steady bloom of unfolding passion. I feel like I am reading Eberhardt’s burnt-edged journals on the set of Minghella’s movie, The English Patient.
David T. Little and I both took part in Carnegie Hall’s Professional Training Workshop where Dog Days was first commissioned in 2009. To see it grow is wonderful. His rock edge and masterful writing skills unite pathos and wit to characters that are perfectly etched out by the great librettist Royce Vavrek. They are a team to watch.
Michael Gordon’s Aquanetta boasts unbelievable singers and the spectacular and driven ending aria ends the festival brilliantly. He has such a gift for energetic and perfectly arced works: if you don’t know Potassium for string quartet, listen immediately.
Truth be told, there are to many good moments, and to many great minds to mention.
Summing up the experience, I would really love to address any artist or person reading this who may ask, as I often do, what does it take to pursue a career in the arts?
My high school “Destiny” class teacher Howard Hintze once said, “You must create beauty, because you are capable of it.” (And yes, I took a class called Destiny, and when writing my own--and having recently read and loved Out of Africa I gave myself the same tragic end as its heroine who died at 40-- and now that I am in my 30’s that totally freaks me out!!!)
But, really, what I’d like to say comes perfectly worded by the great Jonathan Safran-Foer in his book, A Convergence of Birds.
Make yourself a world you can believe in.
Live a life that has never been lived, in which everything you experience is yours and only yours.
Adults cry less than children, and have more need to cry...
Thank you to my family and friends who cried during Oceanic Verses. Art should allow us to cry, to feel. It frames our own personal experiences and provides us with protection, a shield, a window. I am after all, a part of all I have met.
Thank you to the NYCO opera family for giving us this platform to express ourselves. At best, art precedes social change; it illuminates and allows people to feel; it can encourage us to think in new ways, to reflect deeply, to evolve. As the great writer, Solzhenitsyn, said at his Harvard address, the only way we can go, is up.
yours in thanks,
Paola Prestini, composer
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 | 9:09 AM
Mezzo-Soprano Heather Johnson began her relationship with City Opera in 2004 playing the role of Annina is Verdi's La Traviata. Heather joins us again singing the title role in Michael Gordon and Deborah Artman's Acquanetta at VOX this Friday and Saturday. Heather is no stranger to new opera, creating the role of Soroya in the world premiere of Charles Wuorinen's Haroun and the Sea of Stories at City Opera. Heather answers a few questions about her life in opera in another "Questions with...."Describe VOX
An opportunity for composers to get their work heard
Describe your character
Acquanetta, the 1940s B-movie film star
21st Century Opera is…
Vital!
You should come see Acquanetta because…
It's an amazing combination of textures that are extremely effective
Role you most want to play and why:
Octavian [in Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier]- it's a cornerstone of the Mezzo repertoire
Your diva role model is…
Teresa Berganza.
When you are on a date and tell the other person that you are an opera singer, the common reaction is…
"So what? So am I!"
Favorite opera to listen to?
What I'm working on at the moment
Favorite opera to sing?
Carmen
Pre-performance diet?
Nothing, can't eat 3 hours before. During is a different story--usually cucumbers & apples.
If volcanic ash were to keep you from a visit overseas, where would that be?
Sweden
Growing up, did you ever attend a tea party?
Almost everyday between ages 4 and 5.
Album you can’t live without?
Stevie Wonder. All of them
Secret talent (other than singing!)?
Cooking.
Worst costume you ever wore?
A rather unfortunate Suzuki [from Puccini's Madama Butterfly] costume
Who would play you in the movie about your life?
Kate Winslet
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 | 1:16 PM
Bass Matthew Curran, a newcomer to VOX, will make his City Opera debut in Revolution of Forms and Acquanetta this Saturday, May 1st at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Matthew was happy to join us for another round of "Questions with...". Take a look!Describe VOX
Opera 2.0 Beta
21st Century Opera is…
The ultimate grab bag of all things music and art.
You should come see Revolutions of Form and Acquanetta because…
It's history in the making.
Role you most want to play and why:
King Phillip in Verdi's Don Carlo. He's a complex character with one of the greatest bass arias ever written
Your diva role model is…
Sam Ramey, the anti-diva.
When you are on a date and tell the other person that you are an opera singer, the common reaction is…
No, you're not!
Favorite opera to listen to?
Impossible to say. Depends on my mood.
Favorite opera to sing?
Whatever I am performing in at the time.
Pre-performance diet?
No specific diet, but usually a pre-performance snack of a banana and an orange or apple.
If volcanic ash were to keep you from a visit overseas, where would that be?
Is this a trick question? Iceland?
Growing up, did you ever attend a tea party?
No, I'm from New Jersey
Album you can’t live without?
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
Secret talent (other than singing!)?
Trading the Stock Market
Worst costume you ever wore?
Tight white boxer briefs, a salmon-colored ladies' silk night robe, and a choker in Elektra at Zurich Opera. Go figure!
Who would play you in the movie about your life?
That's easy. McSteamy in that hospital TV show.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 | 8:45 AM
*Composer Paola Prestini takes over the blog this week in honor of our VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab with a series of letters she has written to different composers.*
POST I
These letters are addressed to composers that have been commissioned by New York City Opera in the past. These are just some of the composers I would have loved to meet.To date there have been nearly 100 premieres. To join the roster in this small way is beyond exciting. To be an immigrant and bring forward the piece I have written (Oceanic Verses) speaks to the openness of the musical scene happening now in NY, and specifically at this opera house. Where else can you attend a never seen production of Bernstein, next to a Zorn and Feldman monodrama, and hear Mike Patton, Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed jam? That the lead vocalist from Faith No More and Mr. Bungle will be beatboxing and scatting on the opera stage means not only that adventure is back “in” and that the future of opera is and will always remain a dramatic setting (however loosely interpreted), but that it will and does belong to the people. George Steel is up to something. His risk taking is worth observing, emulating, and learning from.
Dear Dr. William Grant Still:
What does it feel like to have 22 curtain calls? Now more than ever, your work Troubled Island, set in Haiti, with its racially charged and humanist themes, would be embraced.
Your work is worth revisiting and as soon as I am done with VOX I plan to research it more. I decided to write to you, because today, while teaching an exceptional young Pakistani composer, she brought to my attention a beautiful Haitian poem.
As we dug in, we experienced the beauty of setting language, not only in its marriage to music, but also in that it is a world view. As Merete Mueller points out: When you look up the word “poverty” in the Creole-English dictionary, you see it is also the word for “hollow tin can.” The power of this image is breathtaking, and one that belongs solely to Creole. You can check out the beautiful poem WONGOL POEM, by EMMANUEL EJEN, at Merete Muellers ubelievable site, here:
Your opera opens: In the balmy still of a Haitian night, a mother sings plaintively to her child.
And ends:
Azelia enters...She goes to the corpse and kneels beside the body of the man she loves. She lifts his head and falls sobbing across his body. She alone remained true. She has lived to kiss again the scars on his poor Black back.
I can only imagine how ahead of your time you were. I wish I could hear this piece live.
You’d be happy with news from the program. VOX was started about ten years ago. It is seminal in the field for nurturing new operatic expressions, and each year is diverse in style, and background.
As artists filed in to this years New York City Opera’s VOX orientation, a warm sense of anticipation permeated the air. In a relaxed setting, we mused on the pieces, what the process would be like, and waited for various directors to come in and share pointers.
Like the leaves of a magnolia flower, each work is vibrant and richly hued in its own way. All teams, be it composer/librettist, or composer/filmmaker, has a clear, distinct fragrance. Anthony Davis’ appealingly open personality disarmed many of us who have not had an experience at City Opera. Cori Ellison’s (Dramaturg and Director of Supertitles) photographic memory and quick wit/spark ignited curiosity and a sense of grandeur as she listed (by memory) the countless NYC Opera American premieres. One thing seems clear from reading a bit about City Opera’s history; there seems to be a trend: each Director has infused its staff with a sense of purpose, with a penchant for risk. Many of the Executive Directors have been faced with financial woes, and this year is no different. It is very human to see our experiences as singular when in reality, there is something comforting in life’s pendulum. To see George Steel talk, with his conviction and easy style, not only inspires one in terms of the direction of this specific opera house, but also, comforts one in terms of the role of new music in opera. It seems he understands that each opposing circumstance, be it life or death, love or solitude, conformity or iconoclasticism, are antagonistic but also part of a single reality. (There is a great work by the Mexican poet and author Octavio Paz that speaks of these truths, but superimposed on political theory; it is marvelous : A Labyrinth of Solitude).
In any case, back to the juice. I had a chance to socialize with some of these remarkable people, both from City Opera, and VOX composers. Here are some things that stood out.
-George Steel (General Manager and Artistic Director) and Ed Yim (Director of Artistic Planning) finish each other’s sentences in their talk. There is a strong connection, and the mission is tight. They are talking to a room of composer/producers, and I feel so at home. They talk about programming and all the inner workings of the opera house in one sentence, and we see that it is all connected, as it should be...
-Anthony Davis talks about what it was like to have Malcom X premiered. And, how certain scenes from the movie are actually from his opera!
-Royce Vavrek has been collaborating for almost two years now with David T. Little, writing both DOG DAYS (in progress) and VINKENSPORT, OR THE FINCH OPERA. He says, “More and more I learn what particular type of dramatic text he needs from me in able for him to flourish musically, and more and more we cultivate the marriage of words and music that tell our own (hopefully singular) brand of music theater storytelling. In a nutshell, it's 98% alchemy. VOX is very exciting as it allows for our piece to live off the page. Hearing singers bring the work to life in such a presentation allows us the opportunity to experience the work on its feet, in a three-dimensional space, which is entirely invaluable!”
I see Missy Mazzoli after her first orchestra read and she has that same incredulous look I had after mine: a sense of relief (the musicians are amazing and each conductor is dedicated in the deepest way) mixed with the joy of finally hearing something come to life that has for so long lived solely on a page and in our heads.
-The other night, over opera and a beautiful Manhattan view, Robert Treviño, the conductor to my piece, Oceanic Verses, talks about how he has known his mission in life was to conduct, since he was 15. He tells his story to Helga Davis, vocalist and improviser (who is new to the opera scene). They are on different sides of lifes spectrum, and for a moment, they are on the same journey. They will leave imprints on each others experience, which will inform their lives again, at some other juncture.
-John Beeson (Senior Assistant Conductor) and Cory Lipiello (Artistic Administrator) talk passionately about casting. It is fascinating--all the decisions, and how everyone who passes through their audition process throughout the year goes on a sort of mental roster--they never know who they will need to call on when pieces now a days are so radically different. John talks about picking up a copy of the Pasolini book that composer Du Yun’s piece ZOLLE is based on, and spending months coaching her on Italian. It is evident that the spirit of this lab is to grow, to learn, and to express your voice but to also embrace the learning that can happen when intersecting with people of John’s caliber. (Interestingly, Pasolini’s incredibly diverse career intersected with opera, and Maria Callas in "Medea: Myth and Reason" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGPd411gOYA ) Check it out.
-Beth Morrison, VOX producer, and a true composers advocate, has brought even more connection between composer, singer and staff by having composers in the room from an earlier point in the process. With all these unique styles, collaboration has never been more important...
Speaking of collaboration, one of the innovations I am really excited about is the pairing of contemporary art works with each opera, creating a fresh new vision and relevance, and a unification of the disparate art worlds in NY....
And back to you, Dr. William Grant Still, you’d be happy to see these murals inspired by Troubled Island at the William Still Art Center. It reminds me of this beautiful quote from National Geographic Magazine:
“feet, tired from long journeys, pause to repose and raise the body to the sky, taking in the endless possibilities...”
yours,
Paola Prestini, Composer
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.
Monday, February 22, 2010 | 12:30 PM
City Opera resident diva Lauren Flanigan (seen in last fall's Esther) will be featured in The CUNY Graduate Center's "Concerts & Conversations" in a program entitled SOLO: The Art of the Monodrama Tuesday, March 2nd at 7pm.
Subtitled "Wives, Daughters, Queens & Whores-Medieval Voices," the program will include such works as Try Me, Good King (the last words of the wives of Henry VIII) by Libby Larsen, Lady Macbeth (speeches from Shakespeare's Macbeth) by Thomas Pasatieri, Ofelia Lieder by Richard Strauss, excerpts from Telaio: Desdemona by Susan Botti, and excerpts from The Flower and the Hawk by Carlisle Floyd, followed by a discussion. With Miriam Charney, piano, and special guests Annie Ross and Ellen Lauren, among others.
Click here to purchase tickets.
Friday, February 19, 2010 | 12:51 PM
Lauren Worsham has been quite busy since her City Opera debut as Cunegonde in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide back in 2008. Lauren has paired up with librettist Royce Vavrek (whose opera Dog Days will be featured in this year’s VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab) to form The Coterie, a new company specializing in blending the worlds of musical theater and opera. The Coterie works with composers whose music blurs the lines between standard musical theater and opera with rock, pop and jazz influences.
“I wanted to fill the niche for the in-between”, says Lauren. “Royce and I wanted to create a company with a younger audience, so we looked for music that was caught between the genres.” Lauren says that the composers create pieces based on the style and talents of the singers in the company while also experimenting with fusing these varied genres. “I don’t have formal training in opera, but I am interested in more dramatic and more sophisticated works of musical theater that are falling in line with the direction contemporary opera is taking.”
Lauren and Royce will be showcasing the talents of the their company this Monday February 22nd as they present THE COTERIE UN/PLUGGED, VOLUME ONE: LAUREN WORSHAM AND FRIENDS at the Canal Room. The benefit concert will include new works by Vavrek, Obie Award-winner Kyle Jarrow, Taylor Mac and more. These specially-comissioned works with be performed by Tony nominee Barbara Walsh (Falsettos, Company), Theresa McCarthy (Titanic, Floyd Collins) and Andrew Nolen among others. Lauren says she wanted the concert to appeal to an audience that loved new music but also her friends who didn’t really know opera or musical theater. For both Lauren and Royce, it really came down to showcasing some fantastic artists. Adds Royce: "With The Coterie un/plugged concert series, we hope to present events that showcase vocalists that fit the mission of The Coterie: a hybrid singer that is an equal vocalist and actor that lives in the music theater realm. By asking composers to write specifically for these performers we are able to explore the versatility of these awesome artists and cater to their singular abilities. It's really a win-win situation: composers get to write material for an ideal instrument, and the singers get music that shows them off to the utmost effect."
To purchase tickets to The Coterie un/plugged on Monday, February 22nd at 7:30, click here.
Executive Director Lauren Worsham and Artistic Director Royce Vavrek
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.
Thursday, October 1, 2009 | 8:46 AM
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 here in New York with her friends and coworkers. Our staff has been flipping through the catalogue and spotting items that have their own sentimental value for us, so it's not uncommon to hear "there's the fur coat she leant me on that freezing cold night on tour," or "I was there when she bought that painting" while walking through the halls.
From Doyle's website:
Doyle New York is honored to auction the Estate of Beverly Sills. One of the world's greatest coloratura sopranos, Beverly Sills was also a tireless champion for the arts, an advocate for people with disabilities, a much beloved New Yorker, and a devoted wife and mother. With her tremendous talent and generosity, vitality and charm, she won the hearts of the American public and opera lovers worldwide. Beverly Sills' remarkably diverse collection comprises over 460 lots of fine art, furniture, decorations, jewelry, Judith Leiber handbags, photographs, costume designs and opera memorabilia from her home overlooking New York's Central Park.
We're sure many fans will be "bubbling" over this opportunity to acquire pieces of opera history, and donations to New York City Opera's archives will not be turned away!
For more information, click here.
Friday, September 25, 2009 | 12:58 PM
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 suspended overhead in exuberant simulated motion." The work will be premiered at our opening night gala and American Voices concert and will be on view through our fall and spring season. You can be sure to read more about it right here as the piece develops.
The Independent just posted a great article on Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-with-the-mostest who sang the role of Sister Helen Prejean in our production of Dead Man Walking a few years ago, and who has had a lot of (well-deserved) attention lately for carrying on her performances of Rosina despite a broken leg. Joyce will be returning to City Opera for our American Voices concert on November fifth.
And finally, not exactly NYCO-related but very dear to our hearts...
A view of the iconic Lincoln Center fountain today from our balcony.
...the fountain is returning to Lincoln Center next week!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 | 4:38 PM
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 pictures for the construction update post yesterday. There on the promenade was a massive collection of pianos that seemed to keep growing as we watched.
Pianos on Parade
It turns out there's going to be a piano sale at the Koch Theater this Thursday through Sunday, and the company behind it, Piano Clearing House of Westchester, is run by NYCO Alum Christopher Pfund. Chris covered the role of Emilio when Partenope first came to New York City Opera, and originated the role of Goro in Mark Lamos' production of Madama Butterfly when it premiered at Glimmerglass.
Christopher Pfund
Chris says that he's found the perfect balance in his life between a career in singing and having a steady day job. He sings as a soloist with orchestras across the country, including the Philadelphia, Houston, and Pittsburgh Orchestras. When he's not travelling to perform, his days include coming in to work and practicing first thing (he rotates which piano he uses, of course!), spending his days surrounded by music, and going home to his wife (also a singer) and three children, all of whom love music passionately. Chris began as a pianist before learning to sing, and he especially loves hand-built and rare pianos.
When I asked what he'd be seeing this season at City Opera, there was little on the menu that was off his list. "Of course I'll want to see Partenope and Butterfly again," he said, "It was such a special experience working in Butterfly with [Mark Lamos] at Glimmerglass. I miss him. He's so great, I'll have to see L'Étoile, too...and I did [Weisgall's] Six Characters in search of an Author when I was at Manhattan School of Music so I would love to see Esther."
The piano sale is happening in partnership with the Koch Theater, New York City Opera, New York City Ballet, Kawai Pianos, and Piano Clearing House of Westchester with about 150 pianos on sale ranging from $1,500 to $100,000. You can make an appointment to view the pianos Thursday-Saturday by calling 888.405.7888 or just come by the Koch Theater anytime on Sunday.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 | 12:33 PM
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 from our Artistic Department below.
You are invited to audition for the New York City Opera Associate Chorus for the 2009-2010 season
Auditions will held be on:
August 25, 26 & 27, 2009, 12:00-6:00 PM
For Esther by Hugo Weisgall
Rehearsals begin September 21, 2009
Performances: November 7, 13, 15 (matinee) & 19, 2009
Applicants must be available for all rehearsals and performances.
Applicants must be prepared to present:
2 arias from the standard opera repertory
An accompanist will be provided for those who do not employ their own.
Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:
A high level of musicianship, with attention to correct pitch, rhythm, dynamics, phrasing, and interpretation; solid vocal technique; appropriate diction in the common operatic languages; a sound large enough to carry in the theater; the ability to blend the voice;
stage presence and dramatic sensibility.
To secure an audition, send a current resume to:
Jeffrey Guimond, Artistic Planning & Rehearsal Administrator
at
auditions@nycopera.com
or
New York City Opera
20 Lincoln Center
New York, NY 10023
TELEPHONE INQUIRES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
Applicants are required to prove that they are United States citizens, permanent residents, or have legal permission to work in the United States.
New York City Opera is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Friday, July 31, 2009 | 11:20 AM
"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 Opera Santa Barbara's upcoming premiere of Séance on a Wet Afternoon, which Lauren previewed with us last spring as part of our VOX festival. Then, TheaterMania listed our upcoming American Voices concert, which will also feature our "resident diva" before she takes the stage as Queen Esther on November 7th. It looks like Lauren will have a very busy fall!
Monday, July 20, 2009 | 12:10 PM
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 Serious for the inspiration.
Monday, July 6, 2009 | 2:02 PM
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 England. Amazingly, the self-dubbed "Cast-a-Diva" continued the performance with the support (both figurative and literal) from the rest of her colleagues. Joyce tells the whole story in her blog.
Joyce, all of us here at New York City Opera wish you a speedy recovery and a giant "Brava!" for your strength and showmanship.
Monday, June 8, 2009 | 4:14 PM
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 Lincoln Center.
David took a moment to tell us about this exciting new step in his career.
What are some of the highlights from your experience with NYCO?
Directing not one, but THREE productions of La Bohème for NYCO over the years was amazing, as was assisting on the Sweeney Todd revival with Mark Delevan and Elaine Paige, and Charles Wourinen's new opera, Haroun and the Sea of Stories.
Very special to me is the Britten Paul Bunyan that I worked on originally with Mark Lamos, and took in future years to Florida Grand Opera and Opera Omaha. What a very special event that was! I am also looking forward to staging Madama Butterfly again for NYCO this spring, and love that production. It has been very special for me.
How did you get involved with El Paso Opera?
I came to El Paso to direct my new production of The Magic Flute, to which I also supplied new English dialogue. The response to this non-traditional performance was overwhelming. The people of this city are so gracious, and it has not one, but two performance halls (The Chavez and the newly restored Plaza Theatre), in a downtown arts center that also includes two museums on the City Plaza. It's an amazing place, and I'm honored to be a part of it.
How will your experience with NYCO influence your work in El Paso?
Working at NYCO certainly has influenced how I will approach this shift to Artistic Direction. Learning from Paul Kellogg, especially, how to craft director and design teams, and from Robin Thompson and John Beeson how to cast (and NOT to cast!) has been invaluable, as has my work with some of the great directors, singers and designers in the country and around the world.
Do you have any exciting performances planned?
One of the first things I'll be doing in a brief first season is a Gala
Benefit in September at their (our) spectacular Opera House, The Abraham Chavez Theatre, to raise money to eliminate their deficit. Some of my best singer friends from NYCO are joining me for that September 9, and more are encouraged (email me and let me know you're coming!).
After the concert, I am going to work on re-creating El Paso's education program. In November I am doing a guerrilla theatre production of La Bohème -- Done in restaurants and on the streets of El Paso, to further the idea of opera as accessible theatre.
Next season we will be back with a 9/11 tribute, in conjunction with the Ft. Bliss Army base, and a major new production of Madama Butterfly. I am also working on collaborations with the Juarez (Mexico) Symphony Orchestra. Along with Music Director, Maestro Raymond Harvey, we hope to continue to bring the best in opera to this marvelous city.
Click here to learn more about El Paso Opera.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 | 11:13 AM
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 taking advantage of an arrangement with a local cycling shop that allows free bike and equipment rentals to all company members. An excellent idea!
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