Opera Matters
Curated by City Opera's Dramaturg Cori Ellison, Opera Matters brings together prominent artists, scholars and celebrities from diverse artistic and cultural communities to reveal opera’s vital place in today’s cultural dialogue.
2009 - 2010 Season
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
City Opera returns to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture for three new collaborative programs celebrating the great American operatic repertoire highlighting the African-American experience, the distinguished African-American artists who have enriched the opera world, and City Opera and Schomburg’s parallel commitment to promoting black culture.
New York City Opera’s collaboration with the Schomburg Center is part of the company’s series of events combining conversation, media and live music to celebrate opera’s connections to the visual arts, film, literature, the mass media and pop culture, the African-American experience and the world at large.
The Life and Times of Malcolm X – Wednesday, May 12, at 7pm
Marking the 45th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X, New York City Opera, in collaboration with Opera Noire of New York, will present an abridged concert version of The Life and Times of Malcolm X, the brilliant and ground-breaking opera about the great civil rights leader which premiered at City Opera in 1986. Composer Anthony Davis, creative consultant Rhoda Levine, and scenarist Christopher Davis will offer insights on their inspiration and creative process. Beth Greenberg directs the evening's event.
Wednesday, May 12, at 7pm
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard (at 135th Street)
Tickets $10 - call The Schomburg Shop at 212.491.2206 or visit telecharge.com
For more information visit schomburgcenter.org.
Previously This Season
Esther Symposium: "The Whole Megillah"
As New York City Opera revives Hugo Weisgall's American masterpiece Esther, join us for a lively, interavtive, thought provoking, and fun afternoon of music, art, and conversation. Connect with a diverse troop of spiritual leaders, scholars, and creative artists as we meet to deconstruct Esther: Biblical heroine, legendary beauty queen, political activist, contemporary icon, and nice Jewish girl.
To purchase tickets, please call 212.601.1000 or visit the 92nd Street Y Box Office.
Sunday, October 25, 1:30 - 5:30pm
92nd Street Y Tribeca
200 Hudson Street (between Canal and Vestry St.)
Don Giovanni
Baritone Daniel Okulitch and director Christopher Alden lead an intimate, provocative exchange on the Don Juan legend, including live excerpts from Don Giovanni, film and audio clips, slides, and artifacts (many drawn from the Museum of Sex's collection). We'll explore history versus myth, the Don's changing image, how Mozart's Don Juan relates to the compser's own lusty sexuality, City Opera's new interpretation, and Don Juan in the 21st century.
To purchase tickets, please call 212.689.6337 x115 or visit the Museum of Sex.
Tuesday, October 27, 7:00 - 8:30pm
The Museum of Sex
233 5th Ave (between 27th and 28th St.)
Esther: Works and Process at the Guggenheim
New York City Opera opens its 2009-2010 season with the long awaited revival of Hugo Weisgall's Esther, not performed since the company presented its world premiere in 1993. Join key members of the original creative team, including librettist Charles Kondek, designer Jerome Sirlin, and soprano Lauren Flanigan for a discussion on the creation and recreation of this great American opera. Excerpts from the opera will be performed.
Sunday, November 1 and Monday, November 2, 7:30pm
The Guggenheim Museum
1071 5th Ave (at 89th St.)
A Chabrier Salon - Tuesday, March 2nd at 7pm
Join L'Étoile cast members including Julie Boulianne Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, and François Loup, along with conductor Emmanuel Plasson, for the kind of intimate, fun-filled salon evening of live music and repartée that Chabrier himself would be sorry to miss! The 36-year-old composer was a key figure in Belle-Époque salons, partying with Manet, Degas, Verlaine, and Mallarmé, and wielded huge influence on Ravel, Satie, and Les Six.
A Chabrier Salon
Tuesday, March 2nd at 7pm
La Maison Française
New York University
16 Washington Mews
Opera at the Schomburg – Monday, February 1, at 7pm
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.
Program will feature:
Donita Volkwijn, soprano
Kendall Gladen, mezzo-soprano
Robert Mack, tenor
Sidney Outlaw, baritone
Monday, February 1, at 7pm
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard (at 135th Street)
A Tribute to Robert McFerrin - Saturday, March 6, at 7pm
The inimitable Bobby McFerrin will join New York City Opera and the Schomburg Center to honor the legacy of his father, the great American baritone Robert McFerrin. Robert McFerrin made headlines as one of the first African-American artists to sing at New York City Opera (making his 1949 debut in the world premiere of William Grant Still and Langston Hughes's opera Troubled Island) and the first African-American man to perform at the Metropolitan Opera, in 1955. In this special tribute evening, City Opera and the Schomburg Center will honor the extraordinary man, artist, and pioneer through historical film and sound clips, as well as live musical selections and commentary by baritone Stephen Salters and the illustrious Bobby McFerrin.
Saturday, March 6, at 7pm
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard (at 135th Street)