“No company, large or small has a better track record of service to American opera”
-The New York Times
2011/12 Season
UP NEXT
Prima Le Parole
February 5, 6:30pm
The New York Society Library,53 East 79th Street (just east of Madison
Avenue; 6 train to 77th Street)
$20 per person with advance registration; $25 at the door
Reservations can be made at http://nyslprimaparole2012.
or by contacting the Events Office at events@nysoclib.org or
tel:212-288-6900 x230.
The Center for Contemporary Opera presents the Prima le Parole series to give lovers of opera and literature a first glimpse of exciting new works and their writers a first hearing of their text. This 90 minute presentation offers dramatic readings from these new opera libretti. The evening will be moderated by Carlin Glynn, co-Artistic Director of The Actor’s Studio while Amy Leland will direct.
Oh, Egypt Eugene Rotberg, libretto; Mohammed Fairouz, composer.
Oh, Egypt tells the story of the Egyptian revolution overthrowing Hosni Mubarak during the period of the winter of 2011. The details of the uprising are well known and the libretto is a faithful representation of the events that took place during those historic two months.
Eugene Rotberg, librettist, held the position of vice president and treasurer of the World Bank from 1968 to 1987. He currently serves on various international and domestic corporate and advisory boards and non-profit institutions. He serves as a trustee of
the National Public Radio (NPR) Foundation where he serves on its Finance and Investment Committees. As such, he recently was designated by Institutional Investor magazine as one of the 40 most influential persons in finance over the last 40 years.
Straddling Eastern and Western idioms, Mohammed Fairouz, one of the most frequently performed composers of his generation, has emerged as a force on the musical scene. Praised by the NY Times as “warmly sympathetic” and “brilliantly handled”, his music has been received at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall, the Kennedy Center and internationally throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.
The Human Zoo, Mark N. Grant, Composer and Librettist
The Human Zoo takes place in New York City during the early 1840s and is about a group of human oddities that are not in fact real human oddities but are exhibited as if they were. The Zoo is the brainchild of two rival museum owners desperate for revenge against P. T. Barnum, whose American Museum has ruined their reputations and finances. But as the Human Zoo overtakes Barnum in popularity and its characters strut their acts from their cages in front of the public, it becomes increasingly mysterious as to whether the Human Zoo oddities are fake or for real.
Mark N. Grant, librettist and composer of The Human Zoo, won a special Friedheim Award in 2006 for his cantata The Rose of Tralee for which he was also his own librettist. A CD of his vocal and chamber music will appear on Albany Records in spring 2012. He is also the author of two widely acclaimed books, Maestros of the Pen: A History of Classical Music Criticism in America (1998) and The Rise and Fall of the Broadway Musical (2004); both won ASCAP-Deems Taylor Awards.
Carlin Glynn, Moderator, is the co-Artistic Director of The Actor’s Studio. She was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1982 (1981 season) for her role in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and won Broadway’s 1979 Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role – Musical) for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” Carlin was the original “Miss Mona” on Broadway in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, in a production co-directed by her husband Peter Masterson and dancer Tommy Tune which won the Tony and Theatre World awards.
Amy Leland, Director, credits include The Lover, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Masterpieces, Cloud Nine, West Side Story, The Normal Heart, and As Is. Original plays include The Butcher of Plainfield, A Life With Ike, and A Thousand Wednesdays, all by Steve Nicholas; Valentino’s Wing by Mark Borkowski; and Winged Victoria by Tiffany Hodges. She is also one of the editors for Bravo TV’s “Inside the Actors Studio”. Amy is the founder of Summer Woman Productions, a production company dedicated to bringing the works of new writers to life through film, theater production and music video.
WHAT’S NEW
December 1, 2011: The Center for Contemporary Opera was honored with an invitation to present The Secret Agent on April 18, 2012 at the Avignon Opera Theatre, Avignon, France.
October 30, 2011: Congratulations to Robert Ward, co-founder of the Center for Contemporary Opera who received lifetime honors from the National Endowment of the Arts. His citation may be found here.
October 18, 2011: The Center for Contemporary Opera has returned from the Armel Opera Festival and Competition were it presented Michael Dellaira and J.D. McCLatchy’s The Secret Agent to great acclaim. The performance took place at the Szegedi National Theatre in Hungary and was heard by a very appreciative audience in the theatre in addition to over one million viewers across Europe via the Mezzo Fine Arts Network of France and the Arte Live Web. In case you missed the performance, the webcast will be available on the Arte Live network here. for the next three months. In addition to the performance, General Director Jim Schaeffer gave a lecture at the University of Szeged on the topic Cultural Arts Management in the United States and the cast enjoyed a day off following the performance with many traveling to Budapest to visiting that amazing city. There is only one opera company in the United States that brings American opera to Europe and that is CCO. We are very proud to do this.
September 23, 2011: CCO has a new mailing address: P.O.Box 3169, New York, NY 10163. Please contact our office for instructions for Fedex or UPS deliveries.
September 21, 2011: General Director Jim Schaeffer is a guest panelist at Opera America’s Making Connections Series and is joined by composers Nico Muhly, John Glover and director Beth Greenberg. The topic is “The development of new operas”.
August 30, 2011: The Center for Contemporary Opera welcomes Eugene Rotberg to our distinguished Board of Directors. Mr. Rotberg has enjoyed a very distinguished career in finance and government and was the former Vice President of the World Bank. He is a great lover of opera and sees an average of 60 operas a year all over the world. A long time Board member at Washington Opera , his expertise will be invaluable to us.
August 22, 2011: The operas and libretti selected for the CCO Development Series were announced today.
August 1, 2011: Due to the extremely large number of scores submitted to us for the CCO Development Series, we will not be able to announce the results today as originally planned! We have narrowed the submissions to forty-three and hope to have our decisions within several weeks. We appreciate your patience!
June 14, 2011: General Director Jim Schaeffer and Stage Director Sam Helfrich traveled to Szeged, Hungary to judge the second round of the Armel Opera Competition and Festival. Their task was to select a “new” Verloc and Winnie for the The Secret Agent‘s reprise in Szeged on October 14 and in New York in August. We are proud to announce that Hungarian soprano Adrienn Miksch will be singing the role of Winnie and Nicolas Rigas from France will sing the role of Verloc. Congratulations to both of them! The Hungarian television network, Duna, produced a program about the competition which has been posted to You Tube. You can see Sam Helfrich in action at the 16:00 mark as he works with some of the competitors.
May 21, 2011: CCO now has a “new and improved” phone number: 646 481-8110.
April 8, 2011. Operaticus weighs in with a review of The Secret Agent. To read, please click here.
March 20, 2011: Thank you for attending the world premiere of The Secret Agent by Michael Dellaira and J.D. McClatchy. Here are two reviews and an interview that you will enjoy: http://bit.ly/fKnjRc , http://bit.ly/fmO6d1
February 23, 2011: We are now accepting applications for the Armel Opera Competition First Round auditions. These will be held in New York City on April 18/19. To receive an application or for more information, please send an email to armelcompetition2011@gmail.com or visit the Armel website. Winners from the First Round will receive a stipend to travel to Budapest for the Second Round on May 29. You may then be chosen for a leading role in one of five (four in Europe and CCO from the US) productions. These roles will be performed both in the opera company’s home theatre and at the Armel Festival itself in October, 2011. At the Festival, two grand prize winners will be selected and receive 10,000 Euros each. In addition, each company’s production will be broadcast live across Europe via the French Mezzo network.
February 14, 2011: Thanks to all of you who attended our gala this past weekend. We have received a number of comments from attendees telling us how much they enjoyed the evening. One patron described it as “perfect”! Thank you as well to the Frost Opera Theater from the University of Miami. They students did an outstanding job by any measure and we certainly appreciated their participation. The only disappointment for the evening was the lack of donations. We established a goal of $30,000 to be raised but have received less than $500! As you could imagine, the $35.00 charge for admission did not even cover the cost of the evening. Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you can see that CCO is worthy of your support and that we are doing more for American opera than any other company. We sincerely need and appreciate your support. Please donate safely on line by visiting our Support page. Thank you for your consideration and thank you for attending our gala!
February 10, 2011: The Gala Evening to Benefit the Center for Contemporary is officially sold out, but the National Arts Club is very resourceful in comfortably seating additional attendees. If you have not purchased your ticket or made a reservation, we hope you will still attend.
February 7,2011: Elliott Forrest (Classical WQXR, Live from Lincoln Center, Breakfast with the Arts, etc.) has graciously agreed to serve as the Master of Ceremonies for our Gala on Feb 10.. Please read more about him
“No company, large or small has a better track record of service to American opera”
-The New York Times
2011/12 Season
UP NEXT
Prima Le Parole
February 5, 6:30pm
The New York Society Library,53 East 79th Street (just east of Madison
Avenue; 6 train to 77th Street)
$20 per person with advance registration; $25 at the door
Reservations can be made at http://nyslprimaparole2012.
or by contacting the Events Office at events@nysoclib.org or
tel:212-288-6900 x230.
The Center for Contemporary Opera presents the Prima le Parole series to give lovers of opera and literature a first glimpse of exciting new works and their writers a first hearing of their text. This 90 minute presentation offers dramatic readings from these new opera libretti. The evening will be moderated by Carlin Glynn, co-Artistic Director of The Actor’s Studio while Amy Leland will direct.
Oh, Egypt Eugene Rotberg, libretto; Mohammed Fairouz, composer.
Oh, Egypt tells the story of the Egyptian revolution overthrowing Hosni Mubarak during the period of the winter of 2011. The details of the uprising are well known and the libretto is a faithful representation of the events that took place during those historic two months.
Eugene Rotberg, librettist, held the position of vice president and treasurer of the World Bank from 1968 to 1987. He currently serves on various international and domestic corporate and advisory boards and non-profit institutions. He serves as a trustee of
the National Public Radio (NPR) Foundation where he serves on its Finance and Investment Committees. As such, he recently was designated by Institutional Investor magazine as one of the 40 most influential persons in finance over the last 40 years.
Straddling Eastern and Western idioms, Mohammed Fairouz, one of the most frequently performed composers of his generation, has emerged as a force on the musical scene. Praised by the NY Times as “warmly sympathetic” and “brilliantly handled”, his music has been received at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall, the Kennedy Center and internationally throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.
The Human Zoo, Mark N. Grant, Composer and Librettist
The Human Zoo takes place in New York City during the early 1840s and is about a group of human oddities that are not in fact real human oddities but are exhibited as if they were. The Zoo is the brainchild of two rival museum owners desperate for revenge against P. T. Barnum, whose American Museum has ruined their reputations and finances. But as the Human Zoo overtakes Barnum in popularity and its characters strut their acts from their cages in front of the public, it becomes increasingly mysterious as to whether the Human Zoo oddities are fake or for real.
Mark N. Grant, librettist and composer of The Human Zoo, won a special Friedheim Award in 2006 for his cantata The Rose of Tralee for which he was also his own librettist. A CD of his vocal and chamber music will appear on Albany Records in spring 2012. He is also the author of two widely acclaimed books, Maestros of the Pen: A History of Classical Music Criticism in America (1998) and The Rise and Fall of the Broadway Musical (2004); both won ASCAP-Deems Taylor Awards.
Carlin Glynn, Moderator, is the co-Artistic Director of The Actor’s Studio. She was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1982 (1981 season) for her role in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and won Broadway’s 1979 Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role – Musical) for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” Carlin was the original “Miss Mona” on Broadway in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, in a production co-directed by her husband Peter Masterson and dancer Tommy Tune which won the Tony and Theatre World awards.
Amy Leland, Director, credits include The Lover, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Masterpieces, Cloud Nine, West Side Story, The Normal Heart, and As Is. Original plays include The Butcher of Plainfield, A Life With Ike, and A Thousand Wednesdays, all by Steve Nicholas; Valentino’s Wing by Mark Borkowski; and Winged Victoria by Tiffany Hodges. She is also one of the editors for Bravo TV’s “Inside the Actors Studio”. Amy is the founder of Summer Woman Productions, a production company dedicated to bringing the works of new writers to life through film, theater production and music video.
WHAT’S NEW
December 1, 2011: The Center for Contemporary Opera was honored with an invitation to present The Secret Agent on April 18, 2012 at the Avignon Opera Theatre, Avignon, France.
October 30, 2011: Congratulations to Robert Ward, co-founder of the Center for Contemporary Opera who received lifetime honors from the National Endowment of the Arts. His citation may be found here.
October 18, 2011: The Center for Contemporary Opera has returned from the Armel Opera Festival and Competition were it presented Michael Dellaira and J.D. McCLatchy’s The Secret Agent to great acclaim. The performance took place at the Szegedi National Theatre in Hungary and was heard by a very appreciative audience in the theatre in addition to over one million viewers across Europe via the Mezzo Fine Arts Network of France and the Arte Live Web. In case you missed the performance, the webcast will be available on the Arte Live network here. for the next three months. In addition to the performance, General Director Jim Schaeffer gave a lecture at the University of Szeged on the topic Cultural Arts Management in the United States and the cast enjoyed a day off following the performance with many traveling to Budapest to visiting that amazing city. There is only one opera company in the United States that brings American opera to Europe and that is CCO. We are very proud to do this.
September 23, 2011: CCO has a new mailing address: P.O.Box 3169, New York, NY 10163. Please contact our office for instructions for Fedex or UPS deliveries.
September 21, 2011: General Director Jim Schaeffer is a guest panelist at Opera America’s Making Connections Series and is joined by composers Nico Muhly, John Glover and director Beth Greenberg. The topic is “The development of new operas”.
August 30, 2011: The Center for Contemporary Opera welcomes Eugene Rotberg to our distinguished Board of Directors. Mr. Rotberg has enjoyed a very distinguished career in finance and government and was the former Vice President of the World Bank. He is a great lover of opera and sees an average of 60 operas a year all over the world. A long time Board member at Washington Opera , his expertise will be invaluable to us.
August 22, 2011: The operas and libretti selected for the CCO Development Series were announced today.
August 1, 2011: Due to the extremely large number of scores submitted to us for the CCO Development Series, we will not be able to announce the results today as originally planned! We have narrowed the submissions to forty-three and hope to have our decisions within several weeks. We appreciate your patience!
June 14, 2011: General Director Jim Schaeffer and Stage Director Sam Helfrich traveled to Szeged, Hungary to judge the second round of the Armel Opera Competition and Festival. Their task was to select a “new” Verloc and Winnie for the The Secret Agent‘s reprise in Szeged on October 14 and in New York in August. We are proud to announce that Hungarian soprano Adrienn Miksch will be singing the role of Winnie and Nicolas Rigas from France will sing the role of Verloc. Congratulations to both of them! The Hungarian television network, Duna, produced a program about the competition which has been posted to You Tube. You can see Sam Helfrich in action at the 16:00 mark as he works with some of the competitors.
May 21, 2011: CCO now has a “new and improved” phone number: 646 481-8110.
April 8, 2011. Operaticus weighs in with a review of The Secret Agent. To read, please click here.
March 20, 2011: Thank you for attending the world premiere of The Secret Agent by Michael Dellaira and J.D. McClatchy. Here are two reviews and an interview that you will enjoy: http://bit.ly/fKnjRc , http://bit.ly/fmO6d1
February 23, 2011: We are now accepting applications for the Armel Opera Competition First Round auditions. These will be held in New York City on April 18/19. To receive an application or for more information, please send an email to armelcompetition2011@gmail.com or visit the Armel website. Winners from the First Round will receive a stipend to travel to Budapest for the Second Round on May 29. You may then be chosen for a leading role in one of five (four in Europe and CCO from the US) productions. These roles will be performed both in the opera company’s home theatre and at the Armel Festival itself in October, 2011. At the Festival, two grand prize winners will be selected and receive 10,000 Euros each. In addition, each company’s production will be broadcast live across Europe via the French Mezzo network.
February 14, 2011: Thanks to all of you who attended our gala this past weekend. We have received a number of comments from attendees telling us how much they enjoyed the evening. One patron described it as “perfect”! Thank you as well to the Frost Opera Theater from the University of Miami. They students did an outstanding job by any measure and we certainly appreciated their participation. The only disappointment for the evening was the lack of donations. We established a goal of $30,000 to be raised but have received less than $500! As you could imagine, the $35.00 charge for admission did not even cover the cost of the evening. Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you can see that CCO is worthy of your support and that we are doing more for American opera than any other company. We sincerely need and appreciate your support. Please donate safely on line by visiting our Support page. Thank you for your consideration and thank you for attending our gala!
February 10, 2011: The Gala Evening to Benefit the Center for Contemporary is officially sold out, but the National Arts Club is very resourceful in comfortably seating additional attendees. If you have not purchased your ticket or made a reservation, we hope you will still attend.
February 7,2011: Elliott Forrest (Classical WQXR, Live from Lincoln Center, Breakfast with the Arts, etc.) has graciously agreed to serve as the Master of Ceremonies for our Gala on Feb 10.. Please read more about him here. More importantly, attend our Gala so you can meet him in person. Thank you, Elliott!
February 5, 2011: We are delighted to welcome Scott Bearden to the cast of The Secret Agent. Mr. Bearden will be singing the role of Verloc.
January 19, 2011: Tickets for The Secret Agent are now on sale by calling the Kaye Playhouse Box Office at (212) 772-4448.
December 29, 2010: Connoisseur magazine calls CCO “one of the two most cutting edge opera companies in the world”
December 9, 2010: The Center for Contemporary Opera is proud to accept an invitation from the Armel Opera Festival. We will present The Secret Agent by Michael Dellaira and J.D. McClatchy in Gyor, Hungary on October 14, 2011. This marks the third consecutive season that CCO has presented works in Europe.
December 1, 2010: Thank you for attending Prima le Parole at the New York Society Library. Please mark your calendars now for our annual gala on Feb 10 at the National Arts Club.
October 11, 2010: Only four days away! Come join as we celebrate the release of Alice in Wonderland. Oct 14, 8pm at the cell theatre. Details are above.
August 5, 2010: The world premiere recording of Alice in Wonderland by Peter Westergaard is now available on Albany Records. This marks CCO’s fourth commercial release. http://bit.ly/cLbkit
July 26, 2010: Auditions for CCO’s upcoming season will be held on September 16 at the cell theatre. 338 W 23rd St, New York, NY. All applicants should have professional experience with other Opera America companies or a foreign equivalent. To be considered for an audition, send a cover letter, resume, headshot, and supportive materials to us by September 1st at the above address or by electronic submission at js@conopera.org. Should you be scheduled for an audition you will be contacted.
June 19, 2010: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button receives “Five Stars” from the Financial Times bit.ly/93wcHo
June 15, 2010: Tickets for the world premiere of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are available at the door. Don’t miss this groundbreaking event. Peter Norton Symphony Space. 8pm.
May 11, 2010. Don’t miss excerpts from Eric Salzman’s Accord Discord performed by Laila Salins and William Schimmel at Galapagos Artspace. May 27, 8pm Tickets are available here: bit.ly/9SdzDB
April 7. 2010: The Center for Contemporary Opera is headed to Latvia. Our international presence grows as we received a grant from CEC ArtsLink to bring a series of programs to Latvia this fall. Thank you to ArtsLink for the generous grant and thank you to the Latvian cultural affairs organization, Music and Art Support for the invitation.
March 23, 2010: A recording and photos of CCO’s production of “Mario and the Magician” by Francis Thorne and J.D. McClatchy were featured at an exhibition at the Buddenbrookhaus in Luebeck, Germany; Thomas Mann’s home. http://bit.ly/bMqHNv
March 21, 2010: Deborah Atherton has written a lovely essay about CCO for the Interstitial Arts Foundation. http://bit.ly/aAPoJh
Feb 20, 2010: Here is a nice story about “Review” and our gala on the James Madison University website. Thank you to all who could join us.
Jan 15, 2010: Tickets now on sale for Anais by Susan Hurley on Feb 11 at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/90658 and also for Review by Jeremy Beck and Patricia Marx on Feb 19: http://bit.ly/5kMn6x
Jan 1, 2010: Happy New year from CCO. Our production of Neither in Vienna was well-received and played to overflow crowds. Here are two reviews: http://bit.ly/52h89n http://bit.ly/52h89n
Dec 18, 2009:
Join us tonight and tomorrow as CCO presents Neither by Morton Feldman and Samuel Beckett. 8pm at the Konzerthaus, Vienna.
Dec 7, 2009:
Thank you for attending Accord/Discord. Up next; CCO performs outside the United States for the first time in our 27 year history. Please join us at Vienna’s famed Konzerthaus as we present Morton Feldman’s Neither, December 18 and 19.
COMPLETED EVENTS
May 27, 8pm CCO@thecell 338 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
Archimedes by James Dashow and Rope and Chasm by Matthew Greenbaum. CCO Development Series Tickets are now on sale.
Archimedes is in three acts. It tells the story of one of the greatest mathematicians who ever lived framed as both a human tragedy and a tragedy of humanity. The story is told by Archimedes’ great antagonist, Marcellus, the Roman consul whose military suffered so horribly at Archimedes hands, but who understood that Archimedes was equally a force for good, that it depended on who wielded that force
and to what purpose.
Marcellus begins from the beginning, starting with the Platonic vision of the creation, the immense forces that produce in the end an experiment – the extremely gifted being called Archimedes. His early years are depicted with children’s laughter growing into the youth who discovers that he magnificently understands geometry, all with music and imagery swirling around the planetarium dome. His adventures in the public baths, both mathematical and more, end with the famous EUREKA, and he goes to Hieron’s court with his discoveries, to become part of the splendid civilization Hieron is constructing.
But after Hieron’s death, Syracuse becomes prey to the Roman imperial vision. Desperate, the people of Syracuse beg Archimedes to turn his geometries to the defense of the city, his city. Here, the human
tragedy takes the form of Archimedes’ dilemma: defile his mathematics in order to do battle with Rome, or maintain the purity of his thought while his people suffer. He relents, and the horrifying devastation
of the Roman forces by his war machines is told in the climactic battle scene. Marcellus is able to defeat Syracuse only by deceit, and in the third act, the consul invites Archimedes to help Rome build a golden age of peace. But the forces that made Archimedes now see the tragic flaw, foresee the death and destruction that will be the first yield of Archimedes’ science, the inevitable distortions in the ways humans use the gifts of the great men and women who so rarely come among us. For they, the cosmic forces, have also failed in their experiment. In the form of a Roman soldier, they kill him.
Both of this evening’s works are feasts for both the ear and eye. Kira Simring directs a terrific cast and Hubert Howe is our Music Director.
As always, you will have an opportunity to meet the composers, cast, and creative team at a wine reception immediately following the performance. Please join us for this important event.
April 21, 22, 8pm CCO@thecell, 338 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
The Tin Angel. Music by Daniel Asia, Libretto by Paul Pines ,CCO Development Series
Composer Daniel Asia and librettist Paul Pines have been working collaboratively since they met thirty years ago at the MacDowell Colony, in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Asia has set numerous Pines’ poems in works that range from pieces for piano, chamber ensembles and orchestra, to his 5th Symphony that was premiered in November 2008 by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
Over the years they discussed collaborating on an opera, and decided on this project based on Pines’ novel, The Tin Angel (Wm. Morrow, 1983). The novel received rave notices: “The drug/jazz world of New York’s East Village has seldom been rendered more honestly or graphically…” said Publishers Weekly; The New York Times Sunday Book Review stated, “…this swift tale of murder and revenge rattles along stylishly and fulfills all our expectations for high-grade suspense.” Asia has been the recipient of prestigious prizes including a United Kingdom Fulbright Arts Award Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, four NEA Composers Grants, and most recently a Music Academy Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Asia’s music has been widely praised: “…a sensuous approach to sound and a generous exploitation of instruments — that makes orchestras want to schedule such music and listeners pay to hear it.” New York Times; “Asia’s stated determination that music is capable of conveying life’s big meaning comes across lovingly—and rightly—here”. Audiophile Audition; “…some of the most beautifully written and intensely moving music you are apt to hear. Asia is a major American talent.” Fanfare Magazine; “Asia is a compositional comet.” Arizona Daily Star
March 18, 19, 8pm, The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College
World premiere of The Secret Agent by Michael Dellaira with the libretto by J.D. McClatchy. Sam Helfrich directs with Sara Jobin conducting.
London, 1900: A bomb has exploded at the Greenwich Observatory, an attack “having all the shocking senselessness of gratuitous blasphemy.” The unknown bomber is blown to bits.Chief Inspector Heat’s investigation leads to Adolf Verloc, a foreign provocateur and his cell of terrorists.But the bomber turns out to be a mere boy: Verloc’s wife’s beloved brother, out on a mission he could not have possibly understood.A story of political intrigue among anarchists and government officials, murder and suicide, The Secret Agent is a story of social tragedy and intimate human drama, a story, sadly, for our times. Featuring Amy Burton as Winnie and Scott Bearden as Verloc.
October 14, 2010, 8pm CCO @ the cell, 338 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
“Alice in Wonderland” DVD Release Party
Come join CCO as we celebrate the release of our third commercial recording, “Alice in Wonderland” by Peter Westergaard. CCO Artistic Director Eric Salzman leads a panel discussion about the work followed by a showing of the short documentary, Westergaard in Wonderland. Later, meet the cast and creative team while you enjoy some of CCO’s famous wines. It’s free and you are all invited! Thank you to the cell theatre for hosting this event.
November 14, 2010, 6:30pm The New York Society Library
Prima le Parole (First the Words)
We are pleased to present the libretti of three operas in progress: The Tin Angel, Libretto by Paul Pines, Composer; Daniel Asia, Enemies, a Love Story, Libretto by Nahma Sandrow, Composer; Ben Moore and Big Jim and the Small Time Investors Libretto: Ned Jackson, Composer;Eric Salzman. The evening is moderated by Carlin Glynn, co-artistic director of The Actor’s Studio and Amy Leland will direct. For details and tickets, please visit the New York Society Library’s website: bit.ly/9Q1j6P
January 20,21, 8:00pm, CCO@thecell 338 West 23rd St
“Enemies, a Love Story” opens CCO’s exciting spring season. Music by Ben Moore, Libretto by Nahma Sandrow. Based on the novel of the same name by Isaac Bashevis Singer. CCO@thecell Atelier Series
Set in NYC in 1948, the opera follows Holocaust survivor Herman Broder. He spent the war in a hayloft, hidden by Polish peasant Yadwiga, whom he later married. Here in New York, though, he’s also in love with a fascinating mistress, herself a survivor. And then his first wife, believed dead, reappears. Lying and daydreaming, in perpetual desperation, Herman juggles these three secret lives, plus a secret job – as long as he can. Will he be caught at last, perhaps by the ordinary human need for happiness? Featuring an all-star cast with stage direction by Kira Simring and music direction by Michael Pilafian.
The Cell Theatre generously makes their venue available to us at no charge. Please support their other fine programs.
February 10, 2011, 8:00pm The National Arts Club
Annual Gala to benefit the Center for Contemporary Opera, Elliott Forrest, Master of Ceremonies.
You are cordially invited to attend a gala evening to benefit the Center for Contemporary Opera, featuring excerpts of “Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus” by Libby Larsen, and “The Mary Shelley Opera” by Allan Jaffe and Deborah Atherton”.
The evening will also include scenes from upcoming CCO productions of “The Secret Agent” by Michael Dellaira and J.D. McCLatchy, “Enemies, a Love Story” by Ben Moore and Nahma Sandrow, and “The Tin Angel” by Daniel Asia and Paul Pines. As part of CCO’s outreach program, “Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus”, and “The Mary Shelley Opera” will be presented by the superb Frost Opera Theater from The University of Miami Frost School of Music(Florida) under the direction of Alan Johnson and Dean Southern. The scenes will be presented by CCO’s outstanding artists including Amy Burton and Scott Bearden.
The evening will begin with drinks at 8pm and the 45 minute-program will begin at approximately 8:15. A reception will follow.
Please help us with our important mission and enjoy a great evening as well! Last year’s event was sold-out so please order your tickets early by visiting Brown Paper Tickets.
“>here. More importantly, attend our Gala so you can meet him in person. Thank you, Elliott!
February 5, 2011: We are delighted to welcome Scott Bearden to the cast of The Secret Agent. Mr. Bearden will be singing the role of Verloc.
January 19, 2011: Tickets for The Secret Agent are now on sale by calling the Kaye Playhouse Box Office at (212) 772-4448.
December 29, 2010: Connoisseur magazine calls CCO “one of the two most cutting edge opera companies in the world”
December 9, 2010: The Center for Contemporary Opera is proud to accept an invitation from the Armel Opera Festival. We will present The Secret Agent by Michael Dellaira and J.D. McClatchy in Gyor, Hungary on October 14, 2011. This marks the third consecutive season that CCO has presented works in Europe.
December 1, 2010: Thank you for attending Prima le Parole at the New York Society Library. Please mark your calendars now for our annual gala on Feb 10 at the National Arts Club.
October 11, 2010: Only four days away! Come join as we celebrate the release of Alice in Wonderland. Oct 14, 8pm at the cell theatre. Details are above.
August 5, 2010: The world premiere recording of Alice in Wonderland by Peter Westergaard is now available on Albany Records. This marks CCO’s fourth commercial release. http://bit.ly/cLbkit
July 26, 2010: Auditions for CCO’s upcoming season will be held on September 16 at the cell theatre. 338 W 23rd St, New York, NY. All applicants should have professional experience with other Opera America companies or a foreign equivalent. To be considered for an audition, send a cover letter, resume, headshot, and supportive materials to us by September 1st at the above address or by electronic submission at js@conopera.org. Should you be scheduled for an audition you will be contacted.
June 19, 2010: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button receives “Five Stars” from the Financial Times bit.ly/93wcHo
June 15, 2010: Tickets for the world premiere of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button are available at the door. Don’t miss this groundbreaking event. Peter Norton Symphony Space. 8pm.
May 11, 2010. Don’t miss excerpts from Eric Salzman’s Accord Discord performed by Laila Salins and William Schimmel at Galapagos Artspace. May 27, 8pm Tickets are available here: bit.ly/9SdzDB
April 7. 2010: The Center for Contemporary Opera is headed to Latvia. Our international presence grows as we received a grant from CEC ArtsLink to bring a series of programs to Latvia this fall. Thank you to ArtsLink for the generous grant and thank you to the Latvian cultural affairs organization, Music and Art Support for the invitation.
March 23, 2010: A recording and photos of CCO’s production of “Mario and the Magician” by Francis Thorne and J.D. McClatchy were featured at an exhibition at the Buddenbrookhaus in Luebeck, Germany; Thomas Mann’s home. http://bit.ly/bMqHNv
March 21, 2010: Deborah Atherton has written a lovely essay about CCO for the Interstitial Arts Foundation. http://bit.ly/aAPoJh
Feb 20, 2010: Here is a nice story about “Review” and our gala on the James Madison University website. Thank you to all who could join us.
Jan 15, 2010: Tickets now on sale for Anais by Susan Hurley on Feb 11 at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/90658 and also for Review by Jeremy Beck and Patricia Marx on Feb 19: http://bit.ly/5kMn6x
Jan 1, 2010: Happy New year from CCO. Our production of Neither in Vienna was well-received and played to overflow crowds. Here are two reviews: http://bit.ly/52h89n http://bit.ly/52h89n
Dec 18, 2009:
Join us tonight and tomorrow as CCO presents Neither by Morton Feldman and Samuel Beckett. 8pm at the Konzerthaus, Vienna.
Dec 7, 2009:
Thank you for attending Accord/Discord. Up next; CCO performs outside the United States for the first time in our 27 year history. Please join us at Vienna’s famed Konzerthaus as we present Morton Feldman’s Neither, December 18 and 19.
COMPLETED EVENTS
May 27, 8pm CCO@thecell 338 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
Archimedes by James Dashow and Rope and Chasm by Matthew Greenbaum. CCO Development Series Tickets are now on sale.
Archimedes is in three acts. It tells the story of one of the greatest mathematicians who ever lived framed as both a human tragedy and a tragedy of humanity. The story is told by Archimedes’ great antagonist, Marcellus, the Roman consul whose military suffered so horribly at Archimedes hands, but who understood that Archimedes was equally a force for good, that it depended on who wielded that force
and to what purpose.
Marcellus begins from the beginning, starting with the Platonic vision of the creation, the immense forces that produce in the end an experiment – the extremely gifted being called Archimedes. His early years are depicted with children’s laughter growing into the youth who discovers that he magnificently understands geometry, all with music and imagery swirling around the planetarium dome. His adventures in the public baths, both mathematical and more, end with the famous EUREKA, and he goes to Hieron’s court with his discoveries, to become part of the splendid civilization Hieron is constructing.
But after Hieron’s death, Syracuse becomes prey to the Roman imperial vision. Desperate, the people of Syracuse beg Archimedes to turn his geometries to the defense of the city, his city. Here, the human
tragedy takes the form of Archimedes’ dilemma: defile his mathematics in order to do battle with Rome, or maintain the purity of his thought while his people suffer. He relents, and the horrifying devastation
of the Roman forces by his war machines is told in the climactic battle scene. Marcellus is able to defeat Syracuse only by deceit, and in the third act, the consul invites Archimedes to help Rome build a golden age of peace. But the forces that made Archimedes now see the tragic flaw, foresee the death and destruction that will be the first yield of Archimedes’ science, the inevitable distortions in the ways humans use the gifts of the great men and women who so rarely come among us. For they, the cosmic forces, have also failed in their experiment. In the form of a Roman soldier, they kill him.
Both of this evening’s works are feasts for both the ear and eye. Kira Simring directs a terrific cast and Hubert Howe is our Music Director.
As always, you will have an opportunity to meet the composers, cast, and creative team at a wine reception immediately following the performance. Please join us for this important event.
April 21, 22, 8pm CCO@thecell, 338 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
The Tin Angel. Music by Daniel Asia, Libretto by Paul Pines ,CCO Development Series
Composer Daniel Asia and librettist Paul Pines have been working collaboratively since they met thirty years ago at the MacDowell Colony, in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Asia has set numerous Pines’ poems in works that range from pieces for piano, chamber ensembles and orchestra, to his 5th Symphony that was premiered in November 2008 by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
Over the years they discussed collaborating on an opera, and decided on this project based on Pines’ novel, The Tin Angel (Wm. Morrow, 1983). The novel received rave notices: “The drug/jazz world of New York’s East Village has seldom been rendered more honestly or graphically…” said Publishers Weekly; The New York Times Sunday Book Review stated, “…this swift tale of murder and revenge rattles along stylishly and fulfills all our expectations for high-grade suspense.” Asia has been the recipient of prestigious prizes including a United Kingdom Fulbright Arts Award Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, four NEA Composers Grants, and most recently a Music Academy Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Asia’s music has been widely praised: “…a sensuous approach to sound and a generous exploitation of instruments — that makes orchestras want to schedule such music and listeners pay to hear it.” New York Times; “Asia’s stated determination that music is capable of conveying life’s big meaning comes across lovingly—and rightly—here”. Audiophile Audition; “…some of the most beautifully written and intensely moving music you are apt to hear. Asia is a major American talent.” Fanfare Magazine; “Asia is a compositional comet.” Arizona Daily Star
March 18, 19, 8pm, The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College
World premiere of The Secret Agent by Michael Dellaira with the libretto by J.D. McClatchy. Sam Helfrich directs with Sara Jobin conducting.
London, 1900: A bomb has exploded at the Greenwich Observatory, an attack “having all the shocking senselessness of gratuitous blasphemy.” The unknown bomber is blown to bits.Chief Inspector Heat’s investigation leads to Adolf Verloc, a foreign provocateur and his cell of terrorists.But the bomber turns out to be a mere boy: Verloc’s wife’s beloved brother, out on a mission he could not have possibly understood.A story of political intrigue among anarchists and government officials, murder and suicide, The Secret Agent is a story of social tragedy and intimate human drama, a story, sadly, for our times. Featuring Amy Burton as Winnie and Scott Bearden as Verloc.
October 14, 2010, 8pm CCO @ the cell, 338 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
“Alice in Wonderland” DVD Release Party
Come join CCO as we celebrate the release of our third commercial recording, “Alice in Wonderland” by Peter Westergaard. CCO Artistic Director Eric Salzman leads a panel discussion about the work followed by a showing of the short documentary, Westergaard in Wonderland. Later, meet the cast and creative team while you enjoy some of CCO’s famous wines. It’s free and you are all invited! Thank you to the cell theatre for hosting this event.
November 14, 2010, 6:30pm The New York Society Library
Prima le Parole (First the Words)
We are pleased to present the libretti of three operas in progress: The Tin Angel, Libretto by Paul Pines, Composer; Daniel Asia, Enemies, a Love Story, Libretto by Nahma Sandrow, Composer; Ben Moore and Big Jim and the Small Time Investors Libretto: Ned Jackson, Composer;Eric Salzman. The evening is moderated by Carlin Glynn, co-artistic director of The Actor’s Studio and Amy Leland will direct. For details and tickets, please visit the New York Society Library’s website: bit.ly/9Q1j6P
January 20,21, 8:00pm, CCO@thecell 338 West 23rd St
“Enemies, a Love Story” opens CCO’s exciting spring season. Music by Ben Moore, Libretto by Nahma Sandrow. Based on the novel of the same name by Isaac Bashevis Singer. CCO@thecell Atelier Series
Set in NYC in 1948, the opera follows Holocaust survivor Herman Broder. He spent the war in a hayloft, hidden by Polish peasant Yadwiga, whom he later married. Here in New York, though, he’s also in love with a fascinating mistress, herself a survivor. And then his first wife, believed dead, reappears. Lying and daydreaming, in perpetual desperation, Herman juggles these three secret lives, plus a secret job – as long as he can. Will he be caught at last, perhaps by the ordinary human need for happiness? Featuring an all-star cast with stage direction by Kira Simring and music direction by Michael Pilafian.
The Cell Theatre generously makes their venue available to us at no charge. Please support their other fine programs.
February 10, 2011, 8:00pm The National Arts Club
Annual Gala to benefit the Center for Contemporary Opera, Elliott Forrest, Master of Ceremonies.
You are cordially invited to attend a gala evening to benefit the Center for Contemporary Opera, featuring excerpts of “Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus” by Libby Larsen, and “The Mary Shelley Opera” by Allan Jaffe and Deborah Atherton”.
The evening will also include scenes from upcoming CCO productions of “The Secret Agent” by Michael Dellaira and J.D. McCLatchy, “Enemies, a Love Story” by Ben Moore and Nahma Sandrow, and “The Tin Angel” by Daniel Asia and Paul Pines. As part of CCO’s outreach program, “Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus”, and “The Mary Shelley Opera” will be presented by the superb Frost Opera Theater from The University of Miami Frost School of Music(Florida) under the direction of Alan Johnson and Dean Southern. The scenes will be presented by CCO’s outstanding artists including Amy Burton and Scott Bearden.
The evening will begin with drinks at 8pm and the 45 minute-program will begin at approximately 8:15. A reception will follow.
Please help us with our important mission and enjoy a great evening as well! Last year’s event was sold-out so please order your tickets early by visiting Brown Paper Tickets.