Press Releases OPERA COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE OF HANSEL AND GRETEL FEATURES FAMED PRODUCTION BY MAURICE SENDAK 11-13-2007 For Immediate Release:September 18, 2007 Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204galligher@operaphila.org Opera Company of Philadelphia Premiere of Hansel and GretelFeatures Famed Production by Maurice SendakStarring Lauren Curnow, Maureen McKay and Jennifer Roderer Philadelphia, PA: On November 14th, the first fully-staged professional production of Humperdinck’s classic Hansel and Gretel to come to Philadelphia in almost 40 years delights audiences and sets the stage for the holiday season. This lushly orchestrated operatic version of the children’s fairytale is performed in German with English text projected above the stage, and set in a whimsical world created by award-winning children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, designer of the sets and costumes. The set, which employs Sendak’s gift for color and visual texture which is perhaps most recognized in the award-winning children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, gives life to even the most inanimate objects and promises to delight adults and children alike. To prepare opera-goers for this perfect introduction to the art form, the Opera Company is hosting a gingerbread house-building event in collaboration with IKEA on November 3, 2007; a pre-production program called A Taste of Opera at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue on Sunday, November 11th with celebrated author Francine Segan discussing great food in opera followed by a lecture on the opera itself by University of Pennsylvania’s David Fox; and a free Family Guide to the Opera, the award-winning accompaniment to the Opera’s Sounds of Learning education program, is available featuring the English translation of the text, with lessons and background on the opera by e-mailing outreach@operaphila.org. Additionally, for every full-priced adult ticket purchased, a ticket may be purchased for 20% off for your opera-lover under the age of 17. Hansel and Gretel stars a cast of fresh, young voices, including many Opera Company debuts. In the “pants role” of Hansel in her return to Philadelphia is soprano Lauren Curnow (Carmen, ’02). A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Curnow has been a favorite artist at the Lyric Opera of Chicago where she starred in their recent Die Fledermaus, and also sang the Fox in The Cunning Little Vixen. This summer she traveled to Ireland to appear as The Woman in La Voix Humaine at the Wexford Opera Festival. Her Gretel is soprano Maureen McKay in her Opera Company debut. Ms. McKay is a graduate of Seattle Opera’s Young Artist Program who recently made two successful debuts with New York City Opera; her company debut was as Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, a performance that prompted the The New York Times to say, “Despina is sung by Maureen McKay: small, energetic, fleet of foot and our very image of the part." She then went on to star in her role debut as Caroline Gaines in the company premiere of Richard Danielpour’s Margaret Garner. Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Roderer, who had great success as the Witch in performances with New York City Opera, the Phoenix Symphony, and Opera Roanoke, makes her OCP debut in a departure from Wagnerian roles such as Fricka in Teatro Colon’s Die Walküre and Waltraute for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Seattle Opera. The New Yorker hailed her performance as the Witch with NYC Opera, claiming “it is the mezzo-soprano Jennifer Roderer, as the witch…who makes the show come alive; she sings and cackles in equal measure, to delightfully creepy effect.” Hansel and Gretel’s parents are sung by two exciting young artists: soprano Heidi Melton is Gertrude, and baritone Michael Mayes is Peter. Melton, who makes her Company debut, is an alumna of the Curtis Institute of Music and a San Francisco Opera Adler Fellowship artist, where she recently sang the roles of Mary Todd Lincoln in Appomattox and Marianne Leitmetzerin in Der Rosenkavalier. Mayes, who sang a supporting role in Margaret Garner (2006), was integrally involved in workshops of that opera and went on to sing the role of Edward Gaines with Opera Carolina. Soprano Kristine Biller Mattson (Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, ’04) returns as the Sandman, with soprano Kiera Duffy (Cinderella, ’06) as the Dew Fairy. Director Dorothy Danner (The Grand Duchess, ’04) returns and teams up with Lighting Designer Drew Billiau and Music Director Corrado Rovaris. The opera features the Commonwealth Youthchoirs, Inc., with the Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir. Additional information about Hansel and Gretel, including music clips, background on the composer, and information on outreach events, may be found at www.operaphila.org. HANSEL AND GRETELBy Engelbert HumperdinckAn Opera Company of Philadelphia PremiereNovember 14, 16, 18m, 23 & 25m, 2007Performed in German with English translations Hansel Lauren Curnow Conductor Corrado RovarisGretel Maureen McKay* Director Dorothy DannerWitch Jennifer Roderer* Set & Costume Design Maurice Sendak*Peter Michael Mayes Lighting Design Drew BilliauGertrude Heidi Melton* Costume Direction Richard St. ClairSandman Kristine Biller Mattson Wig & Make-up Design Tom WatsonDewfairy Kiera Duffy Assoc. Set & Costume Design Peter Hauser* Featuring the Commonwealth Youthchoirs, Inc., with Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir. Production from Indianapolis Opera Original co-production for Houston Grand Opera, San Diego Opera and Indianapolis Opera. Original production by Frank Corsaro. ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION: All performances take place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets. Performance times: Wednesday at 7:30pm; Fridays at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees are at 2:30pm. Ticket prices range from $7 - $205 and may be purchased by calling Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or visiting www.operaphila.org. ADVANTA is proud to be the Season Sponsor of the Opera Company of Philadelphia since 1993. Montgomery, McCracken, Walker and Rhoads, LLP is the Fall 2007 Presenting Sponsor. Hansel and Gretel is made possible, in part, by a generous grant from The Jacob Burns Foundation. US Airways is the official airline of the Opera Company. Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue is the official hotel of the Opera Company. YAMAHA is the official piano of the Opera Company. Burdumy Motors Incorporated is the official automotive dealership of the Opera Company. Hansel and Gretel is made possible, in part, by a generous grant from The Jacob Burns Foundation. Additional funding for Cyrano is provided by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation. The Opera Company of Philadelphia is supported by major grants from The William Penn Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Lenfest Foundation, and the Annenberg Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Independence Foundation and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The Opera Company of Philadelphia receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. 2007-2008 Individual Performance Sponsors: Advanta, PNC Bank, Wyeth, Wachovia Wealth Management, KPMG, the Pennsylvania Trust Company, Sunoco, Inc. -##-
Press Releases
For Immediate Release:September 18, 2007
Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204galligher@operaphila.org
Opera Company of Philadelphia Premiere of Hansel and GretelFeatures Famed Production by Maurice SendakStarring Lauren Curnow, Maureen McKay and Jennifer Roderer
Philadelphia, PA: On November 14th, the first fully-staged professional production of Humperdinck’s classic Hansel and Gretel to come to Philadelphia in almost 40 years delights audiences and sets the stage for the holiday season. This lushly orchestrated operatic version of the children’s fairytale is performed in German with English text projected above the stage, and set in a whimsical world created by award-winning children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, designer of the sets and costumes. The set, which employs Sendak’s gift for color and visual texture which is perhaps most recognized in the award-winning children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, gives life to even the most inanimate objects and promises to delight adults and children alike.
To prepare opera-goers for this perfect introduction to the art form, the Opera Company is hosting a gingerbread house-building event in collaboration with IKEA on November 3, 2007; a pre-production program called A Taste of Opera at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue on Sunday, November 11th with celebrated author Francine Segan discussing great food in opera followed by a lecture on the opera itself by University of Pennsylvania’s David Fox; and a free Family Guide to the Opera, the award-winning accompaniment to the Opera’s Sounds of Learning education program, is available featuring the English translation of the text, with lessons and background on the opera by e-mailing outreach@operaphila.org. Additionally, for every full-priced adult ticket purchased, a ticket may be purchased for 20% off for your opera-lover under the age of 17.
Hansel and Gretel stars a cast of fresh, young voices, including many Opera Company debuts. In the “pants role” of Hansel in her return to Philadelphia is soprano Lauren Curnow (Carmen, ’02). A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Curnow has been a favorite artist at the Lyric Opera of Chicago where she starred in their recent Die Fledermaus, and also sang the Fox in The Cunning Little Vixen. This summer she traveled to Ireland to appear as The Woman in La Voix Humaine at the Wexford Opera Festival.
Her Gretel is soprano Maureen McKay in her Opera Company debut. Ms. McKay is a graduate of Seattle Opera’s Young Artist Program who recently made two successful debuts with New York City Opera; her company debut was as Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, a performance that prompted the The New York Times to say, “Despina is sung by Maureen McKay: small, energetic, fleet of foot and our very image of the part." She then went on to star in her role debut as Caroline Gaines in the company premiere of Richard Danielpour’s Margaret Garner.
Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Roderer, who had great success as the Witch in performances with New York City Opera, the Phoenix Symphony, and Opera Roanoke, makes her OCP debut in a departure from Wagnerian roles such as Fricka in Teatro Colon’s Die Walküre and Waltraute for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Seattle Opera. The New Yorker hailed her performance as the Witch with NYC Opera, claiming “it is the mezzo-soprano Jennifer Roderer, as the witch…who makes the show come alive; she sings and cackles in equal measure, to delightfully creepy effect.”
Hansel and Gretel’s parents are sung by two exciting young artists: soprano Heidi Melton is Gertrude, and baritone Michael Mayes is Peter. Melton, who makes her Company debut, is an alumna of the Curtis Institute of Music and a San Francisco Opera Adler Fellowship artist, where she recently sang the roles of Mary Todd Lincoln in Appomattox and Marianne Leitmetzerin in Der Rosenkavalier. Mayes, who sang a supporting role in Margaret Garner (2006), was integrally involved in workshops of that opera and went on to sing the role of Edward Gaines with Opera Carolina. Soprano Kristine Biller Mattson (Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, ’04) returns as the Sandman, with soprano Kiera Duffy (Cinderella, ’06) as the Dew Fairy.
Director Dorothy Danner (The Grand Duchess, ’04) returns and teams up with Lighting Designer Drew Billiau and Music Director Corrado Rovaris. The opera features the Commonwealth Youthchoirs, Inc., with the Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir.
Additional information about Hansel and Gretel, including music clips, background on the composer, and information on outreach events, may be found at www.operaphila.org.
HANSEL AND GRETELBy Engelbert HumperdinckAn Opera Company of Philadelphia PremiereNovember 14, 16, 18m, 23 & 25m, 2007Performed in German with English translations
Hansel Lauren Curnow Conductor Corrado RovarisGretel Maureen McKay* Director Dorothy DannerWitch Jennifer Roderer* Set & Costume Design Maurice Sendak*Peter Michael Mayes Lighting Design Drew BilliauGertrude Heidi Melton* Costume Direction Richard St. ClairSandman Kristine Biller Mattson Wig & Make-up Design Tom WatsonDewfairy Kiera Duffy Assoc. Set & Costume Design Peter Hauser*
Featuring the Commonwealth Youthchoirs, Inc., with Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir.
Production from Indianapolis Opera Original co-production for Houston Grand Opera, San Diego Opera and Indianapolis Opera. Original production by Frank Corsaro.
ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION:
All performances take place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets.
Performance times: Wednesday at 7:30pm; Fridays at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees are at 2:30pm.
Ticket prices range from $7 - $205 and may be purchased by calling Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or visiting www.operaphila.org.
ADVANTA is proud to be the Season Sponsor of the Opera Company of Philadelphia since 1993.
Montgomery, McCracken, Walker and Rhoads, LLP is the Fall 2007 Presenting Sponsor.
Hansel and Gretel is made possible, in part, by a generous grant from The Jacob Burns Foundation.
US Airways is the official airline of the Opera Company. Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue is the official hotel of the Opera Company. YAMAHA is the official piano of the Opera Company. Burdumy Motors Incorporated is the official automotive dealership of the Opera Company. Hansel and Gretel is made possible, in part, by a generous grant from The Jacob Burns Foundation. Additional funding for Cyrano is provided by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation. The Opera Company of Philadelphia is supported by major grants from The William Penn Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Lenfest Foundation, and the Annenberg Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Independence Foundation and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The Opera Company of Philadelphia receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. 2007-2008 Individual Performance Sponsors: Advanta, PNC Bank, Wyeth, Wachovia Wealth Management, KPMG, the Pennsylvania Trust Company, Sunoco, Inc.
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