Press Releases OPERA COMPANY PRESENTS PORGY AND BESS 01-30-2007 For Immediate Release:January 30, 2007 Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204galligher@operaphilly.com OPERA COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA PRESENTSTHE GERSHWINS’ PORGY AND BESSGREGG BAKER AND ANGELA BROWN MAKE TITLE ROLE DEBUTSNEW FREEDOM THEATRE’S WALTER DALLAS MAKES OPERA DIRECTORIAL DEBUT PHILADELPHIA, PA: This February, the Opera Company presents a jewel of American opera repertoire, the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. The touching tale of the triumphs and struggles of the residents of Catfish Row, each rich with depth and personality, Porgy and Bess features unforgettable, show-stopping hits like "Summertime," "A Woman is a Sometime Thing," "It Ain't Necessarily So," and "Bess, You Is My Woman Now," as jazz and blues come together in the embodiment of American musical tradition. OCP reunites the talented Gregg Baker and Angela Brown (Margaret Garner, ‘06) to make their much-anticipated title role debuts. Baker and Brown have both spent much of this year singing roles that Philadelphia audiences recognize: Baker performed the role of Amonasro in Aida with Florida Grand Opera and Michigan Opera Theatre, while Brown performed the title role in Aida with Opera Pacific, Florentine Opera and Florida Grand Opera. Brown and Baker also paired up in a recital at the University of California, Northridge, and sang concert performances of Aida with Opera Pacific. Joining these familiar favorites are two baritones in their Opera Company debuts: Lester Lynch as the menacing Crown and Eric Greene as Jake. Both men recently performed these roles with Washington National Opera to much acclaim and reprise them after Philadelphia in performances with Los Angeles Opera. Serena is sung by soprano Lisa Daltirus, whom audiences will remember for her acclaimed, last-minute debut in the title role of Aida in 2005. Since that unscheduled OCP appearance, Daltirus has made company debuts with Palm Beach Opera and Minnesota Opera in the title role of Tosca and a role debut as Leonora in Il trovatore with Connecticut Opera. Tenor Steven Cole (Boris Godunov, ’87) makes his long-awaited return as the drug-peddling Sportin' Life, with Curtis graduate and Philadelphia native Karen Slack (Ariadne auf Naxos, ’03) singing the role of Clara. Mezzo-soprano Linda Thompson Williams reprising the role of Maria, which she performed in OCP’s last production of the work, and AVA-trained mezzo-soprano Tracie Luck is Lily. Maestro Stefan Lano, who made his Company debut with last season’s Margaret Garner, leads the orchestra, with Walter Dallas, Artistic Director of Philadelphia's New Freedom Theatre, making his operatic directorial debut, and choreographer Patricia Scott Hobbs joins him on movement. This celebrated Opera Company of Philadelphia co-production features sets and costumes by Felix E. Cochren, Jr. and lighting by Drew Billiau. PORGY & BESSby George and Ira GershwinPerformed in EnglishFebruary 9, 11m, 14, 16, 18m & 24, 2007 PORGY Gregg Baker BESS Angela BrownCROWN Lester Lynch* SERENA Lisa Daltirus* CLARA Karen Slack SPORTIN' LIFE Steven Cole* MARIA Linda Thompson Williams JAKE Eric Greene* ROBBINS Taiwan Norris*FRAZIER Frank Mitchell ANNIE Allison Sanders*LILY Tracie Luck STRAWBERRY WOMAN Julie-Ann Whitely MINGO Larry Hylton*JIM DeAndre Simmons*PETER Calvin Lee* DETECTIVE Robert Phillips POLICEMAN Christopher Hodges UNDERTAKER Lourin Plant*NELSON/CRABMAN DonLeroy Morales*CORONER Gregory Cantwell CONDUCTOR Stefan LanoDIRECTOR Walter Dallas*SET & COSTUME DESIGN Felix E. Cochren, Jr.LIGHTING DESIGN Drew BilliauCHOREOGRAPHER Patricia Scott HobbsWIG & MAKE-UP DESIGN Tom WatsonCHORUS MASTER Elizabeth Braden *Opera Company of Philadelphia debut Featuring the Opera Company of Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus, with members of the Morgan State University Concert Choir.This production of Porgy and Bess is a co-production between the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Indianapolis Opera.ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION: All performances take place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets. Performance times: Wednesday at 7:30pm; Friday at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees are at 2:30pm. SINGLE TICKETS ARE PRICED FROM $7.00 (seven) to $195. To purchase, call 215-893-1018 or visit www.operaphilly.com. ADVANTA is proud to be the Season Sponsor of the Opera Company of Philadelphia since 1993. US Airways is the official airline of the Opera Company of Philadelphia. YAMAHA is the official piano of the Opera Company. Burdumy Volvo is the official automotive dealership of the Opera Company. 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. -##-
Press Releases
For Immediate Release:January 30, 2007
Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204galligher@operaphilly.com
OPERA COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA PRESENTSTHE GERSHWINS’ PORGY AND BESSGREGG BAKER AND ANGELA BROWN MAKE TITLE ROLE DEBUTSNEW FREEDOM THEATRE’S WALTER DALLAS MAKES OPERA DIRECTORIAL DEBUT
PHILADELPHIA, PA: This February, the Opera Company presents a jewel of American opera repertoire, the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. The touching tale of the triumphs and struggles of the residents of Catfish Row, each rich with depth and personality, Porgy and Bess features unforgettable, show-stopping hits like "Summertime," "A Woman is a Sometime Thing," "It Ain't Necessarily So," and "Bess, You Is My Woman Now," as jazz and blues come together in the embodiment of American musical tradition.
OCP reunites the talented Gregg Baker and Angela Brown (Margaret Garner, ‘06) to make their much-anticipated title role debuts. Baker and Brown have both spent much of this year singing roles that Philadelphia audiences recognize: Baker performed the role of Amonasro in Aida with Florida Grand Opera and Michigan Opera Theatre, while Brown performed the title role in Aida with Opera Pacific, Florentine Opera and Florida Grand Opera. Brown and Baker also paired up in a recital at the University of California, Northridge, and sang concert performances of Aida with Opera Pacific.
Joining these familiar favorites are two baritones in their Opera Company debuts: Lester Lynch as the menacing Crown and Eric Greene as Jake. Both men recently performed these roles with Washington National Opera to much acclaim and reprise them after Philadelphia in performances with Los Angeles Opera.
Serena is sung by soprano Lisa Daltirus, whom audiences will remember for her acclaimed, last-minute debut in the title role of Aida in 2005. Since that unscheduled OCP appearance, Daltirus has made company debuts with Palm Beach Opera and Minnesota Opera in the title role of Tosca and a role debut as Leonora in Il trovatore with Connecticut Opera.
Tenor Steven Cole (Boris Godunov, ’87) makes his long-awaited return as the drug-peddling Sportin' Life, with Curtis graduate and Philadelphia native Karen Slack (Ariadne auf Naxos, ’03) singing the role of Clara. Mezzo-soprano Linda Thompson Williams reprising the role of Maria, which she performed in OCP’s last production of the work, and AVA-trained mezzo-soprano Tracie Luck is Lily.
Maestro Stefan Lano, who made his Company debut with last season’s Margaret Garner, leads the orchestra, with Walter Dallas, Artistic Director of Philadelphia's New Freedom Theatre, making his operatic directorial debut, and choreographer Patricia Scott Hobbs joins him on movement. This celebrated Opera Company of Philadelphia co-production features sets and costumes by Felix E. Cochren, Jr. and lighting by Drew Billiau.
PORGY & BESSby George and Ira GershwinPerformed in EnglishFebruary 9, 11m, 14, 16, 18m & 24, 2007
PORGY Gregg Baker BESS Angela BrownCROWN Lester Lynch* SERENA Lisa Daltirus* CLARA Karen Slack SPORTIN' LIFE Steven Cole* MARIA Linda Thompson Williams JAKE Eric Greene* ROBBINS Taiwan Norris*FRAZIER Frank Mitchell ANNIE Allison Sanders*LILY Tracie Luck STRAWBERRY WOMAN Julie-Ann Whitely MINGO Larry Hylton*JIM DeAndre Simmons*PETER Calvin Lee* DETECTIVE Robert Phillips POLICEMAN Christopher Hodges UNDERTAKER Lourin Plant*NELSON/CRABMAN DonLeroy Morales*CORONER Gregory Cantwell
CONDUCTOR Stefan LanoDIRECTOR Walter Dallas*SET & COSTUME DESIGN Felix E. Cochren, Jr.LIGHTING DESIGN Drew BilliauCHOREOGRAPHER Patricia Scott HobbsWIG & MAKE-UP DESIGN Tom WatsonCHORUS MASTER Elizabeth Braden
*Opera Company of Philadelphia debut
Featuring the Opera Company of Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus, with members of the Morgan State University Concert Choir.This production of Porgy and Bess is a co-production between the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Indianapolis Opera.ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION:
All performances take place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets. Performance times: Wednesday at 7:30pm; Friday at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees are at 2:30pm.
SINGLE TICKETS ARE PRICED FROM $7.00 (seven) to $195. To purchase, call 215-893-1018 or visit www.operaphilly.com.
ADVANTA is proud to be the Season Sponsor of the Opera Company of Philadelphia since 1993.
US Airways is the official airline of the Opera Company of Philadelphia. YAMAHA is the official piano of the Opera Company. Burdumy Volvo is the official automotive dealership of the Opera Company. 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.
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