(Credit: Frances Marshall & Zoltan Matuška) Iain Bell’s new piece “Comfort Starving” will receive its world premiere on July 1. The new monodrama for tenor & piano showcases the journey of a young, gay man grappling with an eating disorder, haunted by memories of homophobic school-bullying. Bell penned the libretto, drawing upon his own teenage experiences; the performance will be {…}
(Photo credit: Final Note Magazine) For the first time in the history of the New York Festival of Song’s NYFOS Next series, the program will focus entirely on the work of one lyricist/librettist, Pulitzer Prize, and Grammy® Award-winner Mark Campbell. The 40-minute virtual concert will take place on April 14, at 7:00 P.M. ET. The program will preview Campbell’s recent {…}
(Credit: Frances Marshall) Composer Iain Bell is set to world premiere two new song cycles within the span of one week, at Salzburg and in London. “I was delighted to receive a commission from the London Song Festival to compose a song-cycle for their 2020 series,” Bell stated in a press release, noting his desire to embrace more LGBTQ+ stories {…}
The New York City Opera has announced a series of events aimed at celebrating Pride month. On June 24, 2020, the company will present “Much to Be Done: A Live Stonewall Panel Discussion.” Starting at 8 p.m., audiences will hear from the cast and creative team behind the 2019 opera “Stonewall,” which was created by Mark Campbell and Iain Bell. {…}
(Credit: Frances Marshall) “Opera in the Times of COVID” is an interview series in collaboration with photographer Frances Marshall of Marshall Light Studio. We talk to notable figures from around the opera world to get their perspective on how they feel these challenging times may change opera’s present and future. In terms of composers rising the ranks of the modern {…}
The New York Festival of Song has announced its next two concerts set for March and April. On March 25, 2020, the company will showcase a celebration of the centennial of women’s suffrage in the U.S. This concert, entitled “And Still We Dream” will be curated by composers Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum and Laura Karpman. Both will showcase new pieces for the {…}
(Photo credit: Sarah Shatz) Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and the 75th year of New York City Opera (NYCO), general director Michael Capasso debuted the world premiere of the LGBTQI+ focused new opera by Iain Bell and Mark Campbell, “Stonewall” on June 21, 2019. Currently the only opera company that houses a series supporting Pride Month, NYCO {…}
It was March of 2018 and New York City Opera General Manager Michael Capasso wanted to make a big statement with his 2019 season. The 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots would take place in 2019 and it was the perfect opportunity for New York City Opera, which has championed operas about the LGBTQ+ community over the last few years, {…}
It’s Pride Month, so to celebrate we return to the series we began two years. This time we celebrate some of the great composers and librettists of today who have made a great impact in the opera world and whose works have given a voice to the voiceless. Jake Heggie Heggie is one of the most prolific composers of the {…}
The New York City Opera has announced casting for its upcoming world-premiere production of Iain Bell and Mark Campbell’s “Stonewall.” The new opera will feature Andrew Bidlack, Liz Bouk as Sarah, Lisa Chavez as Maggie, Michael Corvino, Jessica Fishenfeld, Marc Heller as Larry, Brian James Myer as Carlos, and Jordan Weatherston Pitts as Renata. Leonard Foglia will direct, and Carolyn {…}
Even though 2018 is coming to an end, there is a lot of opera to look forward to in 2019. There will be even more stars, world premieres, new productions, and rarely performed works that will be showcased throughout the world. In celebration of the new year, let’s take a look at the operas OperaWire believes are not be missed {…}