Recent Events

2011 Standard Repertoire Project at the East 13th Street Theatre, New York, NY
Complete cast lists and information available at: 2011 Standard Repertoire Project

Our 8th summer season featured some of the best emerging artists from New York and around the country in productions of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and R. Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos.  Repertoire was chosen to feature the artists that we feel are most deserving of the valuable preparation and performing experience that dell'Arte Opera Ensemble has to offer.

KÖnigskinder
7:30 pm, December 21, 2010
Gerald Lynch theater
John Jay College, 899 Tenth Avenue, NYC
by Englebert Humperdinck
libretto by Ernst Rosmer (pen name of Elsa Bernstein-Porges)

90-minute Abridged Version
Fully-staged, with chamber ensemble and supertitles

Description and Reviews

2010 Standard repertoire Project

The 2010 Standard Repertoire Project once again featured emerging artists in debut roles, in fully staged black-box style productions with piano accompaniment and simple (usually contemporary) costuming.  Performances took place at the charming and intimate Theatre 80 St. Mark's in Manhattan, to our biggest and most enthusiastic audiences yet.  Casts and staff are listed below, and links lead to personal bios.

July 25, 2010, 3 p.m.
Theater 80 St. Marks, 80 St. Marks Place

2010 “Black Box” Production

anna Bolena by Gaetano Donizetti
libretto by Felice Romani

In italian with supertitles

Theater 80 St. Marks, 80 St. Marks Place
Friday, January 29 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, January 31 at 3 p.m.

The production presented Donizetti's stunning score in a unique rendition featuring the two main tenor arias in the composer's original (higher) keys (not heard since Donizetti's day), as well as the rarely heard and fiendishly difficult Anna/Percy duet “Sì, son io che a te ritorno.” 

Nathaniel Merchant, Stage Director
Christopher Fecteau, Conductor
Jennifer Behnke, Costume Design
Stephen Petrilli, Lighting Design

Jill Dewsnup as Anna Bolena
Cherry Duke as Giovanna Seymour
Matthew Anchel as Enrico
Kirk Dougherty as Riccardo Percy
Blythe Gaissert as Smeton
Isaac Grier as Rochefort
Jameson James as Hervey

Guest Chamber Ensemble: Hellgate Harmonie
with pianist Lynda Saponara

Reviews:
Paul Pelkonen on his blog Superconductor
My Favorite Intermissions blog by Maury D'annato

Below are rehearsal stills, taken by photographer Lorcan Otway. Click images to enlarge.

        

Additional resources
Synopsis (.pdf)
English translation libretto (.pdf)
English translation libretto (.doc)

2009 Standard repertoire project

The East 13th Street Theater
136 East 13th Street New York, NY 10003

Sunday, July 26th
Manon by Jules Massenet
libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille (sung in French with supertitles)

Featuring:
Abla Lynn Hamza as Manon Lescaut
Victor Khodadad as Chevalier Des Grieux
Aaron Theno as Lescaut
Ilberto Lagana as Comte Des Grieux
Soyoung Choi as Bretigny
David Bell as Guillot

Christopher Fecteau, conductor
Benjamin Spierman, stage director
Michael Spassov, pianist & chorus master

Manon Resources (synopsis, composer biography, etc.)

Sunday, August 9th
Don Giovanni by W. A. Mozart
libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte (sung in Italian with supertitles)

Featuring:
Dan Klein as Don Giovanni
Jack White as Leporello
Erika Rauer as Donna Anna
Mary Ann Stewart as Donna Elvira
David Chase as Don Ottavio
Sara Fanucchi as Zerlina
Evan Rainey Bennett as Masetto
Ilberto Lagana as Commendatore

Steven Jarvi, guest conductor
Benjamin Spierman, stage director
Jeffrey Grossman, pianist
Michael Spassov, chorus master

Don Giovanni Resources (synopsis, composer biography, etc.)
 

Sunday, August 23rd
La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini
libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa (sung in Italian with supertitles)

Featuring:
Gretchen Mundinger as Mimì
Kirk Dougherty as Rodolfo
Alyssa Bowlby as Musetta
Kyle Pfortmiller as Marcello
Kian Freitas as Schaunard
Isaac Grier as Colline
Jack Anderson White as Benoit
Jay Gould as Alcindoro

Christopher Fecteau, conductor
Benjamin Spierman, stage director
Lynda Saponara, pianist
Michael Spassov, chorus master

La Bohème Resources (synopsis, composer biography, etc.)

Admission is FREE/Donations are welcome
(suggested contribution: $15)
Enjoy the theater's air-conditioned lobby/café prior to the performance.
The house opens at 2:45 for general admission: first-come, first-served.

2009 BLACK BOX

La clemenza di Tito by W. A. Mozart
CAST (click here to meet our cast members)
TITO: Richard Gillyard / Kirk Dougherty
VITELLIA: Erica Rauer / Casey Cole
PUBLIO: Grant Mech / Isaac Grier
ANNIO: Sarah Nelson Craft / Jocelyne O’Toole
SERVILIA: Angela Baade / Nicole Zuraitis
SESTO: Rosalie Sullivan / Liat Hirsh

Stage Director: Ben Spierman
Conductor: Christopher Fecteau
Assistant Conductor: Alexander Rovang

Chamber Ensemble:
Lisa Dispigno, flute
Laurence Beckhardt, clarinet and basset horn
Sasha Enegren, bassoon
Marc Cerri, horn
Muneyoshi Takahashi, violin
Eric Cooper, cello
Alexander Rovang, piano and recitative continuo

A note from the Administrative Director:
Our heartfelt thanks go out to the cast and artistic team for all their fantastic work on La clemenza di Tito, presented at the Times Square Arts Center in New York City and Vertical Player Repertory Theater in Brooklyn. All of the vocal artists made enormous strides in bringing this production to its feet, and Artistic Director Christopher Fecteau created his own chamber ensemble arrangement of the score which brought the performances into perfect balance in these intimate venues. Special kudos to director Benjamin Spierman for making the scenes come to life in very limited playing spaces! Each of the four performances were welcomed by sold-out houses, and audiences were enthralled the power of the performances and the nuanced chamber ensemble playing. Dell’icious, Dell’ightful, Dell’Arte!