Boston Premiere of Mark Adamo's LYSISTRATA Will Be Performed by Odyssey Opera and Boston Modern Orchestra Project

Odyssey Opera, in partnership with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), will present the Boston premiere of Lysistrata at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. Lysistrata, or The Nude Goddess, is Mark Adamo's early-21st century hilarious take on the ancient satire written over 2000 years ago by Greek playwright Aristophanes. Acclaimed conductor Gil Rose leads an internationally accomplished cast including baritones John Moore and Kevin Deas, mezzo-sopranos Katherine Beck, Sandra Piques Eddy, and Lucy Schaufer, tenor David Portillo, soprano Anya Matanovic playing the lead role of Lysistrata, and more, all supported by the GRAMMY️ Award-winning BMOP.

American composer-librettist Mark Adamo made his mark on the opera world in 1998 with the debut of his first work Little Women. His second opera Lysistrata premiered 20 years ago in 2005 by the Houston Grand Opera. According to Backtrack, it is "an engaging, coherent, and beautiful work...Adamo has an extraordinary ear for vocal writing and a knack for theater."

In the year 411 B.C., the Athenian Aristophanes made a statement on the then-current state of public affairs amidst the decades-long Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. His play, names after an Athenian female character names Lysistrata, weighed in on the issue in Aristophanes's signature satirical style. Serving as a delicious premise, Adamo reimagined the play by cutting three scenes, creating new characters, changing the war and inviting a wrangling romance between Lysistrata and the Athenian leader Nico.

Adamo and his husband and collaborator John Corigliano entrusted Gil Rose's company before with the performance and recording of The Lord of Cries (Pentatone) subsequently receiving a 2024 GRAMMY️ nomination for Best Opera Recording. Coming soon is Adamo's new opera Sarah in the Theater- Odyssey Opera's first-ever commission - and Odyssey Opera's forthcoming recording of Lysistrata (Pentatone).

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