Carnegie Hall's Notables Program Presents the 14th Annual Notable Occasion

On Monday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m., Nicola and Beatrice Bulgari and the Carnegie Hall Notables-a membership and ticket program for music enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s-will host the 14th Annual Notable Occasion. This private performance in Zankel Hall for Carnegie Hall Notables and special guests features two American rising star vocalists: soprano Julia Bullock and tenor Paul Appleby offering a combination of arias, lieder, favorites from the American songbook including works by Bernstein, Britten, Lerner and Loewe, Schubert, and Schumann, among other surprises. The two singers will be accompanied by pianist John Arida. After the exclusive concert, Notables gather at Brasserie 8 ½ for a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres reception. The 14th Annual Notable Occasion is generously underwritten by Nicola and Beatrice Bulgari.

The 14th Annual Notable Occasion is one of a series of annual special events offered for Carnegie Hall Notables members. The Carnegie Hall Notables support the education and social impact programs of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI) and celebrate music through intimate discussions, concerts, cocktail parties, and more. WMI offers a wide range of visionary music education and social impact programs in the state-of-the-art Resnick Education Wing, classrooms, and in a variety of community settings, and also provides free music education resources to orchestras and schools across the country. The programs are designed to introduce people to the power of music; train and support aspiring young artists, and to explore inventive ways the music can play a meaningful role in people's lives.

About the Artists
Soprano Julia Bullock is recognized as an "impressive, fast-rising soprano... poised for a significant career" (The New York Times). Equally at home with opera and concert repertoire, she has captivated and inspired audiences through her versatile artistry, probing intellect, and commanding stage presence. Opera News extols, "Bullock's radiant soprano shines brightly and unfailingly... Most compellingly, however, she communicates intense, authentic feeling, as if she were singing right from her soul."

This season, Ms. Bullock makes a San Francisco Opera debut in the world premiere of Girls of the Golden West composed by John Adams to a libretto by Peter Sellars and she joins Dutch National Opera in a company premiere of Simon McBurney's production of The Rake's Progress under the direction of Ivor Bolton. The soprano makes a Santa Fe Opera debut as Kitty Oppenheimer in a new Peter Sellars production of Doctor Atomic by frequent collaborator John Adams and she tours North America in recital with performances under the auspices of Boston Celebrity Series, Cal Performances, Berkeley, University of California Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures, Harriman Jewell Series, Spivey Hall, and in Weill Recital Hall on Friday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. No less impressive, Julia Bullock joined Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a Bernstein Gala to launch the 2017-2018 season and sang Pamina in concert performances of Die Zauberflöte with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Admired for his interpretive depth, vocal strength, and range of expressivity, tenor Paul Appleby is one of the sought-after voices of his generation. A versatile artist, he is equally in demand on the world's leading concert, recital, and opera stages.

Following a summer season that featured Mr. Appleby in his Festival d'Aix-en-Provence debut in a new production of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress (as Tom Rakewell) by director Simon McBurney, he creates the role of Joe Cannon in the world premiere of John Adams/Peter Sellars' Girls of the Golden West at San Francisco Opera. Later in 2017-2018, Mr. Appleby returns to Dutch National Opera revisiting McBurney's production of The Rake's Progress in its Dutch premiere conducted by Ivor Bolton.

The tenor's dedication to performing in the great concert halls of the world yields collaborations with Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Schubert's Mass in E flat Major, D. 950 and with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in concert performances of Die Zauberflöteand Mozart's seldom heard Laut verkunde unsre. Mr. Appleby joins his frequent musical partner, Manfred Honeck, for performances of Berlioz's Te Deum with the Pittsburgh Symphony and appears with the Fort Worth Symphony in a presentation of Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings. He sings the title role in Carnegie Hall's one-night-only concert performance of Leonard Bernstein'sCandide on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. and returns to Zankel Hall for the 2018-2019 season in recital with pianist Natalia Katyukova on Friday, October 26 at 7:30 p.m..

John Arida is a pianist and coach based in New York City and specializing in both opera and art song. During the 2016-2017 season he appeared in recital with soprano Julia Bullock at the Rochester Lyric Opera and mezzo-soprano Megan Marino at Opera Delaware's Sunday Artist Spotlight series. Mr. Arida also serves on the music staff at The Juilliard School, Virginia Opera, and Central City Opera, as well as the Prototype Festival, where he will prepare the New York premiere of "anatomy theater" by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang. Past notable performances include Carnegie Hall and Mexico recital debuts with mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard; Arida's Canadian debut with soprano Simone Osborne; and the live-streamed memorial tribute to Maestro Lorin Maazel, where his partners included Sir James Galway. Mr. Arida has been on the music staff at The Juilliard School, Central City Opera, the Castleton Festival, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, and has held a season-long engagement as Emerging Artist Pianist with Virginia Opera. He holds a master's degree in collaborative piano from Juilliard as well as a bachelor's degree in vocal performance from SUNY Purchase.

Program Information
Monday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Zankel Hall
14TH ANNUAL NOTABLE OCCASION
Julia Bullock, Soprano
Paul Appleby, Tenor
John Arida, Pianist

Made up of young music lovers, the Notables celebrate music through intimate discussions, concerts, cocktail parties, and more. Contributions from the Notables directly support the music education and community programs of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute.

7:00 p.m. - Private Performance
Immediately Following the Performance - Reception at Brasserie 8 ½ (9 West 57th Street)

The 14th Annual Notable Occasion is generously underwritten by Nicola & Beatrice Bulgari.

Event Information
The private performance and cocktail reception are free for Notables members at the Supporter level ($500 annually) and above. Admission is not available to the general public for this event. For more information, please call 212-903-9734, email notables@carnegiehall.org, or visit carnegiehall.org/notables.

Photos: Julia Bullock by © Christian Steiner and Paul Appleby by © Frances Marshall.