Marshall Opera Performs ORAL HISTORY PROJECT CONCERT This Month

Marshall Opera, New York’s newest opera company, presents its inaugural concert, the “Oral History Project Concert” on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at 7:30 pm at The Cell Theatre in New York City.  The Oral History Project’s mission is to collect, preserve and disseminate the stories of seasoned and distinguished living composers.  Young artists conduct these interviews, introducing them to the music and cultural milieu of a previous generation.

Following the interviews, the composer and young artist will select a piece from one of the composer’s operas.  These selections will be presented on the October 28 inaugural program bringing together composers and young singers culminating in performances of the composer’s works.

The establishment of Marshall Opera, named for opera visionary Richard Marshall, was announced on May 6, 2023.  Jim Schaeffer is the Artistic and General Director and Mark Shapiro is the Principal Conductor.  That evening, Jim Schaeffer said, “I am proud to honor the legacy of Richard Marshall who has done so much to advance the cause of contemporary opera in the United States.  With Marshall Opera’s focus on neglected works from the last and present century, we are excited to introduce these great operas to an entire generation of new audiences.”

The Inaugural “Oral History Project” concert’s program:

Victoria Bond: I’m Told I’m a Citizen from Mrs. President l Mary Rice, Soprano

Michael Dellaira: Blood and Dirt from The Secret Agent l Andrea Edith Moore, Soprano

Kenneth Fuchs & Judith G. Wolf: Movement IV “Conversation” and “Epiphany” from

Poems of Life l Eugenia Forteza, Mezzo-soprano

Charles Fussell: Ann’s Letter from The Astronaut’s Tale l Jeanai La Vita, Soprano

Daron Hagen: Aria TBD from Vera of Las Vegas l Tislam Swift, Tenor

Adolphus Hailstork: Aria TBD l Shelen Hughes, Soprano

Louis Karchin: The mirthless laugh… from Jane Eyre l Monica Niemi, Soprano

Douglas Knehans: Breathe from Backwards from Winter l Frederico Federico, Soprano

Jo Kondo: Walk l Aline Boyd, piano

Tobias Picker: Accidents Can Be An Unhappy Woman’s Best Friend from Dolores Claireborne l

Alize Francheska Rozsnyai, Soprano

Judith Shatin: Es Klopndi Shleyfn from Vayter un Vayter l Matt Mueller, Bass

Alice Shields: Apocalypse Song from Apocalypse l Christina Esser, Soprano

Faye-Ellen Silverman: The Excommunication of Spinoza from A Free Pen l Caroline Spaeth, Soprano

Scott Wheeler: Eurydicee from Turning Back l Alexa Rosenberg, Mezzo-soprano

Amir Farid is the pianist and Renee Heitmann will serve as the Emcee.