On Site Opera to Present THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO at 632 on Hudson

Just four years into its existence, On Site Opera (OSO) has established itself as one of New York City's most imaginative, nimble opera companies by doing more than simply staging musically and dramatically rich works outside of the opera house. OSO's team of General & Artistic Director, Eric Einhorn, Music Director, Geoffrey McDonald, and Executive Director & Producer, Jessica Kiger have pushed the boundaries of operatic storytelling, producing operas in locations that allow singers and audiences alike to immerse themselves in the narrative. Reviewing the first chapter of The Figaro Project, in which OSO is staging lesser-known operatic adaptations of French playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais' (1732-1799) famed trilogy of Figaro plays, Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times wrote, "This visionary company could be on to something big." He noted that the "space proved ideal for the intrigues of the opera." On Site Opera continues this ambitious three-year undertaking June 14-17, when it presents the North American premiere of Marcos Portugal's The Marriage of Figaro (1799). The production, presented in partnership with The New School's Mannes School of Music and The Portuguese Consulate in New York, will take place at 632 on Hudson, a stunning triplex in the West Village that will serve as Count Almaviva's summer palace. The Figaro Project will conclude with the U.S. premiere of Darius Milhaud's The Guilty Mother (1966) in the summer of 2017.

Performances of The Marriage of Figaro will take place June 14-16 at 7:30 pm and June 17 at 6:30pm and 9:00pm. Tickets, which go on sale April 1, are $50 and can be purchased online at www.osopera.org or by phone at 866.811.4111. 632 on Hudson is located at 632 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. Running time is approximately 100 minutes. Sung in English in a translation by Gilly French and Jeremy Gray, with dialogue adapted by Joan Holden.

Portuguese composer Marcos Portugal's (1762-1830) prolific catalog of over 70 dramatic works - including 40 operas, and more than 140 sacred works - earned him unparalleled international success in 18th-century Europe. He secured a special place in Portuguese musical history by composing the first official national anthems of Portugal and Brazil. Portugal's La pazza giornata o sia il matrimonio di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), with a libretto by Gaetano Rossi, was written for Carnival season of 1800 at the Teatro San Benedetto - just 13 years after Mozart's Figaro. This North American premiere production gives New York audiences a rareopportunity to hear Portugal's vibrant music - with its beautiful melodies, buoyant comedy and moving pathos - in a fado-inspired re-orchestration by guitarist José Luis Iglésias and OSO's Geoffrey McDonald, based on the new critical edition of the score edited by David Cranmer. From the moment the doors open, audience members will be surrounded by the world and characters of the opera. Before the opera begins, patrons can visit the many rooms of 632 on Hudson to see the world of the opera already in progress. The performance itself will feature singers and audience members moving throughout the three stories of the venue as the opera progresses.

The Marriage of Figaro will be conducted by On Site Opera's Music Director, Geoffrey McDonald, and directed by the company's General & Artistic Director, Eric Einhorn. The accomplished cast includes Jesse Blumberg (baritone) as Figaro, Ashley Emerson (soprano) as Susanna, David Blalock (tenor) as Count Almaviva, Camille Zamora (soprano) as Countess, Melissa Wimbish (soprano) as Cherubino, Margaret Lattimore (mezzo-soprano) as Marcellina, Ryan Kuster (bass-baritone) as Don Basilio, David Langan (bass-baritone) as Don Bartolo, Ginny Weant (soprano) as Cecchina, and Antoine Hodge (bass-baritone) as Antonio/Gusmano. The production features costume design by Haley Lieberman and lighting design by Shawn Kaufman.

2016 marks continuation of a growing partnership between On Site Opera and New School's Mannes School of Music. As part of the partnership, OSO will be in residence at Mannes during rehearsals for Portugal's The Marriage of Figaro. Opportunities are created for Mannes students are created within OSO productions on and offstage. In addition to Mannes School of Music, On Site Opera is excited to partner with the Portuguese Consulate in New York to welcome this opera to New York.