Richard Easton Will Recite 'Bluebeard's Castle' for NY Phil, 3/18, 19, 22

Actor Richard Easton will make his New York Philharmonic debut reciting the prologue to Bluebeard's Castle, also known as The Bard's Poem, at the start of the New York Philharmonic's performances of Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle, March 18-19, 2011, at 8:00 p.m., and Tuesday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. He replaces Marthe Keller, who has withdrawn due to illness.

Bluebeard's Castle is the concluding work on Program III of Hungarian Echoes: A Philharmonic Festival conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen. Mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung and bass Gábor Bretz are the soloists on a program that also includes Ligeti's Concert Românesc and Haydn's Symphony No. 7, Le Midi. The festival is exploring the music of Haydn, Bartók, and Ligeti, three composers of different periods, styles, and approaches, all bearing strong ties to Hungary.

Actor Richard Easton was named one of Theatre World's "Most Promising Personalities" of 1957-58, and he was a 2008 Theatre Hall of Fame inductee. His Broadway appearances have included Elling, The Coast of Utopia, The Rivals, Henry IV, Noises Off, The Invention of Love (for which he received the 2001 Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Leading Actor), Back to Methusela, The Country Wife, The School for Scandal, The Misanthrope, Exit the King, The Cherry Orchard, and Hamlet. His Off-Broadway credits include New Jerusalem, Entertaining Mr. Sloane (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), Bach at Leipzig, Echoes of the War, Observe the Sons of
Ulster, Hotel Universe, Waste, Give Me Your Answer, Do!, and Salad Days. At the Brooklyn Academy Of Music he appeared in the inaugural season of the Bridge Project's world tour of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard and Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. Mr. Easton's work on television includes six years in the BBC series The Brothers (UK), HBO's MildrEd Pierce, the title role in the PBS Emmy Award-winning series Ben Franklin, A Month in the Country, The Admirable Crighton, An Enemy of the People, and episodes of multiple series. He has acted in the films Henry V, Dead Again, Finding
Forrester, and Revolutionary Road.