SOUTH PACIFIC'S David Pittsinger Dishes on Broadway and Opera Double Duty

Broadway Bass-Baritone David Pittsinger recently talked to the New York Times about his uniquely demanding schedule. Pittsinger is currently performing eight times per week in the Tony Award-winning revivial of South Pacific at the Vivian Beaumont Theater as Emile de Becque as well as portraying the ghost' of Hamelt's father in "Hamlet" at the Metropolitan Opera.

The New York Times reports that although the Broadway League does not keep statistics regarding such occurances, Pittsinger is "believed to be the first" person to ever star in a Broadway show and an opera on the same day.

Pittsinger states that he is able to comfortably perform both roles because "‘South Pacific,' to be quite honest, is not at all vocally taxing, or it shouldn't be," and that he "[sings] longer in the shower warming up for an opera, than [he sings] in ‘South Pacific.'"

Pittsinger also told the New York Times that he uses his downtime in between matinees and evening performances to perpare for the Metropolitan Opera's upcoming production of "Lulu."

To read the complete New York Times article, click here.

David Pittsinger returned to the role of Emile de Becque in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, for a seven week period beginning Tuesday, February 2nd through Sunday, March 21, 2010. The production's current Emile de Becque, baritone Paulo Szot, left the musical on Jan. 24 to prepare for his Metropolitan Opera debut in their new production of Shostakovich's The Nose. He returns to South Pacific on March 30, 2010.

Paulo Szot will go on leave from the production beginning Sunday, January 24 and will return on March 30.

The Schedule for Emile de Becque Through March 30 is as follows:

Tuesday, February 2 through Sunday, March 21 David Pittsinger
Tuesday, March 23 through Sunday, March 28 William Michals
Tuesday, March 30 Paulo Szot returns

David Pittsinger first played Emile de Becque last winter and spring (spelling Mr. Szot when he was fulfilling opera commitments) and has played the part for several engagements during the musical's current national tour. Mr. Pittsinger made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Truelove in The Rake's Progress conducted by James Levine. He went on to appear in the MET productions of Don Carlo, La Boheme, Die Zauberflote and Giulio Cesare and has appeared this season in Tosca. His other operatic credits include the role of Zoroastro in Handel's Orlando at both Glimmerglass Opera and New York City Opera and numerous appearances with leading opera companies throughout the United States, South America and Europe. His numerous orchestral credits include concert appearances with the Los Angeles Opera, National Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Baltimore Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic. A Connecticut native, he can be heard on the Grammy Award-winning Virgin Classics record of Carlysle Floyd's Susannah and in La Calisto by Cavalli on the Harmonia Mundi label.

For the week of March 23, Emile de Becque will be played by William Michals, who has been understudying the role since the show premiered.

Directed by Barlett Sher, Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, which also stars Laura Osnes as Ensign Nellie Forbush, is the winner of 7 2008 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival..

The performance schedule is Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 pm with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm and Sunday at 3 pm. Tickets priced from $75 to $125 are available at the Vivian Beaumont Theater box office (150 W. 65 Street), at telecharge.com, or, by visiting www.lct.org.