Teatro Grattacielo Will Host The Young Artists Series: G. Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore

Teatro Grattacielo has announced The Young Artists Series: G. Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore, Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 1pm and Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 7pm at The Flea Theater, 20 Thomas St., NYC. Tickets are $50 are on sale now and available for purchase at https://grattacielo.org/season/young-artists-opera-lelisir-damore.

This co-production between Teatro Grattacielo, Camerata Bardi International Academy and the Light Opera of NJ showcases a cast exclusively made up of emerging talents. Camerata Bardi International Academy 2024's young artists will own the stage to give life to eccentric characters in this reinterpretation of the Italian comic opera Elisir d'Amore, in which saturated colors will resonate with rose infused patterns to visually empower Donizetti's delightful music. The production's creative team features Conductor Maestro Jason Tramm, Director Stefanos Koroneos, Choreographer Anna Laura Miszerak, Set Designer David Santiago, Lightning Designer Amara McNeil, Projections Designer Chara Spathi . The cast showcases young artists Pedro Barrera, Victoria McGrath, Megan Dobbs, Tiernan Chase, Maia Gonzalez, Yoonji Kim, Henry Hyunsoon Kim, Bryan McClary, Logan Dooley, Natasha Scheuble, Nicole Silva, Valia Karagiorga, Elizabeth Barsalou, Taylor Consiglio. The opera will be sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Its 30th anniversary season, marking three decades of memorable performances in New York City, international and national collaborations and cultural enrichment revitalizing lesser-known operatic pieces, presenting world premieres and promoting young artists to international stages. The 2024 season sets the tone for the decade ahead, aligning with the company's missions.

Colombian tenor Pedro Barrera, born in Barranquilla, moved to the United States in 2017 after receiving a full scholarship to do his Master's degree at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music. Originally classified as a baritone, Barrera started transitioning to tenor in 2019. His tenor debut was that same year as Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi, and later on he played Goro in Madama Butterfly, both performances took place at the Newman Center For The Performing Arts. In 2016 in Colombia, Barrera performed baritone roles with Opera de Colombia including the Second Prisoner in Fidelio, Norton in La Cambiale di Matrimonio, and was also the baritone soloist for Duruflé's Requiem with the Bogota Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. Barrera was a national finalist of the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra Singing Competition in 2015 and 2016. Recent performances in the United States include Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni in June if 2023 with Camerata Bardi - Teatro Grattacielo, Vitellozzo in Lucrezia Borgiawith New Amsterdam Opera in New York City, as well as Gastone in La Traviata with New Jersey Lyric Opera.

Amara Payton McNeil (Lighting Designer) is a New York-based, Hartford-raised, theatrical lighting designer and filmmaker. She holds a B.A. in Theater from Fordham University and was, most recently, the 2023 Howell Binkley Fellow. As a visual storyteller, she aims to create an immersive experience for the audience, using vibrant colors and dynamic angles to bring texture to the stage. She enjoys work created for and by the black community and projects that blend performance and culture. Credits include Broadway: Come From Away 2nd Nat Tour (Asst. LD), The Wiz Pre-Broadway Tour (HBB Fellow), Once Upon A One More Time (LD Intern), Parade (LD Intern); Regional: Vegan Chitlins (LD at The Flea), Hair (Assoc. LD at Two River), The Untitled, Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical (ALD at La Jolla Playhouse); Film: A Thousand and One (Art Dept. PA), Condé Nast (PA), Big Think (Grip).

David Santiago (Set Designer), an award-winning designer, and owner of Casa Santi Interior Design since 2011, is known for his "Strictly Santi" brand, offering diverse lighting and wallcovering collections for both hospitality and residential markets. A respected ambassador in the home furnishings industry, David extends his influence to the entertainment world, contributing as a guest designer on "George To The Rescue" and a correspondent on "The Donna Drake Show." He also serves as Artistic Director for MyFace Celebrates at MyFace.Org and holds various roles, including President of IFDANY and Creative Director for The Kaleidoscope Project. David's multifaceted career includes being a classical opera singer, alumnus of Mannes College of Music, and a Cultural Outreach Officer for Teatro Grattacielo opera company. His impressive resume includes a sold-out Carnegie Hall solo concert debut in 2020 and performances at prestigious venues like Lincoln Center with New York City Opera.

Chara Spathi ((Multidisciplinary Video Artist, Projection Designer) is a visual artist born and raised in Athens, Greece. At the age of 16, she began her studies in design and animation. She completed her 3D animation and Compositing / VFX courses in 2017 at YAFKA School. Since 2020 she has been studying fine arts (BA) at Athens School of Fine Arts. Her working experience started in 2018 and is focused on live visuals and screenings for entertainment, theater, opera, TV, etc. At the same time, she is active in artistic creation with the production of works mainly through 3D Design and traditional mediums.

Stefanos Koroneos (Director, Projections Photographer, Costume Designer) has been named Artistic and General Director of Teatro Grattacielo effective January 2020, where he held the position of Artistic Administrator since 2019. Under his leadership, Teatro Grattacielo has expanded to a year-long programming in New York City and, in co-productions, in several locations in Europe. He has garnered critical press for his multidisciplinary direction and curation of Mozart's Idomeneo and Don Giovanni and was handsomely reviewed for his award-winning, site-specific visual treatment of Zandonai's Giulietta e Romeo in Battery Park City, NY. Koroneos enjoyed a long and successful career as a baritone. International credits include the Greek National Opera, New York City Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Gotham Chamber Opera, Opera Tampa, Teatro alla Scala, Rossini Opera Festival, Teatro Reggio di Parma, Teatro Giglio di Lucca, the Bolshoi Theater, Athens Concert Hall, Den Nye Opera, Staatstheater Freiburg, Theater Osnabrück and the Verdi Festival in Bussetto.

About Teatro Grattacielo's last three decades

Successful productions of rare and forgotten operatic gems such as Mascagni's Guglielmo Ratcliff, Montemezzi's L'Amore dei Tre Re, Giordano's La Cena Delle Beffe, and Spontini's historic Italian version of La Vestale are some highlights of Teatro Grattacielo's past years, to name a few. The company's dedication to excellence and musical authenticity has earned recognition from audiences, critics, and artists alike. Under new leadership since 2020, Teatro Grattacielo has expanded both its repertoire and boundaries gaining international acclaim and creating collaborations with prominent arts organizations, implemented the robust educational programs Creative Tableaux, and experimented with innovative performance techniques.