The Cecilia Chorus Of New York to Present Orff's CARMINA BURANA & Stravinsky's THE RITE OF SPRING

In a Carnegie Hall first, The Cecilia Chorus of New York, Mark Shapiro, Music Director, will present a reimagining of two modern masterpieces: Carl Orff's Carmina Burana and Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring on Saturday, April 2, 2022, at 8:00PM in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street & 7th Avenue in Manhattan.

The performance features four grand pianos, three award-winning soloists, a 150-voice chorus, Every Voice Children's Choir, and Grammy-nominated Sandbox Percussion.

Soloists in the Orff will be soprano Maria Brea, tenor Martin Bakari and baritone John Brancy.

Pianists will be Margaret Kampmeier, Blair McMillen, Marilyn Nonken and Cory Smyth.

Maestro Shapiro said, "Hearing Rite followed by Carmina in a single evening will be like an intravenous infusion of caffeinated adrenalin. These two pieces are rhythm gone feral, with tunes and harmonies to match. We're loving shattering Carmina's glass ceiling as we fling wide the doors of the historically all-male tavern scene to let everybody in. As fellow travelers on this wild ride, you couldn't ask for more electrifying musicians than our three vocal soloists, four pianists (crème-de-la-crème of New York's new music royalty), and 2022 Grammy nominees Sandbox Percussion."

Tickets start at $25 and are available at https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2022/04/02/The-Cecilia-Chorus-of-New-York-with-Four-Pianos-and-Percussion-0800PM. For more information about this concert, visit https://ceciliachorusny.org/carmina-burana or call 646-638-2535. CCNY Carnegie Hall concerts are ADA accessible. For MTA transportation information, visit http://tripplanner.mta.info/MyTrip/ui_web/customplanner/TripPlanner.aspx.

(Details subject to change due to the ongoing health risks of COVID-19. Check ceciliachorusny.org for the most up-to-date information. For Carnegie Hall vaccination and mask rules, visit https://www.carnegiehall.org/Our-Commitment-to-You/Safety-Checklist.)

About the Chorus:

Founded in 1906, The Cecilia Chorus of New York, winner of the ASCAP/Chorus America Alice Parker Award, has evolved into one of the finest avocational performing arts organizations in New York City. Recent highlights have included commissions from The Brothers Balliett, Jonathan Breit, Tom Cipullo, and Raphael Fusco; collaborations with five-time Obie Award-winning actor Kathleen Chalfant, two-time Tony Award-winning actor Stephen Spinella, and opera singers Julia Bullock and Ryan Speedo Green; the New York premieres in Carnegie Hall of the Mass in D and The Prison by Dame Ethel Smyth; the world premiere of Fifty Trillion Molecular Geniuses by The Brothers Balliett; and the US premiere of Messe Romane by Thierry Escaich. Much more at http://ceciliachorusny.org/.

Mark Shapiro was appointed the seventh Music Director of The Cecilia Chorus of New York in 2011. Music Director of The Prince Edward Island Symphony and Artistic Director of Cantori New York, he is one of a handful of artistic leaders in North America to have won a prestigious ASCAP Programming Award six times, achieving the unique distinction of winning such an award with three different ensembles. Bio at http://www.ceciliachorusny.org/music-director-mark-shapiro/.