Violinist Mairead Nesbitt Joins ROCKTOPIA National Tour

RTT has announced the addition of Máiréad Nesbitt to the cast of the inaugural live concert tour ROCKTOPIA: A Classical (R)evolution.

"I am absolutely thrilled that Máiréad will be joining the Rocktopia band," said ROCKTOPIA co-creator Randall Craig Fleischer. "She is an accomplished violinist with an impressive career and a great ability to communicate music to an audience. I'm very excited to work with her!"

For more than a decade, Máiréad Nesbitt has enchanted millions of fans around the world as the Celtic violinist and founding member of the globetrotting music phenomenon Celtic Woman. Loyal fans of all ages, across geographical and cultural boundaries far beyond the musical heritage of Ireland, have adored her beguiling stage presence and versatile instrumental talents. As the featured violin soloist on all 11 Celtic Woman albums, and 9 Celtic Woman PBS Specials, each title achieved the coveted #1 slot on the Billboard World Music Chart, an Emmy-nomination for one of her companion television specials and her most recent album with the group, "Destiny", received a 2017 Grammy Nomination for Best World Music Album.

"I am delighted and so excited to be touring with PBS' newest show ROCKTOPIA," Nesbitt said. "To be joining a show with the powerful fusion of rock and classical music with a symphony orchestra is certainly a first for me. Crossing over genres has always been a passion of mine and to add Rock to my Classical & Celtic styles will be very exciting for me!"

Máiréad's new solo album Hibernia was released on December 9th 2016 in the US and Ireland. The album debuted on no less than 4 Billboard Album Charts including #4 on the World Music Charts; #9 on the Classical Crossover Charts, #11 on Classical Charts & #9 on the Heatseeker Charts.

ROCKTOPIA Co-Creators, vocalist and recording artist Rob Evan, and Maestro Randall Craig Fleischer have collaborated to bring together a world class cast of vocalists and musicians. This groundbreaking live concert performance celebrating the combination of classical music and opera with classic rock features five world-class vocalists and five top rock musicians including renowned vocalists Rob Evan, Chloe Lowery, Tony Vincent, Kimberly Nichole, Ximena Borges and esteemed musicians Tony Bruno, Henry Aronson, Mat Fieldes, Alex Alexander, and special guest Máiréad Nesbitt (formerly of Celtic Woman).

This electric cast along with local orchestras and choirs will launch a 4-week national tour beginning March 28 in Portland, Maine continuing to Reading, Pennsylvania March 29; Albany, New York March 30; Greensburg, Pennsylvania March 31; Cincinnati, Ohio April 1; Ft. Wayne, Indiana April 2; Davenport, Iowa April 4; Peoria, Illinois April 5; Kansas City, Missouri April 6; Joliet, Illinois April 7; Columbus, Ohio April 8; E. Lansing, Michigan April 9; Buffalo, New York April 11, Detroit, Michigan April 12; Cleveland, Ohio April 13; Baltimore, Maryland April 14; Charlotte, North Carolina April 15; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida April 18; Jacksonville, Florida April 19; Atlanta, Georgia April 20; Melbourne, Florida April 21; Tampa, Florida April 22 and Pensacola, Florida April 23. Complete tour dates, venues and ticket information can be found on www.rocktopia.com.

ROCKTOPIA is an inspiring and uplifting entertainment spectacle that brings a whole new way of enjoying the best of classical music and classic rock to audiences. ROCKTOPIA delivers one-of-a-kind musical arrangements blending Beethoven with Journey, Strauss with The Who, and more in musical mash-ups that surprise and delight. Musically arranged by Maestro Randall Craig Fleischer, the concert showcases the works of classical composers as well as rock bands, including the music of Mozart, Journey, Handel, U2, Tchaikovsky, Heart, Beethoven, Styx, Foreigner, Rachmaninoff, Pink Floyd, Copland, The Who and more.

ROCKTOPIA performances creates an incredible dynamic concert experience sure to blow audiences away as proven in Budapest at the State Hungarian Opera House, now a PBS TV special airing in cities across the United States.

Tickets for ROCKTOPIA are on sale now. For tour and ticket information visit www.rocktopia.com.

ROCKTOPIA is produced and presented by RTT. The company is headed by William Franzblau, Rob Evan and Maggie Seidel-Laws who collectively have been creating, producing and presenting national tours, Broadway shows and concerts worldwide for over 30 years. William Franzblau has produced such award- winning shows as the Tony Nominated Best Play Say Goodnight Gracie, and the tour of LITTLE HOUSE on the PRAIRIE the Musical starring Melissa Gilbert. Maggie Seidel has spearheaded multiple tours and live entertainment events associated with PBS including the global phenomenon Celtic Woman. ROCKTOPIA will be RTT's first project and will tour through 20+ US cities in the spring of 2017. Their offices are located in New York, NY and Nashville, TN.

Rob Evan is an accomplished actor, singer and producer with 20 years of professional experience in the entertainment industry. During the span of his diverse career, he has performed in seven leading roles on the New York Stage including the original Broadway cast of Jekyll & Hyde, playing the title roles for three years and over 1,000 performances worldwide. As a vocalist and recording artist, Rob is a member of the multi-platinum-selling rock band, Trans- Siberian Orchestra. He can be heard on TSO's The Lost Christmas Eve (Certified Double Platinum - Lava/Atlantic) and their latest release, Nightcastle, which debuted at #5 on Billboard's Top 100 (currently certified Platinum - Atlantic Records). He has played in arenas across the country and the world for up to 20,000 people per show. Rob has toured Europe and the US with TSO as Beethoven in TSO's Rock Opera, Beethoven's Last Night. Rob has opened for and performed with Sir Elton John, Trisha Yearwood, Linda Eder, Phil Collins, REM, Bonnie Tyler, John Cougar Mellencamp, Joe Walsh, Usher and Michael Crawford, among others. He was also lead vocalist for Jim Steinman's The Dream Engine and recently released the debut album for his progressive rock band, Menrva Realm.

Mr. Fleischer has appeared as a guest conductor with many major orchestras in the United States and internationally including engagements with the Boston Pops, China Philharmonic Hong Kong Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Houston Symphony, Philly Pops, Moscow State Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Festival Cesky Krumlov (Czech Republic) and many others. "...There was purpose and meaning in the performance, and Fleischer let the lyricism of the music flow in seamless lines." Deseret News - Salt Lake City, Utah. As Music Director/Conductor of three symphony orchestras, Youngstown Symphony, Hudson Valley Philharmonic and the Anchorage Symphony, Mr. Fleischer has led each orchestra through a dramatic period of artistic growth, demonstrating his abilities as a proven orchestra builder. This sounds like a different symphony orchestra, and this season should be an exciting experience." Arizona Daily Sun 1998.