Roger Rees: Celebrating Shakespeare, Verdi, and Humanity

Of all the great composers who have adapted Shakespeare's plays to music, perhaps none was so successful as Giuseppe Verdi, who adapted three of Shakespeare plays for the operatic stage. In his capable hands, Othello, Macbeth, and The Merry Wives of Windsor received a new breath of life. By setting not only Shakespeare's words to music, but complete stories, Verdi gave audiences a new way to experience and appreciate the classic tales. In celebration of the linked careers of these two legends, and of Shakespeare's 441^st birthday on April 23^rd, the acclaimed Collegiate Chorale will present an evening showcasing their shared works on Wednesday, April 20^th. Conceived and written by the Chorale's Maestro Robert Bass and the Artistic Associate Roger Rees, the concert will feature a "who's who" of both the opera and classical theatre worlds. Sopranos Heidi Grant Murphy and Kallen Esperian, tenor Lando Bartolini, and baritone Mark Delavan will perform excerpts from Verdi's Shakespeare-derived operas, and scenes from the original plays will be read by award winning actors Dana Ivey and Richard Easton, as well as Roger Rees himself.

Rees describes the evening as "Shakespeare's scenes set up against the wonderful elaboration that Verdi placed on [them] by turning them into operas." A combination of a concert and a reading, the evening consists of "excerpts from the play Macbeth, the play Othello, the plays The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV Part II; and then we have excerpts from Verdi's Otello and Macbeth and Falstaff." Rather than an evening of Shakespearian scenes and music inspired by his entire body of work, the songs and scenes showcased in this concert are all connected by story. "We chose bits from Shakespeare's scenes that correspond to some of the music," Rees elaborates, "and in a couple cases, explain the music rather well without being an exact transliteration of the aria or the choral piece that we've chosen."

Despite the divides of centuries, nations, genre and language, Rees feels that Verdi understood Shakespeare's work best. "I don't think anyone did it better than Verdi!" he says emphatically. "Verdi did not speak English, he never read Shakespeare in English, he only read it in French and Italian, but he did claim that Shakespeare was the best explainer of the human heart.... He had a particular affection for [Shakespeare]." Stylistically, Rees, continues, the works of both Shakespeare and Verdi share an artistic theme, "a celebration of humanity which unifies them."

The combination of these two legendary artists will be an emotionally and artistically fulfilling experience. "It's very nice to be near great works at any time," Rees says. "This is arguably the greatest Italian composer dealing with the works of perhaps the greatest writer in the English language."

The Concert will take place at Carnegie Hall at 8:00 on Wednesday, April 20^th. Tickets are $15-$85. Call (917)-322-2140 for more information. Tickets may also be purchased through