American Lyric Theater and MasterVoices to Present 'InsightALT: The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing'

American Lyric Theater (ALT) in partnership with MasterVoices (formerly The Collegiate Chorale), presents The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turingon on January 12, 2017 at 7:30pm in the Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center, 129 W 67th Street, New York City.

With music by Justine F. Chen and libretto by David Simpatico, this opera is a historical-fantasia inspired by the life of the groundbreaking computer scientist, Alan Turing. Conductor: Lidiya Yankovskaya. Featuring Jonathan Michie as Alan Turing, with Keely Futterer, Elise Quagliata, Andrew Bidlack, Javier Abreu,Joseph Beutel and Thomas Shivone, with members of MasterVoices.

Tickets are $25 ($125 VIP tickets include prime seating and a reception with the artists) and are available online at www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org/mch/event/insightalt-the-life-and-deaths-of-alan-turing1, or by calling the Merkin Concert Hall box office at (212) 501-3330.

The InsightALT series provides an insider's look at how new operas are made. Each event features a concert reading of a new opera in development at American Lyric Theater, with guest singers from the world's leading opera houses, followed by a discussion with the composer and librettist of each work. InsightALT: The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing, will feature a concert reading of the opera-in-progress, followed by a discussion between Chen, Simpatico and Edelson, including an exploration of the challenges of adapting historical subject matter for the opera stage.

The performance of The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing, part of OPERA America's New Works Forum, is made possible, in part, by a generous and deeply appreciaTed Grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Composer and violinist JUSTINE F. CHEN has been the recipient of many prestigious awards and commissions. A native New Yorker, she has been commissioned and performed by New York City Opera, New York City Ballet, The Juilliard School, and New York Festival of Song. The New York Times described her dance score as "the kind of propulsive, emotionally resonant score that choreographers tend to dream of." Her first opera was presented by Juilliard, NYCO's VOX Showcase, and Chants Libres. When featured in VOX, her second opera, Jeanne, was described as "lyrical, atmospheric... striking... Throughout, Ms. Chen balances despair and humor." (New York Times). Trilemma, her 2001 animated collaboration with digital artist Ye Won Cho, was screened at the Hiroshima Animation Festival, the New York Expo, and broadcast on PBS's "Reel New York". Justine's studies of interactive computer music resulted in her computer-enhanced chamber opera, which premiered at Juilliard. Other projects include songs for soprano Jennifer Zetlan's Marilyn Horne Foundation Recital, and for Elizabeth Futral's Cleopatra-themed NYCO recital. She earned her DMA, MM, and BM from Juilliard in violin and composition, and specializes in contemporary music performance. In 2014, Justine was awarded a commission grant from the American Composers Forum through their Jerome Fund for New Music to continue work on The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing. She joined American Lyric Theater's Composer Librettist Development Program as a resident artist in 2010.

David Simpatico joined American Lyric Theater's Composer Librettist Development Program as a resident artist in 2010. His works have been presented at major theatres around the globe, including Lincoln Center, NYC Town Hall, the Hammersmith Apollo (London), Williamstown Theatre Festival, Ensemble Studio Theatre, the New York Shakespeare Festival, and the New York Theatre Workshop. Using the safety net of comedy to explore life-and-death issues, his work examines man's struggle to claim his place in a chaotic universe. Recent credits include The Waiting Room (one act play, Half Moon Theatre); Diesal Jeans, three one-act plays, TimeWave Festival; Cruel Shoes (a dark musical comedy, Ross Patterson, composer); The Screams of Kitty Genovese (music drama, Will Todd, composer); High School Musical 1 and 2 (for the Disney national tour and international productions); and Garden of Light (choral symphony, Aaron J. Kernis, composer). He was recently an Artist in Residence at Pace University, where he taught and led a staged reading workshop of his play Bad Blood. David graduated Northwestern University with a BS in Theater. David also writes, directs, edits and stars in Zombie Hideaway, a webisodic series, as well as Rev. Jimmy's Lake of Fire, both of which are featured on his new Youtube channel, Noise Ball.

Puerto Rican tenor JAVIER ABREU has been described as a commanding force on stage, incorporating a rich, sweet and agile voice, with ample dramatic skills. Opera News described him as "a natural Rossini singer," and The Washington Times stated that "his high, supple lyric voice possesses great conviction." Last season saw his return to Virginia Opera as Orpheus in Offenbach's raucous Orpheus in the Underworld, Florida Grand Opera as Almaviva in IL Barbiere di Siviglia, and debuts with the Prototype Festival as El Pozolero in American Lyric Theater's concert of La Reina, Arizona Opera as Fenton in Falstaff, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra for Carmina Burana, and Mill City Summer Opera as Pirelli in Sweeney Todd. In the 2016-2017 season, he joins Opera Orlando for One Voice Orlando in response to the Pulse Night Club tragedy, gives a solo recital and master class at Mercer University, and returns to Florida Grand Opera as Pepe in Before Night Falls. Mr. Abreu has garnered critical acclaim for his portrayals of Rossini's leading men at companies including Wolf Trap Opera, New Jersey Opera, Nashville Opera, Lyrique en Mer, Opera de Oviedo, Theater Basel, Teatro Municipal de Chile, Austin Lyric Opera, New York City Opera, The New Israeli Opera, and the Stuttgart Staatsoper.

Acclaimed Bass-Baritone, Joseph Beutel, is an Indiana native. He has often been praised for his richness of vocal color and versatility on stage. Recent engagements have included roles in Martinu's Comedy on the Bridge and Alexandre bis with Gotham Chamber Opera; Sulpice in La fille du régiment with Fargo-Moorhead Opera; der Tod in Der Kaiser von Atlantis with Opera Moderne in Vienna; Nourabad in Les pêcheurs de perles with Baltimore Concert Opera and Opera Delaware; and the High Priest of Baal in Nabucco with Opera Naples. Other notable performances include the New York Philharmonic production of Carousel and American Lyric Theater's workshops of two new operas, La Reina and The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing. In addition to his operatic endeavors, Beutel has also been seen in many oratorio and cantata works. An accomplished Bach soloist, he has recently performed the Cantatas, Siehe, ich will viel Fischer aussenden (BWV 88) and Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (BWV106) here in New York. He has also peroformed the Saint Matthew Passion as Aria soloist, Christ Lag in Todesbanden (BWV 4), Singet dem Herrn (BWV 190), and solo cantata Ich habe Genug (BWV 82). He has sung Handel's Messiah with the prestigious 'Ensemble viii' in Austin, Texas, and performed in recital in various places across the country. He made his debut with the Santa Fe Symphony singing Handel's Messiah.

Identified by Opera News as one of their "25 Rising Stars" (October 2015 issue), tenor ANDREW BIDLACK's recent engagements include a return to Opera Omaha, where he sang Count Almaviva in IL Barbiere di Siviglia, a role in which he previously appeared at Florida Grand Opera; Arcadio in Florencia en el Amazonas with Arizona Opera; his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Beppe in I pagliacci, where he also sings the role of the Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut while covering Edmondo. In spring 2016, Bidlack traveled to the UK to create the principal role of Private John Ball in In Parenthesis, Welsh National Opera's new commission by composer Iain Bell, a production that included a residency at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Bidlack is a frequent interpreter of contemporary music; last season saw him create both the principal tenor role of Rob Hall in Joby Talbot's Everest at Dallas Opera and the role of Irving Tashman in Ricky Ian Gordon's Morning Star at Cincinnati Opera. He also sang Ishmael in the workshop production of Jake Heggie's Moby-Dick at San Francisco Opera while he was an Adler Fellow, and later workshopped the role of Tancredi in John Musto's new opera The Inspector at Wolf Trap.

Soprano KEELY FUTTERER is a native of Dover, Arkansas who is beginning her Doctoral work at the Eastman School of Music, where she studies with Kathryn Cowdrick. Keely has performed Cunegonde in Candide, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance at Arkansas Tech University, Adina in L'elisir d'amore at Opera in the Ozarks, and Mrs. Fiorentino in Street Scene at Eastman. She won the Trinity UM Collegiate Award, the Encouragement Award at the Arkansas MET auditions, was a two-time finalist at the Tulsa Rotary Crescendo Awards, was a featured soloist with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and was awarded the Little Rock Music Coterie Award. In recent years she took second place at the Friends of Eastman Opera Competition and was a finalist for the Jesse Kneisel Lieder Competition at Eastman. She is also an alumna of Opera Saratoga's Young Artist program, where she most recently sang the role of The Witch Mother in the American premiere of Philip Glass's The Witches of Venice.

Jonathan Michie returns to Oper Leipzig in the 2016-17 season, where he sings his first performances of Conceiller de Thou in Gounod's Cinq-Mars and Ottokar in Der Freischütz in addition to returning to Ping in Turandot, all in new productions. He also reprises Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Valentin in Faust, Dandini in La Cenerentola, Schaunard in La bohème, and Der Einäugige in Die Frau ohne Schatten. He is also presented by the house in a program of Brahms Lieder. Previously with Oper Leipzig, he has sung Silvio in Pagliacci, Figaro in IL Barbiere di Siviglia, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos, Hiram Otis in Getty's The Canterville Ghost, and performances of Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen. He has sung a number of roles with Los Angeles Opera, including Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Donald in Billy Budd, and the Vicar in Albert Herring with Los Angeles Opera. Other recent performances include Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and Ping in Turandot (Florida Grand Opera); Prince Paul in La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein, the Vicar in Albert Herring, and Baron Douphol in La traviata(Santa Fe Opera). His concert performances include Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra) and DesKnaben Wunderhorn (Slovenian Philharmonic) as well as Orff's Carmina burana (National Chorale).

ELISE QUAGLIATA, mezzo-soprano, has garnered critical notice over the past decade for her "rich, expressive voice and passionate delivery" (The New York Times) in a wide range of repertoire, from Carmen and Dead Man Walking to Sweeney Todd, and from oratorio and art song to cabaret. Ms. Quagliata's upcoming appearances include Sister Helen in Dead Man Walking with the Modern American Music Project, Joan Clarke in American Lyric Theater's workshop of The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing, the Verdi Requiem in Brazil with maestro Fabio Mechetti and the Orquestra Filarmônica de Minas Gerais of Belo Horizonte and with the Jacksonville Symphony, Fricka in Union Avenue Opera's Die Walküre, title role in Carmen with Pensacola Opera, as well as various recitals, masterclasses and cabaret performances in New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania. Recent acclaim has greeted Ms. Quagliata's performances in Eugene Onegin (Des Moines Metro Opera), where Opera News noted her "adorable Olga, who moved with a dancer's grace, and deftly essayed the requisite low notes." A "commanding figure" with "vocal power and concentration" as Fricka in Das Rheingold (Union Avenue Opera, St. Louis), the artist was by contrast a "hilarious and beautifully twisted" Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (Pensacola Opera).

THOMAS SHIVONE is a bass-baritone who recently graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and participated in the inaugural Emerging Artists Program with Opera Philadelphia. He is critically acclaimed for both his singing and acting in opera, concert and recitals. Recently he performed the roles of Prison Patient #2 in Oscar, The British Major in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Silent Night, Marchese D'Obigny in La traviata and The Notary in Gianni Schicchi with the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Additional roles include Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress, Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, and King Rene in Iolanta. He has shared the stage with such renowned artists as David Daniels, DWayne Croft, Rachele Gilmore, Dale Travis, Bill Burden, Kelly Kaduce, Harold Wilson, Troy Cook, Stephen Costello, Ailyn Perez, Leah Partridge, David Portillo and Charles Castronovo. He has been awarded full-scholarships to attend the summer programs of Glimmerglass Festival, Music Academy of the West, Songfest, Centro Studi Lirica and Schlern Festival in Italy. He received an Encouragement award in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in the Philadelphia Region in 2014 and was also a Winner of "From the Top's," Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award and performed with the show on NPR in Texas, 2007.

LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA currently serves as Artistic Director with Juventas New Music Ensemble and as a conductor with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. Additional engagements this season include Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, Beth Morrison Projects, American Lyric Theater, Brookline Symphony, Cabrillo Festival, the Center for Contemporary Opera in NYC, and serving as the Chorus Master for several upcoming programs with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops. Lidiya is also a part of Marin Alsop's Taki Concordia Fellowship and Dallas Opera's Inaugural Institute for Women Conductors. Prior engagements include serving as Music Director of Harvard's Lowell House Opera and Commonwealth Lyric Theater, and as Assistant Conductor & Chorus Master with Opera Boston. Lidiya was also a Conducting Fellow under Lorin Maazel at his Castleton Festival, where she assisted Maestro Maazel and regularly filled in for him in rehearsal and performance. Hailed by Pulitzer Prize winner for criticism Lloyd Schwartz as a "skillful and incisive musician," Lidiya's symphonic and operatic work has received critical acclaim and numerous awards. Recent projects include performances with National Sawdust's Composer in Residence program; Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades and Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream (first place, The American Prize) with Lowell House Opera; and Juventas New Music's NEA-funded puppetry collaboration entitled Music in Motion.

Great Operas Don't Just Happen. American Lyric Theater (ALT) was founded in 2005 by Lawrence Edelson to build a new body of operatic repertoire by nurturing composers and librettists, providing an incubator for their collaborations, and contributing new works to the national canon. Many opera companies commission and perform new works; but ALT is the only company in the United States that offers extensive, full-time mentorship for emerging operatic writers. While the traditional company model focuses on producing a season, ALT's focus is on serving the needs of composers and librettists, developing new works, and collaborating with larger producing companies to help usher those works into the repertoire. In 2012, ALT was the first company dedicated to artist mentorship rather than operatic production to be recognized by OPERA America as a Professional Company Member - a testament to ALT's service to the field. For more information about American Lyric Theater, please visit www.altnyc.org.

American Lyric Theater's mentorship programs for composers and librettists are made possible by generous lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts; and additional support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, The Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Amphion Foundation, The ASCAP Foundation Irving Caesar Fund, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, Friars Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Howard & Sarah D. Solomon Foundation, New Music USA's Impact Fund (made possible with funding from The Scherman Foundation's Katharine S. and Axel G. Rosin Fund), and OPERA America / The Opera Fund.

MASTERVOICES (formerly The Collegiate Chorale) is a New York City-based performing arts organization that celebrates singing and the art of musical storytelling. Founded as The Collegiate Chorale 75 years ago by legendary conductor Robert Shaw, and now under the artistic direction of Ted Sperling, the company presents varied programming, with emphasis in three areas: choral masterpieces, operas-in-concert, and musical theater. MasterVoices has performed in prominent NYC concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, New York City Center, and Geffen Hall, as well as abroad, with world-class soloists, top orchestras, and esteemed conductors. MasterVoices considers education and outreach to be important facets of its work, and engages young singers and community members in four initiatives: Side-by-Side, the Complimentary Ticket Program, the Faith Geier Artist Initiative, and Bridges - Connecting Communities Through Music. For more information, visit mastervoices.org. Connect with MasterVoices on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@mastervoicesny).

Kaufman Music Center is New York's go-to place for music education and performance.
It's where music lovers, from curious fans to renowned performers, come together to explore their musical passions. Founded in 1952 as a community music school, today's Kaufman Music Center is home to Merkin Concert Hall; Lucy Moses School, New York's largest community arts school; and Special Music School, a K-12 public school for musically gifted children. Visit www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org/MCH.

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