American Opera Projects Presents MODEL LOVE 10/2

On Sunday, October 2, 4pm and 7:30pm, American Opera Projects will present the world premiere of Model Love, a humorous staged song-cycle about contemporary relationships with jazz and rock elements by composer J. David Jackson based on texts by British comedian Henry Normal, and the one-act opera monodrama Nora, In the Great Outdoors, music by Daniel Felsenfeld and libretto by Will Eno, that continues the final scene of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House moments after Nora abandons her family. The event will be held at Lincoln Center's Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. Tickets are $25, $50 for VIP reserve seating, available at www.operaprojects.org.

"Fun, energetic and curious song cycle interested in M-M-W threesome. R U what I M looking 4?" Model Love is a 30-minute song cycle fusing contemporary art song with blues, jazz ,and rock set for three singers (mezzo-soprano Rosalie Sullivan, baritone Gregory Gerbrandt, and tenor Jeremy Little) chamber orchestra and rock band. Based on texts from Nude Modelling for the Afterlife by BAFTA award winning poet/comedian Henry Normal with music by J. David Jackson, Model Love mixes musical styles and genres in a way that humorously (and accurately) represents the variegated emotions and situations of contemporary love affairs. J. David Jackson conducts.

Using an icy climate crossed with a fragile-yet-eruptive emotional state of mind as musical grist, Nora, In the Great Outdoors is a take on the ending of Ibsen's seminal "A Doll's House," especially its famous final stage direction, the first collaboration between composer Daniel Felsenfeld and playwright Will Eno. The monodrama takes over immediately where Ibsen leaves off, when the heroine abandons her family, her marriage her security, and perhaps the most famous slammed door in the history of drama. Commissioned by American Opera Projects, Nora, In the Great Outdoors, is a monodrama for soprano and piano trio and will star Kirsten Chambers in the title role. Keith Chambers conducts.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Model Love

J. David Jackson's (composer, conductor) compositions have been heard in Brussels (Cello Sonata, Violin Fantasy), Frankfurt (Magnificat) and in the US (vocal and chamber works, opera The Birth of Christ). He recently completed his Violin Concerto, and is nearing completion of Water, the Bearer of Love, with texts by Propertius, Statius, Pliny and Homer. He is the new Principal Guest Conductor of the Lisbon Chamber Orchestra. This season he returns to the Metropolitan Opera to cover four productions. Conducting credits include Simon Boccanegra, Hansel and Gretel and Pique Dame in New York, Faust in Genoa, Elektra in Istanbul, Der Freischütz in Bangkok, Don Pasquale, Love of Three Oranges and Così fan Tutte in Brussels, War and Peace in Toronto. www.piperanselmi.com/jackson

Henry Normal (text) Henry Normal was born in Nottingham. His entertainment career began as a poet and stand-up comedian in the mid-Eighties. Henry has been responsible for creating, writing, executive producing and script-editing some of the best and award winning television comedy of the last decade. As a writer, he has worked with many of the UK's top comedians including Caroline Aherne, Dave Gorman, Craig Cash, John Thompson, Johnny Vegas and of course Steve Coogan, before setting up Baby Cow Productions in 1999 with Steve. Since 1999 he has devoted the majority of his time to running and building Baby Cow. He has executive produced all of Baby Cow's output and script edited many of the shows. www.babycow.co.uk

Crystal Manich (director) Directed Giasone for Opera Omnia, where she is co-founder and co-Artistic Director. Upcoming projects include La traviata and L'elisir d'amore. This year Crystal directed a new production of Handel's Rinaldo for Pittsburgh Opera where she also directed La bohème in 2009. www.crystalmanich.com

Rosalie Sullivan (mezzo) has performed at Carnegie Hall as the mezzo soloist in the Mozart Requiem and in the NY premiere of Stephen Edward's Ave Maria Mass with MidAmerica Productions. www.rosaliesullivan.com

Jeremy Little (tenor) Created the title role in Lowell Liebermann's Miss Lonelyhearts, and was a 2010 Grammy Nominee for his performance in the live recording of John Musto's Volpone. Jeremy is now in his fourth season with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, appearing in over 20 productions each season.

Gregory Gerbrandt (baritone) 2010-2011 Season included Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Hawaii Opera Theatre, Escamillo in Carmen, and Marcello in La bohème at the Natchez Opera Festival and The Crested Butte Music Festival. http://gregorygerbrandt.com

Model Love Chamber Orchestra and Rock Band:

Juan Pablo Horcasitas (pianist/music assistant) www.jphorcasitas.com
Nicole Camacho (flute) www.myspace.com/nicolelanacamacho
Janelle Reichman (clarinet/saxophone) http://janellereichman.com/
Sara Schoenbeck (bassoon) www.myspace.com/saraschoenbeck
Josh Modney (violin) www.joshuamodney.com
Victor Lowrie (violin) www.victorlowrie.com
Rose Bellini (cello) www.rosebellini.com
Eleonore Oppenheim (contrabass) www.eleonoreoppenheim.com
Stacey Shames (harp)
Taylor Levine (acoustic/electric guitar) www.myspace.com/taylorlevine
Linda Oh (bass guitar) www.lindaohmusic.com
Levy Lorenzo (percussion) www.levylorenzo.com

Nora, In the Great Outdoors

Daniel Felsenfeld (composer) created and produced the marathon concert Music After for the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. His opera The Last of Manhattan was commissioned by and premiered at The Kitchen in New York City, and his opera, Summer and All it Brings, was presented at New York City Opera's VOX 2004: Showcasing American Composers. www.danielfelsenfeld.com

Will Eno's (librettist) play The Flu Season won the Oppenheimer Award for the best New York debut by an American playwright in 2004, and his play Thom Pain (based on nothing) was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. His play Middletown premiered at New York City's Vineyard Theatre in 2010 and at Steppenwolf in Chicago in 2011.

Keith Chambers (conductor) was appointed Assistant Conductor of New York City Opera in 2007 and is Director of the Victoria J. Mastrobuono Emerging Artist Program for Opera New Jersey. During the 2011-12 season, he conducts Tosca for the Martha Cardona Theater and The Poe Project for American Lyric Theater.

Mary Birnbaum (director) founded art.party.theater.company in 2009 and as its director has led collaborations with Flux Factory, American Opera Projects, The Foundry Theatre and Bryant Park. Assistant Director to Stephen Wadsworth at Seattle Opera, Juilliard, the Met and, most recently, on Master Class on Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club.

Kirsten Chambers (Nora, soprano) Featured repertoire includes Elsa in Lohengrin, the title roles of Turandot and Tosca, and Chrysothemis in Elektra. She began the season with a return to Toledo Opera to cover Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos and continued with a cover of the title role of Turandot with Arizona Opera and a concert performance of the title role of Tosca with Opera Saratoga. http://www.encompassarts.com/soprano/kirsten_chambers

Mila Henry (pianist) www.milahenry.com
Josh Modney (violinist) http://joshuamodney.wordpress.com/
Rose Bellini (cellist) www.rosebellini.com

AMERICAN OPERA PROJECTS
American Opera Projects' mission is to champion innovative works of music theater, to expand the art form, and to identify, develop and present new works by emerging and established talent. AOP's goal is to create a lasting legacy of relevant music theater and to inspire new audiences with a fresh appreciation for new opera and theater. AOP is a driving force behind the revitalization of contemporary opera and musical theater in the United States through its exclusive devotion to creating, developing, and presenting new American opera and music Theatre Projects.
www.operaprojects.org

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