Scenes from the opera, "The Age of Innocence," music and libretto by David Carpenter, will be performed at Christ and St. Stephen's Church, 120 W. 69th Street in Manhattan, today, November 17th at 3pm, free admission. Based on the novel by Edith Wharton, the opera tells the story of a love-triangle set in New York City in the 1870s.
Newland Archer, a young lawyer, is engaged to the lovely but conventional socialite May Welland. Into this picture steps the Countess Ellen Olenska, May's cousin, who has recently returned to her native New York in an aura of scandal, having left her dissolute husband, the Polish Count Olenski, in Europe. Though Newland does marry May, he finds himself strangely attracted to the unconventional Ellen.
Andrew Chown directs young, New York-based singers in this new opera; musical direction is by Donna Gill. Sung in English with projected supertitles.
David Carpenter (Composer and Librettist): David Carpenter's music has been performed throughout the United States, including concerts at the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Oregon Bach Festival, the Brevard Music Center, and the International Double Reed Society at the University of Oklahoma. Vocal music being one of his primary interests, he has composed several works in this genre, including "Fredericksburg," premiered by baritone William Stone with the Temple University Concert Choir and Chamber Orchestra conducted by Alan Harler (part of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society's 2007-2008 concert series), and "The Monogamous Man," for baritone, flute and cello, featured as part Network for New Music's "Dialogues with Darwin" concert in Philadelphia, February 2010. Mr. Carpenter has also collaborated with the Momenta Quartet (New York, NY), who in 2008 performed his String Quartet and featured it on their demo CD; bassoon virtuoso Pascal Gallois, who premiered his "Three Myths for Solo Bassoon" in 2008; and the Argento Ensemble who performed his Sextet in 2010. For the 2012-13 season, Mr. Carpenter was composer-in-residence with the Delaware County Symphony (Aston, PA), which premiered his orchestral work, "The River in the Tree," in May 2013. In November 2010, Mr. Carpenter held a residency at the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire, to work on his opera "The Age of Innocence," based on the novel by Edith Wharton. Mr. Carpenter holds a D.M.A. in composition from the Boyer College of Music, Temple University.
Andrew Chown (Stage Director): Andrew Chown is an acclaimed director who has worked on many of the world's leading stages. For the New York City Opera he has directed "Partenope," "Of Mice and Men," "The Love for Three Oranges" and "Rigoletto." Other credits include "Der Fliegende Holländer" (associate director) for the Washington National Opera, "Albert Herring" for the Intermezzo Opera Festival, "La Bohème" for Tokyo City Opera, "Madama Butterfly" for Bohème Opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" and "Gianni Schicchi" for Queens Opera, "Hansel and Gretel" for Virginia Opera, and "The Piped Piper" and the world premiere of "Marla's Lunchbox" for Los Angeles Opera. Equally at home on the drama stage, Mr. Chown has directed such works as "The Drawer Boy" for the Act2 Playhouse, Richard Greenberg's "The American Plan" for the Tiffany Theatre in Los Angeles, "The Maids, Success and God" for the Chichester Festival Theatre in England. In Boston, Mr. Chown directed the premieres of "Clay and Philosophy On The Side" for the Boston Playwright's Theatre, and "The Mouse" for the Chamber Repertory Theatre. Mr. Chown has done many productions in Toronto, Ontario: "Measure for Measure" for the Actors Lab Theatre, "Jewel" for the Theatre Passe Muraille, "Hopscotch," and "Christie In Love" for the Triune Theatre, and "Billy Bishop Goes To War" for the Laughing water Festival in Meaford, Ontario. In the summer of 2012 he directed the musical "Once Upon a Mattress" for the Princeton Festival. Mr. Chown has directed for many leading young artist programs throughout the world, including Opera New Jersey, Chautauqua Opera, Central City Opera, and the Intermezzo Opera Festival.
Donna Gill (Musical director and Pianist): Canadian pianist Donna Gill has performed with singers and instrumentalists throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Ms. Gill holds a D.M.A in collaborative piano from the University of Minnesota, and completed further studies with Margo Garrett and Brian Zeger at the Juilliard School. A former member of the coaching staff of the Juilliard Vocal Arts Department, Ms. Gill is currently music director of undergraduate opera workshops and an adjunct faculty member at the Boyer College of Music at Temple University. Since 2003 she has been a member of the coaching staff at the Chautauqua Institution Summer School Voice program, and is also co-founder and co-director of a program for young singers and pianists in New York City called Classical Singing and New York in June, now in its sixth season. In addition her activities as teacher and coach, Ms. Gill maintains an active schedule as a freelance performer and is an enthusiastic proponent of contemporary music. She currently resides in New York City.
"The Age of Innocence" by David Carpenter
Sunday, November 17, 2013, 3pm
Christ and St. Stephen's Church, 120 W.69th Street, New York, NY
Free admission
David Carpenter, composer and librettist
Andrew Chown, stage director
Donna Gill, musical director
Cast:
David Powell - Newland Archer
Sheerya Shivers - May Welland
Nicole Leone - Ellen Olenska
Trevor James - Charles Archer
Su-Ling Huang - Nastasia
For more information visit
www.davidowencarpenter.com/the-age-of-innocence/.
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