In a world increasingly dominated by texts and tweets, a timely new opera will offer a digital-age take on the time-honored tragic heroine.
"The Empty Hours" (Las Horas Vacias) by acclaimed Spanish composer Ricardo Llorca will have its staged world premiere at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall on November 19th. The tale of a lonely woman whose obsession with the internet fuels an extraordinary fantasy world, "The Empty Hours" will be presented by the New York Opera Society in a special, one-night only performance.Exploring age-old themes of loneliness, madness, and longing through the uniquely modern affliction of online addiction, "The Empty Hours" marries traditional and contemporary musical and narrative styles and seamlessly blends elements of Spanish Renaissance music with modern forms.An opera for soprano, actress, chorus, piano, and chamber orchestra, the production will feature an internationally renowned cast, including Spanish soprano Laura Alonso and Brazilian actress Angelica de la Riva. Led by French conductor Emmanuel Plasson, musicians include Spanish pianist Rosa Torres-Pardo, the New York Opera Society Orchestra, and the Manhattan Choral Ensemble. German director Joachim Schamberger created virtual stage designs for the set.Ricardo Llorca is the composer-in-residence of The New York Opera Society for their 2008-09 and 2009/10 seasons; and the composer-in-residence for the New York based Dance Company "Sensedance". Llorca is a grant recipient of "The Argosy Foundation" and "Met-Life/Meet the Composer 2008". For more information, visit http://www.ricardollorca.com/
The New York Opera Society (NYOS) benefits artists and audiences alike through high quality, performance-driven, just-in-time productions here and abroad, offering fresh and sometimes provocative interpretations of contemporary and classical works.Highlights from its most recent seasons include a new production of Falstaff for its annual festival in southern France under the baton of Emmanuel Plasson and l'Ensemble Instrumental du Pays de Cocagne; concerts of contemporary Spanish music for guitar, piano and voice by Guggenheim Fellow and Juilliard faculty Ricardo Llorca, at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute and the Chicago Cultural Center; an acclaimed orchestral evening of Italian Bel Canto for Wounded Warriors under the baton of Maestro Carlo Rizzari at the Italian Embassy; and widely celebrated Gershwin and Joplin concerts featuring International Distinguished Artist in Residence, soprano ChristIna Clark, at the National Gallery of Art and the World Financial Center. NYOS annually tours a new production of an extant work abroad; features a contemporary opera or new commission in the United States; hosts a Salon Series and an International Artist in Residence Program; supports outreach in underserved communities; and runs a training program called Les Jeunes Solistes. The NYOS' artistic endeavors regularly involve local practitioners, organizations and musicians. The Society is led by its Executive Director Jennifer Cho, who has received numerous awards for her work in music since completing her studies as a dual alumna from Northwestern University, and by a dedicated Board of Directors chaired by its accomplished president A.T. Nguyen. For more information, visit www.newyorkoperasociety.com.
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