New York City Opera Returns To Bryant Park Picnic Performance Series This Friday

New York City Opera (Michael Capasso, General Director) will return to Bryant Park this weekend for its fourth season of operas as the centerpiece of Bank of America's Bryant Park Picnic Performance series, beginning this Friday, June 18 with NYCO's annual LGBTQ Pride concert, Pride in the Park; continuing on Friday, July 2 with a fully staged, hour-long adaptation of Bizet's Carmen; followed on Saturday, August 21 with a concert compilation of opera's greatest hits titled Now That's What I Call Opera; and culminating on Friday, September 3 with a newly created, 90-minute version of the Verdi favorite Rigoletto, to be conducted by Constantine Orbelian, NYCO's newly named Music Director and Principal Conductor.

"We are thrilled to return to live performance with our series this summer in Bryant Park, which is a very important part of the life of New York City Opera," said Mr. Capasso. "As 'The People's Opera' performing for free in the center of our great city is a privilege and an honor, this year - given the circumstances - even more so."

This winter, New York City Opera will produce, with National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie's The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, guest-conducted by Maestro James Lowe, opening in January at Edmond J. Safra Hall at the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in downtown Manhattan. Other upcoming 2022 productions include the New York premiere of Anthony Davis and Richard Wesley's Pulitzer Prize-winning opera The Central Park Five.

Friday, June 18 at 7PM

Pride in the Park

This annual LGBTQ Pride concert will feature a diverse program of selections from opera and musical theater. Closing the performance will be a special new arrangement of the finale from Stonewall, Iain Bell and Mark Campbell's opera which was commissioned by NYCO and given its world premiere in 2019. The concert will feature a sextet of stars from NYCO's Pride Series - Jessica Fishenfeld, Lauren Hoffmeier, Melanie Long, Jordan Weatherston Pitts, Brian James Myer and Peter Kendall Clark. Kathryn Olander is Music Director and Pianist and Michael Capasso is Master of Ceremonies.

Friday, July 2 at 7PM

Carmen

The innkeeper Lillas Pastia narrates the tempestuous story of the irresistible seductress Carmen and her hapless lover Don José in this fully staged, hour-long adaptation of Bizet's beloved opera, providing a perfect introduction to opera for newcomers of any age. Staged and choreographed by Sarah Doudna, Carmen will feature Lisa Chavez in the title role, Jason Karn as Don José, Joshua Jeremiah as Escamillo, Kristin Sampson as Micaëla, Stacy Dove as Frasquita, Kristee Haney as Mercédès and Bill Van Horn as Lillas Pastia. Kathryn Olander is Music Director and Pianist with Sarah Doudna providing staging and choreography.

Saturday, August 21 at 7PM

Now That's What I Call Opera!

A concert suited for the whole family, singers Lisa Chavez, Kristin Sampson, Victor Starsky and Adam Cioffari, all stars of the City Opera stage, will treat New Yorkers young and old to a program of operatic favorites including selections from The Barber of Seville, Carmen, Rigoletto, La Bohème, and many more. Kamal Khan is Music Director and Pianist for the concert which will be emceed by Michael Capasso in an engaging and educational format.

Friday, September 3 at 7PM

Rigoletto

This newly created, 90-minute version of Verdi's masterpiece Rigoletto will star Michael Chioldi in the title role, Brandie Sutton as his daughter Gilda, Won Whi Choi as the lecherous Duke of Mantua, Lisa Chavez as Maddalena and Kevin Short as Sparafucile. Newly named NYCO Music Director and Principal Conductor Constantine Orbelian will conduct musicians from the NYCO Orchestra. The production will be staged by Michael Capasso and will feature narration written and performed by acclaimed Shakespearean actor and noted playwright Bill Van Horn.

Prior to its Bryant Park performance, New York City Opera will premiere this production of Rigoletto as the grand finale of the three-night outdoor Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice on Sunday, August 29 in Kingston, New York.

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