Opera Orlando To Present the Florida Premiere of DEFIANT REQUIEM: VERDI AT TEREZÍN

Opera Orlando has announced a world-class line up of soloists and performers for the Florida premiere of Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín.

Metropolitan Opera soprano Wendy Bryn Harmer headlines the quartet of soloists for this performance of Verdi's Requiem joined by mezzo-soprano Ann McMahon Quintero (last seen as the title role in Opera Orlando's Lizbeth in 2022), Metropolitan Opera tenor Harold Meers (making his Opera Orlando debut), and bass Zaikuan Song (last seen as Raimondo in Opera Orlando's Lucia di Lammermoor). Leading these stellar soloists will be conductor and Defiant Requiem Foundation founder, Murry Sidlin, who will also serve as narrator for this concert drama, retelling this unbelievable true story alongside Alina Alcántara as the Lecturer and Alex Mansoori as Rafael Schӓchter, the Czech composer who taught and conducted Verdi's Requiem in the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp (Terezín) during World War II — the inspiration for this work.

“This will truly be a special night and experience for our audience,” shares Opera Orlando general director Gabriel Preisser. “In addition to these fantastic guest artists, we get to showcase our own Opera Orlando chorus, while also partnering with Orlando Sings, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and Dr. Phillips Center. It is such a powerful story with such a powerful message, and it is an honor to give back to our community with this concert. I cannot think of a better way to kick-off our 2024-25 Destiny + Desire season.”

Opera Orlando is delighted to welcome back soprano Wendy Bryn Harmer, who was last featured in the Company's 2017 Summer Concert Series. Ms. Harmer, known for her “big, radiant voice,” recently sang the role of Kitty Hart in the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Dead Man Walking. She also just made her Santa Fe Opera debut as Marilyn in their world premiere of The Righteous. As a graduate of the Met's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Ms.

Harmer has performed on the company's famed stage many times, including starring in productions of Parsifal, Norma, and Don Giovanni. Additionally, her performances in Die Zauberflöte, Das Rheingold, and other operas in Wagner's Ring Cycle have been broadcast live in HD by the Met.

Mezzo-soprano Ann McMahon Quintero also returns to Opera Orlando for this powerful work, which she has performed in over a dozen times. Praised for her evocative interpretations of oratorio and opera, Ms. Quintero recently performed in the Boston Baroque and Alabama Symphny's productions of Messiah, Mistress Quickly in Santa Fe Opera's Falstaff, Yadira in the world premiere of Ghosts with San Diego Opera, and Madame Flora in Amelia Island Opera's The Medium. Ms. Quintero made her international debut as La Haine in New Israeli Opera's Armide and has enjoyed performing other roles such as Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette with Toledo Opera, and Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte with Washington National Opera.

"The greatest stories are the universal ones; they may be echoed in different cultures and in different eras, yet they still strike the human heart," said Ms. Quintero. "This story is one of those stories. It's a story of tragedy, but it's also a story of triumph. It's an expression of beauty and communication and community in the face of terrible cruelty and barbarism. It's humanity in the face of inhumanity — an eternal story that we can all relate to."

Tenor Harold Meers, founder and artistic director of Charleston Opera Theater, will make his Company debut with Defiant Requiem. He made his professional debut with Opera Theatre of St. Louis in 1997, and he first appeared on the stage at the Metropolitan Opera in the company's production of Verdi's Otello in the 2014-15 season. Mr. Meers made his international debut as Tamino in a Bangkok Opera production of Die Zauberflöte. As a leading tenor, he has sung numerous roles including Nadir in Nashville Opera's Les pêcheurs de perles, Pinkerton in Opera Columbus' Madama Butterfly, and Macduff in Minnesota Opera's Macbeth.

Rounding out the four vocal soloists in this production is internationally-renowned bass Zaikuan Song, who recently received rave reviews as the cleric Raimondo in Opera Orlando's production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Known for his resonant bass and keen dramatic instinct, Mr. Song's repertoire includes a diverse range of works from the comedic genius of Donizetti, Mozart, and Puccini to the profound depths of Verdi's most poignant works, like Defiant Requiem. His past engagements include both the King and Ramfis in Aida, Timur in Turandot, Banquo in Macbeth, and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte among others.

The Defiant Requiem was conceived and created by Murry Sidlin, who will lead the entire evening as conductor and narrator of the work. Maestro Sidlin is president and creative director of The Defiant Requiem Foundation, an organization that sponsors live concert performances of Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín and Hours of Freedom: The Story of the Terezín Composer, as well as other projects including the documentary film, Defiant Requiem, a docudrama called Mass Appeal, 1943, which was premiered in June 2017, and operating The Rafael Schächter Institute for Arts and Humanities at Terezín. Maestro Sidlin began his career as assistant conductor of the Baltimore Symphony under Sergiu Comissiona and then was appointed resident conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra by Antal Doráti. He has served as music director of the New Haven and Long Beach (California) Symphonies, the Tulsa Philharmonic, and the Connecticut Ballet. For eight years he was resident conductor of the Oregon Symphony and, from 2002 to 2010, he served as dean of the School of Music at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Maestro Sidlin also lectures extensively on the arts and humanities as practiced by the prisoners in the Theresienstadt (Terezín) Concentration Camp.

In April of 2002 Murry Sidlin presented the first performances of Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín in Portland, Oregon. Since the premiere, he has led nearly fifty performances. On three occasions – in May 2006, May 2009, and June 2009 – Maestro Sidlin has led performances in the Czech town of Terezín, the site of the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp. The June 2009 performance served as the conclusion to the multi-national Holocaust Era Assets conference attended by nearly 600 delegates from 47 nations and hosted by the Czech government and the Forum 2000 Foundation. On May 9, 2010, Defiant Requiem was presented to an audience of 5,000 people in Budapest, Hungary and broadcast live on Duna Television throughout Eastern Europe. Defiant Requiem was performed in Jerusalem on May 31, 2012, with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and Kühn Choir of Prague, by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus on October 11, 2012, and at the Konzerthaus Berlin on March 4, 2014. Performances have also been given at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, Symphony Center in Chicago, and Boston Symphony Hall.

This one night only engagement is a benefit concert featuring a full orchestra of 70 musicians from the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and 150 chorus members from the Opera Orlando Chorus and Orlando Sings Symphonic Chorus, with all proceeds going to the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida.Maestro Sidlin conducts

The run time for this concert is 2 hours with no intermission. Individual tickets for Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín start at just $49 and are currently on sale through the Dr. Phillips Center's Bill & Mary Darden Box Office (445 S. Magnolia Avenue, Orlando), online at www.DrPhillipsCenter.org, or by calling (407) 839-0119, ext. 0.

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