Placido Domingo and More Perform in Tribute to New York City Opera Maestro Julius Rudel

NYCO Renaissance Ltd. has partnered with the Rudel family to celebrate the illustrious career of Maestro Julius Rudel and his invaluable contribution to the New York City Opera as principal conductor and director for 22 years from 1957 to 1979. The beloved musical figure passed away on June 26, 2014 at age 93. The tribute will take place on Monday evening, March 9, 2015 at the Frederick P. Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Time Warner Center, Broadway & 60th Street. Scheduled performers include Plácido Domingo, whose career developed under the care of Maestro Rudel, as well as mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, countertenor David Daniels, bass-baritone Mark Delavan, soprano Christine Goerke, bass-baritone James Morris, soprano Diana Soviero, and Sting.

Speaking about the gala, Anthony Rudel, Maestro Rudel's son, said: "My sisters and I always intended to honor our father with a concert celebrating his life and work. When the opportunity to link that celebration with the rebirth of the opera company to which he gave so much of his career arose, we knew it was something he would have wanted. Until the day of his death last June, Julius Rudel firmly believed New York needed and deserved another opera company, not only for the audiences, but for the musicians, young singers, and the stage personnel who would gain from the work and experience, just as he had in 1943 when he was hired by the New York City Opera to be a rehearsal pianist. We hope the reborn NYCO gives the world the next Julius Rudel."

All gala proceeds will benefit NYCO Renaissance Ltd., a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit company committed to an artistically vibrant and financially sound renewal of the city's beloved opera company. New York City Opera was famously dubbed "The People's Opera" by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia at its founding in 1943. Now in 2014, more than 70 years later, NYCO Renaissance aims to renew the company's historic mission to inspire audiences with innovative and theatrically compelling opera, nurture the work of promising American artists, and build new audiences through affordable ticket prices and extensive outreach and education programs.

For information on gala tickets and tables, call 646-981-1888. A limited number of performance-only tickets will be made available in the New Year. Visit www.NYCOrenaissance.com for information in early 2015.

Photo Credit: Stephen Sorokoff