STAGE TUBE: Behind the Scenes of Glimmerglass Festival's PASSIONS

Artistic and General Director Francesca Zambello discusses The Glimmerglass Festival's 2013 production of PASSIONS, which features David Lang's "the little match girl passion" and Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater" directed and choreographed by Jessica Lang with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo and Nadine Sierra. Click below to watch the behind-the-scenes video!

The Glimmerglass Festival has paired Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and David Lang's the little match girl passion to create a unique production entitled Passions. As part of Artistic & General Director Francesca Zambello's initiative to bring more dance to the company's operatic stage, the first act of this double bill, Stabat Mater, will be staged as a visually striking dance piece, directed and choreographed by renowned artist Jessica Lang.

Stabat Mater begins with two soloists, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo and soprano Nadine Sierra, who tell the story of Mary's call to grief at the crucifixion of her son. The evening continues with David Lang's the little match girl passion, his adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story following the precedent of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. Together, these pieces celebrate the human capacity for empathy and encourage a worldwide accountability for suffering through the poignant music and choreography.

"I'm pleased to have such a talented and ground-breaking choreographer working with us this summer," Artistic & General Director Francesca Zambello said. "Dance is a rich part of the operatic tradition, and I'm always interested in finding new ways to incorporate contemporary dance into our season at Glimmerglass. The way Jessica has integrated dance into this piece expresses Pergolesi's timeless narrative in a truly modern vernacular."

Joining director and choreographer Jessica Lang is conductor Speranza Scappucci, who has recently conducted a successful Yale Opera production ofCosì fan tutte. The multi-talented Marjorie Bradley Kellogg, who has several Broadway credits and notable professorial positions, has designed the set. Mark McCullough, who has designed more than 10 productions with the company, has created evocative lighting, and Beth Goldenberg is responsible for the visually striking costumes.

With a premiere on July 20, Passions is the third of four productions to open at The Glimmerglass Festival this season. It will run in repertory alongside Wagner's The Flying Dutchman, Verdi's King for a Day (Un giorno di regno), and Lerner and Loewe's musical Camelot until August 22. For more information on Passions, visit Inside the Passions and Passion-ate about David Lang. To purchase tickets, or read more about the Glimmerglass season, visit www.glimmerglass.org.

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