The New York Philharmonic and Lincoln Center To Collaborate On New Opera Initiative

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the New York Philharmonic today announced plans for the two organizations to collaborate on a new, multi-year opera initiative to present fully-staged productions of significant modern operas not yet seen in New York.

This new creative partnership, which will present three opera productions starting in 2015, marks the first collaboration for opera between the artistic teams of Lincoln Center and the New York Philharmonic. It also illustrates a growing relationship between the two organizations, represented by last season's co-presentation of Marino Formenti's recital during the inaugural NY PHIL BIENNIAL and this season's recital with the Philharmonic's Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence Lisa Batiashvili. Collaborative efforts also extend to plans to redevelop Avery Fisher Hall.

Lincoln Center initiated discussions about this partnership with the New York Philharmonic in the summer of 2013, recognizing that both institutions have strong commitments to opera presentations, especially with a focus on new repertoire and innovative productions. The organizations will pool their collective artistic and financial resources, and will collaborate on all artistic decisions, such as repertoire, directors, conductors, casting and design, as well as the marketing and fundraising efforts, to realize these artistic visions.

Each of the first two operas selected to be produced as a result of this new partnership will be receiving its first stagings in the United States. The Lincoln Center-New York Philharmonic collaboration will launch with the American stage premiere of George Benjamin's Written on Skin, at Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival, August 11, 13, and 15, 2015. This presentation, a revival of Katie Mitchell's acclaimed production which was premiered at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 2012, will take place at the David H. Koch Theater. It will be conducted by New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert leading the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. The cast will include Barbara Hannigan, Christopher Purves, and Victoria Simmonds, who are reprising their roles from the Aix production, as well as Tim Mead and Robert Murray.

The second presentation is the American stage premiere of the Irish composer Gerald Barry's opera The Importance of Being Earnest, based on Oscar Wilde's comedy. This production, which was premiered at the Royal Opera House in London, is directed by Ramin Gray and will be conducted by Ilan Volkov leading New York Philharmonic musicians. This New York production brings together most of the original Royal Opera House cast including Simon Wilding, Benedict Nelson, Paul Curievici, Stephanie Marshall, Alan Ewing, Hilary Summers, and Ida Falk Winland. An additional cast member will be announced at a later date. It will be presented June 2 and 4, 2016, jointly as part of the second NY PHIL BIENNIAL and Lincoln Center's 50th season of Great Performers at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

A third production, slated for 2017, will be announced at a later date. Information about each opera follows below.

Said Jane Moss, Lincoln Center's Ehrenkranz Artistic Director: "Working with the New York Philharmonic to bring acclaimed new operas and production to New York is a dream come true for me, and the works presented through this initiative are certain to make a significant contribution to the vibrancy and scope of New York's musical life. Sharing artistic and financial resources enables the New York Philharmonic and Lincoln Center to dramatically extend our individual artistic reach. And our opera collaboration is certain to generate other dynamic programming possibilities, as well as set the stage for the launch of a transformed Avery Fisher Hall. Creating synergistic constituent relationships was an integral part of the founding vision of Lincoln Center, and the artistic and musical rewards of our partnership fully realize that ambition."

Said Alan Gilbert, New York Philharmonic Music Director: "I have always believed that collaborating with inspired artists and organizations helps achieve great things, and so am already enjoying this fantastic creative partnership with Jane Moss and her team at Lincoln Center to stage ambitious operas. I had been wanting to present Benjamin's Written on Skin, and this is the perfect context for it, and I'm so pleased that Barry's The Importance of Being Earnest will be a highlight of the 2016 NY PHIL BIENNIAL, another initiative of which I'm extremely proud. This new collaboration will allow the realization of creative ideals that have been important to me since coming to the Philharmonic - the sky's the limit in terms of the productions of bold, modern operas that can come out of it."

At this time, access to tickets for Written on Skin and The Importance of Being Earnest are guaranteed by purchasing a Producers Circle package from Lincoln Center. Email producerscircle@lincolncenter.org or call 212-875-5466 for information. Single tickets will be available for purchase at a later date.

Photo Credit: Festival d'Aix-en-Provence 2012 ©Pascal Victor/ArtcomArt

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