dell'Arte Opera Ensemble to Present a Shakespearean Summer with FALSTAFF, MACBETH and More, Beg. 8/7

dell'Arte Opera Ensemble, which offers role debut and training opportunities to emerging opera artists, celebrates its eleventh season of high-quality, affordable NYC performances with a Shakespearean summer.

The company's Shakespeare Repertoire Project (SRP) includes fully-staged productions of Salieri's "Falstaff" and Purcell's "The Fairy Queen," along with a semi-staged production of Verdi's "Macbeth," and an evening of Shakespearean "Songs and Sonnets."

Kicking off on August 7, 2014, the dell'Arte season takes place in the intimate, 160-seat East 13th Street Theatre, placing its audience feet away from burgeoning talent and timeless opera productions with chamber orchestra.

The upcoming season includes:

The Fairy Queen by Henry Purcell

8/8, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23 @ 8pm; 8/10 @ 2pm; 8/18 @ 7:30pm

Fairy Queen is sung in English and features singers, actors, and dancers in equal measure. The original libretto was an anonymous adaption of Shakespeare's wedding comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream; the "book" for dell'Arte's production returns to an abridged version of Shakespeare's play. Purcell did not set any of Shakespeare's text to music, instead he composed short masques (entertaining commentaries on the play) in every act but the first. The Sebastians, a dynamic ensemble specializing in music of the baroque and classical eras, join dell'Arte's cast of debut opera artists to perform in this baroque tour de force. This production features Andy Berry, John Callison, Brennan Hall, Noelle McMurtry, Tamra Paselk, Raymond Storms, Leslie Tay, Peter Thoresen, Elizabeth Westerman, Julian Whitley and Nathan Letourneau. Fairy Queen is directed and choreographed by Christopher Caines, with music direction by Jeff Grossman, costumes by Nina Bova, sets by Karen Tashjian, and lighting by Scott Schneider.

Falstaff by Antonio Salieri

8/14, 8/19, 8/21 @ 7:30pm; 8/15 @ 8pm; 8/17, 8/23 @ 2pm

One of the earliest operatic versions of Shakespeare's play, Salieri's "Falstaff" is set to a libretto by Carlo Prospero Defranceschi after William Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor." This comic masterpiece is sung in Italian (and a smattering of German!) with English supertitles. Highlights include the sinfonia (overture) in the style of contra dances, a strutting Act I patter aria, the technically brilliant "laughter" trio in the opening moments of Act II, and the masterful finale of Act II. The production features David Morrow, Gary Ramsey, Marie Masters, Rebecca Schuessler, Erik Bagger, Victor Khodadad, Scott Lindroth, Heather Antonissen, Kristin Gornstein, SaraAnn Duffy, Joanie Brittingham, Jonathan Dauermann and Andrew Hiers. Falstaff is directed by Louisa Proske and led by Christopher Fecteau, with costumes by Nina Bova, sets by Karen Tashjian, and lighting by Scott Schneider.

Macbeth, by Giuseppi Verdi

8/20 @ 7:30pm; 8/22 @ 8pm; 8/24 @ 2pm

The first Shakespeare play that Verdi adapted for the operatic stage, "Macbeth" is an opera in four acts with a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. This Verdi masterpiece, based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name, is sung in Italian with English supertitles. dell'Arte's semi-staged concert production features Mary Ann Stewart, Kelly Griffin, Cole Grissom, Jason Plourde, Hans Tashjian, Rocky Sellers, Monica Niemi, Jackie Hayes, Elizabeth Bouk, Milica Nikcevic, Caleb Stokes, Walker Jermain Jackson, and Marques Hollie and. It is directed by Myra Cordell and conducted by Christopher Fecteau, with costumes by Nina Bova, sets by Karen Tashjian, and lighting by Scott Schneider.

"Songs and Sonnets"

One night only on 8/7 @ 8pm!

dell'Arte presents an evening of concert material drawn from Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, including song settings and arias from other operas not in the current season.

About dell'Arte Opera Ensemble: dell'Arte Opera Ensemble's dual mission is to nurture emerging opera artists through rehearsal and performance opportunities, seminars and master classes, and to attract new audiences by offering them high-quality and affordable opera presentations featuring exciting young artists. Singers working with dell'Arte range from those who have just completed school to those pursuing regional careers and even covering major roles at the Metropolitan Opera. dell'Arte's training programs are offered free of charge, and $7,500 in prizes are awarded to outstanding performers at the end of each season. Please visit www.dellarteopera.org for ticketing information and to learn more about the company.

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