A HAND OF BRIDGE, Helmed by Il Divo's David Miller, Set for SIFF

Acclaimed American tenor and opera singer David Miller is perhaps best known as a member of the multiplatinum classical crossover group Il Divo. Now, Miller is bringing his opera prowess to the cinema, with his directorial debut of the opera "A Hand of Bridge." The short film will premiere at the prestigious Seattle International Film Festival, which runs from May 18- June 11, 2017.

"A Hand of Bridge" screenings are paired with the feature film Paris Opera, and take place on June 3 at 3:00pm at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, and on June 5 at 6:45pm at SIFF Cinema Uptown. Festival Box office opens May 4 online at siff.net and in person at any SIFF venue box office. Watch the "A Hand of Bridge" trailer below!

---

"A Hand of Bridge" is an opera in one act, composed by Samuel Barber with libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti, and is possibly the shortest opera that is regularly performed: it lasts about nine minutes. Premiered in Italy in 1959 and then in America in 1960, the opera consists of two unhappily married couples playing a hand of bridge, during which each character has an arietta in which he or she professes his or her inner desires.

For "Bridge," Miller teamed up with director Frank Borin, who has been celebrated for his award-winning music videos and commercials. Working together on an Il Divo shoot, Miller told Borin about his "A Hand of Bridge' idea, and from there Borin helped bring a team together for the avant-garde project. The cast includes David Miller, Sarah Joy Miller, Ben Davis, Mary Dunleavy and a host of other accomplished actors.

About his first directorial effort, Miller says, "Film has been a passion of mine since my dad put a camera in my hand at age six. But in truth, going through that process was, in fact, terrifying. What made it work was that the subject material; "A Hand of Bridge" was my final directing project at Oberlin so I have over 20 years of experience with the piece. And I think if Bridge didn't hold such a special place in my heart...I probably would have given up."

David Miller first performed as a teenager in Colorado and went on to study vocal performance and opera theatre at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Miller would go on to perform in operas around the world, and in 2002 he landed the role as Rodolfo in Baz Luhrmann's version of Puccini's La Boheme on Broadway. In December 2003, he became a member of the international musical quartet Il Divo The group has released nine albums, which have sold over 30 million copies worldwide.

For more information, go to A Hand of Bridge.

To post a comment, you must register and login.