As we've suspected for the better part of a year now, NY City Opera will be staking out its home over the next three seasons at BAM's Howard Gilman Opera House, which makes sense for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is…it's an opera house. Duh.
But, for all those Manhattanites who can't get their ass on the BAM Bus to Brooklyn, there will also be performances at City Center, which just completed an extensive renovation and where City Opera got its start nearly 70 years ago.
Best of all, VOX returns for its 13th season at NYU's Skirball Center on Nov. 8, produced in conjunction with OPERA America's New Works Forum.
I'll let George tell the rest (after the jump), or you can just watch him here.
Dear Patron,
I am thrilled to announce New York City Opera’s 2012-13 Season. NYC Opera has always been dedicated to the future of opera and what makes this season so exciting is that we are presenting four entirely new productions of rarely-heard treasures:
Powder Her Face (Feb 15-23, BAM)
Thomas Adès’ biting satire on our scandal obsessed culture directed by Jay ScheibThe Turn of the Screw (Feb 24-Mar 2, BAM)
Benjamin Britten’s haunting version of Henry James' acclaimed novella directed by Sam BuntrockMoses in Egypt (Apr 14-20, New York City Center)
Rossini’s grand yet rarely-performed retelling of the story of Exodus directed by Michael CountsLa Périchole (Apr 21-27, New York City Center)
Jacques Offenbach’s sparkling farce set in Peru directed by Christopher AldenI am also delighted to let you know that NYC Opera has formed a three-year alliance with both BAM and New York City Center. As NYC Opera continues to match special projects with suitable venues across the city, these two will serve as its primary theaters. We were overjoyed to welcome you during our sold-out stay at BAM, this past February. The pageantry and superior acoustics of the 2,000-seat, 19th-century-style opera house paired with its convenient Fort Greene location makes it the perfect home for many of our operas. As you may know, when NYC Opera and New York City Center were both first founded in 1943, Mayor LaGuardia dubbed them “the People’s Opera” and “the People’s Theater,” and that is where we called home for our first two decades. Now, almost 50 years after our last performance there in 1965, we are returning. I am eager to welcome you to New York City Center’s newly renovated 2,200-seat space next April.
In addition to the four operas, I am proud to say VOX: Contemporary American Opera Lab, our workshop for new operas, will return for its 13thseason. This year, you may see a few more American opera producers sitting next to you. That is because we are partnering with OPERA America's New Works Forum, who will work with us to ensure that these new works, so vital to the future of opera, will been seen by the producers who can give them their full premieres. Mark your calendars for November 8th and join me at the Skirball Center to see what the future looks like.
To learn more about this scintillating new season, view video of yesterday’s press conference or read more online. Subscriptions, starting at $100, are available now by calling (212) 870-5600, Mon – Fri 10am – 6pm. Thanks to you and thousands like you, New York City Opera is on stable footing, and looking toward a very bright future. I hope you’ll join us!
All the best,
George Steel
General Manager and Artistic Director
New York City Opera
