New Camerata Opera announces its 2021/22 season featuring a world premiere, immersive family performances, and free outdoor concerts. For more information, visit the vibrant and newly rebranded website at newcamerataopera.org.
MainStage Performances
Cav + Pag
September 23, 25, 30 and October 2, 2021 at 8:00pm, The Muse Brooklyn
Cav + Pag is a bold and innovative 90-minute adaptation of two classic verismo operas, performed with chamber orchestra in a cavernous, converted industrial warehouse in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Directed by John de los Santos, music direction by Samuel McCoy, dramaturgy by Cori Ellison, costume design by Asa Benally, and lighting design by Emily Clarkson.
Principal cast members include Erik Bagger, Chris Carr (Canio), Indira Mahajan, Megan Nielson (Santuzza), Samina Aslam, Maria Brea (Nedda), Lindell Carter, Victor Khodadad (Turiddu), Angky Budiardjono (Silvio), Stan Lacy (Tonio), Rashard Deleston (Beppe), Costas Tsourakis (Alfio), Leslie Middlebrook (Lucia), Eva Parr, Julia Tang (Lola). Chorus/covers include Roseanne Ackerly, Ryan Allais, Brian Alvarado, Rosa Betancourt, Linda Collazo, Nick Connolly, Brittany Fowler, Alkis Sarantinos. Tickets for Cav + Pag will go on sale soon at https://www.newcamerataopera.org/cavpag.
Gala
November 17, 2021 at 7pm, Bar Beau, Williamsburg
Gala is a 1920s themed, intimate soirée with a curated menu and specialty crafted cocktails, featuring performances of operatic favorites and hidden gems.
Barnum's Bird
March 31, April 1, 7, and 8, 2022
Libby Larsen's opera Barnum's Bird is based on Jenny Lind's 1850-1852 tour of the United States alongside P.T. Barnum's circus. Barnum's Bird is the story of the fearless businesswoman and world-class artist, Jenny Lind, and equally fierce businessman and world-class showman, P. T. Barnum. NCO's production of Barnum's Bird, directed by Jennifer Williams, will showcase artistic movement, dance, and trapeze work in order to provide an immersive experience for the audience and delve deeper into the complicated and dramatic story. Music direction by Nell Flanders.
CamerataWorks
The Prince von Pappenschmear 3
CamerataWorks will produce the final chapter of their operatic film trilogy, set in 1936 Berlin. Composed by Richard Marriott, libretto by Adam Laten Willson, and music direction by Stephan Fillare.
Refractions
Refractions is a new songbook series of short films featuring works composed and performed exclusively by BIPOC-identifying artists. The project was awarded an Opera America grant for women stage directors. Directed by Kimille Howard with music direction by Mikael Darmanie.
Camerata Piccola
Party at the Opera
An immersive, musical and theatrical experience for children ages 18 months to 5 years. Excerpts from seven classic operas with original English texts teach children the fundamentals of classical music: rhythm, melody, harmony, range, and dynamics. The episodic series is available on Camerata Piccola's YouTube Channel. The organization also performs the series in live settings.
Peter Rabbit at Edgemere Farm
October 16 (rain date October 23) at 2:00pm, Edgemere Farm, Rockaway, Queens
Edgemere Farm is a "volunteer-run, zero-profit organization with a mission of education, food justice, and increasing capacity for both the production of food and the processing of food waste on the Rockaway Peninsula." Peter Rabbit is a 30-minute adaptation of the classic tale, with music from Gaetano Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore with English words in a fun and accessible style, suitable for ages 3-12. The performance will be free to the public, with many farm-friendly activities supporting the experience. The action will unfold as if Edgemere were McGregor's farm. Peter will scurry about the vegetables, while singing to live piano accompaniment.
Concerts
New Camerata Opera will be presenting three, free outdoor concerts in August 2021, featuring works ranging from operatic standards to less frequently performed pieces.
August 12, 2021 at 7pm
Anita's Way, Times Square
Hosted by Chashama
August 19, 2021 at 7pm
Anita's Way, Times Square
Hosted by Chashama
August 20, 2021 at 7pm
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
Hosted by Operation Gig
New Camerata Opera was founded with the mission of building new audiences for the art form through engaging, exciting and educational productions. The organization accomplishes this via three main initiatives: full-length operas presented at innovative and daring venues, newly arranged and adapted children's operas (Camerata Piccola), and originally commissioned short operatic films for presentation online (CamerataWorks). It is through these multifaceted operations that NCO has successfully brought countless new opera lovers into the cultural fold. The organization has been hailed as "the future of opera," and is one of the most consistently active and present opera companies in New York. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. For more information, visit newcamerataopera.org.
