VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab Returns to the NYC Opera, 4/30-5/1

Re-affirming the role of New York City Opera as a leader in the development of American opera, the company's celebrated annual new music festival, the newly-renamed VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab will return. Now in its eleventh year, this showcase for new American operas offers both emerging and established composers and librettists the opportunity to hear their previously unproduced works performed by New York City Opera's soloists, orchestra and chorus in readings that are free and open to the public.

The ten operas to be featured in VOX were selected from a record-high total of 99 submissions. As a group, the operas are experimental and boundary-pushing, encompassing all of the diverse qualities that define contemporary American opera. Works to be performed include REVOLUTION OF FORMS by Anthony Davis, whose opera X, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOLM X, premiered at City Opera in 1986. Paola Prestini's OCEANIC VERSES will star Grammy Award-winning soprano Hila Plitmann and Italian folk singer Claudio Prima. Other selections include operas by returning VOX composers including Brian Current (Airline Icarus, VOX 2007) whose piece will feature soprano Lisa Vroman; David T. Little (Soldier Songs, VOX 2008), and Scott Davenport Richards (Charlie Crosses the Nation, VOX 2008) whose piece will feature Broadway favorites Darius de Haas and Chuck Cooper.

VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab will take place on Friday April 30 from 6-11 PM and Saturday, May 1 from 12-5:30 PM at the Skirball center for the Performing Arts at NYU. Tickets are free and open to the public, however online reservations are closed. Tickets will be available on the day of the event at the Skirball Center.

For six decades New York City Opera has been a leader in the development of American opera, with an unmatched repertory of 95 American works by more than 58 American composers. City Opera has also played a major role in shaping an American aesthetic for opera through the world premieres of 29 American operas. To date, VOX has presented excerpts from 100 new operas, with more than 40 of those going on to full productions - four at City Opera and the remainder at companies including Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington National Opera, Michigan Opera Theater and Santa Fe Opera, placing VOX at the core of New York City Opera's commitment to American opera.

For more information including schedule, casting, video and audio clips of the selections visit: nycOpera.com/VOX.

 

 

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