Trinity Wall Street’s Julian Wachner Leads VOX, 11/8

On November 8, maestro Julian Wachner – Director of Music and the Arts for Trinity Wall Street – returns to lead the 13th annual VOX festival at the Skirball Center in New York's Greenwich Village. Described by the New York Times as an "invaluable showcase," VOX is the New York City Opera's workshop for previously unproduced contemporary American opera. As this season's conductor, Wachner will direct soloists and members of the NYC Opera Orchestra in selections from six new works chosen to highlight the eclectic landscape of American opera, from composers John Zorn, Moto Osada, Christopher Weiss, Evan Meier, James Stepleton, and Osnat Netzer.

Wachner comments:

"Returning to New York City Opera to conduct again at one of the company's most important ventures is an honor and an immense responsibility – particularly as the conductor of all six featured operas this year. Serving as the advocate for these new works speaks directly to my life long dedication to presenting new work and I look forward to working with the excellent orchestra and company singers of New York City Opera. In my role as Director of Music and the Arts at Trinity Wall Street, I welcome New York City Opera to Lower Manhattan and look forward to the possibility of partnership and collaboration between our two great organizations."

As the inaugural Director of Music and the Arts at New York's historic Trinity Wall Street, Wachner serves as Principal Conductor of the Trinity Choir and of the Trinity Baroque Orchestra, in addition to his roles as Music Director of the Kennedy Center's Grammy Award-winning Washington Chorus and as Principal Conductor of Opera McGill, Montreal. In 2010, he made NYC Opera history when he became the first artist to be selected as both conductor and composer at VOX. As the Boston Globe observes, "Wachner has shown the kind of technical command, large-spiritedness, and fiery imagination that all but shout to the skies: 'Major talent!'"

VOX plays a vital part in the fabric of American opera. Presenting excerpts of new works in professional unstaged performances by members of the NYC Opera Orchestra and soloists, it is the nation's only program offering composers the opportunity to hear their new works and works-in-progress with full instrumental ensembles and professional soloists. Since its founding in 1999, VOX has launched pieces that have gone on to define American opera, by composers including Mark Adamo, Charles Wuorinen, Richard Danielpour, John Zorn, and Stephen Schwartz. This year's festival is presented in conjunction with OPERA America's New Works Forum for NCY Opera's 2012-13 season.