July 1, 2019: New Camerata Opera Announces 2019-2020 Season

(New York, NY, July 1, 2019) New Camerata Opera has announced their 2019-2020 Season of programming for mainstage, children’s productions, and online video content. This marks the fourth season of immersive programming for New Camerata Opera’s three pillars: mainstage productions, online operatic films with CamerataWorks, and children’s operas with Camerata Piccola.

The season will begin with the annual Black & White Gala, to be held at Open Jar Studios in Times Square on September 24th. In addition to a silent auction to raise funds for the upcoming season, the evening will feature performances from the NCO co-founders, as well as artisan cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Pianist Eric Sedgwick will serve as music director.

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NCO’s mainstage season will kick off in October 2019 with the zarzuela El Barbero de Sevilla at Teatro LATEA in Manhattan. This new production will feature a chamber orchestra arrangement by Music Director Pablo Zinger. Zinger, heralded as the “King of Zarzuela” by Opera News, has collaborated in concert with renowned performers including Placido Domingo, and has established himself in New York and around the world in his 40-year career as an authority on and advocate for zarzuela. Award-winning director, Rod Gomez, (National Opera Association Prize, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Bronx Opera) will direct. This performance will extend NCO’s reach into the Latinx community in NYC, and will feature singers of Hispanic descent. An evening of flamenco and tapas will be offered during the show’s run, immersing the audience in a unique celebration of Spanish heritage and culture.

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In May 2020, NCO will present Libby Larsen’s  Barnum’s Bird. 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.

NCO’s CamerataWorks division, responsible for the production of online operatic films, has commissioned a short opera film based on the life of Julie d’Aubigny by composer Whitney George and librettist Lila Palmer. This nonfiction story will present a swashbuckling, bisexual swordswoman and opera singer who lived during the 17th-century and fought to cultivate a world in which those who misbehaved were brought to justice. The film, entitled Julie, will tell d’Aubigny’s story which emphasizes the importance of courage in the face of adversity and the pursuit of equality for all. Julie will be released in Spring 2020. 

Camerata Piccola, NCO’s division for children's opera, will continue to present its three children’s operas, Party at the Opera (ages 1-4), Peter Rabbit (ages 5-9) and Rumpelstiltskin (ages 10 and up) at schools, libraries, and community centers throughout New York City and the surrounding areas throughout the 2019-2020 Season. These performances are designed to help children experience opera for what is likely the first time, using well-known stories set to core operatic repertoire. This exposure is fundamental to the musical education of our communities, especially those in which arts programs have been greatly reduced or completely defunded.
New Camerata Opera’s mission is to engage, excite, and educate through immersive performances that break down barriers and inspire fans of the future. For more information, please visit our website, or email info@newcamerataopera.org.