MANNES OPERA PRESENTS MOZART’S DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (THE MAGIC FLUTE)

TWO FULLY-STAGED PERFORMANCES FEATURING YOUNG ARTISTS OF THE MANNES OPERA

SATURDAY, MAY 7, 7:30 PM AND SUNDAY, MAY 8, 3:00 PM

(New York, NY - April 8, 2005) The Mannes Opera at Mannes College of Music will be presenting two fully-staged performances of Mozart’s opera, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), on Saturday, May 7, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 8, 2005 at 3:00 p.m. at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. The performance of Die Zauberflöte, one of Mozart’s best-loved works, will feature young artists of the Mannes Opera and the Mannes Orchestra, conducted by Joseph Colaneri, Artistic Director of the Mannes Opera. The Mannes Opera performances will be sung in German with English dialogue. This production is dedicated to the memory of Theodor Uppman, an esteemed member of the Mannes Voice Faculty from 1977 until his death in March at the age of 85.

The Kaye Playhouse is located at 68th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues, in Manhattan. Tickets are available at $25 for general admission; $10 for students (with an ID) and seniors, and go on sale on April 12. To purchase tickets, call (212) 772-4448. For further information on the Mannes Opera Program, call (212) 712-1973.

This production is located in Ancient Egypt on the banks of the river Nile amidst pyramids and palm trees; its stages, sets and costumes are inspired by ancient Egyptian paintings and sculpture. The plot of the opera, with its prince and princess, evil sorceress, wise ruler and magical instruments is pure fairy tale fantasy, but the concept stems from precepts of the secret society of Masons, of which both Mozart and his librettist and producer, Emanuel Schikaneder, were members. Schikaneder also played what is arguably the opera’s most popular role, the bird catcher - Papageno - in the original 1791 production. The ancient Egyptian setting is certainly relevant to the original, since Masonry had to do with the mysterious wisdom of the ancient world as demonstrated by the ability of ancient “masons” to create such monumental structures as the pyramids and the Sphinx.

DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (THE MAGIC FLUTE)

Casting

Sarastro: Tae Suk Suh
Tamino: Young Hoon Lee/Shin Ju Kang
Königin der Nacht: Mari Moriya
Pamina: Hye Jung Kang/Christine Reber
Papageno: Espen Langvik
Papagena: Jung Yun Lee/Donata Cucinotta
Monostatos: Timothy Miller/Seong Young Moon
Ensemble and Supporting Cast: Students of the Mannes Opera
Orchestra: Mannes Orchestra

Production Staff

Conductor/Artistic Director: Joseph Colaneri
Stage Director: Laura Alley
Set Design: Roger Hanna
Lighting Designer:  Kenny Schutz
Costume Coordinator: Helen Rodgers

Joseph Colaneri (Conductor) has served as Artistic Director of the Mannes Opera at Mannes College of Music since 1998, which under his leadership, has become one of the best regarded conservatory opera programs in America. Mo. Colaneri conducted The Mannes Opera with The Mannes Orchestra in highly successful fully-staged productions of La Bohème in 2003 and Don Giovanni in 2004 at Hunter College’s Kaye Playhouse.

Mo. Colaneri is now in his eighth season as a member of the conducting roster of the Metropolitan Opera where he has led performances of Puccini's La Bohème, Verdi's Luisa Miller, Puccini's Turandot and Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri.  In summer 2004, he conducted Verdi's Nabucco for the Met in the Parks series and leads performances of Nabucco during the 2004-2005 season at the Met.

Much in demand as a guest conductor, Mo. Colaneri recently led a gala opera concert with Samuel Ramey and the Orlando Philharmonic. He has also appeared with Renée Fleming and the Tokyo Philharmonic in a concert, which was telecast by the NHK. In May, 2004, he conducted an operatic concert with the National Symphony in Taipei, R. O. C.

Prior to joining the Metropolitan Opera, Mo. Colaneri was associated with the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center for fifteen years, culminating in his appointment in 1995 as Acting Music Director. Mo. Colaneri also served as Music Director of the New York City Opera National Company from 1991-1998, conducting national touring productions of La Fille du Régiment, Tosca, Carmen, Madama Butterfly, Il Barbiere diSiviglia, La Traviata, and La Bohème.

Mo. Colaneri is also active as a conductor of the choral and symphonic repertory. He has conducted the Verdi Requiem for the Berkshire Choral Festival and made his debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa leading Handel’s Messiah and two concerts of orchestral and choral music for the holiday season.

A frequent speaker on opera, Mo. Colaneri serves as guest lecturer for the Metropolitan Opera Guild and the Los Angeles Opera League.

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Mannes Opera trains aspiring, young professionals. Mannes College of Music features a superb artist faculty and offers small, intimate classes to ensure close interaction among the faculty and students. Students in the Mannes Opera Program have the opportunity to appear in fully staged opera productions and in workshop performances during the year. Regina Resnik and Renata Scotto are Master Artists in Residence in the Mannes Opera Program. For further information on Mannes College of Music, call (212) 580-0210 or visit the Web site at www.mannes.edu.