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Chicago Opera Theater’s New General Director
Andreas Mitisek Announces 2013 Season
3 New Productions by Philip Glass,
Ástor Piazzolla and Giuseppe Verdi

CHICAGO, IL– (April 4, 2012)  Andreas Mitisek announced today Chicago Opera Theater’s (COT) 2013 Season, his first as General Director.  The season opens in February of 2013 with the Chicago Premiere of Philip Glass’ The Fall of the House of Usher, followed by Ástor Piazzolla’s María de Buenos Aires in April, and concluding in September with another Chicago Premiere, Giuseppe Verdi’s Joan of Arc (Giovanna d’Arco).  These three new productions will be presented at theHarrisTheater for Music and Dance inMillenniumPark.

“Each time you come to COT, you should be surprised by something you hadn’t thought existed. We want to make you laugh and cry and reflect on the stories we present,” said Andreas Mitisek. “What ties these operas together is their focus on the tension between the power of love and the love of power. Philip Glass, Ástor Piazzolla and Giuseppe Verdi all question our views and enlighten us with insights into the eternal means of the human heart.”

2013 will mark Chicago Opera Theater’s first season in over a decade that will have the three operas offered in the winter, spring and fall.

“I think it is vital that we engage our current audience more than once or twice a year,” said Andreas. “I also know this will really allow COT to connect with even more Chicagoans, giving them the chance to experience our unique theatrical creations.”

As announced in December, Andreas will also remain the Artistic and General Director of Long Beach Opera (LBO) in California.  In 2013, the two companies will co-produce The Fall of the House of Usher.  Moreover, the new production of María de Buenos Aires which premiered at LBO in January of 2012 will be the same production at Chicago Opera Theater in 2013.

Philip Glass’ The Fall of the House of Usher will open the 2013 Season on February 23 at theHarrisTheater.  The story is based on Edgar Allan Poe’s haunting tale about the fine line between reality and imagination inside the eerie Usher mansion. Philip Glass’ score perfectly captures the mood of this hypnotic and harrowing psychological drama.

Ken Cazan, acclaimed for his 2004 COT production of Britten’s Death in Venice, will direct.  The Financial Times gave the production “5 stars” and The Chicago Tribune called it “exquisite.”

Opening April 20^th  María de Buenos Aires, an opera of “stunning originality,” pulses to the passion and beat of Ástor Piazzolla’s revolutionary nuevo tango and Horacio Ferrer’s mesmerizing, imaginative poetry.

“Piazzolla’s María is the ultimate metaphor for the heart and soul ofArgentinaand, for me, also a metaphor for love, hope, fear and resilience,” explains Mitisek.

In 1967, Ástor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer called their first collaboration, María de Buenos Aires, a “tango operita.” However, this work contains music unlike any conventional tango. Piazzolla took the tango off the dance floor by creating a new style termed “nuevo tango.” 

General Director Andreas Mitisek will both conduct and direct the piece, as he did at Long Beach Opera.  The Los Angeles Times calls María de Bueno Aires “a stunning new production” and says “Mitisek must be one of the premier interpreters of Piazzolla.”

Closing the 2013 Season in September, is Verdi’s Joan of Arc (Giovanna d’Arco), the winner of 2010’s The People’s Opera – a fundraising initiative where COT audiences picked from one of three operas to be performed in a future season.  Telling the iconic story of the courageous St. Joan, the opera features some of Verdi’s most beautiful music as COT celebrates his 200^th birthday in 2013.

“I am greatly looking forward to coming toChicagoand collaborating even more with our audiences and community,” said Andreas.  “I want to create an immersive experience that goes beyond just watching opera.”

 —

Chicago Opera Theater performs at The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park – 205 East Randolph Drive.

Season Subscriptions are on sale now for the 2013 Season, which include a ticket to all three operas.  Renewing subscribers may take advantage of Early Bird pricing through July 31^st, 2012.  Chicago Opera Theater continues to offer 50% off subscriptions in most sections to new COT Subscribers.

 Tickets to individual shows of the 2013 Season will go on sale in January of 2013.

Tickets are available at 312.704.8414 or online ChicagoOperaTheater.org. 

2013 Season

 Philip Glass
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER
February 23, 27 and March 1 at 7:30pm; February 24 at 3pm

Director:                                            Ken Cazan

Sung in English with English supertitles.

Ástor Piazzolla
MARÍA DE BUENOS AIRES
April 20, 24, 26 at 7:30pm; April 28 at 3pm

Conductor:                                        Andreas Mitisek
Director:                                            Andreas Mitisek

Sung in Spanish with English supertitles.

Giuseppe Verdi
joan of arc (Giovanna d’Arco)
September 14, 18, 20 at 7:30pm; September 22 at 3pm

Sung in Italian with English supertitles. 

| Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER PRESENTS

George Frideric Handel
TESEO

The Second Production of the 2012 Season –
General Director Brian Dickie’s last season with Chicago Opera Theater
April 21, 27, 29, May 2
at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park

CHICAGO, IL (March 22, 2012) – Chicago Opera Theater (COT) continues their 2012 Season, and General Director Brian Dickie’s last season with the company, with Handel’s Teseo.   Performances are April 21, 27, 29, and May 2 at theHarrisTheater for Music and Dance inMillenniumPark.  

This is Brian’s 24^th Chicago premiere since he became COT General Director in 1999.  This will be the 6^th Handel work the company has produced since 2001, with Acis and Galatea (2001), Semele (2002), Agrippina (2003), La resurrezione (2005), also being Chicago premieres.

“Handel has been such an integral part of what we have done here this last decade or so, and I am thrilled to produce another Handel in my final season here at Chicago Opera Theater,” said General Director Brian Dickie. 

Teseo marks the final opera in COT’s baroque trilogy devoted to the exploration of operas with Medea as a central character.  COT presented Cavalli’s Jason (Giasone) to great acclaim in 2010 (4 stars – Chicago Tribune) and in 2011 Charpentier’s Medea (“truly inventive” – Chicago Sun-Times. 

Teseo was written in London by Handel at the age of twenty-eight.  In this last chapter of the trilogy, the wicked Medea is tormented by jealousy – this time Teseo of Athens is the object of her affections.  A final unrequited love story that ultimately leads to Medea’s merciless revenge.

Conductor Michael Beattie is making his Chicago Opera Theater debut.   Michael, a highly regarded keyboardist, will also play the harpsichord in the pit.  He has conducted atBoston’s Emmanuel Music, Glimmerglass Opera, American Repertory Theater and Pittsburgh Opera, and has toured internationally with director Peter Sellars.

Chicago’s own Baroque Band is the orchestra for Teseo.  This period-instrument orchestra has been hailed by critics and audiences, and has gained a reputation as one of the most exciting period-instrument ensembles in the United States.

James Darrah is returning to COT after directing Medea in 2011.  The Chicago Tribune called Medea “…a fresh and stimulating production by James Darrah, a gifted young American stage director who is the newest discovery of COT General Director Brian Dickie.”  James will also be designing the costumes for Teseo.

Set Designer François-Pierre Couture returns to COT, also after last season’s Medea.  François-Pierre has been nominated for several awards in Los Angeles in both scenery and lighting design.   He most recently designed Maestro, The Life of Leonard Bernstein, currently touring theUnited States and seen here inChicago this past winter at theRoyalGeorgeTheatre.

Julian Pike, Lighting Designer, returns to COT for his fourth consecutive season.  Last season he designed the lighting for Medea and He/She, and he will also work as Lighting Designer for this season’s Moscow, Cheryomushki opening April 14^th. 

The title role of Teseo will be sung by mezzo-soprano Cecelia Hall.  Cecelia was the inaugural recipient of the Brian Dickie Outstanding Young Singer Award, presented at COT’s recent 2012 Gala honoring Brian.  As a member of the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Cecelia appeared this season in Lucia di Lammermoor, The Magic Flute, Aida, and Rinaldo. 

“I am delighted with the Teseo cast, and we can all look forward to a feast of fine singing with local Chicagoan Cecelia leading the way,” said Brian Dickie.

Renée Tatum (Medea) is in her second year of the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. This season at the Met, she sang Fenena in Nabucco, and in February performed La Haine in the Metropolitan Opera and the Juilliard School’s joint production of Gluck’s Armide.   Future engagements include The Magic Flute with San Francisco Opera, and Der Ring des Nibelungen with Seattle Opera.

Manuela Bisceglie (Agilea), an Italian native, is making her Chicago debut.  She has performed at many prestigious opera houses and festivals, including Opèra National de Paris (Francesca da Rimini) and Glyndebourne Festival (L’incoronazione di Poppea).  David Trudgen (Arcano) made his Chicago Opera Theater debut as Medoro in 2008’s Orlando.  He was hailed by the Chicago Tribune as “the next generation’s answer to David Daniels.”

Completing the cast is Deanna Breiwick (Clizia) and Gerald Thompson (Egeo).  Deanna was a 2011 Metropolitan Opera National Council Grand Finalist, and this season covered the role of Ariel in the premiere of The Enchanted Island with the Met.  Gerald began this season as the cover of Bertarido in Rodelinda at the Metropolitan Opera, and sang the role of Mike Teevee in The Golden Ticket at Atlanta Opera. He rounds out the season with his return to Europe for concert performances of Graun’s Montezuma.

TESEO is generously supported by JULIE AND ROGER BASKES, ELIZABETH F. CHENEY FOUNDATION, JOAN AND JIM SHAPIRO, AND SUZANNE L. WAGNER. 

Teseo runs for only four performances on April 21, 27, 29, and May 2, 2012 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, 205 East Randolph Street.

Individual tickets to Teseo are on sale and range from $45-$125.  COT offers half-off tickets to students in sections A, B, and C. 

COT has also introduced 100@25 – a new ticket program where COT offers 100 tickets to each performance for only $25.  These will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and are available in all sections of the Harris Theater.  (Subject to availability, and a limit of two tickets per household.)

Season Subscriptions for the 2012 Season range from $66-$345, and include a ticket to Teseo, as well as Shostakovich’s Moscow, Cheryomushki (April 14-22) and a new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute (September 15-23).  NEW SUBSCRIBERS RECEIVE 50% OFF IN SECTIONS A, B, AND C!

Tickets may be purchased at Chicago Opera Theater: ChicagoOperaTheater.org or 312.704.8414.    Tickets may also be purchased at the Harris Theater:  HarrisTheaterChicago.org or 312.334.7777.

George Frideric Handel
TESEO
April 21, 27, May 2 at 7:30pm; April 29 at 3pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Conductor:                                        Michael Beattie
Director:                                             James Darrah
Set Designer:                                    François-Pierre Couture
Costume Designer:                      James Darrah
Lighting Designer:                       Julian Pike

Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Role                                                    Cast (Alphabetical)
Agilea (Soprano)                            MANUELA BISCEGLIE
Clizia (Soprano)                              DEANNA BREIWICK
Teseo (Mezzo)                                 CECELIA HALL                   
Medea (Mezzo)                                RENÉE TATUM                 
Egeo (Countertenor)                     GERALD THOMPSON
Arcano (Countertenor)                DAVID TRUDGEN              

COT Young Artists Ensemble:  LOREN BATTIESTE, ANDREW HARRIS, DREW LADD, MATTHEW NEWLIN, CORRIE STALLINGS, CAROLYN STEIN, VALERIE VINZANT, MEGAN ROSE WILLIAMS

Supernumeraries:  NATION HENRIKSON, CATHERINE STEGEMANN

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER PRESENTS George Frideric Handel’s “Teseo” | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WITH A PERFORMANCE BY GRAMMY AWARD WINNER SYLVIA MCNAIR
HONORING BRIAN DICKIE IN HIS FINAL SEASON AS GENERAL DIRECTOR
and
PRESENTING THE INAUGURAL BRIAN DICKIE OUTSTANDING YOUNG SINGER AWARD 

CHICAGO, IL (January 27, 2012)—On Sunday, March 11^th Chicago Opera Theater (COT) will host its 38^th Anniversary Gala: A Celebration Less Ordinary at Carnivale (702 West Fulton). The 2012 Gala Committee, led by COT Board Members and Gala Co-Chairs Dorothy Osborn Walton and Robert E. Shapiro, will honor General Director Brian Dickie on his final season with COT and inaugurate The Brian Dickie Outstanding Young Singer Award.  Serving as Master of Ceremonies, and performing exclusively for guests of the gala, is two-time Grammy Award winner and regional Emmy winner Sylvia McNair.

Since Brian became General Director in the summer of 1999, he has brought the company to national and international recognition and acclaim. 2012 will mark Brian’s final year with Chicago Opera Theater and highlights a 50year legacy in opera management and administration.

“As always, I am looking forward to this wonderful celebration – although this year it is tinged with a degree of sadness that this will be my last one,” commentsBrian Dickie.  “The past 12 years have been nothing short of extraordinary and I share the accolades with our innovative Board, generous sponsors and loyal fans.”

On his behalf, The COT Board of Directors will inaugurate The Brian Dickie Outstanding Young Singer Award, honoring Brian’s long history and tremendous passion for identifying and developing the careers of todays best emerging young talent. The award will be given each year to a young opera singer who demonstrates true promise for an exceptional career in opera.

“The identification and development of young talent has been my life’s work, so I am thrilled to have this Young Singer’s Award be named in my honor,” says Brian.

Guests of this less-than-ordinary Gala will enjoy a behind the scenes peek into the world of Chicago Opera Theater filled with Latin-inspired bites and beats from Carnivale; a pulse-raising live auction; a tribute performance by COT performers; and live music provided by Fig Media.

The opera will sizzle at Carnivale from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Tickets range in price from $100 Gala Reception for Young Professionals to $2,500 Benefactor Sponsorship which includes four gala tickets, name recognition, cocktail reception, gala dinner, access to the silent auction and the special performance.  To purchase tickets or make a donation visit www.chicagooperatheater.org .

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER’S
2012 ANNUAL GALA
“A Celebration Less Ordinary” AT CARNIVALE
In Honor of Brian Dickie

Where:                 CARNIVALE
                                  702 W Fulton Market
                                  Chicago, Illinois

***Festive Cocktail Attire Requested ***

When:                  Sunday, March 11^th, 6 – 9 p.m.

Price:                    -$100 for Gala Reception Young Professional Ticket (Persons ages 21 – 45, i.d. required; includes cocktails, small bites, access to live and silent auction, a live musical performance, and dancing)

                             -$200 for Gala Reception Ticket (includes cocktails, small bites, access to live and silent auction, a live musical performance and dancing.)

                             -$375 for Gala Dinner Ticket (includes cocktails, appetizers, seated dinner, access to live and silent auction, a live musical performance, and dancing) Tables of 10 are available at $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000.

                            -Sponsorship packages are available for $1,000 and $2,500.

Tickets:                312.704.8420, x214    
                                   ChicagoOperaTheater.org

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER

Founded in 1974 by Alan Stone, Chicago Opera Theater (COT) has carved a significant place for itself in the operatic life of Chicago and has reached an audience of hundreds of thousands through its mainstage performances, community engagement, education programs in Chicago Public Schools, as well as its renowned Young Artist Program. 

Since Brian Dickie’s appointment as General Director in 1999, COT has evolved as an opera company that is young, fresh, and critically acclaimed.   The Chicago Tribune says “Chicago Opera Theater is on a roll.  The company’s splendid, adventuresome shows continue to prove that the spirit of operatic adventure is alive and well at the Harris Theater.”   The Chicago Reader calls COT “Chicago’s most interesting opera company.”

SYLVIA MCNAIR

Two-time Grammy Award winner and regional Emmy winner, Sylvia McNair lays claim to a stellar, twenty-five-year career in the musical realms of opera, oratorio, cabaret and musical theater. Her journey has taken her from the Metropolitan Opera to the Salzburg Festival, from the New York Philharmonic to the Rainbow Room, from the Ravinia Festival to The Plaza, from the pages of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal to the London Times. She traveled through a fierce, well-fought battle with breast cancer filled with surgeries, chemo, and radiation to end up in the trenches helping others survive.

One thing is certain about Sylvia’s life odyssey – it’s subject to change! And, now “Subject To Change” is the self-descriptive title of her new one-woman show which has been recently heard at The Savoy Room at Sheldon Hall, The Colony in Palm Beach, and Feinstein’s at The Regency.  Her show at the famed Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel made critic Rex Reed swoon:  “I could get used to this kind of ecstasy.”  Sylvia continues to reincarnate her musical gifts in the most remarkable ways with the most rewarding results!  2009 was a particularly dreamy year, in her words, as she sang Guenevere opposite George Hearn’s King Arthur and Rod Gilfry’s Lancelot in the Ravinia Festival’s opening night CAMELOT.  She also added the role of Desiree in Sondheim’s A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC in a new production from the Central City Opera and then went on to a star turn in American Opera Theater’s production of SONGSPIEL, 19 songs by Kurt Weill, about which Anne Midgette wrote (Washington Post, January 2010) “This is definitely a star to watch.”

As a regular guest soloist with nearly all of the major American and European orchestras and opera houses, Sylvia has collaborated with an array of today’s most prominent conductors including Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Masur, Leonard Slatkin, André Previn, Neville Marriner and the late Robert Shaw, the musician she credits with giving her the early and important opportunities that started her career.

She stopped along the way to produce over 70 recordings ranging from Mozart arias with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields to CDs with André Previn of music by Jerome Kern and Harold Arlen and left a beautiful audio trail documenting her incredible vocal prowess. She was thrilled to accept the invitation to sing the Bach B-minor Mass with the Vienna Philharmonic for Pope John Paul II at The Vatican, to sing for Hillary Clinton, and to perform at The U.S. Supreme Court by special invitation from Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

A proud Buckeye from Mansfield, Ohio, Sylvia earned a Masters degree with Distinction from the Indiana University School of Music, received honorary doctorates from Westminster College (1997) and Indiana University (1998), and the Ohio Governor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Entertainment (1999). She joined the prestigious voice faculty of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in 2006. In 2007, Sylvia received The Gaudium Award from The Breukelein Institute for “extraordinary and distinctive contributions to the arts and public life.”

Jerry Kleiner’s Carnivale

The 2012 Annual Gala will take place at Jerry Kleiner’s Carnivale. Located at 702 W Fulton Market, this restaurant offers “Latino flavors with the spice of life.”  The sizzling, passionate cuisine features tastes from Cuba, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Argentina, and Mexico.  A splash of bright décor and vibrant music, this colorful setting is sure to add some sizzle to your winter.

### 

Chicago Opera Theater Contact:
Colleen Flanigan
312.704.8420 x 225
cflanigan@chicagooperatheater.org

                                                                                                          Event Contact:

                                                                Michelle Molise/Matthew Kaufmann

Molise PR – 312.577.6985

mmolise@molisepr.com

mkaufmann@molisepr.com

Chicago Opera Theater Presents the 2012 Annual Gala “A Celebration Less Ordinary” at Carnivale, March 11th, 2012 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF ANDREAS MITISEK

AS GENERAL DIRECTOR

CHICAGO, IL (December 7, 2011) – Chicago Opera Theater (COT) Board President, Gregory O’Leary, announced today the appointment of Andreas Mitisek as the company’s new General Director, effective September 1, 2012.  He will become the General Director Designate on January 1, 2012 to begin working on future seasons at COT.  Mitisek signed a five-year contract with Chicago Opera Theater.

Mitisek will take over from current General DirectorBrian Dickiewhen Dickie’s contract ends August 31, 2012.  Dickie was appointed as General Director in 1999, and according to the Chicago Tribune “lifted COT to a standard that has made it not only one of the nations’ leading regional companies, but a nationally and internationally recognized pacesetter as well.”

“We chose Andreas to be the next General Director due to his original and unique artistic vision which builds upon the incredibly high standard set by Brian,” said Board President O’Leary.  “The Search Committee, as well as the Board and I, are extremely enthusiastic about the future of the company under Andreas’ direction.”

Andreas Mitisek is currently Artistic and General Director of Long Beach Opera (LBO), which is well-known for its daring repertory and unconventional interpretations. Mitisek became LBO’s Principal Conductor in 1998 and Artistic & General Director in 2003. His vision and leadership has helped LBO more than double its budget (from $434K to $1.2M), eliminate a longstanding deficit and to raise subscriptions by 500%. Mitisek transitioned the company from a festival format to a seasonal format of four productions a year.

“COT is the place where some of the most interesting opera productions in the country happen and I am honored to follow such an inspiring leader as Brian Dickie, who has built this company into a trademark of artistic innovation,” said Mitisek. “I look forward to becoming a part of the rich artistic fabric of Chicago, reaching out to the community and continuing the journey into new and unexplored territories of opera.”

“Andreas has done interesting work at Long Beach Opera which mirrors in many respects the character of COT,” said current General Director Brian Dickie.  “Andreas is ideally equipped to take Chicago Opera Theater forward in the challenging circumstances that many performing arts companies face in these difficult times.”

Andreas will remain as Artistic and General Director of Long Beach Opera, creating a new model for artistic collaboration between two companies with modest budgets and similar creative sensibilities. 

“Andreas, being ever the innovator and entrepreneur, will simultaneously manage Chicago Opera Theater and Long Beach Opera.  Given his tremendous vision, quantifiable efficiency, and boundless energy – coupled with modern technology – he will leverage the strengths of both companies in two distant parts of the country to produce opera at the next level not only in artistry, but also efficiency,” continued O’Leary. 

Mitisek explains:  “Creating a national collaboration with Long Beach Opera will bring a heightened presence for both companies, creating synergies on an artistic and organizational level that can serve as a model for opera to thrive in the 21st century.”

“The appointment of Andreas Mitisek promises to continue COT’s distinguished history of inventiveness and quality.  The company’s reputation for innovation will be enhanced by the unique producing partnership being established with Long Beach Opera,” said Opera America President Marc Scorca.  “Both companies and their communities will benefit from Mitisek’s exciting artistic vision and dynamic leadership.”

*****

ANDREAS MITISEK (Complete Biography)

Andreas Mitisek is currently Artistic and General Director of Long Beach Opera (LBO), which is well-known for its daring repertory and unconventional interpretations. Mitisek became LBO’s Principal Conductor in 1998 and Artistic & General Director in 2003. His vision and leadership has helped LBO to double its budget ($430K to $1.3M), eliminate a longstanding deficit and to raise subscriptions by 500%. Mitisek transitioned the company form a festival format to a seasonal format of four productions a year.

One of the artistic highlights included a newly-conceived production of The Ring Of The Nibelung presented in 2006.

Mitisek, who was appointed as Artistic & General Director in 2003, has further established LBO’s place as a leader in innovative and accessible opera.Southern Californiaaudiences have embraced LBO’s expanded artistic offerings as seen by a significant increase in ticket sales and first-time attendees.

LBO has presented one site-specific production per season since 2007, including performances in a popular night club, public parking garages, an Olympic swimming pool, the Ship hull of the Queen Mary, and a furniture warehouse. These performances have sold out each year since 2009 and audience demand has prompted LBO to provide additional performances.

During these years of growth, LBO has fostered collaborative partnerships with a number of Southern Californiaarts organizations. Such partnerships have become the standard for LBO’s “Coincidence” series of insider season events (since 2009). In 2011, LBO forged a new partnership, co-hosting the Southern California Philip Glass Festival with Pacific Symphony Orchestra. In 2012, LBO will partner with the Aquarium of the Pacific by performing in the Aquarium’s Great Hall for the US premiere of The Paper Nautilus by Gavin Bryars. Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar is also part of the 2012 season, with an outdoor performance in downtownLong Beach, against the backdrop of a deserted six story office building.

From 1990-1997 Mitisek served as Founding and Artistic Director of the Wiener Operntheater (WOT) in his hometown of Vienna, Austria. He shaped WOT’s artistic profile of presenting 20th century and rarely seen works. He conducted premieres such as:  John Adams’ Nixon in China, György Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre, Harry Birtwistle’s The Second Mrs. Kong, Benjamin Britten’s Death in Venice, Krzysztof Penderecki’s The Devils of Loudun, and Aribert Reimann’s Das Schloss.

His work as guest conductor has taken him, among others, to Komische Oper Berlin (Fledermaus, Orpheus and Euridice), Wiener Volksoper (Guiditta, Midsummer Night’s Dream), Seattle Opera (Eugene Onegin, Der Freischuetz, Così fan tutte, Don Giovanni) Philadelphia Opera Company (Salome), Austin Lyric Opera (Salome, Rigoletto, Faust), Vancouver Opera (The Rake’s Progress), Opera Theater of St. Louis (American Premiere of Michael Berkley’s Jane Eyre), Santiago de Chile (Eugene Onegin), and Tokyo (Japanese Premiere of Minoru Miki’s Jouri).

In 2005 Mitisek extend his creative activities to include stage directing. He created and directed an award-winning version of Schubert’s Winterreise, with a new story combining Schubert’s song cycle and Goethe’s Sorrows of Young Werther. In 2006 another concept and treatment was the opera The Diary of Anne Frank by Grigori Frid, where Mitisek incorporated a Holocaust survivor and her memoirs into the story. It was performed in the transient space of underground parking garages as a metaphor for dislocation and abandonment. In 2008 he staged Ricky Ian Gordon’s Orpheus and Euridice in a 500,000 gallon Olympic size swimming pool. In 2009 he staged a double bill of Viktor Ullmann’s The Emperor of Atlantis and Carl Orff’s Die Kluge in the former engine rooms of the Queen Mary. In 2011 he conducted, staged and designed Medea by Cherubini in a furniture warehouse and conducted, staged and designed the West Coast Premiere of Akhnaten by Philip Glass.

longbeachopera.org

Photo of Andreas Mitisek at: chicagooperatheater.org/company/amitisek_photo.jpg

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER

Founded in 1974 by Alan Stone, Chicago Opera Theater (COT) has carved a significant place for itself in the operatic life ofChicago and has reached an audience of hundreds of thousands through its mainstage performances, community engagement, education programs in Chicago Public Schools, as well as its renowned Young Artist Program. 

Since Brian Dickie’s appointment as General Director in 1999, COT has evolved as an opera company that is young, fresh, and critically acclaimed.   The Chicago Tribune says “Chicago Opera Theater is on a roll.  The company’s splendid, adventuresome shows continue to prove that the spirit of operatic adventure is alive and well at theHarrisTheater.”   The Chicago Reader calls COT “Chicago’s most interesting opera company.”

Chicago Opera Theater’s 2012 Season opens at the HarrisTheateron April 14 and runs through September 23, 2012.  The Season includes Shostakovich’s Moscow, Cheryomushki, Handel’s Teseo and Mozart’s The Magic Flute.  For tickets or more information go to ChicagoOperaTheater.org or call 312.704.8414.

Chicago Opera Theater Announces the Appointment of Andreas Mitisek as General Director | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Across the country cities have brewed up a cauldron of Halloween happenings. The travel experts at The GO Group, LLC, the nation’s largest ground transportation company, has conjured this list of spook-tacular events for the whole family:

In Chicago, buildings, parks and plazas join in the Chicagoween fun with decorations, events and activities.  Visit Franken Plaza (Daley Plaza) for movie nights, dance, theater, music and the Midnight Circus, featuring a high-flying act and juggling. Visit Chicago’s Park districts for pumpkin patches, haunted houses and scary theatre!

Indianapolis‘ premier scary amusement park is Hanna Haunted Acres, a collection of haunted hayrides, houses, mazes and more.  Open at dark, the attraction is located less than eight miles from downtown. Tickets are $27 for all six attractions.

New Orleans is reputed to be the most haunted city in America!  In addition to haunted hotels and bars, visitors can enjoy The Krewe of Halloween parade on October 29. The three-day Voodoo Music Experience takes place on Halloween weekend in City Park and has three stages and multiple music acts.  The Vampire Ball is hosted by the Vampire Lestat Fan club and encourages creative costumes while the Louisiana State Museum Friends of the Cabildo will lead Ghostly Gallivant, a tour through the French Quarter on Oct. 29 and 30.

San Francisco offers a Ghost Walk at City Hall on Oct. 29 and Family Halloween Fest,  Oct. 30 at the Randall Museum, with ghoulish games, pumpkin carving, live entertainment and treats.  Only the brave will partake in Fear Oaks Haunted Woods where visitors will be assaulted with scary sights, sounds and smells followed by teen zombies re-enacting Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video.

The Toms River Halloween Parade (New Jersey) is reported to be the second largest in the country.  Organized by Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, the parade runs Oct. 31, 7 p.m..  More than 6,000 participants and 100,000 spectators are expected to attend.

For more information visit each city’s tourism bureau web site.

The GO Group, LLC is a one-stop source for door-to-door airport shuttle services. Its members transport some 13 million passengers to and from airports in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe annually. Travelers can book ground transportation with both departure and destination airports through GO’s website, www.goairportshuttle.com.

SOURCE The GO Group, LLC

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Each student will choose a monologue from Wilson’s Century Cycle, a series of 10 plays that portray African Americans during successive decades of the 20th century. The plays feature lyrical monologues by varied ensemble cast members.

Derrick Sanders, UIC adjunct lecturer in performing arts and a Wilson protégé, said the competition is designed to encourage educators to teach Wilson’s plays in high-school literature and social studies classes. Sanders initiated Chicago’s participation in the competition last year.

Sanders, who has directed Wilson’s plays around the country, will direct Wilson’s “Seven Guitars” at the UIC Theatre Feb. 11-20. The student competitors will preview the play and attend special post-show events.

“Last year was an incredibly successful launch of the Chicago wing of this competition,” Sanders said. “The three young Chicago women who competed at the finals in New York last May, two of whom now study at UIC, were excellent representatives of the caliber of artists that Chicago creates and nurtures. I’m so pleased that we can expand this important project this year.”

A panel of Chicago theater professionals will judge the competitors on preparedness, understanding of the text, emotional connection to the material, and commitment to the performance. Ten semi-finalists from the UIC round will receive coaching on their monologues before completing the Chicago preliminaries at the Goodman Theatre on April 11.

Three finalists from the Goodman round will receive scholarships and trips to New York City, where they will compete for additional scholarships in the national finals at the August Wilson Theatre. Last year, 12 students from around the country performed in the finals.

Funding for the August Wilson Monologue Competition is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, AT&T, Turner Broadcasting, AirTran Airways, Publix Supermarket Charities, and the Massey Charitable Trust.

UIC ranks among the nation’s leading research universities and is Chicago’s largest university with 27,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state’s major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world. For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu

UIC Hosts Chicago Round of National Acting Competition | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Originally reported by WISH-TV News. Read the original article here.

Urban League to hold Fall Career Fair | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Pat Quinn today awarded nearly $15 million in grants to 51 public museums in Illinois for new and expanded facilities, exhibits and infrastructure improvements through the Illinois Public Museums Capital Grant Program.

“Illinois’ public museums are some of our most valuable teaching resources. Students learn best when they have access to the hands-on learning available in museums throughout the state,” said Governor Quinn. “These capital grants will help ensure that learning is not limited to classrooms – but that students will be able to continue visiting museums, zoos and gardens all over the state to put their lessons to practical use.”

The Public Museum Capital Grants Program is designed to assist museums in expanding and upgrading facilities and creating new exhibits to enhance the ability of public museums to meet their missions.

A total of $15 million in funding from the state’s “Illinois Jobs Now!” capital program was made available for public museum capital grants for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010.  Applications for this round of grants were accepted last spring.  The maximum grant award for qualifying projects for FY2010 is $800,000.  The level of local matching funds required for each project is based on the level of attendance at the applicant museum during the preceding calendar year. 

Since the program is funded by capital development bonds, only those museums operated by or located upon land owned by a unit of local government are eligible. The program is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

A list of grant recipients, grant amounts and project descriptions is below.

Adler Planetarium-Chicago – $750,000
Sky Theater upgrade – The grant funds will be used for the construction phase of the Sky Theater renovation. (Contact Person: Kathleen Jacob-312/322-0511)

Anita Purves Nature Center/Champaign – $160,000
ADA Trail – This project will construct an ADA compliant trail connecting the Nature Center with adjacent Busey Woods Nature Preserve. (Contact Person: Judy Miller-217/384-4062)
 
Art Institute of Chicago – $800,000
Energy efficiency upgrade – This project will replace the HVAC system as part of an ongoing facility upgrade (Contact Person: Kevin Beck-312/443-3120)  

Burpee Museum/Rockford – $300,000
New Fossil Exhibit – This project will complete a permanent Triceratops exhibit. (Contact Person: Scott Williams-815/965-3433 x1006)

Chicago Botanic Garden – $500,000
Children’s Growing Garden Exhibit – Funding will be used toward construction of a 10,000 square foot garden, teaching pavilion and horticulture support building. (Contact Person: Anya Maziak, 847/835-6896) 

Chicago Historical Society – $700,000
Energy efficiency upgrade- This project will upgrade museum heating and cooling systems in the galleries and collection storage area. (Contact Person: Gary T. Johnson -312/799-2200)

Chicago Zoological Society – $500,000
Conservation Center – This project includes renovation of the current Reptile House into a state of the art center for conservation and outreach programs. (Contact Person: Sarah Breen-Bartecki – 708/688-8974) 

Children’s Discovery Museum of Normal – $200,000
Renewable Energy Exhibits – This project encompasses the design, fabrication and installation of hands-on components for two exhibits (Contact Person: Shari Buckellew – 309/433-3444)

Dillon Home Museum/Sterling – $68,700
ADA Upgrades – Grant funds will be used to bring the Dillon Home Museum and parking area into ADA compliance. (Contact Person:  Doug Jacobs-815/622-6061)

Discovery Center of Rockford – $250,000
Expansion and improvement – This project will upgrade and/or replace existing exhibits and exhibit areas.  (Contact Person: Sarah Wolf – 815/963-6769)

Early American Museum/Champaign – $500,000
Education Center Addition – Phase 1 – This project will provide for an additional area for an educational classroom, collection storage/processing area, and public restroom facilities.  (Contact Person:  Cheryl Kennedy – 217/586-2612)

Elgin History Museum – $36,610
Museum Exhibits – These funds will be used to update the museums existing exhibits. (Contact Person:  Elizabeth Marston-847/742-4248) 

Ellwood House/DeKalb – $150,000
ADA and Signage upgrades – This project will make improvements to the grounds of the museum by addressing accessibility issues and signing. (Contact Person:  Gerald J. Brauer – 815/756-4609)

Elmhurst Art Museum – $70,000
Restoration of Meis House – Grant funds will be used to restore the Meis/McCormick House to use as a permanent exhibition and educational program area.  (Contact Person: Stuart W. Henn – 630/834-0202 x113)

Elmhurst History Museum – $50,000
Museum Campus and Building improvements – These funds will be used to install lighted sidewalks/walking paths and make roofing improvements. (Contact Person:  Lance Tawzer-630/530-6450) 

Fabyan Villa Museum/Geneva – $100,000
HVAC Control updates – This project includes installation of air-handling units throughout the building. (Contact Person: Lynn Dransott-630/377-6424)

Field Museum of Natural History/Chicago – $800,000
Energy efficiency project – This project will include purchase and installation of a new air handling unit for the museum. (Contact Person:  Deborah Bekeken – 312/665-7807)

Grand Army of the Republic/Aurora – $250,000
Interior improvements – Grant funds will be used for Phase 2 of the interior restoration of the museum building.  (Contact Person: Rena Church – 630/906-0654)    

Grove Historic Landmark/Glenview – $80,000
Exhibit improvements – This project encompasses the design, construction and installation of new educational exhibits. (Contact Person: Laura Stuart – 630/513-4370) 

Henson Robinson Zoo/Springfield – $200,000
Phase II Expansion – These grant funds will be used for walkway renovation and new exhibit updates. (Contact Person: Talon Thornton – 217/753-6217)

Hoosier Grove/Streamwood – $25,000
Accessibility Renovation – This project is the re-design and construction of an accessible ramp. (Contact Person: Debbie Karner – 630/483-3012)  

Klehm Arboretum/Rockford – $100,000
Interpretive Signage – This project will allow for the installation of interpretative and directional signage.  (Contact Person: Jane Snively-815/965-8146)

Kohl Children’s Museum/Glenview – $50,000
Powered by Nature Exhibit – This project will allow for the construction of a new exhibit entitled Powered by Nature.   (Contact Person: Jennifer Oates – 847/832-6911)

Lincoln Park Zoo/Chicago- $83,333
Gorilla Exhibit Moat – This project includes repairs and improvements to the moat surrounding the Regenstein Center for Africa Apes.  (Contact Person:  Kimberly Montroy – 312/742-2175)

Little White School Museum/Oswego – $100,000
ADA Access and drainage improvements – This project will allow for the installation of an inclined wheelchair lift and seat lift within the museum as well as installation of new gutters and downspouts to aid in drainage issues.   (Contact Person: Roger Matile – 630/554-2999)

Lizzadro Museum/Elmhurst – $150,000
Building upgrades – This project is for the installation of a new sprinkler system as well as updated HVAC and electrical systems.   (Contact Person: Dorothy J. Asher – 630/833-1616) 

Lombard History Museum – $70,000
ADA improvements – This project will allow for costs associated in making an 1870 Carriage House ADA accessible.   (Contact Person: Jeanne Angel – 630/629-1885)

Mayslake Peabody Estate /Oak Brook – $150,000
Restore Library Ceiling – This project will allow for the restoration of the library ceiling in the Mayslake Hall. (Contact Person: Chrissie Howorth- 630/206-9568)

McLean County Museum of History – $225,000
HVAC Renovation – This project will allow for the replacement of 11 old HVAC units and install new air conditioning in selected areas to allow for greater energy efficiency.  (Contact Person: Mr. Greg Koos – 309/827-0428 

Midway Village Museum/Rockford – $230,000
Many Faces, One Community Exhibit – This project will allow for the creation of an immersive, interactive exhibit that explores the history of immigration to Rockford and America.  (Contact Person: David Byrnes – 815/397-9112)

Museum of Contemporary Art/Chicago – $500,000
Knowledge Center and Energy Upgrades – This project will provide for the redesign of a new museum entrance, design and construct a new Knowledge Center and upgrade chillers and lighting to gain great energy efficiencies.  (Contact Person: Janet Alberti-312/397-3801)

Museum of Science and Industry/Chicago – $800,000
Energy Planet Exhibit – This project will allow for the design and site preparation for the new Energy Planet Exhibit.  (Contact Person: Kevin Frank – 773/753-7011)

Naper Settlement/Naperville – $350,000
Joseph Nader Homestead – This project will allow for the creation of a historical interpretive site on property of city founder Joseph Nader recently purchased by the City of Naperville.  (Contact Person: Debbie Grinnell – 630/305-7063)

National Museum of Mexican Art/Chicago – $700,000
Upgrade performance space – This project will allow for the upgrade and reworking of the original performance space.   (Contact Person: Ignacio Guzman – 312/738-1503 x3940) 

Peggy Notebaert Museum /Chicago – $100,000
Upgrade and enlarge exhibit space – This project will allow the museum to recapture the first-floor exhibit space and create a more direct, visible path for visitors to access the outdoor Bird Walk exhibit.  (Contact Person: Mary Snodgrass – 773/755-5132)

Peoria Park District/Peoria Zoo – $350,000
Australian Walk-About – These grant funds will be used for the construction of a new Australian walk-about and aviary.   (Contact Person: Yvonne Strode – 309/686-3365)

Pilcher Nature Center/Joliet – $600,000
Nature Center Renovation – This project will allow for the renovation of the log cabin nature center and make other necessary repairs to the roof.  (Contact Person: Debbie Greene – 815/207-6395)

Quad City Botanical Center/Rock Island – $250,000
Interactive Children’s Garden – This project is for the construction of the Mississippi River exhibit within the newly planned interactive Children’s Garden.  (Contact Person: Ami Jenkens – 309/794-0991×23)

Raupp Museum/Buffalo Grove – $46,600
Exterior Façade Upgrade – This project includes the resurfacing of the original portion of the Raupp Museum allowing for improvement of building climate control and other energy issues.  (Contact Person: Deborah Fandrei – 847/459-2318)

Rockford Art Museum/Rockford – $150,000
Museum Lighting Upgrade – This project is for the upgrading of the existing lighting systems to provide safe, energy-efficient, quality lighting that will enhance the museum’s permanent collection as well as featured exhibitions and education programs.  (Contact Person: Linda Dennis – 815/972-2878)

Sand Ridge Nature Center/Chicago – $375,000
Exhibit Restoration and Construction – This project will allow for the restoration of one prairie log cabin as well as the construction of a new replicated masonry forge.   (Contact Person: James Carpenter – 708/868-0606)

Scovill Zoo/Decatur – $250,000
ADA Accessibility – These grant funds will be used for the construction of a new ADA accessible concession stand, restrooms and hand washing stations.   (Contact Person: David Webster – 217/421-7435)    

Shedd Aquarium/Chicago – $800,000
Chiller Replacement – This project will allow for the replacement of two high energy efficient chillers as well as a new cooling tower to provide more efficient cooling for human comfort as well as to maintain animal-exhibit and holding-system temperature.   (Contact Person: Madelyn Thompson – 312/692-3152)

Spring Valley Nature Center/Schaumburg – $150,000
Nature Center Exhibit Gallery – This project is the first phase of new natural history exhibits within the Natural Center to include The Oak Tree and Backyard Habitats.   (Contact Person: David Brooks – 847/985-2100)

Stephenson County Historic Society/Freeport – $70,000
Renovation of School House – This project involves the complete renovation of an early 20th century one-room school house by preserving and stabilizing the building and making it usable year round as an education venue. (Contact Person: Edward Finch – 815/232-8419)

Tinker Swiss Cottage/Rockford – $400,000
Building Acquisition and Cleanup – This project involves the purchase of the Nelson Knitting Company building and basic cleanup of the site and building.  (Contact Person: Beverly Broyles – 815/964-2424)

Virginia Theater/Champaign – $500,000
Historic Auditorium Restoration – This project will include the replacement of auditorium seating to include ADA compliance as well as paint and plaster restoration.  (Contact Person: Bobbie Herakovich – 217/819-3819)

Wagner Farm/Glenview – $138,500
ADA Improvements and Barnyard Reproductions – This project will improve visitor access as well as develop additional barnyard exhibits for interpretative and education purposes. (Contact Person: Todd Price – 847/998-5490)

Walter Heller Nature Center/Highland Park – $200,000
Lake Michigan Interpretative Center – This project involves the addition of a lakefront education and interpretive room to the planned Lakefront Pavilion at Rosewood Park on Lake Michigan. (Contact Person: Steve Meyer – 847/579-4090)

Washington Park Botanical Garden/Springfield – $300,000
Bioswale/Parking Lot System – This project will allow for the reworking of the main parking area and the construction of a Bioswale system to include interpretative signs to explain the system.  (Contact Person: Chad Scaife – 217/753-6228)

Wheaton Park District’s Cosley Zoo – $300,000
Animal Care and Conservation Center – This project involves the construction of a new American Zoological Society recommended Animal Care and Conservation Center.  (Contact Person: Rob Sperl – 630/510-4975)  

Gov. Quinn Announces $15 Million in Public Museum Capital Grants – Projects will improve facilities, protect exhibits at public museums throughout Illinois | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON – The stately White House East Room, home to many a bill signing and ceremonial gathering, becomes a stage Tuesday for pirouettes, jetes, gravity-defying leaps and maybe even some bumps and grinds as Michelle Obama inaugurates a new dance series.

Dancers of all types — ballet, modern, hip hop and Broadway — take over the room, first for an afternoon workshop, during which students from around the country will have the chance to work with some of the biggest names in dance.

Then, after a short break, the students return to see their mentors perform in an hour-long, star-studded show. Even Broadway’s young “Billy Elliot” will be there — four Billys actually, from the show’s rotating cast.

But the main attraction is the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and that’s because its celebrated artistic director, Judith Jamison, soon to retire after two decades in the job, is the honoree of the event.

“What a rare opportunity, to be invited by your country’s first lady to be honored like this,” Jamison said in a weekend interview. “I’ve been to the White House a couple of times before, but this event is totally unique. It’s so terribly important to recognize this art form and to understand how important it is to the fabric of this country.”

“This will be another clarion call to people: Pay attention to your arts!” Jamison said. “My dancers are so excited.”

The 67-year-old Jamison is an icon of the dance world. She joined the Ailey company in 1965 and became the choreographer’s muse, her dramatic power as a dancer epitomized in the unforgettable 1971 solo piece “Cry.” In 1989, after Ailey’s death, she took over as artistic director. She is scheduled to step down in 2011.

Tuesday’s program is directed by Damian Woetzel, the recently retired star of the New York City Ballet who is on the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. He had a dizzying array of choices from which to cull an hour of the country’s best dance. And he said it wasn’t exactly hard to find dancers, no matter that the event comes just after a summer vacation weekend.

“Everyone was so excited to be a part of this,” Woetzel said in an interview. “It’s really an exciting opportunity to present the variety of dance in this country. And the student component makes it especially unique. It’s a great way to start the school year.”

Though the Obamas have spotlighted many varieties of music since they came to the White House — there have been events celebrating Latin music, rock, jazz, country, classical and Broadway show tunes — the dance world might have felt ignored, until now.

But Michelle Obama seems to be a dance fan. Jamison noted proudly that the Obamas and their daughters spent one of their first nights out as first family taking in an Ailey performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

“They came backstage, took pictures — the dancers were thrilled,” she said.

Also on the program Tuesday: the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Broadway’s “Billy Elliot the Musical,” The Washington Ballet, Super Cr3w and the New York City Ballet.

The students are from dance schools around the country: The Alvin Ailey School, Ballet Hispanico, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center and others.

Michelle Obama hosts first White House dance event | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Yet as co-written and directed with obsessive passion by Vincenzo Natali (Cube), the movie is a cheeky, great-looking, thoughtfully loopy creature feature about the lure and dangers of cutting-edge gene splicing.

Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley bring intensity and attractive intelligence to the characters of Clive and Elsa (a little joke allusion to “Bride of Frankenstein”), romantically linked hotshot genetic engineers who, when thwarted by the pharmaceutical company that funds them, conceive their greatest hybrid experiment in secret.

And behold, their test-tube fiddling gives life to Dren, a creature that’s part human and part…thing, with long, hinged bird legs and retractable wings.

Played to novelty perfection by French actress Delphine Chanéac, Dren (another wink — that’s ”nerd” backward) is everything amazing and unholy about the human ability to mess with creation.

The outstanding creature effects by Howard Berger only get more astonishing as Splice splits into an eerie horror picture, then divides again into something out of “Rosemary’s Baby.”

CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM grade: A-

• Limited Release: June 04, 2010
• Rated: R
• Length: 104 Minutes
• Genre: Sci-fi
• With: Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley

Review: ‘Splice’ is cheeky creature feature | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

April 17, 21, 23, 25, 2010 at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presents the opening production of the 2010 Spring Festival Season – Rossini’s Moses in Egypt (Mosè in Egitto) on April 17, 21, 23 and 25 at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park.

“Moses in Egypt was only performed in Chicago once – back in 1863 during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency,” said General Director Brian Dickie. “We like to think our fellow Illinoisan, who we know did enjoy the theatre, might have been at that performance. Of course, we’ll never know – but we look forward to introducing present-day Chicagoans to this very great opera.”

Moses in Egypt is one of Rossini’s many serious but underperformed operas.  Chicago Opera Theater will be presenting the U.S. premiere using the edition by Charles Brauner for Philip Gossett’s critical edition of Rossini’s complete works.

Mr. Gossett, the Robert W. Reneker Distinguished Service Professor at The University of Chicago and a professor “di chiara fama” at the Univeristy of Rome “La Sapienza,” is the  general editor of Works of Gioachino Rossini (a publication of Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel.)

The story concentrates on Moses freeing the Hebrews from Egypt.  The opera ends with the famous parting of the Red Sea, as well as the beautiful and famous “Prayer: From thy starry throne (Dal tuo stellato soglio.)”

In 2008, Chicago Opera Theater launched The People’s Opera, the first fundraising initiative of its kind, in which the public voted, dollar by dollar, to choose one of the operas in the 2010 season.  Moses in Egypt was named The People’s Opera, and raised over $40K for Chicago Opera Theater.

The production will be led by Leonardo Vordoni, known for his specialty in Italian repertory, who has conducted most recently at the Minnesota Opera (Les Pecheurs de Perles and Casanova’s Homecoming.)  He will be making his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut later this month in Le nozze di Figaro.

The director will be Andrew Eggert who made his directorial debut with Chicago Opera Theater in last season’s production of Bizet’s La Tragédie de Carmen after eight seasons as assistant director on thirteen COT productions.  His new production of Mourning Becomes Electra was selected as a winner of Opera America’s 2009 Director-Designer Showcase.

Designing both the set and costumes is Anka Lupes, making her Chicago Opera Theater debut.  She has worked numerous times with regular COT director Diane Paulus, including creating the costumes for the Glimmerglass production of Kiss Me Kate in 2008, and more recently in January, for Gotham Chamber Opera’s production of Il mondo della luna.

Returning to Chicago Opera Theater from 2009 is lighting designer Keith Parham.  He is a company member of TUTA Theatre, and has worked at The Public Theatre, the Goodman Theatre, and the Writers’ Theatre, among many others.

In the title role is Andrea Concetti (bass) making his Chicago debut.  He has performed with La Scala, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, the Berlin State Opera, and the Minnesota Opera. Manuela Bisceglie (soprano) sings the role of Elcia in her North American debut.

In the past two seasons, Ms. Bisceglie has sung in a number of Italian opera houses including in Florence, Bologna, and Trieste.  Singing the role of Faraone is Tom Corbeil (bass), who recently sang at Santa Fe Opera and Florida Grand Opera, and who will sing later this season at Ft. Worth Opera.

Taylor Stayton (tenor), who will sing Osiride, made his debut earlier this year at Teatro dell’opera di Roma in Franco Zeffirelli’s new production of Falstaff. Kathryn Leemhuis (mezzo, Amaltea), Samuel Levine (tenor, Mambre), Jorge Prego (tenor, Aronne), and Emily Grace Righter (mezzo, Amenofi) complete the cast.

The chorus is made up mostly of the 2010 class of Chicago Opera Theater’s Young Artists Program, a performance-based training program for young professional singers.  These participants have the opportunity to work with the innovative artistic teams which are the hallmark of Chicago Opera Theater under General Director Brian Dickie.

The intention is to provide an artistic benchmark for young artists as they commence their careers, recognizing performance experience of standard and new repertoire as an essential training element.

Chicago Opera Theater’s 2010 Spring Festival Season runs April 17 through May 16 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, 205 East Randolph Drive.

Season Subscriptions for the 2010 Spring Festival Season range from $90-$345 and include a ticket to Moses in Egypt, as well as Cavalli’s Jason (Giasone) and Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers.

Single tickets are also on sale, and range from $30-$120.  COT also offers a 50% discounted student rate in most sections.

Tickets may be purchased at Chicago Opera Theater: ChicagoOperaTheater.org or  312.704.8414.

Tickets may also be purchased at the Harris Theater:  HarrisTheaterChicago.org or 312.334.7777.

Moses in Egypt is generously supported by The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation and an Anonymous Donor.

Gioachino Rossini
MOSES IN EGYPT (Mosè in Egitto)
April 17, 21, 23 at 7:30pm; April 25 at 3pm

CAST (Alphabetical)

Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Chicago Opera Theater Young Artists -2010

Blake Bard, Leila Bowie, Rabihah Davis Dunn, Catalina Cuervo, Darik Knutsen, Benjamin LeClair,
Samuel Levine, Rebecca Luttio, Jorge Prego, Emily Grace Righter, Nikolas Wenzel, Martin L. Woods

MEDIA CONTACT:

Colleen Flanigan, 312-704-8420, Ext. 225
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
cflanigan@chicagooperatheater.org

Chicago Opera Theater presents Gioachino Rossini’s “Moses in Egypt” | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Three teenagers are charged with pilfering a 4-foot-tall plastic Simon the Chipmunk statue from Marcus Gurnee Cinema last month, authorities announced today.

Another chipmunk, Theodore, could have met the same fate as Simon. However, Gurnee police investigators said they used a social networking site to gain information and foil in advance a plot by the same teens to grab Theodore from the theater.

Eric Pasiewicz and Ryan Sibley, both 18 and of Beach Park, were charged with theft under a local ordinance. Also charged was a 16-year-old Beach Park boy, authorities said.

Cmdr. Jay Patrick said about 15 to 20 teens were departing the Gurnee Mills theater simultaneously when Simon was snatched in the late evening Feb. 11. Several teens were involved in moving the figurine through the doors and to a waiting car, he said.

Patrick said the incident was captured on the theater’s surveillance video, and a tip to police led to the suspects’ identities. Simon was recovered at the Beach Park home of one of the suspects Feb. 16.

Simon is back “safe and sound” at the theater, Patrick said.

During the investigation, police working an online social networking site found the information that Theodore was being targeted Feb. 17.

Simon and Theodore were among three figurines in the Gurnee Mills theater representing the cartoon stars of “Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel.” No known plots against Alvin were reported by police.

Police said the chipmunk statues are worth $300 to $400 apiece. Police said the probe of the Simon theft wrapped up Feb. 26, culminating with today’s announcement of charges lodged against the teens.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

Gurnee teens charged for snatching Simon | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST)

CST’s Short Shakespeare! program is designed for parents, grandparents, teachers—or anyone with children in their lives—to introduce young people to the timeless works of Shakespeare and the magic of live theater.

Immediately following each performance, the actors remain on stage for a brief question-and-answer session and then join the audience in the lobby for one-on-one conversations and photo opportunities.

Tickets are $16 for students (18 and younger), and $20 for adults.

Short Shakespeare! The Comedy of Errors runs Saturdays at 11:00 a.m., January 23 through March 6, 2010 in Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater on Navy Pier. All CST patrons receive a 40% parking discount.

For further information and to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at 312.595.5600, or visit the Theater’s Web site at chicagoshakes.com.

The Comedy of Errors tells the wildly entertaining tale of Antipholus and his servant Dromio landing in Ephesus, searching for their long-lost twin brothers. Everywhere they go in this foreign land, strangers insist that they’re old friends.

Mistaken identities abound, but in the end, chaos gives way to clarity in this comedy filled with mayhem and madness as identical twin brothers and their identical twin servants get lost in a hilarious, mixed-up world of mistaken identities.

For young audiences being introduced to live theater, Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater provides a close relationship between audience members and the actors, enhancing the play-going experience.

For this production, the Theater is configured with the addition of main floor seating on the proscenium stage itself, creating a theater-in-the-round.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater Introduces “Short Skakespeare” Theater for Young Audiences and Families Jan. 23 through March 6 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Henry H. Perritt, Jr. is an accomplished attorney and academic. The former dean, now professor, at Chicago-Kent College of Law has published dozens of books, served four U.S. Presidents and run for U.S. Congress.

None of those things gave him the insight into human conflict and drama like the decade he spent helping rebuild the nation of Kosovo after its violent ethnic conflict in the 1990s. The experience motivated him to write two books about the conflict.

Perritt become a well-known figure in Kosovo, advising the nation’s Prime Minister, meeting with Madeleine Albright, and gaining the trust of the clandestine Kosovo Liberation Army as he led students on development missions.

While there he penned an anthem about Kosovo and the KLA insurgency that became a Kosovar hit – widely played on national radio and television. It was suggested that song, “Fire for the Colors,’’ could become a musical

“I thought it was a crazy idea,’’ Perritt recalls, “but I’ve always liked crazy ideas.’’

The stories flowed, the product of thousands of interviews he had conducted for his books. The one that resonated was of a young boy tormented by Serbian police and forced to eat a text book because it was written in his native Albanian. The boy decided to fight back.

“I asked about the consequences, if he didn’t worry he’d be killed,’’ Perritt said. “He said: ‘I didn’t care anymore. I vowed that even if they killed me I’d hurt them.’’

That story is the story of the Kosovar Albanians, the KLA and “You Took Away My Flag.’’ It’s a classic tale of young lovers separated by war and ethnicity – Vjosa is Albanian, Dragan a Serb.

“You Took Away My Flag’’ had a sold-out run at a storefront North Side theater in 2009 with a response so great Perritt began working immediately to stage it in a bigger space with professional leadership.

The show opens April 2, 2010 at Theater Building Chicago for an eight-week run with professional direction, choreography and musical direction.

To hear cast recordings, view photos or clips from the previous one, or learn more about the production, Perritt or Kosovo, please visit YouTookAwayMyFlag.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Anthony Burke Boylan, 312-953-1649
BoylanMedia@Gmail.com

Theatre Building Chicago Presents “You Took Away My Flag” Play About Kosovo | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Russian conductor Alexander Polianichko returns to the CSO podium to conduct the all-Tchaikovsky programs, which also include selections from The Snow Maiden, narrated by actor Alex Balestrieri.

Tchaikovsky’s rarely heard overture The Storm—which the CSO has performed only once, in 1899—opens the concerts on Dec. 17-19.

Known for their enormous and spectacular live productions, Redmoon Theater and artistic director Frank Maugeri have constructed a unique addition to the standard concert-hall experience, to be staged in synchronization with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s performance of music from Swan Lake.

Redmoon’s specially created dramatization showcases an array of handcrafted shadow puppets, meticulous live puppetry and larger-than-life video projections, bringing to life the tragic story of a princess, who is turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse, and the prince who falls in love with her.

The program also includes Tchaikovsky’s incidental music to The Snow Maiden, featuring actor Alex Balestrieri reciting a new adaptation from Aleksandr Ostrovsky’s play.

Gerard McBurney, CSO artistic programming advisor and an authority on Russian music, has retailored key scenes from Ostrovsky’s original text, telling the poetic story of an ice goddess whose heart is warmed when she falls in love with a mortal.

Redmoon Theater was founded in 1990 to promote a unique brand of performance committed to the highest quality artistic product, to civic well-being and to creating unexpected theater in unexpected locations.

Drawing on both contemporary art forms and ancient theatrical traditions, Redmoon has forged a performance style that is equal parts pageantry, gadgetry, acrobatics and ephemera.

Over the past decade, Redmoon has garnered international attention for its theatrical productions and site-specific performances, which have been seen everywhere in Chicago from the Jackson Park Lagoon to the façade of Museum of Contemporary Art.

In addition, Redmoon has expanding projects in Holland, Ireland, France and Australia; in October 2009, Redmoon was selected to perform as part of the White House’s exclusive Halloween festivities.

Redmoon Theater Partners with Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Four Performances Dec. 16-19 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Opening Night is set for Thursday, Mar. 18, 2010 at 7:30pm.

“We’re delighted to work with the International Latino Cultural Center to showcase ‘Celia’ in Chicago,” said Henry Cardenas, the show’s executive producer.

“Since embarking on this tour, we’ve been constantly reminded of how much the world loved and admired Celia. She was an incredibly gifted artist whose legacy will live on forever. We hope Chicago audiences will also enjoy this tribute to the great ‘Queen of Salsa.’”

Since opening to rave reviews Off-Broadway in August 2007, “Celia” has gone on to see continued success in Miami, Tenerife, Spain and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The show launched its international tour in June 2008 in Miami, drawing more than 20,000 attendees including artists Gloria and Emilio Estefan, David Caruso and Jon Secada.

Pop queen Madonna also took in the musical during its nine-month engagement in New York.

“The International Latino Cultural Center recognized Celia in 1999 with the Gloria Lifetime Achievement Award - for her artistic excellence and contribution to the development of Latino cultures worldwide,” said ILCC Executive Director Pepe Vargas.

“It gives us great pleasure to collaborate with CMN and be a part of this extraordinary musical rendition.”

Beginning Mar. 18, Chicago audiences will be taken on a 60-year journey through the life and music of Cruz, from her humble beginnings in Cuba to her international superstardom.

Told through the eyes of her beloved husband Pedro Knight, the show features a superb ensemble of 16 singers, dancers and musicians in a live performance that highlights the global music icon’s greatest hits.

The spectacular Anissa Gathers returns to the stage to sing and act in the lead role of Celia. Music director Isidro Infante – who performed with the real Cruz – leads a seven-piece band that accompanies Gathers and the cast in faithful live renditions of the Queen of Salsa’s repertoire, including “Guantanamera”, “Quimbara,” “Bemba Colora,” “Cucala,” “La Vida Es Un Carnaval” and dozens more that became universal sensations.

To view images of the show, please visit consultantsmn.com/email/teaser/celia_press_photos.html.

“Celia” is written by the husband and wife team of Carmen Rivera and Candido Tirado and produced by Henry Cardenas, producer of the hit musical, “Who Killed Hector Lavoe?” Director duties fall under Jaime Azpilicueta, one of Spain’s most prominent theatrical directors.

Tickets for “Celia” at the Athenaeum Theatre will go on sale Friday, Dec. 4 at 10:00 a.m. and are $35, $55, $75, and $100 for a VIP package that includes a post-performance Meet-and-Greet with cast members, an official “Celia” polo and coffee mug.

Tickets can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-982-2787 or online at ticketmaster.com.

The Sunday, Mar. 21 performance at 7pm will contain English and Spanish dialogue (bilingual). All songs during all shows, however, will be performed in Spanish.

Off-Broadway Hit Musical “Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz” Set for Chicago Premiere at the Athenaeum Theatre | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Dreamers is the tale of a band of old rock and rollers anxiously awaiting word of a possible record contract and tour. Before word arrives the band is thrown into chaos, and threatened with dissolution. Can Guardian Angels sent by Elvis himself save the band?

“Partnering with the The Time of Your Life Players fits very well with our mission,” says TBC’s Artistic Director Allan Chambers.

“The Dreamers fulfills TBC’s desire to reach out and help developing theatre companies and bring new musical theatre to audiences here in Chicago. TBC works with so many new and very young theatres, it’s refreshing to work with a group whose experience has only made them more dynamic and creative.

New musical theatre is what we are all about. I’m delighted to be able to provide this show with a home at TBC.”

Formed 2004, The Time of Your Life Players is comprised of a group of senior writers, directors and actors, age 55 and over dedicated to educating and entertaining from a senior perspective. They demonstrate that one can lead a creative life at any age.

The Dreamers is the sixth original musical comedy that has been presented by The Time of Your Life Players. The cast will be available for post-show discussions after each performance.

The Dreamers six performances at TBC will be at 2pm, Dec. 2, 4, 6 and 11 through 13. Tickets are $15. For groups of 10 or more tickets are $10.

To learn more about The Time of Your Life Players, visit their website, timeofyourlifeplayers.com, or contact Avrum Krause at 773-248-5249, akrause@rcn.com.

Theatre Building Chicago is an incubator for developing theatre companies, new musicals and emerging theatre artists.

TBC’s Musical Development Program offers an array of works in multiple stages of development and nurtures new works through its Musical Theatre Writers Workshop and through collaboration with theatre companies and artists across the country.

TBC series include: STAGES, an annual festival of new musicals in progress, New Musicals for Kids and Monday Night Musicals – a series of concert readings.

Theatre Building Chicago is located in the heart of Lakeview at 1225 W. Belmont Avenue – Chicago. (On the corner of Belmont & Racine, within short walking distance of CTA’s Belmont L stop & #77 bus).

For tickets call the Box Office: 773-327-5252

For complete details, visit TBC online: theatrebuildingchicago.org.

Theatre Building Chicago and The Time of Your Life Players Partner for New Musical Comedy “The Dreamers” | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

New Blood III presents a provocative vision of the next wave of performance art, and the artists featured in this weekend of performances blur the boundaries between theater, movement, and the visual arts.

Participating artists include:

• Chris Bradley
• Allison Fall
• Alan and Michael Fleming
• Elise Goldstein
• Millie Kapp
  
• Isabella Ng
• André Lenox
  
• Evan Lenox
• Noah Derek Logan
• Jennifer Mills
• Libby O’Bryan
• Marissa Perel
• Chloe Seibert
• Colin Self
• Jillian Soto

Students of SAIC choreographed by Stephanie Bailey, Chryssa Tsampazi in collaboration with five unemployed people, and Ethan A. White.

The New Blood III performance schedule is:

• Friday, Nov. 20, 7pm
  Studio Theater in the Chicago Cultural Center
  Entrance at 77 East Randolph Street
  Free, but reservations highly suggested at dcatheater.org or 312-742-TIXS (8497)

  André Lenox & Evan Lenox, Jennifer Mills, Libby O’Bryan, Marissa Perel, and Chryssa Tsampazi in collaboration with five unemployed people

• Saturday, Nov. 21, 7pm
  Studio Theater in the Chicago Cultural Center
  Entrance at 77 East Randolph Street
  Free, but reservations highly suggested at dcatheater.org or 312-742-TIXS (8497)

  Millie Kapp, Isabella Ng, Chloe Seibert, Colin Self, and Ethan A.  White

• Sunday, Nov. 22, 6pm
  Throughout the Chicago Cultural Center
  Entrance at 77 East Randolph Street
  Free, reservations not needed

  Chris Bradley, Allison Fall, Elise Goldstein, and Jillian Soto

Additional performances each evening will be presented by Alan and Michael Fleming, Noah Derek Logan, and students of SAIC choreographed by Stephanie Bailey.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago Presents “New Blood III” Student Performance Festival at DCA Theater | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

From Manischewitz to Matzo balls to the mayhem of High Holidays by Alan Gross, Goodman Theatre’s Education and Community Engagement division and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies join forces for a unique dining event, “Tasting Tradition: Tales at the Table of Jewish Culture,” on Nov. 23 from 6:30 – 8:30pm at the award-winning Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies facility (610 S Michigan Ave) with floor-to-ceiling views of Grant Park and Lake Michigan.

Noted Kosher Chef Laura Frankel serves up a menu inspired by the play and its 1960s setting; participants will enjoy a scrumptious family-style dinner of classic Jewish fare—and some surprises. Storytellers from Serendipity Theatre Collective’s 2nd Story, Ilana Shavanov, Michael Przygoda and Julie Ganey, join the fun with tales of tradition in the spirit of the high holidays. Tickets are $36; call 312.443.3800.

Due to the unique nature of this event and its limited capacity, ticket sales end Nov. 19; tickets will not be available for purchase at the event.

“‘Tasting Tradition’ celebrates the way food, story and history are linked in Jewish culture. Each dish has significance and import, each meal filled with stories that remind us how we stand on the struggles and triumphs of the people who have come before,” said Willa Taylor, Director of Education and Community Engagement at Goodman Theatre.

“You see this in High Holidays—and to experience it personally with Laura’s amazing cuisine is like manna from heaven.”

Laura Frankel has been Executive Chef for Wolfgang Puck Catering’s kosher foodservice operations at Spertus since 2007. She was the founder and chef of the adventurous, gourmet kosher Shallots restaurants in Chicago and Manhattan, and has extensive training and experience in both savory and pastry kitchens.

After she started a family and began maintaining a kosher home, she became interested in expanding kosher offerings in the Chicago area; it was from this revelation that her career as a kosher chef was born. A lively and entertaining presenter, Chef Laura teaches kosher cooking classes for adults and children at Spertus and across the country, including at Chicago’s Green City Market and at New York’s legendary DeGustibus cooking school.

She is the author of Jewish Cooking for All Seasons: Fresh, Flavorful Kosher Recipes for Holidays and Everyday and a regular commentator—in print and on air—on all things kosher.

Curated by April Newman, “Tasting Tradition” is directed by Amanda Delheimer of 2nd Story, a hybrid performance event that combines storytelling, wine, and music, produced by the Serendipity Theater Collective. Three 2nd Story storytellers, Ilana Shavanov, Michael Przygoda and Julie Ganey, join “Tasting Tradition” to personify the history, values and memories in food rituals.

High Holidays runs through Nov. 29, 2009 in the Goodman’s Owen Theatre. Tickets ($10 – $40) are now on sale 312-443-3800 or GoodmanTheatre.org.

From civil rights upheaval to political cataclysm, 1963 was a pivotal year in American cultural and political history. The changes that are roiling the Roman family in High Holidays are more personal and mundane, but no less earth-shattering for those involved.

Billy is terrified by the prospect of reciting from the Torah at his upcoming Bar Mitzvah and desperate to find a way out of it. Rob is equally desperate to find an escape from a different sort of ritual—higher education—and embraces the growing counterculture that would come to define the 1960s.

Parents Essie and Nate feel they have sacrificed everything to provide a decent life for their children, but are now trapped between the expectations of their own immigrant parents and their children’s disdain for the family’s suburban lifestyle.

Production Sponsors for High Holidays include the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and the Goodman World Premiere Season Sponsors M. Ann O’Brien and Randy and Lisa White, and New Works Season Sponsors: Julie and Roger Baskes; Joan and Robert Clifford; Patricia Cox; Eva and Michael Losacco; Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Foundation; Karen and Richard Pigott; Alice Rapoport and Michael Sachs, Sg2; Shaw Family Supporting Organization; and Orli and Bill Staley.

About the Goodman’s Education and Community Engagement

Goodman Theatre offers a wide variety of programming to enable Chicagoland learners of all ages to experience theater first hand with working professionals, teachers and artists; Willa Taylor is the Director of Education and Community Engagement.

Programs are offered to audience members of all ages to engage in deeper explorations of the work on the Goodman’s stages. In its 24th year, the Student Subscription Series works with over 40 Chicago public high schools each year to creatively supplement students’ reading, writing, critical thinking and communication skills.

Special matinee performances of Goodman productions are supplemented with exclusive teacher training workshops, educational guides and post-show discussions. CONTEXT: Discourse & Discussion is a series designed to engage the community in debate, dialogue and deeper exploration of themes within Goodman productions.

Unlike a traditional post-show discussion which centers on the production, CONTEXT events focus on particular issues raised within the plays and explore how they resonate in today’s culture. Cindy Bandle Young Critics (CBYC) is a joint venture between Goodman Theatre and the Association for Women Journalists that introduces 11th grade girls to the art of theater criticism and the world of professional writing.

Participants see every show in the Goodman’s season, interview theater artists and receive one-on-one mentoring from professional journalists. CBYC is named in honor of Goodman Theatre’s late, longtime Press Director, Cindy Bandle. General Theater Studies (GTS) is a six-week summer intensive for 14 – 19-year olds with a focus on critical thinking, literacy, oral history and storytelling.

Designed to validate student voices, help them examine their creativity and introduce them to the creation of theater, GTS is an ensemble-building program that culminates in an original student performance.

About Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies

Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies is located at 610 S Michigan Avenue in an environmentally sustainable facility designed by Chicago’s Krueck & Sexton Architects.

The building houses Spertus College, the Asher Library, and Spertus Museum, as well as a state-of-the-art theater for live performance and film, the innovative Gray Children’s Center, space for community events and celebrations, kosher catering facilities and a comprehensive book and gift shop.

Spertus is a Jewish institution grounded in Jewish values that invites people of all ages and backgrounds to explore the multifaceted Jewish experience. Through its innovative public programming, exhibitions, collections, research facilities and degree programs, Spertus inspires learning, serves diverse communities and fosters understanding for Jews and people of all faiths, locally, regionally and around the world.

Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies is a partner in serving our community, supported by the JUF/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Learn more at Spertus.edu.

About Goodman Theatre

Named the country’s “Best Regional Theatre” by Time magazine (2003), Goodman Theatre is a leader in the American theater, internationally recognized for its artists, productions and educational programs since its founding in 1925.

Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director Roche Schulfer’s forward-thinking leadership has earned the Goodman unparalleled artistic distinction, garnered hundreds of awards-including the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre (1992) and Pulitzer Prizes for Ruined by Lynn Nottage and Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet–and moved dozens of plays from Chicago to stages in New York and abroad.

Central to its commitment to the reinvestigation of classics and development of new plays and artists is the Goodman’s Artistic Collective, including Brian Dennehy, Frank Galati, Henry Godinez, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor and Mary Zimmerman.

The largest not-for-profit theater in Chicago, the Goodman moved in 2000 into a brand new state-of-the-art complex which houses two principal theaters: the 856-seat Albert Ivar Goodman Theatre and the 400-seat flexible Owen Bruner Goodman Theatre. Board Chairman is Patricia Cox and Karen Pigott is President of the Women’s Board.

American Airlines is the Exclusive Airline of Goodman Theatre.

Visit the Goodman virtually: watch artist interviews at ExploreTheGoodman.org; catch the latest backstage news on the Goodman’s Blog, Goodman-Theatre.Blogspot.com; peek behind-the-scenes at YouTube.com/TheGoodmanTheatre; and Friend us at Facebook.com/GoodmanTheatre.

Goodman Theatre and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies Toast “High Holidays” with Dining Event Nov. 23 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The company’s 15th year program promises not only to continue offering audiences unmatched entertainment with unique programs and world premiers – but also afford them an opportunity to enjoy performances in a new, intimate setting.

Dance Chicago will kick off its 15th season with a new multi-venue performance format, including the Theater Building Chicago, located at 1225 West Belmont Avenue (theatrebuildingchicago.org).

With performances scheduled from November 4th through the 15th, a preview of the company’s innovative 15th anniversary programming follows.

New Moves: Described as brave and daring, New Moves features Chicago’s newest, hottest choreographers and the city’s best dancers. In a collaborative environment – the best of the best work together to create new and different dances for each of four scheduled performances – all of which are one-time-runs!

Extended View: Streets meets sweets with the award-winning Chicago choreographers’ production of Extended View. This program’s juxtaposition of urban and contemporary choreography promise to mesmerize audiences.

Jazz Cabaret: Best described as ‘Broadway up close!” the Jazz Cabaret program is a cornucopia of visual delights featuring ballroom, contemporary jazz, burlesque, tap, hip-hop, ballet and other cabaret-style dances.

Dance Romance: As its namesake implies, Dance Romance features warm and sensual choreography, and is perfect for a date or special occasion. Showcasing the best partnering acts from around Chicago, this new program features modern, salsa, contemporary jazz, and ballroom dance.

Fringe Carnival: Chicago’s finest cutting-edge performers will have their chance to shine during Dance Chicago’s Fringe Carnival. Both humorous and unusual, improvisational dancers and one-of-a-kind companies will push the boundaries of dance and performance to the edge in this unique event.

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre: A must-see program for dance enthusiasts, the Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater will present its 2009 fall concert this year at Dance Chicago. Program highlights include signature works from Latin Fire and Jubilation, including “Corner Sketches – A Tribute to Miles Davis” and “The Trinity of Joann.”

Choreographer’s Showcase: A longstanding favorite of the Dance Chicago lineup – the Choreographer’s Showcase promises artistic bravery and brilliance with its much-anticipated world-premier programming. Among the leading Dance Chicago choreographers leading this program’s innovation will be The Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation Dance Chicago 2009 Choreographer of the Year.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

New Moves

• A – Wed, Nov 4, 8:00 P
• B – Thu, Nov 5, 8:00 PM
• C – Wed, Nov 11, 8:00 PM
• D – Thu, Nov 12, 8:00 PM

Extended View

• Fri, Nov 6, 8:15 PM

Jazz Cabaret

• Sat, Nov 7, 8:15 PM

Dance Romance

• Sun, Nov 8, 1:00
• Sun, Nov 8, 5:00 PM

Fringe Carnival

• Fri, Nov 13, 8:15 PM

Cerequa Rivera Dance Theatre

• Sat, Nov 14, 8:15 PM

Choreographers’ Showcase

• Sun, Nov 15, 1:00 and 5:00 PM

Tickets are on sale now and to save $5 per ticket, buy your tickets (online, by phone or at the box offices) and be sure to mention or enter coupon code DC2009.

This offer cannot be combined with any other discounts.

For more information on the Dance Chicago 2009 festival, including updated rosters and ticket ordering information, visit dancechicago.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tim Ward, 312-332-4650 Ext. 20
H+A International
tward@h-a-intl.com

Dance Chicago Celebrates 15th Anniversary Season with Intimate Performances at Theatre Building Chicago | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.