The State Theatre, in New Brunswick New Jersey, has announced Opera New Jersey’s General Director Richard Russell as a guest speaker and host for the theatre’s new HD Opera in Cinema series which features captured live opera performances from around the world—including the Royal Opera House in London, England and the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy.
The HD series kicks off on Wednesday, November 2 with a captured live performance of Puccini’s Tosca by The Royal Opera starring Angela Gheorghiu, Jonas Kaufmann, Bryn Terfel, and Lukas Jakobski. Each HD screening will be presented on the State Theatre’s new HD digital cinema projection system including a Barco projector, digital surround sound, and an extra large 40’x22.5’ Stewart film screen.
“We are delighted that Richard will be joining us for this new programming initiative. Richard’s background in opera, both as an administrator and as performer, makes him the perfect guest speaker for our opera pre-performance Insights. We look forward to working with him on this initiative as well as other programs in the near future,” says Mark W. Jones, President & CEO of the State Theatre.
“I'm thrilled and honored to be asked to introduce these performances. It’s the perfect way for Opera New Jersey to help spread our love of opera, and we look forward to partnering with the State Theatre now and in the future,” said Russell recently.
Russell, who was appointed Opera New Jersey’s second General Director in April 2010, will lead a brief pre-performance Insight before each opera broadcast for the 2011-2012 season. The pre-performance Insights—which will begin a half hour before each screening—will offer an illuminating and thought-provoking exploration of the various operas. Free of charge to State Theatre audiences, these entertaining and informative lectures offer both novice and experienced patrons a deeper appreciation of the performances and a richer perspective on the art form in general.
Under Russell’s tenure Opera New Jersey has produced audience and critically acclaimed productions, expanded the company’s donor base, and launched the Envision the Future capitalization campaign to position the Garden State’s largest and busiest opera company for its second decade. Prior to joining Opera New Jersey, Russell was Director of Marketing at Sarasota Opera, where he oversaw the messaging and marketing strategy for a $60 million capital campaign as well as increasing the company’s profile nationally and internationally. Prior to this, Russell had been an operatic tenor whose roles included Rodolfo in La bohème, Don Jose in Carmen, Hoffman in The Tales of Hoffman, and the title role in Andrea Chenier with opera companies throughout the U.S.
In addition to Opera in Cinema, the State Theatre will present a screening series called Ballet in Cinema.
Complete listing of 2011-12 HD Broadcasts at the State Theatre
OPERA IN CINEMA
Tosca, The Royal Opera
Giacomo Puccini
Wed, November 2, 2011 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Royal Opera House in London, England
Starring Angela Gheorghiu, Jonas Kaufmann, Bryn Terfel, and Lukas Jakobski
Pre-Performance Insight with Opera New Jersey’s General Manager Richard Russell: 6:30pm
Aida, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Giuseppe Verdi
Wed, November 16, 2011 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, Italy
Conducted by Zubin Mehta
Starring Roberto Tagliavini, Luciana D’Intino, Hui He, and Marco Berti
Pre-Performance Insight with Opera New Jersey’s General Manager Richard Russell: 6:30pm
Don Giovanni, La Scala
W.A. Mozart
Thu, December 8, 2011 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim
Starring Anna Netrebko and Bryn Terfel
Pre-Performance Insight with Opera New Jersey’s General Manager Richard Russell: 6:30pm
Cendrillon, The Royal Opera
Jules Massenet
Sun, January 8, 2012 at 2pm
Captured Live at the Royal Opera House in London, England
Starring Joyce DiDonato, Alice Coote and Eglise Guttiérez
Pre-Performance Insight with Opera New Jersey’s General Manager Richard Russell: 1:30pm
Il Trittico, The Royal Opera
Giacomo Puccini
Thu, February 2, 2012 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Royal Opera House in London, England
Starring Lucio Gallo, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Anja Harteros, Anna Larsson, and Elena Zilio
Pre-Performance Insight with Opera New Jersey’s General Manager Richard Russell: 6:30pm
La Bohème, Liceu
Giacomo Puccini
Wed, March 14, 2012 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Spain
Starring Ramón Vargas and Fiorenza Cedolins
Pre-Performance Insight with Opera New Jersey’s General Manager Richard Russell: 6:30pm
Rigoletto, The Royal Opera
Giuseppe Verdi
Sun, April 22, 2012 at 2pm
Captured Live at the Royal Opera House in London, England
Directed by David McVicar
Starring Dimitri Plantanias, Ekaterina Siurina, Vittorio Grigolo, and Christine Rice
Pre-Performance Insight with Opera New Jersey’s General Manager Richard Russell: 1:30pm
BALLET IN CINEMA
Don Quixote, Bolshoi Ballet
Wed, November 9, 2011 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia
Choreography by Alexei Fadeyechev
Composed by Ludwig Minkus
Starring Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev
The Sleeping Beauty, Bolshoi Ballet
Wed, November 30, 2011 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia
Choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich (1973) after Marius Petipa
Swan Lake, Bolshoi Ballet
Sun, January 15, 2012 at 2pm
Captured Live at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia
Starring Mariya Aleksandrova and Nicolai Tsiskaridze
Coppélia, Bolshoi Ballet
Wed, February 22, 2012 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia
Original Choreography by Marius Petipa, recreated by Sergei Vikharev
Composed by Leo Delibes
Starring Viacheslav Lopatin and Natalia Osipova
Romeo and Juliet, The Royal Ballet
Wed, May 16, 2012 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Royal Opera House in London, England
Choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan
La Fille Mal Gardée, TheRoyal Ballet
Wed, June 13, 2012 at 7pm
Captured Live at the Royal Opera House in London, England
Choreographed by Frederick Ashton
The HD Program has been made possible by the generous support of The Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation; Dave and Carolyn Horn; The Hyde and Watson Foundation; J. Seward Johnson, Sr. Charitable Trusts; The Richard B. Sellars Fund; RTS Unified Communications; and Vornado Realty Trust.
For tickets or more information, call the State Theatre ticket office at 732-246-SHOW (7469), or visit us online at www.StateTheatreNJ.org. The State Theatre ticket office, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 10am to 6pm; Wednesday 11am to 7pm; Friday 10am to 5pm; and at least two hours prior to curtain on performance dates. For information on group outings and discounts, call 732-247-7200, ext. 517.
State Theatre, a premier nonprofit venue for the performing arts and entertainment. The theater exists to enrich people’s lives, contribute to a vital urban environment, and build future audiences by presenting the finest performing artists and entertainers and fostering lifetime appreciation for the performing arts through education. The State Theatre’s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. The Heldrich is the official hotel of the State Theatre. Magic 98. 3 is the official radio station of the State Theatre. The Star-Ledger is the official newspaper of the State Theatre. United is the official airline of the State Theatre.
STATE THEATRE, 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Ticket Office - 732-246-SHOW (7469), Online - www.StateTheatreNJ.org
Also read: National Theatre Live via satellite
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