World Premiere at Cincinnati Opera in 2015

Ricky Ian Gordon

A piece work-shopped in Cincinnati by both organizations in 2012 and 2013, “Morning Star” by New York composer Ricky Ian Gordon, will receive its world premiere during Cincinnati Opera’s 2015 Summer Festival. There will be seven performances between June 30 and July 19, 2015 in Corbett Theater at the School for Creative and Performing Arts.

With a libretto by William M. Hoffman, the opera is based on the 1940 play by Sylvia Regan about a family of Russian Jewish immigrants in New York City during the early 20^th century. Their experiences encompass the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, World War I, the Great Depression and the labor movement.

“Morning Star” is a powerful work, one that illuminates “timeless social issues,” said Cincinnati Opera artistic director Evans Mirageas. “’Morning Star’ achieves this on two levels. It powerfully makes the case for the protection of laborers with the backdrop of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which gave rise to the creation of the Ladies Garment Workers Union, a key moment in the labor movement and a key moment for women’s rights. And it also reminds us that the family, no matter how unusually it may be constituted, provides an emotional shelter and support vital to survival.”

Starring in the production will be soprano Twyla Robinson as the family matriarch Becky Felderman. The opera will be directed by Ron Daniels, who staged the world premiere of the new American opera “Il Postino” at Los Angeles Opera in 2010, and conducted by Christopher Allen, assistant conductor of LA Opera.

To introduce “Morning Star” to a national audience, Cincinnati Opera and Opera America (service organization for opera in North America) will present “Creators in Concert: Music and Words with Ricky Ian Gordon” at 7 p.m. May 7 at the National Opera Center, 330 Seventh Ave. in New York City. The program will feature Gordon in discussion with Mirageas and performances of excerpts from Gordon’s works, including “Morning Star.” The event, which will be streamed live at www.operaamerica.org, is part of “Cincy in NYC,” a week-long showcase of Cincinnati arts in New York City (May 6-12). For further information, visit http://www.cincyinnyc.com/index.php/events

Speaking of opera, belated congratulations to soprano Amanda Woodbury and tenor Yi Li, among five winners of the 2014 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Both are graduates of CCM. The two performed onstage at the Metropolitan Opera in New York March 30 with nine other finalists in the concluding round of the competition. The prestigious competition draws hundreds of singers throughout the U .S. and Canada each year and is often the gateway to a major career.

Further congratulations go to ThinkTV/CET and tenor Marco Panuccio for their Emmy Award nomination for “Marco Panuccio Presents O Holy Night – An Evening of Holiday Song.” The show, produced by Panuccio for PBS, aired nationwide in December. Announced Monday, the nomination is in the Special Event Coverage category. Bravo Marco! (for a review of the show, see http://www.musicincincinnati.com/site/reviews_2013/Panuccio_s_O_Holy_Night_Sublime_at_St_Peter_in_Chains_Cathedral.html).

Finally, give that man a baton. Paul Alexander, assistant head coach and offensive line coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, has been studying conducting with Paul Stanbery, music director of the Hamilton Fairfield Symphony Orchestra. Alexander, who calls the opportunity to conduct an orchestra a “lifelong dream,” will make his debut with the Hamilton Fairfield Symphony May 3 as part of its annual Mozart Festival. He will conduct Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.” The concert is at 7:30 p.m. May 3 at First Baptist Church of Hamilton, 1501 Pyramid Hill Boulevard in Hamilton. Also on the program are Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, the Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major with Belew Young Artist Competition winner Luke Lentini and “Ave verum corpus” with the HFSO Chorale. Admission is free.