INFORMATION FOR
Members of William Paterson University’s Opera Workshop will perform scenes from operas by Donizetti, Verdi, Mozart, Bizet, and Menotti on Wednesday, November 16 and Thursday, November 17, 2011.
The performances will take place at 8 p.m. in Room 101 of Shea Center for Performing Arts on the campus in Wayne. Tickets are $7 standard and $5 for the William Paterson community, senior citizens and students.
Under the direction of Stephen Bryant, professor of music and director of choral activities at William Paterson, vocalists will present scenes from “The Magic Flute” and “The Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart, “L’Elixir d’amore” by Donizetti, “La Traviata” by Verdi, “Carmen” by Bizet, and “The Old Maid and the Thief” by Menotti.
Vocalists include Barbara Bailey of Mountain Lakes, Brenda Belohoubek of Wyckoff, Jose Martinez of Paterson, Meagan McCarroll and Hilliary McCrink of Denville, Christina Nicastro of Dunellen, Derek Pedersen of Sussex, Aimee Raucher of Asbury Park, and Michael O’Reilly and Steven Zimmerman of Ridgewood.
Bryant’s distinguished career in concert and opera has taken him around the world, with acclaimed performances in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. A bass- baritone, he has numerous oratorio and opera credits. He created the major role of Dante for the world premiere of Tan Dun’s “Marco Polo” in 1996, and was nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award in the Best Opera Recording category for a recording of a new production of the opera staged for De Nederlandse Opera in Amsterdam in 2008. Bryant has performed the opera at the Munich Biennale, the Holland Festival in Amsterdam, the Hong Kong Arts Festival, New York City Opera, and with the Japan Philharmonic in Tokyo. He has sung with the New York City Opera, the San Francisco Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, the Indianapolis Opera, and other companies of renown, and performed with major orchestras from the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra to the Israel Philharmonic and Japan Philharmonic.
Bryant received his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and his master’s degree in voice and choral conducting from the University of Michigan. He resides in Upper Montclair.
For additional information, please contact the Shea Center Box Office at boxoffice@wpunj.edu, call 972.720.2371, or visit www.wplive.org to purchase tickets online.
