The Opera Orchestra of New York (also known as OONY) specializes in the performance of opera in concert form. It is particularly known for its work in presenting rarely performed repertory. Among the numerous American premieres it has presented are Puccini's Edgar, Boito's Nerone, and Smetana's LibuÃ
¡e.
History
Founded in 1971 by Eve Queler, who remains its conductor and music director, the orchestra presented its first season in 1972 with two operas â Rossini's William Tell and Meyerbeer's L'africaine â performed at New York's Carnegie Hall. Since then it has gone on to present more than ninety different operas there, with the season now consisting of three to four operas, which are also broadcast on National Public Radio. In the past, tickets came with a complete libretto of the opera being performed. However, the 2007/2008 season introduced surtitles for the first time.
Financial difficulties in early 2007 threatened to close the company or severely curtail its 2007/2008 season to one opera. However, these were overcome, and the 2007/2008 season of three operas opened as planned on 13 December 2007 with Verdi's I due Foscari. An additional Gala concert celebrating Eve Queler's 100th performance conducting the orchestra at Carnegie Hall was presented in March 2008. In 2011, The New York Times reported that the orchestra under new musical director Alberto Veronesi had returned to financial stability.
Many prominent opera singers have performed with the orchestra including Plácido Domingo, Nicolai Gedda, Gabriela BeÃ
ÂaÃÂková, Montserrat Caballé, Carlo Bergonzi, Renata Scotto, Alfredo Kraus, José Carreras, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Bryan Hymel, Angela Meade, Marcello Giordani, Jennifer Larmore, Samuel Ramey, James Morris, Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Jonas Kaufmann, Mignon Dunn, Grace Bumbry and Ghena Dimitrova, many of them in the very early stages of their careers. (José Carreras made his OONY debut in 1972 on his twenty-fourth birthday.)
In 1978, the Opera Orchestra of New York instituted a Young Artists Program to train and showcase young singers. Participants sing small roles in the Carnegie Hall performances and understudy the principal ones. Notable past participants in the program include Renée Fleming, Vivica Genaux and Deborah Voigt.
Performance
2000s
2016
- May: Donizetti â Parisina d'Este: Meade, Blake, Vemic, Wang
2014
- June: Donizetti -Roberto Devereux: Devia, Costello, Chauvet, Kapusta
2012âÂÂ2013
- Jan: Giordano â Andrea Chénier: Alagna, Petean, Pershall, Feinstein, Lamanda
- Apr: Verdi â I Lombardi: Fabiano, Meade, Short, Baetge, Cedel, Baldwin, et al.
2011âÂÂ2012
- Nov: Cilèa â Adriana Lecouvreur: Gheorghiu, Kaufmann, Maestri, Rachvelishvili
- Jan: Wagner â Rienzi: Storey, Matos, Chauvet, DeVine, Cedel, et al.
2010âÂÂ2011
- Oct: Mascagni â Cavalleria rusticana: Alagna, Guleghina, Dunn, Almaguer, Swann
- Oct: Massenet â La Navarraise: Alagna, Garanca, Abdrazakov, Savage, Kontes, McGee
- Mar: Meyerbeer â L'Africaine: Giordani, Taigi, Dehn, Mvinjelwa
2008âÂÂ2009
- Oct: Rimsky-Korsakov â The Tsar's Bride: Borodina, Makarina, Markov, Manucharyan, Stamboglis, Easterlin, Nance, Miller, Stepanov, Sullivan, McGee
2007âÂÂ2008
- Dec: Verdi â I due Foscari: DiGiacomo, Gavanelli, Grooms, Machado, Lagundino, Lugo, Orsalak
- Feb: Bellini â La Sonnambula: Gutié;rrez, Korchak, Furlanetto, Caballero, Garcia, Kontes, Grooms
- April: Puccini â Edgar: Giordani, Larmore, Moore, Gaertner, Guagliardo
2006âÂÂ2007
- Nov: Donizetti â Dom Sébastien: Kasarova, Korchak, Powell, Gaertner, Williams
- Jan: Rossini- Otello: Donose, Ford, Tarver, McPherson
- Feb: Cilèa â L'Arlesiana: Cornetti, Filianoti, Moore, Risinger, Lee
2005âÂÂ2006
- Nov: Rossini â William Tell: Blasi, Giordani, Chingari
- Feb: Delibes â Lakmé: Gutiérrez, Manucharyan, Morris
- May: Montemezzi â L'Amore Dei Tre Re: Bravo, Casanova, Ramey
2004âÂÂ2005
- Nov: Puccini â La Fanciulla del West: Millo, Tanner, Chingari
- April: Thomas â Mignon: Gutiérrez, Blythe, Aldrich, Giordano, Relyea
- June: Weber â Der Freischütz: Margiono, Moon, Studebaker, Kowaljow
2003âÂÂ2004
- Dec: Donizetti â Anna Bolena: Stoyanova, Larmore, Aldrich, Manucharyan, Morris
- Mar: Verdi â Il Corsaro: Dragoni, Potenza, Casanova, Liao
- April: Ponchielli â La Gioconda: Millo, Kitic, Nadler, Giordani, Golesorkhi, Faria
2002âÂÂ2003
- Oct: Bizet â Les Pêcheurs de Perles: Takova, Shtoda, Chaignaud, Faria
- April: Verdi â Attila: Flanigan, Casanova, Liao, Ramey
- May: Rossini â La donna del lago: Swenson, Blythe, Fowler, Zeffiri, Youngblood
2001âÂÂ2002
- Nov: Verdi â La Battaglia di Legnano: Stoyanova, Wood, Casanova, Guelfi, Kowaljow
- Mar: Cilèa â Adriana Lecouvreur: Millo, Ernest, Stewart, Zajick, Giordani, Laciura, Golesorkhi
- April: Donizetti â Marino Faliero: Blancas, Bernhardt, Blake, Liao, Relyea
2000âÂÂ2001
- Mar: Donizetti â La Favorita: Larmore, Gilbert, Kunde, Hvorostovsky, Kowaljow
- April: Meyerbeer â Les Huguenots: Stoyanova, Makarina, Zifchak, Giordani, Simpson, Faria
- May: Donizetti â Maria Stuarda: Swenson, Flanigan, Matos, Kunde, Liao, Carfizzi
1990s
1999âÂÂ2000
- Oct: Bellini â I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Massis, Kasarova, Kunde, Carfizzi, Cokorinos
- Nov: Donizetti â Adelia: Devia, Mok, Pyatnychko, Plishka
- Feb: Donizetti â Lucrezia Borgia: Fleming, Blythe, Giordani, Peterson
- May: Verdi â Otello: Esperian, Kitic, Bergonzi/Barasorda, Zhang, Gazale, Plishka
1998âÂÂ1999
- Mar: Verdi â I Masnadieri: Wolf, Nagore, Hvorostovsky, Plishka, Konstantinov
- April: Halévy â La Juive: Papian, Makarina, Casanova, Viala, Plishka
- May: Bellini â La Sonnambula: Swenson, Tapia, Wood, Kunde, Relyea
1997âÂÂ1998
- Nov: Rossini â Tancredi: O'Flynn, Kasarova, Poretsky, Wood, Breault, Boutros
- Feb: Verdi â Jerusalem: Valayre, Ikaia-Purdy, Simpson
- May: Donizetti â Poliuto: Rowland, Armiliato, Meoni, Alberghini
1996âÂÂ1997
- Jan: Rossini â La Cenerentola: Genaux, Makarina, Wood, Fowler, G. Quilico
- Feb: Wagner â Tristan und Isolde: Connell, Lang, Siukola, Ryerson, Breault, Brainerd
- April: Verdi â Ernani: Anderson, Margison, Guelfi, Plishka
1995âÂÂ1996
- Dec: Bellini- Norma: Eaglen, Ganassi, Furdui, di Renzi, Anisimov, Moore
- April: Rossini â Armida: Fleming, Kunde, Fowler
- May: Verdi â Giovanna d'Arco: Anderson, Grigorian, Moore, Guelfi, Owens
1994âÂÂ1995
- Feb: Massenet â Hérodiade: Fleming, Bumbry, Keyes, Del Campo
- Mar: Rimsky-Korsakov â The Tsar's Bride: Focile, Borodina, Uhlenhopp, Leiferkus, Plishka
- May: Bellini â I Puritani : Devia, Wood, Kunde, Guelfi, Peterson
1993âÂÂ1994
- Dec: Donizetti â Linda di Chamounix: Esposito, Poretsky, Sabbatini, Frontali, Heimann, Plishka
- Feb: Bellini â I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Devia, Larmore, Gimenez, Spagnoli, Robbins
- Mar: Donizetti â Caterina Cornaro: Rowland, d'Auria, Bruson, Colombara
1992âÂÂ1993
- Feb: Bellini â La Straniera: Fleming, Liang, Kunde, Laperriere
- Apr: Donizetti â Anna Bolena: Vaness, Scalchi, Sonnenberg, de la Mora, Plishka
- May: Tchaikovsky â Mazeppa: Anderson, Grunewald, Grigorian, Leiferkus, Plishka
1991âÂÂ1992
- Jan: Boieldieu â La Dame Blanche: Fleming, Uecker, Swensen, Charbonneau, Castel (Narrator)
- Mar: Wagner â Rienzi: Pick-Hieronimi, Graham, Goldberg
- Apr: Verdi â I Due Foscari: Rowland, Short, Villa, Chernov
1990âÂÂ1991
- Jan: Donizetti â Roberto Devereux: Rowland, Zambalis, de la Mora, Chernov
- Feb: Bellini â La Sonnambula: Anderson, Keith, Gimenez, Plishka
- Mar: Weber â Der Freischütz: Behrens, Giering, Heppner, Rahming, Sotin
1980s
1989âÂÂ1990
- Jan: Verdi â I Vespri Siciliani: S. Dunn, Brubaker/Glassman, Bruson, Plishka
- Feb: Tchaikovsky â Maid of Orleans: Martin, Zajick, Kulko, Hynninen, Koptchak, Nikolsky
- April: Catalani â La Wally: Millo, Kotoski, Johannsson, Manuguerra
1988âÂÂ1989
- Oct: Bellini â Beatrice di Tenda: Anderson, Zseller, Kiurkciev, Tumagian
- Jan: Giordano â Fedora: Marton, Blackwell, Todisco, Serrano
- Mar: Bellini â Il Pirata: Millo, Liang, Morino, Croft
1987âÂÂ1988
- Feb: Meyerbeer â Robert le Diable: Mims, Ginsberg, Merritt, Laciura, Ramey
- Mar: Giordano â Andrea Chénier: Millo, Bean, Polozov, Laciura
- Mar: JanáÃÂek â Jenufa: Benacková, Rysanek, Ochman, Kazaras
1986âÂÂ1987
- Jan: Verdi â La Battaglia di Legnano: Millo, Malagnini, Manuguerra, Hines
- Feb: Wagner â Ring Cycle final scenes: Marton, Bean, Goldberg, McFarland, Roloff
- May: DvoÃ
Âák â Rusalka: Benacková, Kelm, Jenkins, Koptchak
1985âÂÂ1986
- Jan: Verdi â I Lombardi: Millo, Ginsberg, Bergonzi, Di Domenico, Plishka
- Mar: Smetana â LibuÃ
¡e: Benacková, Roark-Strummer, Zitek, Plishka
- May: Ponchielli â La Giaconda: Dimitrova, Milcheva, Curry, Lamberti, Cappuccilli, Plishka
1984âÂÂ1985
- Oct: Glinka â A Life for the Tsar: Markova, Wenkel, Merritt, Talvela
- Nov: Rossini â William Tell: Evstatieva, Lopardo, Cappuccilli, Bonisolli
- April: Lalo â Le Roi d'Ys: Hendricks, Ciurca, Raffalli, Vento
1983âÂÂ1984
- Nov: Strauss, R. â Die Liebe der Danae: Plowright, Blackwell, Ulfung, Kazaras, Roloff
- Mar: Donizetti â Dom Sébastien: Takacs, Leech, Miller, Koptchak
- May: Verdi â Nabucco: Dimitrova, Schuman, Pinto, Monk, Plishka
1982âÂÂ1983
- Oct: Donizetti â Il Duca d'Alba: Krilovici, Gonzalez, Manuguerra
- Jan: Strauss, R. â Guntram: Tokody, Goldberg, Roloff, Wimberger
- May: Berlioz â Benvenuto Cellini: Devia, Boozer, Gedda, Lafont, Vento
1981âÂÂ1982
- Oct: Verdi â I Due Foscari: Castro-Alberty, Bergonzi, Bruson, Albert
- Feb: Wagner â Rienzi: Massey, Payer, Warner, Hamari, Albert, Johns, Poole, Behl
- Mar: Wagner â Rienzi: Evans, Hamari, Johns
- April: Boito â Nerone: Andrade, Takács, Cigoj, Elvira, Morris
1980âÂÂ1981
- Mar: Mussorgsky â Khovanshchina: Alexieva, Toczyska, Kazaras, Gulyas, Mroz, Monk, Plishka
- April: Delibes â Lakmé: Devia, Spacagna, Gedda, Plishka
- June: Mercadante â Il Giuramento: Zampieri, Martin, Baltsa, Gulyas, Edwards
1970s
1979âÂÂ1980
- Feb: Massenet â Hérodiade: Verdejo, Greevy, Estes, Pons, Plishka
- Mar: Donizetti â Lucrezia Borgia: Ricciarelli, Gonzalez, Manuguerra
- April: Wagner â Rienzi: Payer, Hamari, Sooter
1978âÂÂ1979
- Feb: JanáÃÂek â Kátya Kabanová: Benacková, Kniplová, Lewis, Evitts, Chudy
- April: Verdi â Aroldo: Caballé, Cecchele, Pons
- May: Bellini â I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Putnam, Troyanos, Tenzi, Robbins, Martinovich
1977âÂÂ1978
- Feb: Weber â Oberon: Jones, Hamari, Gedda, West
- Mar: Rossini â Tancredi: Ricciarrelli, Balthrop, Horne, Paunova, Palacio, Zaccaria
1976âÂÂ1977
- Jan: Smetana â Dalibor: Sormova, Kubiak, Gedda, Monk, Plishka
- April: Puccini â Edgar :Scotto, Killebrew, Bergonzi, Sardinero
1975âÂÂ1976
- Jan: Berlioz â Lélio: Scotto, Aler, Burchinal, Madden (Narrator)
- Mar: Massenet â Le Cid: Bumbry, Bergquist, Domingo, Gardner, Voketaitis, Plishka
- Mar: Donizetti â Gemma di Vergy: Caballé, Lima, Quilico, Plishka
1974âÂÂ1975
- Feb: Verdi â I Masnadieri: Trombin, Lewis, Manuguerra, Plishka
- Feb: Donizetti â La Favorita: Hendricks, Verrett, Kraus, Elvira, Morris
1973âÂÂ1974
- Jan: Bizet: Les Pêcheurs de Perles: Eda-Pierre, Gedda, Bruson, West
- Mar: Donizetti â Parisina d'este: Caballé, Pruett, Quilico, Morris
1972âÂÂ1973
- Dec: Verdi â I Lombardi: Scotto, Carreras, Marini, Plishka
- Mar: Zandonai â Francesca da Rimini: Kabaivanska, Domingo, Manuguerra
1971âÂÂ1972
- Mar: Rossini â William Tell: Barlow, Toscano, Walker/Lo Monoco, Quilico, Morris
- April: Meyerbeer â L'Africaine: Elgar, Stella, Tucker, Manuguerra
Recordings
- Gaetano Donizetti: Gemma di Vergy (Montserrat Caballé (Gemma di Vergy), Paul Plishka (Guido), Luis Lima (Tamas), Louis Quilico (Count di Vergy), Natalya Chudy (Ida), Mark Munkittrick (Rolando), Schola Cantorum (Hugh Ross, Director); Opera Orchestra of New York; Conductor: Eve Queler). World premiere recording, recorded live at Carnegie Hall (March 14, 1976). CBS/Sony
- Jules Massenet: Le Cid (Grace Bumbry (Chimene), Plácido Domingo (Rodrigo), Paul Plishka (Don Diego), Clinton Ingram (Don Arias), Theodre Hodges (Don Alonzo), Arnold Voketaitis (The Count de Gormas), Eleanor Bergquist (The Infanta), Jake Gardner (The King), Peter Lightfoot (The Moorish Envoy), John Adams (St. James), Byrne Camp Chorale (Bryne Camp, Director); Opera Orchestra of New York; Conductor: Eve Queler). World premiere recording, recorded live at Carnegie Hall (March 8, 1976). CBS/Sony
- Giuseppe Verdi: Aroldo (Montserrat Caballé (Mina), Gianfranco Cecchele (Aroldo), Juan Pons (Egberto), Louis Lebherz (Briano), Vincenzo Manno (Godvino), Paul Ragers (Enrico), Marianna Busching (Elena), Oratorio Society of New York, Westchester Choral Society (Lyndon Woodside, Director); Opera Orchestra of New York; Conductor: Eve Queler). World premiere recording, recorded live at Carnegie Hall (April 1979). CBS/Sony
References
Further reading
- Anne Midgette, "The Wisdom of Eve", Opera News, October 1999. Accessed via subscription 20 December 2007.
- Bernard Holland, "Into the Woods but Leaving Hidden Meanings Behind", The New York Times, 8 June 2005. Accessed 20 December 2007.
- Daniel J. Wakin, "Opera Orchestra of New York Says It May Reduce Concerts Next Season", The New York Times, 17 February 2007. Accessed 20 December 2007.
- Jay Nordlinger, "A Stage for Opera's Overlooked", The New York Sun, 17 December 2007. Accessed 20 December 2007.
External links