Mannes Opera Gets a Nod of Approval from NYT
The Mannes Opera presented works by Stravinsky and Rossini on December 19. Photo by Genie Ames/2012.
Students from Mannes College The New School for Music were rewarded with an admiring review from The New York Times after their annual opera program at Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College on December 19, 2012. In an innovative approach to the study of classical music, the production combined two rarely-performed, one-act operas—Stravinsky’s Marva and Rossini’s Scala di Seta—into one presentation entitled “Igor Meets Gioachino.” Talent from the Mannes Opera teamed up with the Mannes Orchestra for the performance, which was developed, overseen, and conducted by Joseph Colaneri, the artistic director of the Mannes Opera as well as the West Australian Opera in Perth. In order for elements of the two operas to come together seamlessly, the scene was set in the same house in Paris, though a century apart.
Corrinna da Fonseca-Wollheim’s review in the Times praises the young artists on the purity and strength of their voices, Colaneri’s vision and adept orchestral management, as well as the lighthearted humor and complementary themes of both short operas. To read the review, click here.