Sizzling mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves headlines 2004 Black & White Opera Soirée with bass-baritone James Westman
December 02, 2003 -
Ottawa, Canada -- Sizzling mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, the "definitive Carmen", takes to the stage of Southam Hall for the annual Black & White Opera Soirée on Saturday, February 21, 2004 at 20:00. Selections from Carmen will highlight the concert when this American superstar is joined by Canadian bass-baritone James Westman, with Music Director Pinchas Zukerman leading the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Opera Lyra Ottawa Chorus prepared by Laurence Ewashko. The Soirée is hosted by distinguished Canadian actor Albert Millaire.
The seventh annual fundraiser in honour of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Opera Lyra Ottawa is presented by Bell Canada in association with Enbridge Gas Distribution. Special thanks go to Ernst & Young, Audi /Mark Motors of Ottawa Ltd., The Ottawa Citizen, Le Droit, CBC/Radio-Canada, B!ddle McGillvray Advertising, and The Lowe-Martin Group.
In addition to selections from Bizet's Carmen, the Black & White Opera Soirée will include excerpts from Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila, Gounod's Faust, and Rossini's L'Italiana in Angeri. The full program will be announced at a later date.
Recognized worldwide as one of today's most exciting vocal stars, Denyce Graves continues to gather unparalleled popular and critical acclaim in performances on four continents. Her career has taken her to the world's great opera houses and concert halls. The combination of her expressive, rich vocalism, elegant stage presence and exciting theatrical abilities allows her to pursue a wide breadth of operatic portrayals as well as delight audiences in concert and recital appearances. Denyce Graves has become particularly well-known to operatic audiences for her portrayals of the title roles in Carmen and Samson et Dalila. These signature roles have brought her to the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Royal Opera - Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, Opéra National de Paris, Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Washington Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Arena di Verona, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. She made her National Arts Centre Orchestra debut at Festival Canada in 1998.
Originally from Stratford, Ontario, James Westman was baritone in residence with the San Francisco Opera Adler's Fellowship program until March 2000. His performances at the San Francisco Opera include: Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Marcello in La Bohème, Germont in La Traviata, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera, Sid in Albert Herring and the First Philosopher in Louise. Recently, James Westman sang his first Posa in Verdi's Don Carlo in Graz, Austria, and returned to the Canadian Opera Company as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and to Opera Theatre of St Louis as Athanael in Massenet's rarely heard Thaïs. He also made his debut with the Manitoba Opera as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte.
Renowned Canadian actor Albert Millaire will host. This eminent performer has played some of the most important roles and produced some of the finest plays to be presented on the stages of Canada, the United-States and Europe. Albert Millaire also studied opera staging in London's Covent Garden and has since produced works such as Manon by Massenet, Die Entführung aus dem Serail by Mozart and Les Pêcheurs de perles by Bizet. On television, Albert Millaire has been seen in Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Rainbow Country, Road to Avonlea along with numerous productions by La Télévision de Radio-Canada.
The 15-member fundraising committee is chaired by Sheridan Scott. The proceeds from this joint fundraiser will help maintain and further develop the artistic excellence of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Opera Lyra Ottawa.
Soirée tickets for $275 and $375 include a spectacular pre-concert dinner, prime seating for the concert itself, and a post-concert reception with the stars. Private, exclusive Impresario Boxes as well as corporate tables are also available. Tickets to the concert and reception only can be purchased for $175. For information about these tickets please call the NAC Foundation Office at (613) 947-7000, ext. 322.
Tickets to the concert alone are $45.00, $60.00 and $75.00. These tickets are on sale exclusively to National Arts Centre and Opera Lyra Ottawa donors and subscribers by mail order or in person at the NAC or Opera Lyra Ottawa Box Offices until December 6. Box Office opens to the public on December 8, at which time tickets may be purchased at the NAC or Opera Lyra Ottawa Box Offices or through Ticketmaster at (613) 755-1111 (with applicable surcharges). Ticketmaster may also be accessed through the NAC's web-site at www.nac-cna.ca and Opera Lyra Ottawa's website at www.operalyra.ca.
