Franz Lehár News

The Pear Avenue Theatre's closing production of its 13th season celebrates the 100th anniversary of a classic play from one of our most revered and beloved playwrights, George Bernard Shaw. Written in 1912, Pygmalion premiered on the London stage in April, 2014, and became an instant hit for Shaw and his leading lady, Stella Campbell, in the role of Eliza. Audiences for the last century have enjoyed this timeless tale of an East End flower girl and her West End phonetics tutor. Pear veteran actor and director Michael Champlin helms the production, which runs today, June 20 through July 13, 2014 (no performance on July 4th).

The Pear Avenue Theatre's closing production of its 13th season celebrates the 100th anniversary of a classic play from one of our most revered and beloved playwrights, George Bernard Shaw. Written in 1912, Pygmalion premiered on the London stage in April, 2014, and became an instant hit for Shaw and his leading lady, Stella Campbell, in the role of Eliza. Audiences for the last century have enjoyed this timeless tale of an East End flower girl and her West End phonetics tutor. Pear veteran actor and director Michael Champlin helms the production, which runs June 20 through July 13, 2014 (no performance on July 4th).

Capitol City Opera Company, one of the only opera companies in the Southeast to champion local singers, will present a fully staged production of Franz Lehár's The Merry Widow on Friday, September 5 at 8 p.m., Saturday, September 6 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, September 7 at 3 p.m. at Oglethorpe University's Conant Performing Arts Center.

From today, February 21 to March 16, 2014, Carnegie Hall presents Vienna: City of Dreams, a three-week citywide festival featuring more than 90 events, all inviting audiences to discover the extraordinary artistic legacy of Vienna. The festival features symphonic and operatic masterpieces, chamber music, and lieder, as well as new sounds emerging from this historic cultural capital. In addition to music, Vienna: City of Dreams shines a spotlight on Vienna's visual art, film, architecture, politics, science, and history, creating an extensive look at a city that for centuries has drawn artists, dreamers, and innovators from all corners of the world to its dazzling intellectual and artistic life.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2014-15 season will feature 26 operas, three of them company premieres, in six new productions and 18 revivals showcasing the talents of the world's leading singers, conductors, and theater artists. The three operas that will have their first-ever Met performances, each staged by a director making his Met debut, are John Adams's The Death of Klinghoffer, conducted by David Robertson and directed by Tom Morris, opening October 20; Rossini's La Donna del Lago, conducted by Michele Mariotti and directed by Paul Curran, opening February 16, 2015; and Tchaikovsky's one-act opera Iolanta, conducted by Valery Gergiev and directed by Mariusz Treli?ski. Iolanta will be presented in a double bill with a new staging of Bartok's one-act Duke Bluebeard's Castle, also conducted by Gergiev and directed by Treli?ski.

From February 21 to March 16, 2014, Carnegie Hall presents Vienna: City of Dreams, a three-week citywide festival featuring more than 90 events at Carnegie Hall and 23 partner cultural organizations throughout New York City, all inviting audiences to discover the extraordinary artistic legacy of Vienna. The festival features symphonic and operatic masterpieces, chamber music, and lieder, as well as new sounds emerging from this historic cultural capital. In addition to music, Vienna: City of Dreams shines a spotlight on Vienna's visual art, film, architecture, politics, science, and history, creating an extensive look at a city that for centuries has drawn artists, dreamers, and innovators from all corners of the world to its dazzling intellectual and artistic life.

Broadway stars Teri Dale Hansen (Show Boat, The Boys From Syracuse) Nat Chandler (Scarlet Pimpernel, The Phantom of the Opera) Jason Graae (A Grand Night for Singing, Falsettos Mendel) Jennifer Hope Wills (The Phantom of the Opera, Wonderful Town) and Eric van Hoven (Candide, Master Class) will be appearing with The Regina Symphony Orchestra at the Conexus Arts Centre in Saskatchewan, Canada in THE MERRY WIDOW tonight, January 11th at 8:00pm.

Broadway stars Teri Dale Hansen (Show Boat, The Boys From Syracuse) Nat Chandler (Scarlet Pimpernel, The Phantom of the Opera) Jason Graae (A Grand Night for Singing, Falsettos Mendel) Jennifer Hope Wills (The Phantom of the Opera, Wonderful Town) and Eric Van Hoven (Candide, Master Class) will be appearing with The Regina Symphony Orchestra at the Conexus Arts Centre in Saskatchewan, Canada in THE MERRY WIDOW on Saturday, January 11th at 8:00pm.

From February 21 to March 16, 2014, Carnegie Hall presents Vienna: City of Dreams, a three-week citywide festival featuring more than 90 events, all inviting audiences to discover the extraordinary artistic legacy of Vienna. The festival features symphonic and operatic masterpieces, chamber music, and lieder, as well as new sounds emerging from this historic cultural capital. In addition to music, Vienna: City of Dreams shines a spotlight on Vienna's visual art, film, architecture, politics, science, and history, creating an extensive look at a city that for centuries has drawn artists, dreamers, and innovators from all corners of the world to its dazzling intellectual and artistic life.

SCU•PRESENTS will feature the Faculty, Staff and Students at Santa Clara University in the Fall 2013 Music Season, which includes FOLKSONGS, RITUALS AND RITES OF PASSAGE, featuring SCU faculty member, Teresa McCollough on the piano with special guest artist, Michael Boyd. SCU•PRESENTS is also proud to announce three new Music Directors and Conductors joining the Department of Music; John Kennedy, Music Director & Conductor, of the Santa Clara University Orchestra, Dr. Douglas Harris, Director of Bands, Santa Clara University Wind Symphony and Jazz Band and Scot Hanna-Weir, Music Director and Conductor, Santa Clara University Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.

SCU•PRESENTS will feature the Faculty, Staff and Students at Santa Clara University in the Fall 2013 Music Season, which includes FOLKSONGS, RITUALS AND RITES OF PASSAGE, featuring SCU faculty member, Teresa McCollough on the piano with special guest artist, Michael Boyd. SCU•PRESENTS is also proud to announce three new Music Directors and Conductors joining the Department of Music; John Kennedy, Music Director & Conductor, of the Santa Clara University Orchestra, Dr. Douglas Harris, Director of Bands, Santa Clara University Wind Symphony and Jazz Band and Scot Hanna-Weir, Music Director and Conductor, Santa Clara University Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.

As a ballet, THE MERRY WIDOW is an adaptation of Franz Lehar's popular romantic operetta Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow), which premiered in 1905. In the process of adapting the score for ballet, John Lanchbery and Alan Abott retained the style of Franz Lehar's orchestrations and included several of the well-known tunes from the operetta. Their score premiered in 1975 when The Australian Ballet, under the Musical Direction of John Lanchbery, produced the World Premiere production with choreography by Ronald Hynd and Scenario and Staging by Sir Robert Helpmann. This grandiose and radiant ballet of THE MERRY WIDOW had its Houston Ballet Premiere on September 17, 1995 in the Brown Theater. The Houston Ballet also performed it in 1999 and 2007. Now, in 2013, the lavish production is serving as Mireille Hassenboehler's gorgeous swan song and letter of admiration to the audiences of the Houston Ballet.

From tonight, September 19-29, 2013, Houston Ballet presents Ronald Hynd's comic and enchanting The Merry Widow.Adapted from Franz Lehar's beloved operetta, the internationally-admired British choreographer Ronald Hynd adds a new layer of lavish spectacle and choreography to the original story of The Merry Widow to create an irresistibly charming and intoxicating tale of high jinks, finance, romance, and intrigue. The production features magnificent scenery and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno. The company will give seven performances at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston.

From September 19-29, 2013, Houston Ballet presents Ronald Hynd's comic and enchanting The Merry Widow. Adapted from Franz Lehar's beloved operetta, the internationally-admired British choreographer Ronald Hynd adds a new layer of lavish spectacle and choreography to the original story of The Merry Widow to create an irresistibly charming and intoxicating tale of high jinks, finance, romance, and intrigue. The production features magnificent scenery and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno. The company will give seven performances at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets start at $19, and may be purchased at www.houstonballet.org or by calling 713 227 ARTS (2787).

From September 19-29, 2013, Houston Ballet presents Ronald Hynd's comic and enchanting The Merry Widow.Adapted from Franz Lehar's beloved operetta, the internationally-admired British choreographer Ronald Hynd adds a new layer of lavish spectacle and choreography to the original story of The Merry Widow to create an irresistibly charming and intoxicating tale of high jinks, finance, romance, and intrigue. The production features magnificent scenery and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno. The company will give seven performances at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets start at $19, and may be purchased at www.houstonballet.org or by calling 713 227 ARTS (2787).

A SALUTE TO VIENNA is one of the most lavish song and dance gala concert specials ever produced for public television featuring the superstars of Viennese operetta. The visually spectacular special is hosted by world-famous mezzo soprano Frederica von Stade and Academy Award-winning actor andVienna native Maximilian Schell. Special guests include The Vienna Boys' Choir; Russell Watson, Great Britain's largest-selling, classical-crossover tenor; dancers from the Association of the Vienna State Opera Ballet; the Symphony Orchestra of the Volksoper Vienna under the direction ofinternationally-knownStrauss Conductor Peter Guth; an international cast of top singing stars including sopranos Daniela Fally, Iva Milhanovic and Alexandra Reinprecht; tenors Dmitry Korchak and Tilmann Unger; baritone, Daniel Serafin, as well as many leading stars from the acclaimed Budapest Operetta Theater. A SALUTE TO VIENNA is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations beginning today, August 3, 2013 (check local listings).

A SALUTE TO VIENNA is one of the most lavish song and dance gala concert specials ever produced for public television featuring the superstars of Viennese operetta. The visually spectacular special is hosted by world-famous mezzo soprano Frederica von Stade and Academy Award-winning actor andVienna native Maximilian Schell. Special guests include The Vienna Boys' Choir; Russell Watson, Great Britain's largest-selling, classical-crossover tenor; dancers from the Association of the Vienna State Opera Ballet; the Symphony Orchestra of the Volksoper Vienna under the direction ofinternationally-knownStrauss Conductor Peter Guth; an international cast of top singing stars including sopranos Daniela Fally, Iva Milhanovic and Alexandra Reinprecht; tenors Dmitry Korchak and Tilmann Unger; baritone, Daniel Serafin, as well as many leading stars from the acclaimed Budapest Operetta Theater. A SALUTE TO VIENNA is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations beginning August 3, 2013 (check local listings).

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch has announced the company's 2013-2014 season. Eight new works enter Houston Ballet's repertoire, including world premieres by James Kudelka, Garrett Smith and Melissa Hough in September 2013; the North American premiere of David Bintley's Aladdin in February 2014; company premieres of Jiri Kylian's Sechs Tanze, Christopher Bruce's Intimate Pages and Stanton Welch's Of Blessed Memory as well as a world premiere A Young Person's Guide to Orchestra by Mr. Welch in March 2014.

If the Broadway revival of a few years back demonstrated the deadly results that can occur when overthinking and underplaying a quality farce, the new Paper Mill mounting is a fast a furious example of Ken Ludwig's madcap Lend Me A Tenor done right.  Director Don Stephenson doesn't throw any fancy curveballs with the material, but he and his perfectly cast company of Broadway vets nail every door slam and verbal ping-pong volley with hilarious aplomb.

The Benjamin T. Rome School of Music presents The Merry Widow, the famous operetta by Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár, at the Ward Recital Hall, Catholic University, tonight, Nov. 15 to 18.