Opera
Composer John Luther Adams Wins Columbia's Lifetime Achievement William Schuman Award, Known for Pulitzer Prize-Winning 'Become Ocean' and 2015 Grammy Award Nom
'Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín' Tells Story of Holocaust Prisoners: Bebe Neuwirth and John Rubinstein Star in Show at Lincoln Center
A live performance of “Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín,” which displays performances of Verdi’s "Requiem" put on by concentration camp prisoners during World War II, will be shown at Lincoln Center. The performance will feature Bebe Neuwirth and John Rubinstein.Defiant Requiem tells the story of 16 performances put on by prisoners at the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II amid starvation, abuse and death. With only one smuggled score, they performed the famed masterpiece 16 times. This story will be commemorated at Avery Fisher Hall, which includes a concert/drama featuring a live performance of Verdi’s "Requiem" interspersed with historic film, testimony from survivors and narration that tells the tale of these courageous men and woman.In addition to Neuwirth and Rubeinstein, soloists soprano Jennifer Check, mezzo-soprano Ann McMahon Quintero, tenor Steven Tharp and bass Wilhelm Schwinghammer will be featured, as well as The Orchestra of Terezín Remembrance and The Collegiate Chorale. Israeli Opera Conductor Frédéric Chaslin Pulls Out of Performance After Being Denied Paris Attack Victim Tribute
Parisian-born conductor Frédéric Chaslin pulled out of a performance at the Israeli Opera Saturday, Jan. 10, after the company's management denied his request to speak and play a tribute to victims of the terror attacks in France last week.Chaslin, who is French-Jewish, had asked to play “Hatikva,” the Israeli national anthem, during his performance of Puccini’s "La Rondine" in honor of the 17 people killed in Paris last week. But the Tel Aviv opera house refused, saying it may upset the audience. This refusal led to Chaslin to leave the theater with an understudy left to conduct the performance.According to "The Times of Israel," Chaslin commented on his Facebook page, saying the tribute was refused to him.“‘It would upset our audience,’ he wrote. ’It is against the management’s policies.’ What management? What policy? Where am I? In a country supposed to be the sanctuary for all Jewish people in the world? Has the ‘audience’ of this country lost their souls? As a result of course I refused to conduct tonight,” he concluded.Chaslin's performance would have paid tribute to the killing of four hostages at a kosher supermarket, 12 at the "Charlie Hebdo" satirical magazine headquarters and one policewoman. A statement has been released by the Israeli Opera, stating that it hopes the theater can remain a safe haven from terror.
