Family Opera Initiative

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General Info

Genre: Classical / Classical Opera and Vocal / Showtunes
Location NEW YORK, New York, US
Profile Views: 2073
Last Login: 2/13/2013
Member Since 2/7/2007
Website www.familyoperainitiative.org
Record Label Unsigned
Bio
FAMILY OPERA INITIATIVE was founded by Grethe Barrett Holby in 1995 to create a substantial new repertory for family audiences, with the goal of bringing the opera experience to a widely diverse audience, and the commitment to engage the community in the process and performance of work that Enchants, Challenges and Inspires. FOI is a primary program of Ardea Arts, a non-profit organization that commissions, develops, and co-produces new opera and music theater. FOI works in partnership with the Atlantic Center for the Arts, Flordia, and has partnered with American Opera Projects, the renowned children's theater TADA!, Fort Greene Park Conservatory, Orlando Youth Opera, Orlando Shakespeare Festival (Playfest), and Montclair State University (Peak Performances). FOI has commissioned four new operas for family audiences: FLURRY TALE (Rusty Magee, Billy Aronson), SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT (Richard Peaslee, Kenneth Cavander), FIREWORKS! (Kitty Brazelton, Billy Aronson), and ANIMAL TALES (Kitty Brazelton, George Plimpton). Next in line is an international collaboration based on a book by Umberto Eco and Eugenio Carmi, THE THREE ASTRONAUTS ......This profile was edited with ..MySpaceGrill Editor..............
Members
GRETHE BARRETT HOLBY (Origin, Dramaturgy & Direction) Described as "Strong, fresh and unabashed" (NY Times), she has been a driving force in new American opera for over 25 years, credited with “propelling opera into the 21st century” (NPR). Founding director of American Opera Projects and Ardea Arts/Family Opera Initiative, Holby has worked with many composers of our time including Leonard Bernstein, Gian-Carlo Menotti, Richard Peaslee, Lou Reed, and Vincent Persichetti; at Lincoln Center Festival: Electric Ordo Virtutum with Eve Beglarian, Lisa Bielawa, Kitty Brazelton, Elaine Kaplinsky; Kennedy Center, La Scala, and for opera companies including Anchorage, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Toledo, Indianapolis, Washington and Wolftrap. Recent U.S. premieres: Masters on the Movies (Michael Dellaira), American Journal (Ted Wiprud), The True Last Words of Dutch Schultz (Eric Salzman, Valeria Vasilevski for Center for Contemporary Opera, Symphony Space). Current: the musical-opera ANIMAL TALES (with Brazelton & George Plimpton) and The Man in the Black Suit (with Eve Beglarian; story by Stephen King). ___________________________________________________________________________ Ray Wetmore, Producing Associate. Ray Wetmore is currently represented on the national tour of Billy Joel & Twyla Tharp’s Movin’ Out. With ArdeaArts/FOI and Grethe Barrett Holby since 2006, having the opportunity of working on the entire repertoire and benefits. He has worked in several capacities on National Tours: Gypsy, Ring of Fire. Asia: Grease. Broadway: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Drowsy Chaperone. NYC: Lincoln Center & Symphony Space. Ray works in Marketing with Bay Bridge Productions (American Buffalo, Cry-Baby, Fuerza Bruta, Grey Gardens, Lieutenant of Inishmore). Ray also serves on the board of MusiKids CT inc and produces/manages several charity cabarets across the country. Ray is a Connecticut native, and a graduate of Wagner College. ___________________________________________________________________________ Ben Kopit Managing Director Ben Kopit joins Family Opera Initiative from New York City Opera, where he worked as the Assistant Rehearsal Administrator. There he worked extensively on mounting “family” productions (Cendrillon, Candide), as well as non-family fare. Before NYCO, he worked in press & Editorial at the Metropolitan Opera. He has also worked dramaturgically, freelanced in film and theater production, and holds a BA in Music from Columbia University
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