The Opera Orchestra of New York (also known as OONY) specializes in the performance of opera in concert form. It is particularly known for its work in presenting rarely performed repertory. Among the numerous American premieres it has presented are Puccini's Edgar, Boito's Nerone, and Smetana's Libuše.
History
Founded in 1971The Opera Orchestra of New York grew from a smaller project, the New York Opera Workshop, which Queler had started in 1967. by Eve Queler, who remains its conductor and music director, the orchestra presented its first season in 1972 with two operas – Rossini's William Tell and Meyerbeer's L'africaine – performed at New York's Carnegie Hall. Since then it has gone on to present more than ninety different operas there, with the season now consisting of three to four operas, which are also broadcast on National Public Radio. In the past, tickets came with a complete libretto of the opera being performed. However, the 2007/2008 season introduced surtitles for the first time.
Financial difficulties in early 2007 threatened to close the company or severely curtail its 2007/2008 season to one opera. However, these were overcome, and the 2007/2008 season of three operas opened as planned on 13 December 2007 with Verdi's I due Foscari.Matthew Westphal, Opera Orchestra of New York Launches Season with Verdi's I Due Foscari at Carnegie Hall, Playbill Arts, 13 December 2007. An additional Gala concert celebrating Eve Queler's 100th performance conducting the orchestra at Carnegie Hall was presented in March 2008. In 2011, The New York Times reported that the orchestra under new musical director Alberto Veronesi had returned to financial stability.
Many prominent opera singers have performed with the orchestra including Plácido Domingo, Nicolai Gedda, Gabriela Beňačková, Montserrat Caballé, Carlo Bergonzi, Renata Scotto, Alfredo Kraus, José Carreras, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Bryan Hymel, Angela Meade, Marcello Giordani, Jennifer Larmore, Samuel Ramey, James Morris, Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Jonas Kaufmann, Mignon Dunn, Grace Bumbry and Ghena Dimitrova, many of them in the very early stages of their careers. (José Carreras made his OONY debut in 1972 on his twenty-fourth birthday.)
In 1978, the Opera Orchestra of New York instituted a Young Artists Program to train and showcase young singers. Participants sing small roles in the Carnegie Hall performances and understudy the principal ones. Notable past participants in the program include Renée Fleming, Vivica Genaux and Deborah Voigt.
Performance
2000s
2016 May: Donizetti – Parisina d'Este: Meade, Blake, Vemic, Wang 2014 June: Donizetti -Roberto Devereux: Devia, Costello, Chauvet, Kapusta
2012–2013 Jan: Giordano – Andrea Chénier: Alagna, Petean, Pershall, Feinstein, Lamanda Apr: Verdi – I Lombardi: Fabiano, Meade, Short, Baetge, Cedel, Baldwin, et al.
2011–2012 Nov: Cilèa – Adriana Lecouvreur: Gheorghiu, Kaufmann, Maestri, Rachvelishvili Jan: Wagner – Rienzi: Storey, Matos, Chauvet, DeVine, Cedel, et al.
2010–2011 Oct: Mascagni – Cavalleria rusticana: Alagna, Guleghina, Dunn, Almaguer, Swann Oct: Massenet – La Navarraise: Alagna, Garanca, Abdrazakov, Savage, Kontes, McGee Mar: Meyerbeer – L'Africaine: Giordani, Taigi, Dehn, Mvinjelwa
2008–2009 Oct: Rimsky-Korsakov – The Tsar's Bride: Borodina, Makarina, Markov, Manucharyan, Stamboglis, Easterlin, Nance, Miller, Stepanov, Sullivan, McGee
2007–2008 Dec: Verdi – I due Foscari: DiGiacomo, Gavanelli, Grooms, Machado, Lagundino, Lugo, Orsalak Feb: Bellini – La Sonnambula: Gutié;rrez, Korchak, Furlanetto, Caballero, Garcia, Kontes, Grooms April: Puccini – Edgar: Giordani, Larmore, Moore, Gaertner, Guagliardo
2006–2007 Nov: Donizetti – Dom Sébastien: Kasarova, Korchak, Powell, Gaertner, Williams Jan: Rossini- Otello: Donose, Ford, Tarver, McPherson Feb: Cilèa – L'Arlesiana: Cornetti, Filianoti, Moore, Risinger, Lee
2005–2006 Nov: Rossini – William Tell: Blasi, Giordani, Chingari Feb: Delibes – Lakmé: Gutiérrez, Manucharyan, Morris May: Montemezzi – L'Amore Dei Tre Re: Bravo, Casanova, Ramey
2004–2005 Nov: Puccini – La Fanciulla del West: Millo, Tanner, Chingari April: Thomas – Mignon: Gutiérrez, Blythe, Aldrich, Giordano, Relyea June: Weber – Der Freischütz: Margiono, Moon, Studebaker, Kowaljow
2003–2004 Dec: Donizetti – Anna Bolena: Stoyanova, Larmore, Aldrich, Manucharyan, Morris Mar: Verdi – Il Corsaro: Dragoni, Potenza, Casanova, Liao April: Ponchielli – La Gioconda: Millo, Kitic, Nadler, Giordani, Golesorkhi, Faria
2002–2003 Oct: Bizet – Les Pêcheurs de Perles: Takova, Shtoda, Chaignaud, Faria April: Verdi – Attila: Flanigan, Casanova, Liao, Ramey May: Rossini – La donna del lago: Swenson, Blythe, Fowler, Zeffiri, Youngblood
2001–2002 Nov: Verdi – La Battaglia di Legnano: Stoyanova, Wood, Casanova, Guelfi, Kowaljow Mar: Cilèa – Adriana Lecouvreur: Millo, Ernest, Stewart, Zajick, Giordani, Laciura, Golesorkhi April: Donizetti – Marino Faliero: Blancas, Bernhardt, Blake, Liao, Relyea
2000–2001 Mar: Donizetti – La Favorita: Larmore, Gilbert, Kunde, Hvorostovsky, Kowaljow April: Meyerbeer – Les Huguenots: Stoyanova, Makarina, Zifchak, Giordani, Simpson, Faria May: Donizetti – Maria Stuarda: Swenson, Flanigan, Matos, Kunde, Liao, Carfizzi
1990s
1999–2000 Oct: Bellini – I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Massis, Kasarova, Kunde, Carfizzi, Cokorinos Nov: Donizetti – Adelia: Devia, Mok, Pyatnychko, Plishka Feb: Donizetti – Lucrezia Borgia: Fleming, Blythe, Giordani, Peterson May: Verdi – Otello: Esperian, Kitic, Bergonzi/Barasorda, Zhang, Gazale, Plishka
1998–1999 Mar: Verdi – I Masnadieri: Wolf, Nagore, Hvorostovsky, Plishka, Konstantinov April: Halévy – La Juive: Papian, Makarina, Casanova, Viala, Plishka May: Bellini – La Sonnambula: Swenson, Tapia, Wood, Kunde, Relyea
1997–1998 Nov: Rossini – Tancredi: O'Flynn, Kasarova, Poretsky, Wood, Breault, Boutros Feb: Verdi – Jerusalem: Valayre, Ikaia-Purdy, Simpson May: Donizetti – Poliuto: Rowland, Armiliato, Meoni, Alberghini
1996–1997 Jan: Rossini – La Cenerentola: Genaux, Makarina, Wood, Fowler, G. Quilico Feb: Wagner – Tristan und Isolde: Connell, Lang, Siukola, Ryerson, Breault, Brainerd April: Verdi – Ernani: Anderson, Margison, Guelfi, Plishka
1995–1996 Dec: Bellini- Norma: Eaglen, Ganassi, Furdui, di Renzi, Anisimov, Moore April: Rossini – Armida: Fleming, Kunde, Fowler May: Verdi – Giovanna d'Arco: Anderson, Grigorian, Moore, Guelfi, Owens
1994–1995 Feb: Massenet – Hérodiade: Fleming, Bumbry, Keyes, Del Campo Mar: Rimsky-Korsakov – The Tsar's Bride: Focile, Borodina, Uhlenhopp, Leiferkus, Plishka May: Bellini – I Puritani : Devia, Wood, Kunde, Guelfi, Peterson
1993–1994 Dec: Donizetti – Linda di Chamounix: Esposito, Poretsky, Sabbatini, Frontali, Heimann, Plishka Feb: Bellini – I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Devia, Larmore, Gimenez, Spagnoli, Robbins Mar: Donizetti – Caterina Cornaro: Rowland, d'Auria, Bruson, Colombara
1992–1993 Feb: Bellini – La Straniera: Fleming, Liang, Kunde, Laperriere Apr: Donizetti – Anna Bolena: Vaness, Scalchi, Sonnenberg, de la Mora, Plishka May: Tchaikovsky – Mazeppa: Anderson, Grunewald, Grigorian, Leiferkus, Plishka
1991–1992 Jan: Boieldieu – La Dame Blanche: Fleming, Uecker, Swensen, Charbonneau, Castel (Narrator) Mar: Wagner – Rienzi: Pick-Hieronimi, Graham, Goldberg Apr: Verdi – I Due Foscari: Rowland, Short, Villa, Chernov
1990–1991 Jan: Donizetti – Roberto Devereux: Rowland, Zambalis, de la Mora, Chernov Feb: Bellini – La Sonnambula: Anderson, Keith, Gimenez, Plishka Mar: Weber – Der Freischütz: Behrens, Giering, Heppner, Rahming, Sotin
1980s
1989–1990 Jan: Verdi – I Vespri Siciliani: S. Dunn, Brubaker/Glassman, Bruson, Plishka Feb: Tchaikovsky – Maid of Orleans: Martin, Zajick, Kulko, Hynninen, Koptchak, Nikolsky April: Catalani – La Wally: Millo, Kotoski, Johannsson, Manuguerra
1988–1989 Oct: Bellini – Beatrice di Tenda: Anderson, Zseller, Kiurkciev, Tumagian Jan: Giordano – Fedora: Marton, Blackwell, Todisco, Serrano Mar: Bellini – Il Pirata: Millo, Liang, Morino, Croft
1987–1988 Feb: Meyerbeer – Robert le Diable: Mims, Ginsberg, Merritt, Laciura, Ramey Mar: Giordano – Andrea Chénier: Millo, Bean, Polozov, Laciura Mar: Janáček – Jenufa: Benacková, Rysanek, Ochman, Kazaras
1986–1987 Jan: Verdi – La Battaglia di Legnano: Millo, Malagnini, Manuguerra, Hines Feb: Wagner – Ring Cycle final scenes: Marton, Bean, Goldberg, McFarland, Roloff May: Dvořák – Rusalka: Benacková, Kelm, Jenkins, Koptchak
1985–1986 Jan: Verdi – I Lombardi: Millo, Ginsberg, Bergonzi, Di Domenico, Plishka Mar: Smetana – Libuše: Benacková, Roark-Strummer, Zitek, Plishka May: Ponchielli – La Giaconda: Dimitrova, Milcheva, Curry, Lamberti, Cappuccilli, Plishka
1984–1985 Oct: Glinka – A Life for the Tsar: Markova, Wenkel, Merritt, Talvela Nov: Rossini – William Tell: Evstatieva, Lopardo, Cappuccilli, Bonisolli April: Lalo – Le Roi d'Ys: Hendricks, Ciurca, Raffalli, Vento
1983–1984 Nov: Strauss, R. – Die Liebe der Danae: Plowright, Blackwell, Ulfung, Kazaras, Roloff Mar: Donizetti – Dom Sébastien: Takacs, Leech, Miller, Koptchak May: Verdi – Nabucco: Dimitrova, Schuman, Pinto, Monk, Plishka
1982–1983 Oct: Donizetti – Il Duca d'Alba: Krilovici, Gonzalez, Manuguerra Jan: Strauss, R. – Guntram: Tokody, Goldberg, Roloff, Wimberger May: Berlioz – Benvenuto Cellini: Devia, Boozer, Gedda, Lafont, Vento
1981–1982 Oct: Verdi – I Due Foscari: Castro-Alberty, Bergonzi, Bruson, Albert Feb: Wagner – Rienzi: Massey, Payer, Warner, Hamari, Albert, Johns, Poole, Behl Mar: Wagner – Rienzi: Evans, Hamari, Johns April: Boito – Nerone: Andrade, Takács, Cigoj, Elvira, Morris
1980–1981 Mar: Mussorgsky – Khovanshchina: Alexieva, Toczyska, Kazaras, Gulyas, Mroz, Monk, Plishka April: Delibes – Lakmé: Devia, Spacagna, Gedda, Plishka June: Mercadante – Il Giuramento: Zampieri, Martin, Baltsa, Gulyas, Edwards
1970s
1979–1980 Feb: Massenet – Hérodiade: Verdejo, Greevy, Estes, Pons, Plishka Mar: Donizetti – Lucrezia Borgia: Ricciarelli, Gonzalez, Manuguerra April: Wagner – Rienzi: Payer, Hamari, Sooter
1978–1979 Feb: Janáček – Kátya Kabanová: Benacková, Kniplová, Lewis, Evitts, Chudy April: Verdi – Aroldo: Caballé, Cecchele, Pons May: Bellini – I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Putnam, Troyanos, Tenzi, Robbins, Martinovich 1977–1978 Feb: Weber – Oberon: Jones, Hamari, Gedda, West Mar: Rossini – Tancredi: Ricciarrelli, Balthrop, Horne, Paunova, Palacio, Zaccaria 1976–1977 Jan: Smetana – Dalibor: Sormova, Kubiak, Gedda, Monk, Plishka April: Puccini – Edgar :Scotto, Killebrew, Bergonzi, Sardinero 1975–1976 Jan: Berlioz – Lélio: Scotto, Aler, Burchinal, Madden (Narrator) Mar: Massenet – Le Cid: Bumbry, Bergquist, Domingo, Gardner, Voketaitis, Plishka Mar: Donizetti – Gemma di Vergy: Caballé, Lima, Quilico, Plishka 1974–1975 Feb: Verdi – I Masnadieri: Trombin, Lewis, Manuguerra, Plishka Feb: Donizetti – La Favorita: Hendricks, Verrett, Kraus, Elvira, Morris 1973–1974 Jan: Bizet: Les Pêcheurs de Perles: Eda-Pierre, Gedda, Bruson, West Mar: Donizetti – Parisina d'este: Caballé, Pruett, Quilico, Morris 1972–1973 Dec: Verdi – I Lombardi: Scotto, Carreras, Marini, Plishka Mar: Zandonai – Francesca da Rimini: Kabaivanska, Domingo, Manuguerra 1971–1972 Mar: Rossini – William Tell: Barlow, Toscano, Walker/Lo Monoco, Quilico, Morris April: Meyerbeer – L'Africaine: Elgar, Stella, Tucker, Manuguerra
Recordings Gaetano Donizetti: Gemma di Vergy (Montserrat Caballé (Gemma di Vergy), Paul Plishka (Guido), Luis Lima (Tamas), Louis Quilico (Count di Vergy), Natalya Chudy (Ida), Mark Munkittrick (Rolando), Schola Cantorum (Hugh Ross, Director); Opera Orchestra of New York; Conductor: Eve Queler). World premiere recording, recorded live at Carnegie Hall (March 14, 1976). CBS/Sony