On Sale Now: Ayikodans | Cri des Nago

October 26-28, 2018
August Wilson Center

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

Ayikodans is considered to be the premier professional dance company of Haiti. Haitian- born choreographer, dancer, and educator Jeanguy Saintus Riché has enabled the emergence of a new, contemporary Haitian aesthetic that, while rooted in tradition, reflects a modern Caribbean culture and creativity that would surprise many who associate the country with disaster, poverty, and helplessness. This dance, Cri des Nago, is an invocation to the gods who symbolize strength and power and is dedicated to the loas (spirits) who accompany us in difficult moments.

 

To Purchase Tickets:
Online at TrustArts.org
Call 412-456-6666
Box Office at Theater Square
Groups 10+ Call 412-471-6930

Meet the Ladies of On the Town!

We all know On the Town as a story about our 3 favorite sailors having the adventure of their lives in New York, but those 24 hours would have been a bust if it weren't for our three favorite gals in the city!

See ON THE TOWN this weekend!

Hildy & Chip

First up is Hildy (Gillian Hassert), who’s just trying to take a quick cat nap in her cab when she’s rudely awakened by her boss.  With time enough for one last fare before she has to hang up her medallion for good, she comes across Chip and it’s love at first sight… for one of them, anyway.

Claire, Ozzie, and Pitkin

Next we stumble across Claire de Loone (Rebecca Shorstein) at the Museum of Natural History.  She’s a brilliant, young anthropologist studying prehistoric man.  Though she is engaged to Judge Pitkin W. Bridgework, she thinks Ozzie might be useful to her...studies.

Madame Dilly & Ivy Smith

Finally the three sailors find Miss Turnstiles herself, Ivy Smith (Lauren Corcoran Emrich).  While she may not be quite what they expect from her portrayal on the poster, she’s got big dreams and a bigger heart.  Here she is with voice teacher Madame Dilly (Anna Singer) who warns her about mixing romance with her career aspirations.






Friday October 19, 8 pm
Sunday October 21, 3 pm

New Hazlett Theater
6 Allegheny Square East, Northside
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Featuring:
Christopher Scott, Benjamin Robinson, Patrick McNally, Rebecca Shorstein, Gillian Hassert, Lauren Corcoran Emrich, Jonathan Stuckey, & Anna Singer

Demareus Cooper, narrator

Valerie Rachelle, stage director
Maria Sensi Sellner, conductor
Resonance Chamber Orchestra

In partnership with The Brass Roots

GET TICKETS HERE

We'll be popping up this Thursday!

Our first pop-up performance at the Carnegie Science Center was tons of fun!  Catch Hildy, Claire, and Ozzie, who will "pop-up" again this Thursday at 12:30 pm in the main lobby. And remember that you can get 20% off your tickets to On the Town when you visit the Carnegie Science Center and the USS Requin this week!

Check Out Saturday's Orionid Meteor Shower at the Carnegie Science Center

A brilliant waxing gibbous moon and the Orionid meteor shower will light up the night sky as Carnegie Science Center welcomes stargazers to another installment of SkyWatch, presented by PPG, at 7 and 9 pm, Saturday, Oct. 20 in the Buhl Planetarium and Observatory.

At SkyWatch, visitors learn about the dazzling constellations that dot the sky through presentations by the Science Center’s astronomy experts. A virtual tour of the night sky offers a road map of how the evening ahead will appear above Pittsburgh. If skies permit, visitors may head up to the observatory deck to gaze at celestial wonders through research-grade telescopes, including a 16-inch Meade LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

This month’s SkyWatch aligns with the Orionid meteor shower, nearing its peak. The Orionids appear to originate in the constellation Orion, but actually originate from Halley's Comet. As the Sun heats the comet's ice, rock particles break away from the comet, but continue in the comet's trajectory. When Earth's orbit crosses the debris path, these particles then appear as meteors, or "shooting stars," as they streak through Earth's upper atmosphere. The meteor shower will be visible to the naked eye across a large area of the sky.

Visitors can also expect to see Mars, Saturn, and Uranus using the Science Center’s telescopes.

In addition to serving as a spectacular spot for stargazing, the observatory offers a breathtaking view of downtown Pittsburgh. Come for the science and stay for the skyline!

The SkyWatch program is offered at 7 and 9 pm. Tickets are $4 for non-members, and $2 for members and as an add-on to general admission. For more information, visit CarnegieScienceCenter.org.

Pittsburgh Opera Presents Hansel & Gretel

ansel and Gretel encounter the devious Witch. From Washington National Opera's rendition of Hansel & Gretel.

Based on the classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, Hansel & Gretel is a fantastical story of a young brother and sister who must navigate an enchanted forest full of twists, turns, and one wicked witch.

Siblings Hansel and Gretel are poor peasants whose mother sends them to forage for strawberries in a haunted forest. They get lost and spend the night in the woods. The next morning, they stumble upon a gingerbread house inhabited by a witch, played by Pittsburgh favorite Marianne Cornetti, who imprisons them. It will take all their wits to escape before she eats them!

Since its premiere in 1893, this beloved opera has delighted millions. With Humperdinck’s sweeping score, this whimsical operatic confection is sure to please both adults and children. 

Originally written in German, Pittsburgh Opera will be performing it in English.

Antony Walker conducts and Mt. Lebanon native Crystal Manich directs.

On stage November 3, 6, 9, & 11, Hansel & Gretel makes an equally good date night, girls’ night out, and family outing.

Adult tickets start at just $14 – children’s tickets for those ages 6-18 are half-price, and start at just $7. Season, group, and single tickets are now on sale and available online.  

In addition, Pittsburgh Opera’s annual Student Matinee will introduce 2,500+ school children grades 3-12 to this lively, colorful opera on Thursday, Nov. 8th at the Benedum Center. Pittsburgh Opera’s Resident Artists take lead roles in the Student Matinee, and are accompanied by the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra. Tickets are $10, and are reserved through Pittsburgh Opera’s Education Department. For more information, please contact Marilyn Michalka Egan, Ph.D., Director of Education, at 412-281-0912, ext. 242.

PERFORMANCE DATES, TIMES, LOCATION, LENGTH
Where: Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Pittsburgh
When:
Saturday, November 3 - 8:00 PM
Tuesday, November 6 - 7:00 PM
Student Matinee- Thursday, November 8 - 10:30 AM
Friday, November 9 - 7:30 PM
Sunday, November 11 - 2:00 PM
Duration: 1 hour and 54 minutes, including one intermission
Language: Sung in English with English texts projected above the stage

Gingerbread House Decorating Contest
Saturday, October 13, 2018 10:00 - 11:00 AM 
Location: Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters

Parents and children 6 years and older, experience the fun and magic of Hansel & Gretel by participating in a free Gingerbread House Decorating Contest courtesy of Pittsburgh Opera and Eleven Contemporary Kitchen!

The contest will be held from 10:00-11:00am before our October Brown Bag Concert. You'll be able to take home your child's masterpiece, or enjoy it during the concert at 12pm. Check-in time for the contest starts at 9:45am.

Each participant will be given a delicious, pre-made edible gingerbread house courtesy of Eleven Contemporary Kitchen to decorate with icing and candies.

After, we will have a photographer take pictures of each house. The houses will be posted on Pittsburgh Opera's Facebook page for friends, family, and the Pittsburgh community to vote on their favorite! A winner will be determined via social media votes and will receive four free tickets to Hansel & Gretel and a backstage tour of the Benedum. Isn't that sweet?

Space is limited, so please make your reservation today. Reservations can be made online or by calling 412-281-0912 ext. 215.

A 2018 Opera Up Close event at Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters

Opera Up Close- Hansel & Gretel
Sunday, October 21, 2018 2:00pm - 3:30pm 
Location: Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters

Join Robert Boldin, Artistic Administrator, and special guests from the production, for an in-depth look at Humperdinck's Hansel & Gretel.

Admission is $5; the event is free to members of FRIENDS of Pittsburgh Opera and donors at $50+.    

Please note that the Pittsburgh Opera garage is available only for handicapped parking, by reservation. RESERVATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 4:00 PM FRIDAY, October 19th. Reserve a handicapped parking spot for Opera Up Close.

WQED Preview- Hansel & Gretel
Saturday, October 27, 2018 12:30-1:00pm 
Location: 89.3 on your FM dial or wqed.org/fm

Make time for this half-hour preview of Humperdinck's Hansel & Gretel, with candid commentary from singers and directors. Listen at 89.3 on your FM dial or at WQED.org. 

If you miss the Saturday broadcast, listen on Friday, November 2nd at 7:00 PM for a repeat!

Michael Mayes takes the "stage" at Pittsburgh Opera's Meet the Artists reception for Puccini's Madama Butterfly, October 2018

Meet The Artists- Hansel & Gretel
Tuesday, November 06, 2018 10:00 PM 
Location: Benedum Center Lower Lobby

Pittsburgh Opera General Director Christopher Hahn interviews the stars of Hansel & Gretel after the Tuesday evening performance, in the Benedum Center Lower Lobby.

You can ask your own questions and mingle with the artists too!

Free to all Tuesday ticketholders. 

'Meet the Artists' is generously sponsored by Ambridge Regional Distribution and Manufacturing Center.
SYNOPSIS
ACT I. In the house of a broom-maker deep in a German forest, Hansel and Gretel have been left by their parents, who are off in town. The children are supposed to be at work, making socks and brooms; instead, Gretel recites a nursery rhyme, which Hansel interrupts with complaints of hunger. Gretel teases her brother, calling him a complaining grump. She shows him a pitcher of milk hidden in the cupboard that their mother is saving for supper. 

To entertain her brother, Gretel teaches Hansel a folk dance. Suddenly Gertrude, their mother, comes home and angrily reproves them for playing when they should have been working. In her anger, the mother knocks over the pitcher of milk. When Hansel is caught grinning at this misfortune, his mother chases him out of the house and sends Gretel after him into the woods to find wild strawberries. The mother falls asleep just as the voice of her husband Peter is heard singing in the distance. Slightly tipsy when he arrives, he surprises Gertrude with all the food he has bought and tells her that he sold his brooms to a wedding party for the best price he has ever received. They celebrate their good fortune with a toast and he then asks where the children are. When Gertrude tells him that they have gone to the woods, he is horrified. He tells her about the Witch who lives there and who bakes children into bread. The two rush off to find Hansel and Gretel.

ACT II. In a forest glade, Gretel sings another nursery rhyme and then begins making a wreath of wild flowers. Hansel picks the last of the wild strawberries. He offers his basket to Gretel, who eats one; as they start to leave, a cuckoo calls, and the children parrot the bird’s call, eating strawberries all the while. As darkness falls, they realize they cannot refill the basket, and worse, that they are lost. Their fears multiply as they see visions of wild animals behind every tree. An old man appears, scattering gold sand and promising restful sleep. When the Sandman leaves, the two children kneel to say their prayers and quickly fall asleep. In their dream, Hansel and Gretel are surrounded by a host of children, who seem to have a message for them.

ACT III. The Dew Fairy brings morning to the world of the forest. The children awake and find themselves still in the forest. They happen upon a magical house, filled with cakes and sweets. When Hansel breaks a piece off from the gingerbread house, they hear a voice from somewhere inside the dwelling. An old lady comes out and offers the children desserts of all kinds; when the children refuse her temptations, she puts a spell on them and locks Hansel in a cage. Gretel is released from the spell to help set the Witch’s table. 
Gretel has overheard the Witch’s plan to bake her, and while the Witch feeds Hansel to fatten him up, Gretel whispers the Witch’s magic words, which break the spell on Hansel. Hungry for Gretel, the Witch calls her to the oven. Gretel cleverly asks the Witch to show her how to make the oven work. As the Witch leans in, Hansel and Gretel push her in and slam the door. The oven gets hotter and hotter until it explodes. Suddenly, the room is filled with other children. Hansel recites the Witch’s spell and the children spring to life. As Peter and Gertrude rush in and embrace their children, a gingerbread cake of the Witch is found in the oven. Before eating, all join in giving thanks for their deliverance.

-Adapted from Opera News

Fun facts about Hansel & Gretel

In a proud endorsement of our superb artist training program, the entire cast is comprised of current or former Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artists. Current Resident Artists Ashley Fabian (Gretel) and Caitlyn Gotimer (Dew Fairy/Sandman) join distinguished alums Marianne Cornetti (the Witch), Corrie Stallings (Hansel), Leah Heater (Mother), and Craig Verm (Father). In the Student Matinee performance, first-year Resident Artist Antonia Botti-Lodovico will sing the role of Hansel.
The composer Englebert Humperdinck probably never foresaw that, decades after his death, a struggling English lounge singer named Arnold George Dorsey would energize his career by changing his name to Englebert Humperdinck. As “Humperdinck”, Dorsey broke through with his 1967 hit “Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)", which sold more than a million copies.
Pittsburgh legend Marianne Cornetti has sung the role of the Witch numerous times to great acclaim. However, this will be the first time she is singing the role in English instead of German.
Hansel & Gretel, an opera about a brother and sister, was written by a brother and sister duo.

Stimulating Events at the Westmoreland County Historical Society

Program:  Westmoreland County Historical Society Annual Meeting and The Spanish Lady Visits Westmoreland County: The 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Presenter: Thomas Soltis, Ph.D.

 Location: The Westmoreland County Historical Society, Calvin E. Pollins Library

 Date: October 23, 2018

 Time: Annual Meeting – 6:30 p.m. and Program - 7:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

 Reservations: Recommended, 724-532-1935 x 210

Westmoreland County did not escape the ravages of the ‘Spanish Influenza’ epidemic.  Dr. Thomas Soltis will present The Spanish Lady Visits Westmoreland County: The 1918 Influenza Pandemic, one of several talks that have been presented commemorating the 100th anniversary of this devastating event.

 As the Great War in Europe ended on November 11, 1918, another deadly enemy still threatened.  The ‘Spanish Lady’ made her presence known in this region that fall.  Although the historic record is filled with accounts of influenza epidemics, this outbreak struck with an unprecedented virulence. In America’s Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918, historian Alfred W. Crosby states, “It killed more humans than any other disease in a period of similar duration in the history of the world.”

 Thomas Soltis, Ph. D. is an assistant professor of Sociology at the Westmoreland County Community College.  He leads a group that is gathering family stories about the pandemic’s affect in Westmoreland County.  Dr. Soltis may be contacted at soltis@westmoreland.edu   Articles by Dr. Soltis  about the Spanish Influenza have been published in Westmoreland History, a publication of the Westmoreland County Historical Society.

 The Westmoreland County Historical Society will hold a brief annual business meeting prior to the program.  The public is welcome to attend.

 Programs: Fall Tea and Three Centuries of Stimulating Beverages in America –Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate

Location: Historic Hanna’s Town

 Address:  809 Forbes Trail Road, Greensburg, PA 15601

 Dates:  Fall Tea Saturday, November 10, 2018

                Three Centuries of Stimulating Beverages in America, Saturday, November 17, 2018

 Time:   11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

 Program fee: Members - $20/person, Non-members - $25/person

 Reservation: Required, 724-532-1935 ext. 210

 Escape the inevitable hustle and bustle that comes with preparing for the holiday season by indulging with a friend or two in the ambiance of Historic Hanna’s Town.  Sample delicious fare and learn about the popularity and social role tea, coffee, and chocolate played in early America.

 The annual Fall Tea will be served in the Klingensmith House on Saturday, November 10th.   The traditional ‘full tea’ includes savories, scones, sweets, and pastries, and of course, tea.

 Three Centuries of Stimulating Beverages in America –Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate will be presented on Saturday, November 17th.  These “stimulating beverages” were considered conducive to clear thinking while beer, wine, and liquor “muddled” the brain.  Guests will meet in the Klingensmith House to learn about the social and economic history of these tasty and invigorating beverages in early America.  Guests will sample hot beverages and enjoy a hearty variety of finger foods and desserts that are paired to bring out the unique flavors of each.

Hot, ‘stimulating’ beverages like tea, coffee and chocolate were first introduced to Europeans in the early 1600s.  These drinks were exotic and prohibitively expensive for everyone but the elite.     It was primarily the aristocracy who could afford the ingredients, refined sugar, special equipment, as well as the leisure time needed to enjoy these beverages. By the 18th century these hot drinks were enjoyed by the broad spectrum of society.  In America, the popularity of coffee and chocolate increased during the Revolutionary War when many boycotted English products like tea. Today, Americans still love their tea, coffee, and chocolate beverages.

 The Hanna’s Town Shop will be open from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.  Many regularly stocked items will be on sale and special stocking stuffers and holiday gifts will be available.  Visit our web site at www.westmorelandhistory.org and follow our activities on the Westmoreland County Historical Society Facebook page, and on Twitter @WCHistory. 

Please visit www.westmorelandhistory.org and follow our activities on the Westmoreland County Historical Society Facebook page, and on Twitter @WCHistory.  Call for information about Historic Hanna’s Town and the Westmoreland County Historical Society at 724-532-1935.

Old Fashioned Radio Play - Part of Pittsburgh's International Festival of Firsts

October 25-27, 2018                                       GET TICKETS
937 Liberty
Get Tickets
World Premiere - part of the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts

Fictional worlds collide when larger-than-life stories of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Karate Man Patrick Kim are told in old-fashioned radio play style by leaders in adventurous theater--Pittsburgh's own Bricolage Production Company and Tel-Aviv's Hanut31. The two-act limited-run engagement features Foley sound effects, vintage spoofs, and vocal acrobatics with YOU in the "live" studio audience.

In one act, Hanut31 tells the immortal story of secret agent Patrick Kim and his thrilling adventures. Patrick Kim was the fictional secret-agent star of more than 300 books, published by eight different writers, in Israel from 1960s through the 1980s. The pulp fiction work, Inspired by James Bond and Bros Li films, combines Cold War drama, Karate fighting, and sex. 

In another act, Bricolage Production Company reanimates Mary Shelley's masterpiece, Frankenstein, like you've never seen or heard it before, 200 years after it was first brought to life. Go back in time as the company spins the horrific tale of a tenacious young scientist hell-bent on recreating human life—a creature born so hideous, he was forsaken by his maker and shunned by society.


To Purchase Tickets:
Online at TrustArts.org
Call 412-456-6666
Box Office at Theater Square
Groups 10+ Call 412-471-6930

RSVP Deadline - October 12

RSVP by TOMORROW
Friday, October 12th
for the first Festival Fans event of the 2018-2019 Pittsburgh Festival Opera Season!

PIMMS AND PREVIEWS
October 19, Longue Vue Club
Be among the first to hear what Pittsburgh Festival Opera has in store for its 2019 Season as we gather around the fire at the Shooting Lodge at Longue Vue Club, for an evening of Pimms Cups and beautiful music.
MORE INFORMATION HERE

AND...
Don't forget to put these upcoming Festival Fans events on your calendar:

SALON SERIES - November 16
An intimate evening of songs and arias, hosted at the home of one of our Festival Fan members.

MERRY MADRIGALS AT THE MANSIONS
December 20, The Mansions on Fifth
Pittsburgh Festival Opera's annual Holiday Celebration is open to all, and will include special perks for Festival Fans. Save the Date!

More to come in the new year for Festival Fans!
If you've been a member of the Pittsburgh Festival Opera Fans club, it's time to renew your annual membership. If you've never been a member, now is a great time to join!
Festival Fans enjoy special, exclusive events all throughout the year - for a membership fee of only $40! 
JOIN OR RENEW TODAY