University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Presents ALBERT HERRING

Photos By: Mark Lyons

  

Brendan Tuohy as Albert and Elizabeth Pojanowki as Nancy

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is proud to present the comic opera Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten, the next production in CCM's 2005-06 Mainstage Series. Led by guest director Nicholas Muni and conducted by CCM faculty member Mark Gibson, performances take place Thursday, February 9 through Sunday, February 12, 2006 in CCM's Patricia Corbett Theater on the University of Cincinnati campus.
 
Albert Herring offers a humorous spin on one of Britten's frequent themes: a social outsider who is misunderstood--and mistreated--by the community around him.
 
When the townspeople of Loxford fail to find a woman virtuous enough to be May Queen for their annual festival, they instead elect a King: the straight-laced and innocent Albert Herring (Brendan Tuohy and Randall Umstead, in alternating performances). Instead of upholding the town's virtues, Albert breaks from his reputation of righteousness and embarks on an adventure he describes as "a wild explosion," momentarily escaping his life of docility and compliance. This opera brings together a colorful cast whose rapid dialogue sketches an allegory of personal discovery.
 
With a reputation for directing bold and adventurous productions, Muni brings his unique vision to Albert Herring, updating the story from its original time frame (the turn of the 20th century) to the post-WWII era. For CCM, he last directed The Crucible in 2002.
 
"Having worked at CCM on numerous occasions, I am continually and increasingly impressed with the quality of this institution, the talent of the students, the excellence of the faculty and the superior facilities," said Muni. "It is beyond question that it is one of the very best schools in the country."
 
Albert Herring is the last CCM production for scenic designer Paul Shortt, who leaves his position as a full-time faculty member this year. An award-winning designer who has been an integral part of CCM's Theater Design and Production program since 1969, Shortt's legacy comprises over 120 opera, musical theater and drama productions.
 
Ticket and Parking Information
Tickets are $10-27. To order or for additional information, please call (513) 556-4183 or visit www.ccm.uc.edu. Parking is available in the CCM Garage (at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the University of Cincinnati campus.

Please see below for additional ticket information and a complete performance schedule.

Albert Herring Pre-Show Dinner and Discussion - Saturday, February 11 at 6 p.m.
On Saturday, February 11, join CCM and UC's MainStreet for a gourmet, three-course meal at Mick & Mack's Contemporary Cafe. Nicholas Muni and Paul Shortt lead a lively discussion on Albert Herring and composer Benjamin Britten. Admission of $25 includes choice of salad, entree and dessert. Also, make reservations to dine at Mick & Mack's Saturday night before the performance. For reservations for the dinner and discussion Friday night or dinner (no discussion) Saturday, call (513) 556-4553.

About the Albert Herring Creative Team

Mark Gibson Conductor
Mark Gibson is the director of orchestral studies for CCM. He serves as music director of the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra, one of the world's leading conservatory orchestras, and heads CCM's program in orchestral conducting. For the past four years, he served as co-artistic director and conductor of the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca in Italy. He has been invited as guest professor of conducting at the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing; the Hochschule fŸr Musik und Theater, Munich; and the Indiana University School of Music; and as visiting professor of conducting and ensembles at the Eastman School of Music. His work in the opera house includes productions with companies in New York, Dallas and Cleveland, and at the Minnesota Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, New Orleans Opera and Opera Pacific. He has been a frequent guest at renowned summer festivals in Chautauqua and Spoleto USA. Prior to joining the faculty of CCM, he was principal conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, a regular guest conductor with the New York City Opera and resident conductor of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona. In December 2005 he debuted with the Qingdao Symphony in China and he will lead productions of Carmen at Indiana University in April and Madama Butterfly at the Seoul Opera House in South Korea in May.
 
Nicholas Muni Director
Nicholas Muni has directed nearly 200 productions with some of the finest opera companies in North America, Europe and Australia. Among his numerous world premieres are Jackie O, based on the life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, with the Houston Grand Opera and Banff Center for the Arts (Alberta, Canada); From the Towers of the Moon by Robert Moran; and Frankenstein, the Modern Prometheus by Libby Larsen. Other recent directing projects include: Tosca at Theater Erfurt, the world premiere of a new version of Show Boat at Stadttheater Bern, Macbeth at Canadian Opera Company, the world premiere of La Conquista by Lorenzo Ferrero at the Prague National Opera, and Street Scene with the International Kurt Weill Festival Dessau. From 1996-2004 he served as artistic director of Cincinnati Opera, where he directed the North American Premiere of The Maids by Peter Bengtson, Jenufa, Don Giovanni, The Turn of the Screw, Salome, Pelleas et Melisande, Nabucco, Elektra, La Voix humaine, The Seven Deadly Sins, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Norma and the World Stage Premiere of Medusa by William Bolcom. From 1988-1993, he served as artistic director of Tulsa Opera, where he produced and directed two American premieres: Verdi's Le Trouvere (the French version of Il Trovatore) and Rossini's Armida, both of which were broadcast on National Public Radio's "World of Opera" series. Muni is internationally recognized for his "reputation as one of America's really adventurous producers" (Opera Magazine) and was recently profiled in Opera News, Opera Now, London's Opera Magazine and Cincinnati Magazine. He also received the prestigious 2003 Post-Corbett Award as individual artist of the year.
 
Paul Shortt Scenic Designer
Paul Shortt has been designing and teaching at CCM since 1969 and has designed over 120 operas, musicals and dramas, including Nick Mangano's Candide, Aubrey Berg's The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Boys From Syracuse and Into the Woods, Richard E. Hess's Six Degrees of Separation, Malcolm Fraser's The Love for Three Oranges, Seasons in Hell and The Magic Flute, Jonathan Eaton's The Cunning Little Vixen, Worth Gardner's The Wizard of Oz, Cabaret and The NOT Mikado and Italo Tajo's The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro with Kathleen Battle. Many of these productions have won USITT set design and National Opera Association production awards. He has designed 35 productions for the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, including Proof, A Little Night Music, Wit, Equus, K-2, Treasure Island and last season's Retreat from Moscow. Recent seasons at Cincinnati Opera featured his Falstaff and La Traviata designs from the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Shortt's The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein appeared last spring at the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and his L'Italiana in Algeri for their 2000 season was televised live on PBS. At New York City Opera, his 1992 production of Carmen continues regularly in repertory. Shortt recently received a Cincinnati Entertainment Lifetime Achievement Award for stage design. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and University of Michigan. After 37 years at CCM, Albert Herring is Shortt's final CCM production as a full-time faculty member.
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University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
MAINSTAGE OPERA SERIES

ALBERT HERRING
By Benjamin Britten
 
Mark Gibson, conductor
Nicholas Muni, guest director
Paul Shortt, scenic designer
 
This comic opera set in the 1940s satirizes English society and its genteel manners with a fable about a young man who is lauded for his virtues but secretly longs for rebellion. Breaking from his reputation of righteousness, Albert embarks on an adventure he describes as "a wild explosion," momentarily escaping his life of docility and compliance. This opera brings together a colorful cast whose rapid dialogue sketches an allegory of personal discovery.
 
Performance Dates: February 9-12, 2006
* Feb. 9 & 10 (Thurs. & Fri.): 8 p.m.
* Feb. 11 (Sat.): 2:30 & 8 p.m.
* Feb. 12 (Sun.): 2:30 p.m.

Location:
Patricia Corbett Theater, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
 
Tickets:
* $27 for Friday & Saturday evening performances
* $25 for Thursday evening and Sunday matinee
* $17 student tickets for Friday & Saturday evening performances
* $15 student tickets for Thursday evening and Sunday matinee
* $10 student rush tickets, Saturday matinee ONLY, 30 minutes prior to curtain

For tickets, call the CCM Box Office at (513) 556-4183 or visit www.ccm.uc.edu.

Pre-Show Dinner and Discussion - Saturday, February 11, 2006, 6 p.m.
Join director Nicholas Muni and scenic designer Paul Shortt for behind-the-scenes perspective on Albert Herring. Price is $25 per person (excluding Albert Herring ticket), includes your choice of salad, entrŽe and dessert. Cash bar. Call (513) 556-4553 for reservations.

Mainstage Season Sponsor: Time Warner Cable
Season Design Sponsor: Federated Department Stores, Inc.