Nazareth College Music Department & Rochester Lyric Opera welcome composer John Musto for five-day residency

ROCHESTER, NY (03/23/2016)(readMedia)-- The Nazareth College Music Department and Rochester Lyric Opera (RLO) will welcome composer and pianist John Musto to Rochester April 19–23, 2016 for a five-day residency. Community events surrounding Musto's residency will include a Vocal Master Class and Composer's Forum, culminating in a live production of Musto's comic opera, Bastianello, featuring Nazareth and RLO artists.

Musto will work with Nazareth students and alumnae in the Vocal Master Class and Composers Forum, both of which are free and open to the public at Nazareth College. The opera performance is a ticketed event at RLO's Lyric Theatre. Musto will also work privately with Nazareth voice students.

JOHN MUSTO

Composer/pianist John Musto is considered one of the most versatile musicians alive, with works and performances encompassing nearly all genres: orchestral and operatic, solo, chamber and vocal, concerti, and music for film and television, with inspirations including jazz, ragtime and blues. Musto's vocal music ranges from a series of operas - Volpone, Later the Same Evening, Bastianello, and The Inspector - to a catalogue of art songs.

Musto was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his orchestral song cycle Dove Sta Amore, and is a recipient of two Emmy awards, two CINE Awards, a Rockefeller Fellowship at Bellagio, an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award, and a Distinguished Alumnus award from the Manhattan School of Music. He is currently on the faculty of the Graduate Center at CUNY.

COMMUNITY AND MEDIA EVENTS

The Nazareth College Music Department/Rochester Lyric Opera residency with John Musto will include the following events, many of which are open to the public:

• Vocal Master Class with John Musto featuring his vocal works: Tuesday, April 19, 4–6 p.m., Nazareth College's Wilmot Recital Hall, free and open to the public; performers include current Nazareth voice students and alumni.
• Rehearsals for the opera Bastianello: Wednesday, April 20, Rochester Lyric Opera's Lyric Theatre; rehearsals are closed to the public however media access may be arranged.
  • Opera Rehearsal, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
  • Sitzprobe Opera Rehearsal, 4–5:30 p.m.
  • Wandelprobe/Tech, 7–10 p.m.
• Composer's Forum: Thursday, April 21, 4–6 p.m., room A72, Nazareth College Arts Center, free and open to the public.
• Dress rehearsal for the opera Bastianello: Thursday, April 21, 7–10 p.m., Rochester Lyric Opera's Lyric Theatre; rehearsals are closed to the public however media access may be arranged.
• Performance of the opera Bastianello (John Musto, composer; Mark Campbell, librettist): Saturday, April 23, 7:30 p.m., Rochester Lyric Opera's Lyric Theatre; Tickets: $20 general admission, $15 seniors, $5 student rush; Tickets available at the Rochester Lyric Opera Box Office, 585-738-5995 or rochesterlyricopera.org.

BASTIANELLO OPERA

Sung in English, Musto's comic opera, Bastianello, was composed in collaboration with librettist Mark Campbell for five singers and a chamber orchestra. Set in the 1700s, Bastianello tells the story of the beautiful but moody Amadora who, on her wedding day, goes to the wine cellar to bring up more wine for her celebration. Once she opens the cask, her joy turns to despair as she realizes she will never again be as happy as at that moment. Her father and mother-in-law soon join Amadora in weeping at life's cruelty. When her new husband, Luciano, finds his entire family in tears next to a now-empty cask of wine, he explodes in rage and deserts his new wife on their wedding night, only to return after finding six people as foolish as his family.

The Bastianello artistic team, cast, and production team consist of RLO and Nazareth College-affiliated artists: Susan Cotroneo (Eustacia), Amy Cochrane (Ortensia), Katie Hannigan (Amadora), Kimberly Upcraft (Ettalina), Jessica Best (Stelladora), Matthew Valverde (Bastianello the Younger), Robert Zimmerman (Lambent), Mario Martinez (Bastianello the Elder), Keith Brown (Ippolito/Frediano/Lino), Zachary James (Luciano), JJ Hudson (stage director), Gabrielle LeBare (assistant stage manager), and David Hult (concert master). Jared Chase will conduct the performance of Bastianello.

THE NAZARETH COLLEGE MUSIC DEPARTMENT

The Nazareth College Music Department integrates intensive studies in music (musicianship and performance), with professional programs and the liberal arts, for a truly unique experience that prepares students for careers in music and equips them with the skills to share the art of music in a variety of capacities.

Each degree program is designed to prepare students not only for careers within the various degree areas, but also for exciting endeavors that will perpetuate and sustain the art of music in local and global communities.

The department is a vibrant community of musicians focused on the art of music, the professional domains of knowledge within the musical career areas, and the relationship of these areas to the liberal arts. For more information, visit: www.naz.edu/music.

NAZARETH COLLEGE

Nazareth College's academic strengths cross an unusually broad spectrum of 60 majors, including education, health and human services, management, the fine arts, music, theater, math and science, foreign languages, and the liberal arts. The coeducational, religiously independent, classic campus in a charming suburb of Rochester, N.Y. challenges and supports 2,000 undergrads and 800 graduate students. Nazareth is recognized nationally for its Fulbright global student scholars and commitment to civic engagement. Rigorous programs, an uncommon core, experiential learning, career skills, and a global focus prepare graduates for not just one job, but for their life's work. For more information, visit naz.edu.

THE ROCHESTER LYRIC OPERA

The Rochester Lyric Opera is Western New York's only professional opera company. RLO offers performances of world-class, professional opera, but remains rooted in and dedicated to the community it calls home-a community with an extraordinary legacy of music performance and education.

Rochester Lyric Opera is proud to:

• Offer fully staged opera and operetta in concert, with performances by nationally and internationally acclaimed vocalists in traditional and non-traditional settings.
• Support and offer performance outlets for challenging, dynamic new works by regional composers.
• Encourage the development of emerging vocal talent at the local level, with educational and performance opportunities for youth and amateur adults.
• Strive to reach new audiences and promote the continued relevancy of opera by providing a social, festive and inviting performance environment.
• Partner with other regional arts organizations to contribute to the quality of life in our community.

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