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Live from Lincoln Center presents
New York City Opera's Madama Butterfly
Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. on PBS*
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Live From Lincoln Center presents a live telecast of New York City Opera's production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly from the New York State Theater, airing Thursday, March 20 at 8:00 p.m.* on PBS. One of the most beloved operas of all time, Madama Butterfly premiered at the turn of the century, and its tragic tale of a disastrous clash of cultures still resonates with audiences today. New York City Opera's beautifully austere production directed by Mark Lamos stars Shu-Ying Li as Cio-Cio-San, and James Valenti as the dashing B.F. Pinkerton. New York City Opera Music Director George Manahan will conduct. Sets are by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Constance Hoffman and the stage lighting is by Robert Wierzel.
This contemporary production of Madama Butterfly premiered at New York City Opera in 1998, and is marked by scenically abstract elements such as a dominant staircase running across the stage, and panels that open and shut like traditional Japanese paper walls. The lighting blends the set and sky, creating a dramatic effect that departs from more traditional realist productions of this time-honored opera. The intimacy of the production highlights Puccini's lush score, which will be familiar to many.
Since its founding in 1943, New York City Opera has been recognized as one of America's preeminent cultural institutions, celebrated for its adventurous programming and innovative, risk-taking production style. The company's wide-ranging repertory spans five centuries of music and includes 29 world premieres and 61 American and/or New York premieres. The company is a leading showcase for young artists, having helped launch the careers of more than 3,000 singers including those of José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming and Beverly Sills. In 1983, the company made operatic history when it became the first American opera company to use supertitles in its productions, an innovation that has revolutionized the way opera is produced and appreciated in this country.
Live From Lincoln Center is currently in its 32nd broadcast season. The series has received 12 Emmy Awards and was honored with two 2006 nominations for its broadcasts of "Jazz at Lincoln Center-Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert" and "A Lincoln Center Special: 30 Years of Live From Lincoln Center." Produced by John Goberman, the series has brought the world's greatest artists on Lincoln Center's renowned stages to home viewers in virtually every corner of the United States. It continues to be the only series of live telecast performances on American television today.
Live From Lincoln Center is made possible by a major grant from MetLife.
* Check local listings
New York City Opera's mission is to produce innovative and theatrically compelling opera of the highest quality, to nurture the work of American artists and young singers, and to build new audiences through affordable ticket prices and extensive outreach and education programs. The company's repertory of 269 works spans five centuries of music and includes 29 world premieres and 61 American and/or New York premieres of such notable works as Béla Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle, Alban Berg's Wozzeck, Ferruccio Busoni's Doktor Faust, and Arnold Schoenberg's Moses und Aron. Eight years ago, the company began its annual presentation of VOX: Showcasing American Composers, a festival that gives composers unprecedented opportunities to share their works in progress in free open readings performed by City Opera soloists and the New York City Opera Orchestra. During the 2007-2008 season, City Opera will reach an audience of more than 250,000 with 112 performances of 13 operas that will feature the debuts of more than 50 young artists. Highlights include the New York premiere of Richard Danielpour's Margaret Garner, a 50th anniversary production of Samuel Barber's Vanessa, and a co-production with the Mark Morris Dance Group of Henry Purcell's rarely-staged King Arthur. The season featured the company's third annual Opera-For-All Festival, a popular series of education-enhanced performances that are helping to win new audiences for the art form.
Soprano Shu-Ying Li made her New York City Opera debut singing Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly in 2005, and she has sung the role with the company on tour in Japan, as well as with Portland Opera, Connecticut Opera, Austin Opera, Hawaii Opera, Columbus Opera and Hong Kong. She also created the title role in the world premiere of Bun-Ching Lam's Wenji in New York's American Asian Society and the Hong Kong International Arts Festival, as well as the Princess in Tan Dun's Tea at the Lyon Opera House, France and the New Zealand International Art Festival. Abroad she has sung at the Budapest Opera House, Shanghai Concert Hall and in Italy and Spain. Future engagements include Manon in Manon Lescaut with Hawaii Opera in 2009. Ms. Li was born in Shandong, China.
Tenor James Valenti made his debut with the New York City Opera as Rodolfo in James Robinson's La Bohème in 2006. Recent highlights of Mr. Valenti's career include his San Francisco Opera debut as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Alfredo in a new La Traviata at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, as well as in a new production of the opera at the Salzburg Festival with Anna Netrebko, Thomas Hampson and the Vienna Philharmonic. Mr. Valenti was a winner in the 2002 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and he made his professional debut in the summer of 2003 at the age of 25 as Rodolfo in La Bohème directed by Franco Zeffirelli at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. He was recently awarded the Betty Allen Prize from New York City Opera which recognizes exceptional singers for their artistic excellence and ongoing commitment to City Opera. In July 2004 he was featured in Opera News magazine in Sound Bites as one of the most exciting emerging artists. Future engagements include La Traviata at the Deutsche Oper Berlin with Angela Gheorghiu and his debut at The Royal Opera Covent Garden; La Bohème for his debut at La Scala, as well as at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, with Florida Grand Opera and Dallas Opera; and L'elisir d'amore at the Hamburgisch Staatsoper. In 2008 he will sing Romeo in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette in a new production with The Minnesota Opera, and Des Grieux in Massenet's Manon.
Director Mark Lamos made his New York City Opera debut with The Turn of the Screw in 1996. A native of Chicago, highlights of Lamos' career include: Haroun and the Sea of Stories (world premiere), Madama Butterfly and Tosca at City Opera; Central Park (Emmy nomination for Great Performances telecast), Paul Bunyan (Live from Lincoln Center telecasts), L'étoile, and Acis and Galatea at City Opera and Glimmerglass; The Great Gatsby (world premiere), Wozzeck, and I lombardi ("Great Performances" telecast) at Metropolitan Opera; Our Country's Good (Tony® nomination), The Deep Blue Sea on Broadway; The Rivals, Big Bill, Measure for Measure (Lortel Award), Seascape at Lincoln Center Theater; As You Like It at The Public Theater; The Merchant and the Pauper (world premiere) at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Rigoletto and La bohème at San Francisco Opera; Il re pastore for Glimmerglass and Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival; and Hartford Stage Artistic Director, 1980-1997 (Tony Award).
Music Director of the New York City Opera, George Manahan is currently in his tenth season with the company. Mr. Manahan is especially well known for his leadership of diverse productions by composers and has conducted during three Live from Lincoln Center opera telecasts with NYCO: La Bohème, Lizzie Borden, and Tosca.... This season at New York City Opera, he conducts performances of the new opera Margaret Garner, Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci, Cendrillon, Falstaff, and Tosca. Mr. Manahan has been a frequent guest conductor with the Seattle Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, and Santa Fe Opera companies, and was principal conductor with the Minnesota Opera from 1988 to 1996. His other opera appearances include Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opéra National de Paris and the Teatro de Comunale de Bologna, among others. Mr. Manahan has served as Music Director of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra (Virginia), acting Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra from 1982 to 1985 and has guest-conducted the Atlanta Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and the National Symphony, among other orchestras. His recordings include Edward Thomas "Desire Under the Elms" with the London Symphony, which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2003, Steve Reich's Tehillim, on the EMI-Warner Brothers label, and two albums of 20th century concertos for clarinet featuring Richard Stolzmann.
John Goberman, executive producer, launched Live From Lincoln Center 31 years ago, when he developed the video and audio techniques and technology by which concerts, opera, ballets, and plays can be telecast during live performances without disruption of performances and audiences. He has received 12 Emmy Awards, including the 2005 Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Program, three Peabody Awards, six Sigma Alpha Iota Awards, and the first Television Critics Circle Award for Achievement in Music. Mr. Goberman has been nominated for an Emmy more than 50 times. His producing credits include the film Distant Harmony, Pavarotti In China, films for museums across the country, and numerous opera, ballet, and concert telecasts from major performing arts institutions both here and abroad.
Live From Lincoln Center is made possible by a major grant from MetLife.
In addition to underwriting from MetLife, the series is also made possible with generous support from Thomas H. Lee and Ann Tenenbaum, the Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust, The Robert and Renée Belfer Family Foundation, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc., The Irene Diamond Fund, Julien Studley, The Julien J. Studley Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Movado is an Official Sponsor of Lincoln Center, Inc.
WNBC/WNJU are Official Broadcast Partners of Lincoln Center, Inc.
MetLife is the National Sponsor of Lincoln Center, Inc.
Live From Lincoln Center is a presentation of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. (LCPA). LCPA serves three primary roles: presenter of superb artistic programming, national leader in arts and education, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. As a presenter of more than 400 events annually, LCPA's programs include American Songbook, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, the Mostly Mozart Festival, and Live From Lincoln In addition, LCPA is leading a series of major capital projects on behalf of the resident organizations across the campus.
For more information about Live From Lincoln Center, visit Lincoln Center's website at LincolnCenter.org.
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