UCLA's Opera Stage showcases the debut of Richard Danielpour's The Grand Hotel Tartarus at the Freud Playhouse
In an exciting development for the world of opera, Grammy Award-winning composer Richard Danielpour is set to present the world premiere of his new opera, 'The Grand Hotel Tartarus', at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.
'The Grand Hotel Tartarus' is a provocative, socially relevant, and darkly comic opera about six guests arriving at a mysterious hotel. The opera's libretto and music were penned by Danielpour, who is one of the most sought-after composers of his generation.
Each guest in the opera has committed seemingly grave and unpardonable sins, and they must make a choice about what to do and fundamentally about who they are. The artistic team for the production includes choreographer Nicola Bowie, professional singers, and new talent.
The collaboration for 'The Grand Hotel Tartarus' is between The Herb Alpert School of Music and the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. Unfortunately, specific cast information for the opera is not readily available, but it is known that Peter Kazaras, a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music at UCLA, was involved in the production as a director.
Peter Kazaras, who has directed opera productions at the Seattle Opera, Dallas Opera, Washington National Opera, Tanglewood Music Center, and Los Angeles Opera, will direct the opera.
Danielpour's list of commissions includes Yo-Yo Ma, Jessye Norman, Susan Graham, Dawn Upshaw, Emanuel Ax, Gil Shaham, Frederica von Stade, the Guarneri and Emerson String Quartets, and institutions such as the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and San Francisco Symphony.
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where the opera will be performed, was founded as a stand-alone school of music in 2008 with a naming gift of $30 million from Herb Alpert. The school offers students an interdisciplinary education that prizes music performance and scholarship while also emphasizing active engagement in the greater Los Angeles community.
Graduates and faculty members of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music are recipients of prestigious MacArthur fellowships, Grammy Awards, and Emmy Awards, and are leaders as composers, musicians, educators, scholars, and innovators in the music industry.
Admission to 'The Grand Hotel Tartarus' is free, making it an accessible and exciting opportunity for opera lovers and newcomers alike. Previews for the opera take place on May 17 and 19, with performances on May 21 and 23 at 8pm.
'The Grand Hotel Tartarus' is a testament to the innovative and engaging work being produced at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, which prepares students for twenty-first century music careers. Danielpour's music for the opera recalls Leonard Bernstein in its craft, and it is infectious, rhapsodic, and stays with you.
For detailed cast information, you may need to contact UCLA directly or check their official announcements. In related news, 'The Grand Hotel Tartarus' has been referenced in other opera contexts, such as a recent mention by Ashley Faatoalia, who congratulated colleagues involved in a different production of the opera. Additionally, Pacific Opera Project has been involved in work related to the opera, but specific cast details for the UCLA production are not available in the provided search results.
Danielpour has received two awards from the American Academy and Institutes of Arts & Letters, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, a Guggenheim Award, the Bearns Prize from Columbia University, two Rockefeller Foundation Fellowships, and The Berlin Prize from the American Academy in Berlin. His most recent album, 'Songs in Three Languages', featuring Soprano Hila Plitmann and the Iranshahr Orchestra led by Shahab Paranj, will be released in June on Naxos Records.
In this exciting opera development, 'The Grand Hotel Tartarus' is not only a powerful opera performance but also a chance for education and self-development, as it will be presented at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, a collaboration between The Herb Alpert School of Music and the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. This avant-garde opera offers online learning opportunities for opera enthusiasts, as it highlights music composition, choreography, and performance, all by some of the most distinguished artists in the profession.
