FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: John Whittlesey @ 617-899-4261 or jwopera@aol.com  

Intermezzo presents 7^th world premiere on unique double bill

Boston, MA - Intermezzo: The New England Chamber Opera Series brings its seventh commissioned opera to the stage with A Last Goodbye by noted MIT composer Charles Shadle, on an original libretto by Michael Ouellette, May 16-17, 8 pm at Mass College of Art and Design's Tower Auditorium, 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA.  A Last Goodbye will be paired with the Boston stage premiere of Erik Satie’s rarely performed Socrate.  

Serving as Composer in Residence for Intermezzo’s 2007-2008 seasons, Shadle notes that “A Last Goodbye serves as a bookend to our 2006 collaboration with Intermezzo, A Question of Love.  Though set in different time periods, both stories deal with the personal choices we make about our most intimate relationships and the internal forces that can pull us from them.”

The opera tells the story of Robert and Carrie, two former lovers during their days at Harvard.  Now some twenty years later, they meet again in the Brattle Street house Carrie has inherited on the passing of her favorite aunt.  Carrie has been married to Ned for many years, while Robert, a successful poet, is with Stephen, a young singer/composer.  The old chemistry and joy is rekindled, and when Robert asks Carrie to stay to try again, she must make a decision about her future. 

The 1-act work is scored for 4 singers, piano, violin, and cello. Featured in the cast are some of Boston’s best known singers, including mezzo Gale Fuller as Carrie, tenor Jason McStoots as Stephen, tenor Ray Bauwens as Ned, and baritone John Whittlesey as Robert.  James Busby serves as music director, with Andrew Ryker returning after successes with Curlew River and The Inman Diaries as stage director.  William A. Fregosi is the set/lighting designer.

Music historians and connoisseurs of French music may be familiar with Erik Satie’s musical treatment of the story of Socrates, but very few have ever seen Socrate.  Intermezzo brings this “Drame Symphonique”, as Satie termed it, to the stage for the first time in the Boston area. The production is designed by William A. Fregosi and staged by Brian Price, a former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet and choreographer, making his Intermezzo debut.  The three movement 30 minute piece will be performed in English, using the Virgil Thomson translation, with tenor Aaron Sheehan singing the role of Socrates, and mezzo Hillary Nicholson as Alcibiade and Phèdre, also making her Intermezzo debut.  James Busby will be the music director.  

Performances are May 16-17, 2008 at 8 pm at Mass College of Art and Design’s Tower Auditorium, 621 Huntington Avenue.  Tickets are $25-adults; $20-seniors; $15-students, available at the door or by calling 617-899-4261 for reservations. See www.intermezzo-opera.org for more information.  Parking is available on the street or at the MFA garage; green line T accessible via Longwood or MFA stops.

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About the company - Intermezzo: The New England Chamber Opera Series was born out of a vision to produce contemporary chamber operas and bring new and exciting works to the musical life of New England. Chamber opera merges the musical and dramatic flavor of grand opera with the immediacy of art song, performed on a smaller, more intimate scale. Intermezzo has commissioned seven chamber operas and produced over twenty in its six year history.  In 2006, their production of Britten’s Curlew River was named Best Staged Opera by the Boston Phoenix.  The Boston Globe has claimed “Intermezzo is an invaluable champion of new opera”.