Opera Orchestra of New York explained

The Opera Orchestra of New York (also known as OONY) specializes in the performance of opera in concert form. It is particularly known for its work in presenting rarely performed repertory. Among the numerous American premieres it has presented are Puccini's Edgar, Boito's Nerone, and Smetana's Libuše.

History

Founded in 1971^[1] by Eve Queler, who remains its conductor and music director, the orchestra presented its first season in 1972 with two operas – Rossini's William Tell and Meyerbeer's L'africaine – performed at New York's Carnegie Hall. Since then it has gone on to present more than ninety different operas there, with the season now consisting of three to four operas, which are also broadcast on National Public Radio. In the past, tickets came with a complete libretto of the opera being performed. However, the 2007/2008 season introduced surtitles for the first time.

Financial difficulties in early 2007 threatened to close the company or severely curtail its 2007/2008 season to one opera. However, these were overcome, and the 2007/2008 season of three operas opened as planned on 13 December 2007 with Verdi's I due Foscari.^[2] An additional Gala concert celebrating Eve Queler's 100th performance conducting the orchestra at Carnegie Hall was presented in March 2008. In 2011, The New York Times reported that the orchestra under new musical director Alberto Veronesi had returned to financial stability.^[3]

Many prominent opera singers have performed with the orchestra including Plácido Domingo, Nicolai Gedda, Gabriela Beňačková, Montserrat Caballé, Carlo Bergonzi, Renata Scotto, Alfredo Kraus, José Carreras, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Bryan Hymel, Angela Meade, Jennifer Larmore, Samuel Ramey, James Morris, Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Jonas Kaufmann, Mignon Dunn, Grace Bumbry and Ghena Dimitrova, many of them in the very early stages of their careers. (José Carreras made his OONY debut in 1972 on his twenty-fourth birthday.)

In 1978, the Opera Orchestra of New York instituted a Young Artists Program to train and showcase young singers. Participants sing small roles in the Carnegie Hall performances and understudy the principal ones. Notable past participants in the program include Renée Fleming, Vivica Genaux and Deborah Voigt.

Performance

2000s

2016

May: Donizetti – Parisina d'Este: Meade, Blake, Vemic, Wang

2014

June: Donizetti -Roberto Devereux: Devia, Costello, Chauvet, Kapusta

2012–2013

Jan: Giordano – Andrea Chénier: Alagna, Petean, Pershall, Feinstein, Lamanda
Apr: Verdi – I Lombardi: Fabiano, Meade, Short, Baetge, Cedel, Baldwin, et al.

2011–2012

Nov: Cilèa – Adriana Lecouvreur: Gheorghiu, Kaufmann, Maestri, Rachvelishvili
Jan: Wagner – Rienzi: Storey, Matos, Chauvet, DeVine, Cedel, et al.

2010–2011

Oct: Mascagni – Cavalleria rusticana: Alagna, Guleghina, Dunn, Almaguer, Swann
Oct: Massenet – La Navarraise: Alagna, Garanca, Abdrazakov, Savage, Kontes, McGee
Mar: Meyerbeer – L'Africaine: Giordani, Taigi, Dehn, Mvinjelwa

2008–2009

Oct: Rimsky-Korsakov – The Tsar's Bride: Borodina, Makarina, Markov, Manucharyan, Stamboglis, Easterlin, Nance, Miller, Stepanov, Sullivan, McGee

2007–2008

Dec: Verdi – I due Foscari: DiGiacomo, Gavanelli, Grooms, Machado, Lagundino, Lugo, Orsalak
Feb: Bellini – La Sonnambula: Gutié;rrez, Korchak, Furlanetto, Caballero, Garcia, Kontes, Grooms
April: Puccini – Edgar: Giordani, Larmore, Moore, Gaertner, Guagliardo

2006–2007

Nov: Donizetti – Dom Sébastien: Kasarova, Korchak, Powell, Gaertner, Williams
Jan: Rossini- Otello: Donose, Ford, Tarver, McPherson
Feb: Cilèa – L'Arlesiana: Cornetti, Filianoti, Moore, Risinger, Lee

2005–2006

Nov: Rossini – William Tell: Blasi, Giordani, Chingari
Feb: Delibes – Lakmé: Gutiérrez, Manucharyan, Morris
May: Montemezzi – L'Amore Dei Tre Re: Bravo, Casanova, Ramey

2004–2005

Nov: Puccini – La Fanciulla del West: Millo, Tanner, Chingari
April: Thomas – Mignon: Gutiérrez, Blythe, Aldrich, Giordano, Relyea
June: Weber – Der Freischütz: Margiono, Moon, Studebaker, Kowaljow

2003–2004

Dec: Donizetti – Anna Bolena: Stoyanova, Larmore, Aldrich, Manucharyan, Morris
Mar: Verdi – Il Corsaro: Dragoni, Potenza, Casanova, Liao
April: Ponchielli – La Gioconda: Millo, Kitic, Nadler, Giordani, Golesorkhi, Faria

2002–2003

Oct: Bizet – Les Pêcheurs de Perles: Takova, Shtoda, Chaignaud, Faria
April: Verdi – Attila: Flanigan, Casanova, Liao, Ramey
May: Rossini – La donna del lago: Swenson, Blythe, Fowler, Zeffiri, Youngblood

2001–2002

Nov: Verdi – La Battaglia di Legnano: Stoyanova, Wood, Casanova, Guelfi, Kowaljow
Mar: Cilèa – Adriana Lecouvreur: Millo, Ernest, Stewart, Zajick, Giordani, Laciura, Golesorkhi
April: Donizetti – Marino Faliero: Blancas, Bernhardt, Blake, Liao, Relyea

2000–2001

Mar: Donizetti – La Favorita: Larmore, Gilbert, Kunde, Hvorostovsky, Kowaljow
April: Meyerbeer – Les Huguenots: Stoyanova, Makarina, Zifchak, Giordani, Simpson, Faria
May: Donizetti – Maria Stuarda: Swenson, Flanigan, Matos, Kunde, Liao, Carfizzi

1990s

1999–2000

Oct: Bellini – I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Massis, Kasarova, Kunde, Carfizzi, Cokorinos
Nov: Donizetti – Adelia: Devia, Mok, Pyatnychko, Plishka
Feb: Donizetti – Lucrezia Borgia: Fleming, Blythe, Giordani, Peterson
May: Verdi – Otello: Esperian, Kitic, Bergonzi/Barasorda, Zhang, Gazale, Plishka

1998–1999

Mar: Verdi – I Masnadieri: Wolf, Nagore, Hvorostovsky, Plishka, Konstantinov
April: Halévy – La Juive: Papian, Makarina, Casanova, Viala, Plishka
May: Bellini – La Sonnambula: Swenson, Tapia, Wood, Kunde, Relyea

1997–1998

Nov: Rossini – Tancredi: O'Flynn, Kasarova, Poretsky, Wood, Breault, Boutros
Feb: Verdi – Jerusalem: Valayre, Ikaia-Purdy, Simpson
May: Donizetti – Poliuto: Rowland, Armiliato, Meoni, Alberghini

1996–1997

Jan: Rossini – La Cenerentola: Genaux, Makarina, Wood, Fowler, G. Quilico
Feb: Wagner – Tristan und Isolde: Connell, Lang, Siukola, Ryerson, Breault, Brainerd
April: Verdi – Ernani: Anderson, Margison, Guelfi, Plishka

1995–1996

Dec: Bellini- Norma: Eaglen, Ganassi, Furdui, di Renzi, Anisimov, Moore
April: Rossini – Armida: Fleming, Kunde, Fowler
May: Verdi – Giovanna d'Arco: Anderson, Grigorian, Moore, Guelfi, Owens

1994–1995

Feb: Massenet – Hérodiade: Fleming, Bumbry, Keyes, Del Campo
Mar: Rimsky-Korsakov – The Tsar's Bride: Focile, Borodina, Uhlenhopp, Leiferkus, Plishka
May: Bellini – I Puritani : Devia, Wood, Kunde, Guelfi, Peterson

1993–1994

Dec: Donizetti – Linda di Chamounix: Esposito, Poretsky, Sabbatini, Frontali, Heimann, Plishka
Feb: Bellini – I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Devia, Larmore, Gimenez, Spagnoli, Robbins
Mar: Donizetti – Caterina Cornaro: Rowland, d'Auria, Bruson, Colombara

1992–1993

Feb: Bellini – La Straniera: Fleming, Liang, Kunde, Laperriere
Apr: Donizetti – Anna Bolena: Vaness, Scalchi, Sonnenberg, de la Mora, Plishka
May: Tchaikovsky – Mazeppa: Anderson, Grunewald, Grigorian, Leiferkus, Plishka

1991–1992

Jan: Boieldieu – La Dame Blanche: Fleming, Uecker, Swensen, Charbonneau, Castel (Narrator)
Mar: Wagner – Rienzi: Pick-Hieronimi, Graham, Goldberg
Apr: Verdi – I Due Foscari: Rowland, Short, Villa, Chernov

1990–1991

Jan: Donizetti – Roberto Devereux: Rowland, Zambalis, de la Mora, Chernov
Feb: Bellini – La Sonnambula: Anderson, Keith, Gimenez, Plishka
Mar: Weber – Der Freischütz: Behrens, Giering, Heppner, Rahming, Sotin

1980s

1989–1990

Jan: Verdi – I Vespri Siciliani: S. Dunn, Brubaker/Glassman, Bruson, Plishka
Feb: Tchaikovsky – Maid of Orleans: Martin, Zajick, Kulko, Hynninen, Koptchak, Nikolsky
April: Catalani – La Wally: Millo, Kotoski, Johannsson, Manuguerra

1988–1989

Oct: Bellini – Beatrice di Tenda: Anderson, Zseller, Kiurkciev, Tumagian
Jan: Giordano – Fedora: Marton, Blackwell, Todisco, Serrano
Mar: Bellini – Il Pirata: Millo, Liang, Morino, Croft

1987–1988

Feb: Meyerbeer – Robert le Diable: Mims, Ginsberg, Merritt, Laciura, Ramey
Mar: Giordano – Andrea Chénier: Millo, Bean, Polozov, Laciura
Mar: Janáček – Jenufa: Benacková, Rysanek, Ochman, Kazaras

1986–1987

Jan: Verdi – La Battaglia di Legnano: Millo, Malagnini, Manuguerra, Hines
Feb: Wagner – Ring Cycle final scenes: Marton, Bean, Goldberg, McFarland, Roloff
May: Dvořák – Rusalka: Benacková, Kelm, Jenkins, Koptchak

1985–1986

Jan: Verdi – I Lombardi: Millo, Ginsberg, Bergonzi, Di Domenico, Plishka
Mar: Smetana – Libuše: Benacková, Roark-Strummer, Zitek, Plishka
May: Ponchielli – La Giaconda: Dimitrova, Milcheva, Curry, Lamberti, Cappuccilli, Plishka

1984–1985

Oct: Glinka – A Life for the Tsar: Markova, Wenkel, Merritt, Talvela
Nov: Rossini – William Tell: Evstatieva, Lopardo, Cappuccilli, Bonisolli
April: Lalo – Le Roi d'Ys: Hendricks, Ciurca, Raffalli, Vento

1983–1984

Nov: Strauss, R. – Die Liebe der Danae: Plowright, Blackwell, Ulfung, Kazaras, Roloff
Mar: Donizetti – Dom Sébastien: Takacs, Leech, Miller, Koptchak
May: Verdi – Nabucco: Dimitrova, Schuman, Pinto, Monk, Plishka

1982–1983

Oct: Donizetti – Il Duca d'Alba: Krilovici, Gonzalez, Manuguerra
Jan: Strauss, R. – Guntram: Tokody, Goldberg, Roloff, Wimberger
May: Berlioz – Benvenuto Cellini: Devia, Boozer, Gedda, Lafont, Vento

1981–1982

Oct: Verdi – I Due Foscari: Castro-Alberty, Bergonzi, Bruson, Albert
Feb: Wagner – Rienzi: Massey, Payer, Warner, Hamari, Albert, Johns, Poole, Behl
Mar: Wagner – Rienzi: Evans, Hamari, Johns
April: Boito – Nerone: Andrade, Takács, Cigoj, Elvira, Morris

1980–1981

Mar: Mussorgsky – Khovanshchina: Alexieva, Toczyska, Kazaras, Gulyas, Mroz, Monk, Plishka
April: Delibes – Lakmé: Devia, Spacagna, Gedda, Plishka
June: Mercadante – Il Giuramento: Zampieri, Martin, Baltsa, Gulyas, Edwards

1970s

1979–1980

Feb: Massenet – Hérodiade: Verdejo, Greevy, Estes, Pons, Plishka
Mar: Donizetti – Lucrezia Borgia: Ricciarelli, Gonzalez, Manuguerra
April: Wagner – Rienzi: Payer, Hamari, Sooter

1978–1979

Feb: Janáček – Kátya Kabanová: Benacková, Kniplová, Lewis, Evitts, Chudy
April: Verdi – Aroldo: Caballé, Cecchele, Pons
May: Bellini – I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Putnam, Troyanos, Tenzi, Robbins, Martinovich

1977–1978

Feb: Weber – Oberon: Jones, Hamari, Gedda, West
Mar: Rossini – Tancredi: Ricciarrelli, Balthrop, Horne, Paunova, Palacio, Zaccaria

1976–1977

Jan: Smetana – Dalibor: Sormova, Kubiak, Gedda, Monk, Plishka
April: Puccini – Edgar :Scotto, Killebrew, Bergonzi, Sardinero

1975–1976

Jan: Berlioz – Lélio: Scotto, Aler, Burchinal, Madden (Narrator)
Mar: Massenet – Le Cid: Bumbry, Bergquist, Domingo, Gardner, Voketaitis, Plishka
Mar: Donizetti – Gemma di Vergy: Caballé, Lima, Quilico, Plishka

1974–1975

Feb: Verdi – I Masnadieri: Trombin, Lewis, Manuguerra, Plishka
Feb: Donizetti – La Favorita: Hendricks, Verrett, Kraus, Elvira, Morris

1973–1974

Jan: Bizet: Les Pêcheurs de Perles: Eda-Pierre, Gedda, Bruson, West
Mar: Donizetti – Parisina d'este: Caballé, Pruett, Quilico, Morris

1972–1973

Dec: Verdi – I Lombardi: Scotto, Carreras, Marini, Plishka
Mar: Zandonai – Francesca da Rimini: Kabaivanska, Domingo, Manuguerra

1971–1972

Mar: Rossini – William Tell: Barlow, Toscano, Walker/Lo Monoco, Quilico, Morris
April: Meyerbeer – L'Africaine: Elgar, Stella, Tucker, Manuguerra

Recordings

Gaetano Donizetti: Gemma di Vergy (Montserrat Caballé (Gemma di Vergy), Paul Plishka (Guido), Luis Lima (Tamas), Louis Quilico (Count di Vergy), Natalya Chudy (Ida), Mark Munkittrick (Rolando), Schola Cantorum (Hugh Ross, Director); Opera Orchestra of New York; Conductor: Eve Queler). World premiere recording, recorded live at Carnegie Hall (March 14, 1976). CBS/Sony
Jules Massenet: Le Cid (Grace Bumbry (Chimene), Plácido Domingo (Rodrigo), Paul Plishka (Don Diego), Clinton Ingram (Don Arias), Theodre Hodges (Don Alonzo), Arnold Voketaitis (The Count de Gormas), Eleanor Bergquist (The Infanta), Jake Gardner (The King), Peter Lightfoot (The Moorish Envoy), John Adams (St. James), Byrne Camp Chorale (Bryne Camp, Director); Opera Orchestra of New York; Conductor: Eve Queler). World premiere recording, recorded live at Carnegie Hall (March 8, 1976). CBS/Sony
Giuseppe Verdi: Aroldo (Montserrat Caballé (Mina), Gianfranco Cecchele (Aroldo), Juan Pons (Egberto), Louis Lebherz (Briano), Vincenzo Manno (Godvino), Paul Ragers (Enrico), Marianna Busching (Elena), Oratorio Society of New York, Westchester Choral Society (Lyndon Woodside, Director); Opera Orchestra of New York; Conductor: Eve Queler). World premiere recording, recorded live at Carnegie Hall (April 1979). CBS/Sony

Notes and References

The Opera Orchestra of New York grew from a smaller project, the New York Opera Workshop, which Queler had started in 1967.
Matthew Westphal, Opera Orchestra of New York Launches Season with Verdi's I Due Foscari at Carnegie Hall, Playbill Arts, 13 December 2007.
News: Tommasini. Anthony. Anthony Tommasini. 2 Stars Spice Up Verismo Opera. 11 January 2022. The New York Times. Nov 9, 2011.