“Unresolved Desires,” an afternoon of Wagner - Oct 21. NY

What better way to spend a wet afternoon in NY at the end of October?

Analog Arts presents “Unresolved Desires,” an afternoon of iconic scenes from Richard Wagner's operas performed by emerging singers from the 2012 Wagner Intensive at Baldwin Wallace University

 Rising stars of the Wagnerian stage will join forces for a program of opera scenes on Sunday, October 21, at 3 PM. The afternoon's line-up will feature Jennifer D. Behnke, Christina Carr, Caleb Stokes and Jeremy Irland, performing beloved segments from Richard Wagner's Die Walküre, Parsifal, and Lohengrin under the baton of Wilson Southerland, and accompanied by pianist Mary Pinto. The four singers were participants in the 2012 Wagner Intensive at Baldwin Wallace University, where they studied with co-directors Jane Eaglen and Tim Mussard, as well as coach/conductors Eric Weimer and William Vendice.

Presented by Analog Arts, “Unresolved Desires” will take place at the Church of Christ and St. Stephen at 122 West 69th Street, New York, New York. Tickets can be purchased at BrownPaperTickets or at the door. Admission is $30.

Date: Oct 21, 2012 3:00 PM 

Location:  Christ and St. Stephen Church, New York, NY

Concert Program:

Part I
Die Walküre - Act 1 Scene 3 - Jennifer Behnke, Sieglinde and Caleb Stokes, Siegmund
Die Walküre - Act 2 Scene 1 - Christina Carr, Fricka and Jeremy Irland, Wotan
"Leb wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind" from Die Walküre - Jeremy Irland


Part II
"Dich, teure Halle" from Tannhäuser - Jennifer Behnke
Parsifal - Act 2 Scene 2 - Christina Carr, Kundry and Caleb Stokes, Parsifal
Lohengrin Act 2 Scene 2 - Jennifer Behnke, Elsa; Christina Carr, Ortrud and Jeremy Irland, Friedrich

JENNIFER D. BEHNKE (Sieglinde/Die Walküre; Elsa/Lohengrin) Praised by Gordon Hawkins as, "quite possibly the strongest singer he's ever met," Ms. Behnke, is excited to reunite with her colleagues from this summer's Wagner Intensive where Ms. Behnke sang Adriano in Rienzi and Grimgerde in Die Walküre. Other roles include roles of Nella in Gianni Schicchi and the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro (dell'Arte Opera Ensemble), Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Diane in Orphée aux enfers (International Institute of Vocal Arts in Chiari, Italy). Earlier this season, Jennifer and her frequent collaborator, Eric Hunter presented a recital of art song program entitled “The Risk to Blossom,” featuring works by Richard Wagner, Claude Debussy, Nikolai Medtner and Ryan Malone. As a soprano soloist in the tri-state area, she has sung Handel's Messiah and Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Astoria Symphony. Ms. Behnke is soprano, cantor and psalmist at Sacred Heart Church in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

CHRISTINA CARR (Fricka, Die Walküre; Ortrud, Lohengrin and Kundry, Parsifal) lauded by The New York Times lauds as “utterly convincing” and a “show-stealer”, Ms. Carr is rapidly establishing her place as a formidable dramatic mezzo-soprano. She recently participated in new Wagner Intensive headed by Jane Eaglen and Tim Mussard, performing scenes as Kundry in Parsifal, Fricka and Schwertleite in Die Walküre. Earlier this year she performed the role of Azucena in Il Trovatore with Cleveland’s Opera Circle, with whom she had performed Amneris in Aida in 2011. Other recent performances include Azucena, Madam Flora (Baba) in The Medium, La zia principessa in Suor Angelica, and La Frugola in Il Tabarro with Taconic Opera. Ms. Carr was the first-prize winner of the New York Vocal Artists competition in 2002. She was also a finalist in the 2002 MacAllister awards, and a regional finalist in the 2002 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.


CALEB STOKES (Siegmund/Die Walküre; Parsifal/Parsifal) Mr. Stokes is thrilled to be performing again with colleagues from this summer's Wagner Intensive. Opera credits include Luigi in Il Tabarro, Der Königssohn in Königskinder (dell'Arte Opera Ensemble), Peter in Peter Grimes, Narraboth in Salome (One World Symphony), Boris in Kat'a Kabanova (Yale Opera), Horatio in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (AOP and Mark Morris), and The Governor/Vanderdendur in Candide (Orchestra di Milano Giuseppe Verdi). In 2011, he was an Apprentice Artist with Chautauqua Opera. As a recitalist last season he collaborated with Wilson Southerland and Martha Cargo to create the innovative chamber piece 'Til Morning with AOP Helping Hands. In 2010 he created the role of Bob, singing Schumann's Dichterliebe in BAD ROMANCE. (art.party.theater.company). This fall he debuts in Boston as guest artist in recital at Boston Conservatory. Caleb hails from Pleasantville, NY and holds degrees from Oberlin and Yale.

JEREMY IRLAND (Wotan/Die Walküre; Friedrich/Lohengrin) a busy performer and teacher in the Walla Walla Valley, Mr. Irland's opera appearances include Bobby in Weill’s Mahagonny Songspiel with Seattle Symphony, Wotan in Wagner’s Die Walküre and Hagen in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung with Baldwin Wallace Wagner Festival, Colline in Puccini’s La Boheme, Nardo in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, the Mother in Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins, and Doctor Bartolo and Count Almaviva in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with UW Opera. He has also appeared as Sir Giorgio Valton in Bellini’s I Puritani with Seattle Opera outreach programs as well as the Doctor in Verdi’s La Traviata with Washington East Opera. Other credits include the Pirate King in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, Zacharias in Randall Thompson’s Nativity According to St. Luke, and dual world premières of Michael Valenti’s one-act operas Beau Nash and Story of an Hour with both the Portland Chamber Symphony and the Walla Walla Symphony.

WILSON SOUTHERLAND American conductor and pianist, Mr. Southerland is in high demand as a vocal coach and collaborator throughout the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. His engagements have included concerts at London’s Wigmore Hall, South Africa’s State Theater, New York City’s Alice Tully Hall, Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center, and the Villa D’Ephrussi Palace near Nice, France. Mr. Southerland made his conducting debut this season to high acclaim with Philip Glass’ Les Enfants Terribles at North Carolina Opera, where he served as Associate Music Director. Wilson has enjoyed assistant-conductorships with the Castleton Festival, Seattle Opera, the Ohio Light Opera, and Opera Africa. His work as assistant conductor to Maestro Lorin Maazel has taken him to Virginia, San Francisco, and New York with upcoming engagements at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman. Mr. Southerland debuted on the theatrical stage in Terrence McNally’s Tony-winning play Master Class. He holds a master of music from The Juilliard School in New York City, where he currently resides and maintains an active private studio.

MARY PINTO Acclaimed accompanist and vocal coach, Ms. Pinto has worked with international opera singers and major American opera companies for the past 25 years. She made her film debut recently in Wagner's Dream: The making of the Met's Ring which premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. During the past year, Mary has had the pleasure of coaching for Deborah Voigt in preparation for her 3 Brünnhilde's for the new Ring Cycle presented at the Metropolitan Opera. A student of John Wustman, Ms. Pinto began her professional career as rehearsal pianist for Dayton Opera, Omaha Opera and Augusta Opera. While at Omaha Opera, she privately coached many singers, including a young Susan Graham. Mary went on to Lyric Opera of Chicago Ryan Opera Center preparing performances of Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte, and world premieres of Bright Sheng's The Song of Majnun and Bruce Saylor's Orpheus Descending. At Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, she prepared singers for Tosca, Otello and André Chénier. At Dallas Opera, Ms. Pinto collaborated on Carmen with Denyce Graves as well as preparing performances of Billy Budd, Káťa Kabanová, and Aida. Since returning to her home state of New Jersey, she has joined the faculties at Montclair State University and William Paterson University. Mary maintains a busy private coaching studio in New York City.