FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Press Representatives: Lois Cohn Associates
CARAMOOR CENTER FOR MUSIC AND THE ARTS PRESENTS THE 2013 SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
JUNE 22 – AUGUST 7
BROADWAY COMES TO CARAMOOR! CARAMOOR KICKS OFF
THE 68TH ANNUAL SUMMER FESTIVAL WITH ITS FIRST BROADWAY SHOW, SHE LOVES ME
• Caramoor celebrates the 50th anniversary of the award-winning and rarely performed musical with a score by legendary duo JERRY BOCK and SHELDON HARNICK and a book by JOE MASTEROFF starring critically acclaimed actress ALEXANDRA SILBER, Drama Desk Award-winner SANTINO FONTANA, Tony® Award-winner JOHN CULLUM, and Tony-nominated and Drama Desk Award-winner MONTEGO GLOVER, JUNE 22 AND 23
• TED SPERLING will lead ORCHESTRA OF ST. LUKE’S and direct the semi-staged production
17TH ANNUAL BEL CANTO AT CARAMOOR SERIES CELEBRATES VERDI’S BICENTENNIAL
• One of Caramoor’s more ambitious projects to date, VERDI IN PARIS, presents both of the composer’s French grand operas – LES VÊPRES SICILIENNES and DON CARLOS – in the French language
• Director of Opera WILL CRUTCHFIELD will lead ORCHESTRA OF ST. LUKE’S
• LES VÊPRES SICILIENNES features soprano ANGELA MEADE, tenor JOHN OSBORN, baritone MARCO NISTICÓ, and bass BURAK BILGILI | JULY 6
• The cast of DON CARLOS includes soprano JENNIFER CHECK, mezzo-soprano JENNIFER LARMORE, tenor ARNOLD RUTKOWSKI, baritone STEPHEN POWELL, bass CHRISTOPHOROS STAMBOGLIS, and bass SAMUEL RAMEY | JULY 20
• VERDI IN PARIS is framed by two special concerts: THE INTIMATE VERDI: CHAMBER MUSIC AND VOCAL ENSEMBLES and VERDI: THE COMPLETE SONGS FOR VOICE AND PIANO | JUNE 27 AND JULY 25
AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL
• World premiere of “DEL MCCOURY SINGS WOODY GUTHRIE,” – a collection of never-before-heard writings from Woody Guthrie (from the Guthrie Archives) set to original music by nine-time International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainer of the Year and Grammy award winner DEL McCOURY and THE DEL McCOURY BAND. The performance includes a multi-media show featuring archival materials | JUNE 29
• Performers include indie folk band DAVID WAX MUSEUM, traditional folk icon and Grammy nominee JOHN MCCUTCHEON, Grammy nominees the HERITAGE BLUES QUARTET, rising young string band THE STRAY BIRDS, Nashville’s country duo DOUG & TELISHA, alt folk band SPUYTEN DUYVIL and folk mainstays THE WALKABOUT CLEARWATER CHORUS|JUNE 29
• The family-friendly festival takes place in several locations on grounds of Caramoor and provides a day of live music, picnicking and activities for adults and kids
A 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION, FOLK, AND BROADWAY
• MICHAEL BARRETT takes the podium with ORCHESTRA OF ST. LUKE’S for the POPS, PATRIOTS & FIREWORKS concert celebrating the music of Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and the Harlem Jazz Craze |JULY 4
• Neo-folk trailblazer and Grammy nominee SUZANNE VEGA performs an intimate acoustic show in the Spanish Courtyard | AUGUST 2
• Five-time Tony Award-winner and two-time Grammy Award-winner AUDRA MCDONALD in concert |AUGUST 3
ORCHESTRA OF ST. LUKE’S
• World-renowned pianist YEFIM BRONFMAN joins the orchestra and conductor PETER OUNDJIAN for a program of Verdi, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky | JULY 14
• The ST. LUKE’S CHAMBER ENSEMBLE, joined by pianist NATASHA PAREMSKI, delight with the Beethoven Septet and the rarely performed Dohnányi Sextet | AUGUST 4
RECITAL AND CHAMBER MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS
• Lauded cellist PAUL WATKINS makes his AMERICAN DEBUT as the newest member of the iconicEMERSON STRING QUARTET | JULY 21
• Genre-defying string quartet BROOKLYN RIDER returns to Caramoor | JULY 7
• The 2012-13 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence, AMPHION STRING QUARTET, performs a WORLD PREMIERE by YEVGENIY SHARLAT| JULY 19
• Pianist JONATHAN BISS gives an intimate all-Beethoven recital in the Spanish Courtyard | JULY 12
20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE JAZZ FESTIVAL
• The celebratory weekend features performances by the JASON MARSALIS VIBES QUARTET, MINGUS BIG BAND, LUCIANA SOUZA, ELIO VILLAFRANCA & THE JASS SYNCOPATORS, DELFEAYO MARSALIS AND THE UPTOWN JAZZ ORCHESTRA, and more | JULY 26, 27, 28
KATONAH, NY – Jeffrey P. Haydon, Chief Executive of Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, presents the 2013 Caramoor Summer Music Festival. The festival offers enormous appeal to all audiences with a rich array of artists and repertoire from the worlds of classical, jazz, Latin and American Roots music. The 68th season of this iconic summer festival – which is held annually at the Center’s distinguished 90-acre garden estate in Katonah, New York – will run from June 22 to August 7.
“Caramoor is a renowned oasis for musical inspiration that offers audiences the opportunity to hear an in-depth spectrum of music in one of the country’s legendary outdoor settings,” says Mr. Haydon. “In addition to the distinguished classical programs, the 2013 Summer Festival celebrates a number of exciting new projects, anniversaries and debuts, beginning with the opening night performance of She Loves Me, Caramoor’s first semi-staged Broadway show. The Verdi bicentennial will be celebrated by two productions: Les vêpres siciliennesand Don Carlos, both performed in French. The American Roots Music Festival returns for its third season highlighted by the world premiere of Del McCoury’s Woody Guthrie project and the Caramoor Jazz Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary season,” Haydon continues. “It is also our extreme pleasure to announce that Audra McDonald, one of the leading ladies of the Broadway stage, will perform on August 3rd. The St Luke’s Chamber Ensemble closes the classical programming, concluding another summer season of ‘not to be missed’ performances in the gardens of Caramoor.”
OPENING WEEKEND FEATURES THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED BROADWAY SHOW,
SHE LOVES ME
Caramoor will open its summer festival with its first Broadway show, She Loves Me. The 50th anniversary of the award-winning and rarely performed musical will star critically-acclaimed actress Alexandra Silber, Drama Desk Award-winner Santino Fontana, and Tony-nominated and Drama Desk Award-winner Montego Glover. Ted Sperling will lead Orchestra of St. Luke’s and will direct the semi-staged production in the Venetian Theater.
With a score by legendary duo Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof) and a book by Joe Masteroff (Cabaret), She Loves Me was first seen on Broadway in 1963 (June 22 and 23).
BEL CANTO AT CARAMOOR CELEBRATES VERDI’S BICENTENNIAL WITH VERDI IN PARIS
Continuing the extraordinary success of previous seasons, Caramoor’s Director of Opera, Will Crutchfield, and Bel Canto at Caramoor will celebrate Verdi’s bicentennial with Verdi in Paris, one of its most ambitious projects to date, presenting two of the composer’s grand operas – Les vêpres siciliennes and Don Carlos – in French. Both operas will be performed uncut.
Les vêpres siciliennes
Soprano Angela Meade returns to Caramoor as Hélène after her triumphant Caramoor performance in 2009’sSemiramide—named “best-of-the-year” in both The New Yorker and The New York Times—and her equally lauded performance in Caramoor’s 2010 production of Norma. Tenor John Osborn, baritone Marco Nisticó, and bass Burak Bilgili complete the cast. (July 6).
Don Carlos
Caramoor will present the four-act version of Don Carlos that Verdi reworked directly with Camille du Locle, one of the two librettists. The pair created French verses for the newly added music and subsequently published the version in French. The cast features soprano Jennifer Check, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore, tenorArnold Rutkowski, baritone Stephen Powell, bass Christophoros Stamboglis, and bass Samuel Ramey (July 20).
Verdi in Paris is framed by two special concerts, both featuring members of Caramoor’s prestigious Bel Canto Young Artists program. The first program, The Intimate Verdi: Chamber Music and Vocal Ensembles features soprano Angela Meade. The second program, Verdi: The Complete Songs for Voice and Piano, presents an important and often neglected part of Verdi’s legacy (June 27 and July 25).
The Bel Canto operas will feature Orchestra of St. Luke’s under the direction of Will Crutchfield.
CHAMBER MUSIC, RECITALS AND GUITAR IN THE GARDEN
Caramoor has a longstanding reputation for presenting outstanding classical music. These intimate presentations remain at the core of the festival’s programming. This year offers an array of superstars and new faces, providing a wide range of chamber music offerings, recitals, and an evening of Guitar in the Garden.
• Caramoor Virtuosi perform a program of chamber music by Cherubini, Enescu and Beethoven (June 28).
• The 2012-13 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence, the Amphion String Quartet, will bring their residency to a close with a program of Schubert, Beethoven, and the world premiere of Yevgeniy Sharlat’s Quartet No. 2. The premiere will be included in Caramoor’s commissioning project: A String Quartet for the 21st Century (July 19).
• Known for their eclectic repertoire and electrifying performances, the genre-defying string quartetBrooklyn Rider returns for another thrilling concert (July 7).
• The Vienna Piano Trio makes its Caramoor debut (July 5).
• The Art of the Duo – Part II continues from last year’s festival and features five different duos performing five of Beethoven’s sonatas for violin and piano (June 30).
• The St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, joined by pianist Natasha Paremski, delight with the Beethoven Septet and the rarely performed Dohnányi Sextet (August 4).
• Introductions: Caramoor Rising Stars features a member of the illustrious mentoring program, cellistKaren Ouzounian, and pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute, in concert (July 18).
• Lauded cellist Paul Watkins makes his American debut as the newest member of the iconic Emerson String Quartet (July 21).
• Pianist Jonathan Biss captivates the audience with an all-Beethoven recital (July 12).
• Pianist Andrew Tyson’s recital includes the work of Bach, Schumann, and Chopin (August 1).
• Concertgoers can also enjoy music while surrounded by Caramoor’s beautiful lush gardens as Ana Vidovic plays for an evening of Guitar in the Garden (July 11).
ORCHESTRA OF ST. LUKE’S
Orchestra of St. Luke’s (OSL) is one of America’s foremost and most versatile orchestras. Now in its 39th season, OSL is dedicated to engaging audiences throughout New York City and beyond. Formed at the Caramoor International Music Festival in the summer of 1979, OSL continues to perform as the orchestra-in-residence at its Caramoor birthplace. The orchestra returns each summer for opening night, the Bel Canto operas, the Fourth of July celebration, and individual featured performances.
• World-renowned pianist Yefim Bronfman and conductor Peter Oundjian join Orchestra of St. Luke’s for a program that includes a nod to Caramoor’s Verdi celebration with his Overture to “Forza,” followed by Beethoven’s fourth piano concerto and Tchaikovsky’s fifth symphony (July 14).
• The St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, with pianist Natasha Paremski, performs Beethoven’s Septet and the rarely performed Dohnányi Sextet (August 4).
4TH OF JULY, FOLK, AND BROADWAY
Michael Barrett returns to the podium for the Pops, Patriots & Fireworks concert. Duke Ellington expertDarius de Haas and Manhattan Transfer’s Janis Siegel sing and scat their way through the Ellington Songbook.Jamie Bernstein fills in the historical background with little-known stories about Harlem’s golden age of jazz. Barrett leads the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in many of the Duke’s original charts. The concert will be followed by a festive fireworks display, creating a perfect holiday event for the whole family (July 4).
Caramoor also welcomes folk pioneer Suzanne Vega and Broadway superstar Audra McDonald. The legendary performers will thrill audiences with two unforgettable evenings of music and song.
• Caramoor welcomes singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega as she seamlessly joins her poetry and contemporary folk music in an intimate concert (August 2).
• Winner of five Tony Awards, Broadway legend Audra McDonald returns to the concert stage joined by a jazz ensemble. The two-time Grammy Award-winner will perform an intimate evening of favorite show tunes, classic songs from the movies, and original pieces written expressly for her (August 3).
AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL
A daylong celebration of folk, string band, country, blues, gospel, and bluegrass music, the festival returns to Caramoor for its third year. The essence of American Roots Music is music that arises from the American experience and is influenced by an immigrant past.
• The festival is highlighted by the world premiere of “Del McCoury Sings Woody Guthrie,” – a collection of never before heard writings from Woody Guthrie set to original music by nine-time International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainer of the Year and Grammy award winner Del McCoury and The Del McCoury Band. The performance includes a multi-media show featuring archival materials. In addition, he will perform his trademark Bluegrass standards and favorites (June 29).
• Festival goers can lounge and picnic while enjoying indie folk band David Wax Museum, traditional folk music icon and Grammy nominee John McCutcheon, blues and gospel Grammy nominees Heritage Blues Quartet, rising stars acoustic string band trio The Stray Birds, Nashville based country duo Doug & Telisha, alternative/traditional folk band Spuyten Duyvil and the heralded Walkabout Clearwater Chorus (June 29).
20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE CARAMOOR JAZZ FESTIVAL
Caramoor welcomes the industry’s brightest new talents and celebrated chart-toppers, demonstrating the scope and diversity of the state of jazz. Since 1993 the Caramoor Jazz Festival has presented hundreds of the finest jazz musicians from superstars to emerging artists, from big bands to solo pianists, in an eclectic mix featuring unique combinations of artists in true festival style.
• The celebratory weekend kicks off with Celebration. The Foundation of Jazz, featuring emerging jazz pianist Luis Perdomo and his exciting blend of Latin and jazz rhythms. Grammy® award-winning singer and songwriter Luciana Souza will headline the evening performing selections from her most recent album, The Book of Chet – an interpretation of the music of trumpeter and singer Chet Baker (July 26).
• The following day, titled Expression. The Language of Virtuosity, captures the sheer breadth of global influences on the jazz scene today. The afternoon opens with Polish pianist and composer Adam Makowicz and his trio, performing a set rife with classical and jazz influences. Next will be the sounds of the acclaimed Charles Tolliver Big Band. Grammy nominee, pianist Vijay Iyer, blends music from his native India with jazz, classical, rock, funk, soul, hip-hop, and electronica. A high-energy celebration of world-rhythms and jazz melodies by pianist Benito Gonzalez prepares the audience for the evening’s headliner, the swingin’ Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra (July 27).
• The anniversary weekend closes with Freedom. The Lifeblood of Jazz, and begins with Grammy nominated Cuban pianist Elio Villafranca & The Jass Syncopators – a group that challenges the boundaries of jazz by fusing it with the syncopated nature of Afro-Caribbean music forms, using an interpretive musical approach echoing Duke Ellington’s Colored Syncopators. The Lionel Loueke Triofollows with an elegant mixture of Afropop and jazz. The Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet makes its Caramoor debut with bassist Will Goble, drummer David Potter and pianist Austin Johnson. TheJames Carter Organ Trio – known for a repertoire that includes jazz, swing, ballads, gospel and blues – warms up the crowd before the Mingus Big Band takes the stage for a celebration of the music of composer/bassist Charles Mingus in “The Genius of Mingus 1963: 50th Anniversary Concert” (July 28).
FAMILY FUN
Caramoor offers fun activities for the entire family. Bring a picnic, spread out a blanket, and enjoy great music together. Children of all ages will have the opportunity to dance to live music, interact with the musicians, get to know their instruments, and ask questions. This is a wonderful way to have children introduced to music in a relaxed and joyful way. Activities will be designed for toddlers as well as pre-teens.
• Family-friendly offerings this summer include Dancing at Dusk, a series that offers families an opportunity to experience the traditional music and learn the dances of the 1930’s and ‘40’s Big Band Era of Jazz (June 26), Hungary (July 24), Cuba (July 10), and the Caribbean (August 7).
PRESS TICKETS
For press tickets, images, and/or artist information, contact Brittnee Walker at 412.601.2474 orbwalker@lcohnpr.com.
ABOUT CARAMOOR
“We built a home, my husband and I, not to be old or new, just to be beautiful. And we built it for music.” ~ Lucie Rosen
Caramoor, the country estate of Walter and Lucie Rosen, is where they built their home and filled it with treasures. Enjoying the pleasure their friends took in the beauty of Caramoor with its art collection, gardens, and musical programs, in 1946 the Rosens established a public trust to open Caramoor to the community. Their musical evenings were the inspiration for the Caramoor Summer Music Festival, now in its sixty-eighth year, and the ongoing Music in the Rosen House series.
Since its founding, Caramoor has gained international renown as a cultural institution, presenting music of all types and inspiring artists and audiences alike.
Caramoor enriches the lives of its audiences through intimate, innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality. Education is a valued component of Caramoor’s mission, and is it also offers programs for the mentoring of young professional musicians as well as curriculum-based programs for school children emphasizing music, history and visual and decorative arts. Caramoor is often described as “a Garden of Great Music,” where audiences are invited to explore the beautiful grounds and gardens, discover the fascinating collection of period rooms and antiquities in the Rosen House, and enjoy beautiful music in the Music Room, Spanish Courtyard and Venetian Theater.
Concert Venues and Gardens
Summer concerts take place in two outdoor theaters: the 1,714-seat, acoustically superb Venetian Theater and the more intimate, romantic 558-seat Spanish Courtyard. In the fall and winter all concerts are presented in the magnificent Music Room in the Rosen House. Caramoor’s gardens, also used for concerts, are also well worth the visit and include nine unique perennial gardens. Among them are a Sense Circle for the visually handicapped, the Sunken Garden, a Butterfly Garden, the Tapestry Hedge, and the Iris and Peony Garden.
GETTING TO CARAMOOR
By car from the West Side of Manhattan and New Jersey, take the Saw Mill River Parkway north to Katonah. Exit at Route 35/Cross River. Turn right and, at the first traffic light, make a right turn onto Route 22 south. Travel 1.9 miles to the junction of Girdle Ridge Road. Follow the signs to Caramoor. (For detailed directions call 914.232.5035 and press 4, or online at www.caramoor.org). Parking at Caramoor is free.
By train, take the Harlem Division of the Metro-North Railroad to Katonah, New York. Taxi service from the station to Caramoor (5 minutes away) is available.
CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR A FULL FESTIVAL CHRONOLOGY:
https://caramoor.org/pdf/Festival_Listings.pdf
CREDITS
Performances are made possible, in part, by ArtsWestchester
with funds from Westchester County Government.
Performances are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts
with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and
the New York State Legislature.
The 2013 International Music Festival is supported in part
by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
CARAMOOR CENTER FOR MUSIC AND THE ARTS IS LOCATED AT
149 GIRDLE RIDGE ROAD, KATONAH, NEW YORK 10536.
ALL PROGRAMS AND ARTISTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE