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WSNY Events
Members receive special prices for all events, so please be sure you are paid up. Click here to renew or join online. See our Events Calendar for the full schedule.
upcoming EVENTS:
- February 11, 2023: A collaboration between the Wagner Society of New York and the Metropolitan Opera Guild and is a showcase of Lohengrin, on the occasion of the new Met production.
- March 19, 2023 (Sunday): Lohengrin Seminar
- May 22, 2023 (Monday): Annual Singers' Recital
RECENT EVENTS:
November 1, 2022 Recent Wagner Productions
This membership appreciation live event, held at National Opera Center New York City, celebrated new and renewing members of the Wagner Society of New York. A panel of enthusiastic Wagnerians described and assessed new productions from Berlin, Bayreuth, Leipzig and Santa Fe. Presentations by Donald Crawshaw, Mark Grube, Raymond Ko, and F. Peter Phillips included production photos. A special reception and membership toast followed.
Photo: Oper Leipzig
October 11, 2022 Joseph W. Polisi: Beacon to the World: A History of Lincoln Center
In a special presentation by Wagner Society of New York, Joseph W. Polisi offered a summary of the creation and growth of Lincoln Center, drawn from his recent book, Beacon to the World: A History of Lincoln Center.
About the Author
Joseph W. Polisi led The Juilliard School for thirty-four years (1984–2018), the longest presidential term in the history of the school. Upon stepping down from his distinguished tenure in June 2018, he became Chief China Officer, supervising overall development of The Tianjin Juilliard School. Born in New York City, Dr. Polisi is an accomplished bassoonist who has performed as soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician throughout the United States as well as in major New York City venues.
About the Book (Yale University Press 2022)
This comprehensive history of Lincoln Center for the Performing Art guides us through the complex convergence of the worlds of politics, finance, and the performing arts throughout the years of the Center’s history, including roles played by Robert Moses, John D. Rockefeller 3rd, Leonard Bernstein, Alice Tully, Beverly Sills, and many others. > Click here for more
September 13, 2022 Wagner Masterclass
The New York Chamber Music Festival, in collaboration with WSNY, presented a Wagner Masterclass with Carole Farley and Scott Carlton, and collaborative pianist Craig Ketter.
The program included Wagner Duets and Trios from Tristan und Isolde, Der Fliegende Holländer, Lohengrin and Die Walküre. Ms. Farley and Mr. Carlton worked on points of dramatic interpretation, diction and style, with:
- Roseanne Ackerley, soprano (see www.roseanneackerley.com/)
- Alison Bolshoi, mezzo (see www.alisonbolshoi.com)
- Jeremy Brauner, tenor* (see www.jeremybrauner.com)
- Errin Duane Brooks, Tenor* (see www.newamsterdamopera.org/errin-brooks-jean)
- Leah Crowne, soprano* (see www.randsman.com/leah-crowne)
- Chantelle Grant, mezzo (see www.chantellegrant.com)
- Mary-Hollis Hundley, soprano* (see www.maryhollishundley.com)
- Michael Nansel, bass-baritone (see www.michaelnansel.com)
- Andrew Richardson, bass-baritone* (see www.newamsterdamopera.org/adam-cioffari-bethune)
- Elisabeth Rosenberg, soprano* (see www.elisabethrosenberg.com/)
- Daniel Sutin, bass-baritone (see www.danielsutin.com)
- Susan Wheeler, soprano* (see www.susanwheeler.info)
- Amanda Zory, soprano* (www.amandazory.com)
* Wagner Society of New York Singers Award/Grant Recipient. Photo: Neil Friedman.
Thursday, June 30 2022 Hans Neuenfels (1914-2022): directo
r of the Bayreuth 2010-1015 ("rats") Lohengrin.
Commentary by colleagues, with illustrations and excerpts from his memoirs.
Moderator: Scott Carlton (member of Bayreuth chorus for Neuenfels' Lohengrin.)This event is now posted on our YouTube Channel: click here to view it!
Monday, April 18, 2022: Interview with Stefan Vinke, heldentenor
Aegisth in Elektra and Siegfried in the 2019 Met Ring, guest of honor on the Ring cruise. Interview Host: Fred Cohn.
Now on YouTube! Click here to view.
Sunday, March 6, 2022 From Richard I to Richard III: Wagner, Strauss and Questions of Influence: Lecture by John Muller, Juilliard Professor
Long-time Juilliard professor John Muller will give an illustrated lecture on the connections between Wagner and Richard Strauss, noting the two upcoming Strauss operas in the Met season: "From Richard I to Richard III: Wagner, Strauss, and Questions of Influence."What about Richard II? Muller tells us: "There is no Richard II, that's the point. There had to be an interregnum after Wagner. This idea goes back to Hans von Bülow, who made the remark about Richard I and III."
This event was presented live at Klavierhaus in New York City and via livestream. Lecture materials:
Sunday, January 30, 2022 Recital by Jeffrey Swann, Pianist
Program :
- Scenes from Götterdämmerung by Richard Wagner (1813-1883) transcribed by Mr. Swann
- Sonata in B flat major, D.960 by Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
- Molto moderato
- Andante sostenuto
- Scherzo: Allegro vivace con delicatezza
- Allegro, ma non troppo
Jeffrey Swann is a renowned international recitalist. He is also a Wagner scholar: he has given many lectures with piano illustrations and recently gave a superb talk at WSNY's Meistersinger Seminar, which is now on the free WSNY YouTube Channel. He teaches piano at NYU Steinhardt. He recently presented a Beethoven Sonata Series at Bargemusic in Brooklyn and has recorded the complete Beethoven Sonatas.
The recital was presented both live and livestream. Click here to watch the livestream!
Donald Palumbo: Wagner and the Met Chorus
Monday, December 13, 2021, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm EST
Renowned Met Chorus Master Donald Palumbo, who directed 200 chorus members in the Metropolitan Opera's recent revival of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, gave a talk to the WSNY community. We are privileged that he can share this evening with us. The interview will be hosted by Susan Brodie (reviewer, Classical Voice North America). Holy Trinity is a large, beautiful church located between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, with Byzantine revival architecture and Guastavino tiles. Social distancing is feasible. For this live event, the usual Covid protocols will be observed. A name list will be at the door.
Maestro Pappano on Meistersinger
Monday, November 8, 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm ET (live and via livestream)
Sir Antonio Pappano, conductor of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Met and Music director of the Royal Opera House, was interviewed by Fred Cohn at this exclusive WSNY event, which took place live at the National Opera Center in New York City. It was also livestreamed.
Photo: Musacchio & Ianniello
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