American Baritone Mark Walters Featured Tonight in El Nino by John Adams at the Spoleto Festival USA

American Baritone Mark Walters Featured Tonight in El Nino by John Adams at the Spoleto Festival USA

NEW YORK, May 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned for its passion of contemporary innovation and an enthusiasm for providing unusual performances, the Spoleto Festival USA opens its season tonight with the first fully staged production of John Adams' El Nino.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/90609

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/90610

Hailed as "a Messiah for the modern age" (Los Angeles Times), John Adams' El Nino tells the nativity story with an unprecedented spotlight on the voices of women. Acclaimed British director John La Bouchardiere draws inspiration for his imaginative production from the plays used by Franciscan monks in spreading the story of Jesus' birth through Latin America. With a libretto including poems by Rosario Castellanos and Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz--two of Mexico's greatest writers--Gospels from the Bible and the Apocrypha, and Martin Luther's Christmas Sermon, Adams' oratorio widens the lens to encounter and explore the inexhaustible miracle of birth.

Production Personnel:

Caitlin Lynch - Soprano
Erica Brookhyser - Mezzo
Mark Walters - Baritone
Daniel Bubeck - Countertenor
Brian Cummings - Countertenor
Steven Rickards - Countertenor

John La Bouchardiere - Stage Director
Joe Miller - Conductor
Ellan Parry - Associate Set Designer
Magali Gerberon - Costumes
Steve Tiplady - Puppet Direction
Sally Todd - Puppet Design

All of the soloists sing multiple roles in the challenging minimalist piece and Walters takes on representations of Joseph and Herod. "The part of Joseph reveals much more of his personal thoughts and anxiety than usually heard in the traditional story, but I feel that these expanded points help make sense of his situation to a modern audience," says Walters.

Opera News has described Walters as "a force to be reckoned with." He has been lauded for performances in such roles as the title character in Rigoletto, Germont in La Traviata, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera and Di Luna in Il Trovatore.

Also active in new music, Walters has appeared in the World Premieres of Rappahannock County by American composer Ricky Ian Gordon, which was recorded on the Naxos label, Rockland by Finnish composer Jukka Linkola, and with Cutting Edge Concerts in The Last Duchess by Theodore Wiprud and The Clever Mistress by Robert Sirota.

Next season, he will make his debut with Seattle Opera in the title role of Don Giovanni, and make debuts as Pizarro in Fidelio with both Opera Omaha and Kentucky Opera. He returns to Sarasota Opera with his first Scarpia in Tosca and returns to the Savannah Voice Festival in the title role of Don Giovanni.


Upcoming Events for Mark
Walters


Don Giovanni - Don Giovanni

Savannah VOICE Festival

August 3, 5, 2014

Savannah, FL


Fidelio - Don Pizarro

Kentucky Opera

Sept. 19, 21, 2014

Louisville, KY


Don Giovanni - Don Giovanni

Seattle Opera

October 19, 31, 2014

Seattle, WA


Tosca - Scarpia

Sarasota Opera

Feb. 7 - March 22, 2015

Sarasota, FL


Fidelio - Don Pizarro

Omaha Opera

April 17, 19, 2015

Omaha, NE


Recent Events:


Beethoven Symphony No. 9 -
Soloist

Lima Symphony Orchestra

April 12, 2014

Lima, OH


Madame Butterfly - Sharpless

Mobile Opera

March 28, 30, 2014

Mobile, AL


La Traviata - Germont

Arizona Opera

Feb. 28, March 1, 2, 2014

Phoenix, AZ


Brahms Requiem - Soloist

Arizona Music Festival

February 22, 2014

Scottsdale, AZ


Verdi Messa da Requiem -
Soloist

Mississippi Symphony
Orchestra

Nov. 16, 2013

Jackson, MS


La Traviata - Germont

Florentine Opera

Nov. 8, 10, 2013

Milwaukee, WI


Peter Grimes - Balstrode

Canadian Opera Company

October 5 - 23, 2013

Toranto, Canada


Rigoletto - Rigoletto

Opera Coeur d'Alene

Sept. 13, 15, 2013

Coeur d'Alene, ID


Contact information:

Joseph Busseto
http://www.markwaltersbaritone.com
Email



SOURCE Mark Walters

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/90609
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/90610
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Mark Walters

CONTACT: Joseph Busseto 910-467-4356

Web Site: http://www.markwaltersbaritone.com


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