The Opera Orchestra of New York (also known as OONY) specializes in the performance of

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

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 Arrigo Boito (; 24 February 1842 10 June 1918) (whose original name was Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito and who wrote essays under the anagrammatic pseudonym of Tobia Gorrio) was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, librettist and composer, ...

's '' Nerone'', and Smetana's '' Libuše''.

History

Founded in 1971 by

Eve Queler Eve Queler (born January 11, 1931) is an American conductor and the '' emerita'' Artistic Director of the Opera Orchestra of New York (OONY). She founded the OONY in 1971, after having worked on the staff of the Metropolitan Opera and the New Yo ...

, who remains its conductor and music director, the orchestra presented its first season in 1972 with two operas – Rossini's ''

William Tell William Tell (german: Wilhelm Tell, ; french: Guillaume Tell; it, Guglielmo Tell; rm, Guglielm Tell) is a folk hero of Switzerland. According to the legend, Tell was an expert mountain climber and marksman with a crossbow who assassinated Albr ...

'' and Meyerbeer's ''

L'africaine ''L'Africaine'' (''The African Woman'') is an 1865 French ''grand opéra'' in five acts with music by Giacomo Meyerbeer and a libretto by Eugène Scribe. Meyerbeer and Scribe began working on the opera in 1837, using the title ''L'Africaine'', bu ...

'' – 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 National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

. 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''. 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 ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' reported that the orchestra under new musical director Alberto Veronesi had returned to financial stability. Many prominent opera singers have performed with the orchestra including

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...

Nicolai Gedda Harry Gustaf Nikolai Gädda, known professionally as Nicolai Gedda (11 July 1925 – 8 January 2017), was a Swedish operatic tenor. Debuting in 1951, Gedda had a long and successful career in opera until the age of 77 in June 2003, when he made h ...

Montserrat Caballé Montserrat Caballé i Folch or Folc (full name: María de Montserrat Bibiana Concepción Caballé i Folch (, , ; (12 April 1933 – 6 October 2018), known simply as Montserrat Caballé, was a Catalan Spanish operatic soprano. She sang a wide v ...

, Carlo Bergonzi,

Renata Scotto Renata Scotto (born 24 February 1934) is an Italian soprano and opera director. Recognized for her sense of style, her musicality, and as a remarkable singer-actress, Scotto is considered one of the preeminent singers of her generation. Since ...

Alfredo Kraus Alfredo Kraus Trujillo (; 24 November 192710 September 1999) was a distinguished Spanish tenor from the Canary islands (known professionally as Alfredo Kraus), particularly known for the artistry he brought to opera's bel canto roles. He wa ...

, José Carreras,

Dmitri Hvorostovsky Dmitri Aleksandrovich Hvorostovsky (russian: Дми́трий Алекса́ндрович Хворосто́вский, ; 16 October 1962 – 22 November 2017) was a Russian operatic baritone. Early life and education Hvorostovsky was born i ...

, Bryan Hymel, Angela Meade,

Samuel Ramey Samuel Edward Ramey (born March 28, 1942) is an American operatic bass. At the height of his career, he was greatly admired for his range and versatility, having possessed a sufficiently accomplished bel canto technique to enable him to sing th ...

, James Morris,

Angela Gheorghiu Angela Gheorghiu (; ; born 7 September 1965) is a Romanian soprano, especially known for her performances in the operas of Puccini and Verdi, widely recognised by critics and opera lovers as one of the greatest sopranos of all time. Embarking ...

Roberto Alagna Roberto Alagna (; born 7 June 1963) is a French operatic tenor. He obtained French citizenship in 1981, while also retaining his previous Italian citizenship. Early years Alagna was born in Clichy-sous-Bois, outside the city of Paris, in 1963 t ...

Jonas Kaufmann Jonas Kaufmann (born 10 July 1969) is a German operatic tenor. He is best known for the versatility of his repertoire, performing a variety of opera roles in multiple languages in recitalTommasini, Anthony (21 February 2014)"A Tenor Finds Energy ...

Mignon Dunn Mignon Dunn (born June 17, 1928, in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American dramatic mezzo-soprano and voice teacher. Life and career Born in Memphis, Dunn grew up in Tyronza, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee. She studied voice with Karin Branzell an ...

Grace Bumbry Grace Melzia Bumbry (born January 4, 1937), an American opera singer, is considered one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation, as well as a major soprano earlier in her career. She is a member of a pioneering generation of African-Ameri ...

and

Ghena Dimitrova Ghena Dimitrova ( bg, Гeна Димитpова, 6 May 1941 – 11 June 2005) was a Bulgarian operatic soprano. Her voice was known for its power and extension used in operatic roles such as Turandot in a career spanning four decades. Early car ...

, 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 Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an American soprano, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for ...

Vivica Genaux Vivica Genaux (; born July 10, 1969) is an American coloratura mezzo-soprano. She was born in Fairbanks, Alaska. She has sung in major operas such as ''The Barber of Seville'' at the Metropolitan Opera, ''L'italiana in Algeri'' at Opéra Nationa ...

and

Deborah Voigt Deborah Voigt (born August 4, 1960) is an American dramatic soprano who has sung roles in operas by Wagner and Richard Strauss. Biography and career Early life and education Debbie Joy Voigt was born into a religious Southern Baptist family ...

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 Wenkel is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Max Wenkel (1864–1943), German automobile pioneer and inventor *Ortrun Wenkel (born 1942), German operatic contralto See also *Wankel *Wenzel Wenzel is a male given name (lon ...

, 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 ''Gemma di Vergy'' is an 1834 ''tragedia lirica'' (tragic opera) in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti from a libretto by Giovanni Emanuele Bidera. It is based on the tragedy ''Charles VII chez ses grands vassaux'' ''(Charles VII and His Chief Vassal ...

'' (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 ''Le Cid'' is a five-act French tragicomedy written by Pierre Corneille, first performed in December 1636 at the Théâtre du Marais in Paris and published the same year. It is based on Guillén de Castro's play ''Las Mocedades del Cid''. Castro ...

'' (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 ''Aroldo'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on and adapted from their earlier 1850 collaboration, ''Stiffelio''. The first performance was given in the Teatro Nuovo Comunale in Ri ...

'' (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

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Opera Orchestra Of New York New York City opera companies Musical groups established in 1971 1971 establishments in New York City Orchestras based in New York City Carnegie Hall Sony Classical Records artists