Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and Leonard Bernstein's Candide will both be part of the upcoming season at the famed Manhattan opera company.
Featuring music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II, Cinderella will be performed Nov. 12-21, 2004. Based on the 1957 television special starring Julie Andrews in the title role, this stage adaptation will include three rediscovered Rodgers and Hammerstein songs. City Opera originally presented the rags-to-riches story onstage in 1993 with a cast led by Crista Moore as Cinderella, Sally Ann Howes as the Fairy Godmother, Nancy Marchand as Cinderella's Stepmother and Alix Korey and Jeanette Palmer as the wicked Stepsisters.
The Leonard Bernstein-Hugh Wheeler-Richard Wilbur musical Candide will play the New York City Opera's State Theater March 4-19, 2005. The production will feature direction by Arthur Masella and choreography by Patricia Birch. Masella recently helmed NYCO's production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, starring Elaine Paige and Mark Delavan.
Based on Voltaire's novel, Candide premiered on Broadway in 1956 at the Martin Beck Theatre where it played 73 performances. The 1997 revival at the Gershwin Theatre featured a cast led by Jim Dale, Andrea Martin, Jason Danieley and Harolyn Blackwell. Tony Award winners Kristin Chenoweth and Patti LuPone will headline a production at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall next month.
No casting has been announced for either Cinderella or Candide. For more information, visit www.nycopera.com.
