A Night at the Oper(ett)a
WHEN: Sunday, June 2, 2019 – 4 p.m.
WHERE: The Parish of St. Mary, 1 Phalanx Road, Colts Neck, NJ
TICKETS: Single Tickets - $30; Seniors - $27; Groups (10 or more) - $25; Students - $10
To reserve your tickets, visit www.monmouthcivicchorus.org or call (732) 933-9333.
The Monmouth Civic Chorus returns to its early days with the presentation of A Night at the Oper(ett)a. From its earliest seasons, the Chorus has turned to composers of both opera and operetta to thrill audiences. Gilbert & Sullivan, Henry Purcell, Verdi, Puccini and other masters of the genre have been staples of the Chorus’ repertoire. It’s only fitting, therefore, that these same composers are programmed for the final performance of the Chorus’ 70th anniversary season.
During the concert, audience members will be treated to a wide selection of Gilbert & Sullivan favorites, including choruses from Pirates of Penzance, Yeoman of the Guard, The Gondoliers, Iolanthe, and more. Selections from Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, as well as opera choruses by Puccini and Verdi will also be heard. Rounding out the evening will be small ensembles of chorus members performing additional choruses from opera and operetta favorites.
The Chorus is thrilled to present this special concert to celebrate 70 years of bringing artistic excellence to Monmouth County and beyond. “MCC has a rich tradition of singing both operetta and opera. The Chorus has been tremendously successful throughout its 70-year history and presented a vast array of repertoire,” says Dr. Ryan Brandau, the Chorus’ Artistic Director. “It’s exciting to return to our roots to present these works in a new and stirring way.” Long-time fans of the Chorus and new audience members alike will be moved by the musical tribute to MCC’s storied success.
About Monmouth Civic Chorus: The Monmouth Civic Chorus has been called "near-flawless" (Asbury Park Press), "alive and evocative" (The Star-Ledger) and "superior" (Red Bank Green). The Chorus is the proud recipient of the 2008 ASCAP/Chorus America Alice Parker Award, and the 2010 Spinnaker Award for Arts and Culture from the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce.
About Ryan James Brandau: Artistic Director Ryan James Brandau has broad experience conducting a variety of choral and orchestral ensembles. In addition to his work with Monmouth Civic Chorus, he serves as Artistic Director of Princeton Pro Musica and Amor Artis, a chamber choir and orchestra in New York City. He is also on the faculty of Westminster Choir College, where he works with the Symphonic Choir, which he has prepared for performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, and the New Jersey Symphony. He remains active as a choral arranger, composer, and clinician, whose arrangements and compositions have been featured by choral ensembles across the globe. Ryan received the Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the Yale School of Music. Prior to pursuing graduate study in conducting, Ryan attended the University of Cambridge in the UK as a Gates Scholar, earning an M.Phil. in historical musicology. He received his B.A. in music, magna cum laude, from Princeton University.
