Krystal Classical Productions Presents World Premiere John F. Kennedy: Requiem Lyric Symphony In Song - William Maselli

William Maselli is a New York-based composer who has written principally for voice, including the song cycles Easter Songs, Dreams of Love, and Flowers, all of which will be performed in Weill Hall on February 8, 2005. Maselli has also written an opera, Spirit Fire, dealing with subjects of politics, romance, eroticism, racial relations and spirituality against a backdrop of the French Revolution in Paris and early American life in New York and Monticello, Virginia, which is being recorded with soprano Adina Aaron, tenor Marc Heller, and bass Aaron Borst. Maselli is currently composing a new opera in a wholly new style, a Raskolnikov-inspired drama dealing with the morality of murder and the unbridled passions of artistic frustration and erotic obsession. Information concerning Maselli’s compositions, including texts as well as philosophical and political essays, may be found on www.worldkrystal.com.

Marianne Cope, soprano, is a native of Texas and obtained a Masters in Music Performance at the University of North Texas. Marianne was an Artist In Residence at the Academy of Vocal Arts from 1998-2000. A recent finalist in the Lucia Albanese Competition, Marianne performed in the Puccini Gala performance in Lincoln Center this November. She has also performed at the Natchez Festival Opera, Amarillo Opera as Violetta, and with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Her roles include Donna Anna, Luisa in Luisa Miller, and Pamina.

Edith Dowd , contralto, is a regular performer at the New York City Opera, where she has been heard recently in the world premiere of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, as well as Flora in Traviata and Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro. Ms. Dowd recently performed Carmen with the Belleayre Music Festival. Other roles include Adalgisa in Norma, Cefisa in Rossini’s Ermione, Annina in Traviata, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel, and Maddalena in Rigoletto. Edith has performed with the Nationale Chorale in Avery Fisher Hall in the Mozart Requiem and Copland’s In The Beginning and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Virginia Symphony. Edith received a Master of Music degree from Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and was an apprentice in Santa Fe in 1999 and 2000.

Eric Fennell, ttenor, has recently completed a highly-successful run as Alfredo in the New York City Opera production of Verdi’s Traviata. Eric earned a Masters Degree from Boston Universtity, studying with Phyllis Curtin. Eric was a member of the Young American Artists Program at Glimmerglass in 1999 and the Young Artists program at Seattle Opera. Major roles for Eric include Rodolpho in Boheme, Ferrando in Cosi, the Duke in Rigoletto, Werther, Romeo and Tamino in the Magic Flute, which Eric performed at the Sarasota Opera. Eric has also performed at the San Francisco Opera under Donald Runnicles in Don Carlo and Lady Macbeth of Mtsenk.

Aaron Borst, bass, makes his Carnegie debut in Weill Recital Hall with the John F. Kennedy Requiem. This season he joined the Sarasota Opera as Angelotti in their season-opening production of Tosca as well as Ramfis in Aida in their gala Verdi concerts. The young bass has already performed much of the leading repertory, including Don Giovanni, Figaro, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, Reverend Olin Blitch in Susannah, Oroveso in Norma, Mustafa in Italian Girl in Algiers, Gremin in Eugene Onegin, and Basilio in The Barber of Seville. Aaron has performed at Canadian Opera Company, Santa Fe Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Central City Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and Tanglewood. He has recently performed as Sparafucile in the Florida Opera Company production of Rigoletto. Mr. Borst recently recorded the roles of Rada and Washington in Maselli’s Spirit Fire, as well as the song cycle Flowers.