Conductor James Conlon to lead a master class with Juilliard singers on Thursday, November 6 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM in the School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater

Singers to perform scenes and arias from Italian operas

Conductor James Conlon leads a master class with Juilliard singers performing scenes and arias from Italian opera, on Thursday, November 6 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM in Juilliard’s Peter Jay Sharp Theater (155 W. 65th Street). The master class is FREE to the public, and the class offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at how a master conductor shapes a performance in musical rehearsals. The singers, Paul Appleby, Jessica Klein, Paul LaRosa, Nicholas Pallesen, Reneé Tatum, and Frederique Vezina, are accompanied by Juilliard associate coach, pianist Ho-Jeong Jeong.

FREE tickets are available now at the Juilliard Box Office located in the newly renovated lobby of Juilliard at 155 West 65th Street. For further information, call (212) 769-7406 or go to www.juilliard.edu.
        
One of today’s preeminent conductors, James Conlon has cultivated a vast symphonic, operatic and choral repertoire, and developed enduring relationships with many of the world's most prestigious symphony orchestras and opera houses. Since his New York Philharmonic debut in 1974, Mr. Conlon has appeared as guest conductor with virtually every major North American and European orchestra and has been a frequent guest conductor at the Metropolitan Opera for over thirty years. Mr. Conlon is Music Director of Los Angeles Opera, Music Director of the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and celebrates his 30th season as Music Director of the Cincinnati May Festival in 2009.  Mr. Conlon served as Principal Conductor of the Paris National Opera (1995-2004); General Music Director of the City of Cologne, Germany (1989-2002); and Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic (1983-1991).  

During the 2008-09 season at L.A. Opera, Mr. Conlon conducts his first Ring cycle in the U.S., beginning this season with the first two installments of the cycle; Wagner’s "Das Rheingold" and "Die Walküre." He also continues his “Recovered Voices” series, a multi-year project during which he brings the music of composers suppressed by the Nazi regime to the L.A. Opera stage, with the company premiere of Walter Braunfels’ "The Birds" ("Die Vögel"). He will conduct Puccini’s "Il Trittico" directed by Woody Allen and William Friedkin; Robert Wilson’s production of "Madama Butterfly"; and Mozart’s "Die Zauberflöte."  

Mr. Conlon also continues his two-year residency at The Juilliard School, during which he works with the school’s young artists in a cross-genre educational project consisting of performances, symposia, master classes, and coaching. He will lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival where he is Music Director, and he will guest conduct the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Detroit Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic in the U.S., and in Europe the NDR Sinfonieorchester in Hamburg, Rotterdam Philharmonic, and National Philharmonic of Russia in Moscow.

In an effort to raise public consciousness to the significance of works of composers whose lives and compositions were suppressed by the Nazi regime, Mr. Conlon has devoted himself to extensive programming of this music in North America and Europe. At both the Ravinia Festival and L.A. Opera he continues to program works of these composers, including Alexander von Zemlinsky, Viktor Ullmann, Pavel Haas, Kurt Weill, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Karl-Amadeus Hartmann, Erwin Schulhoff, and Ernest Krenek.  His residency at Juilliard also focuses in part on the study and performance of these works. 

Mr. Conlon has recorded extensively for EMI, SONY Classical, ERATO, CAPRICCIO, and TELARC, for which he has received numerous citations. He has been featured on DVDs for DECCA, and has appeared in several television series on PBS. 

Mr. Conlon’s recent awards include the Medal of the American Liszt Society for his distinctive performances of the composer’s works, Italy’s Premio Galileo 2000 Award for his significant contribution to music, art and peace in Florence, and the Crystal Globe Award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for his efforts in championing the works of composers silenced by the Third Reich. He is one of five first recipients of the Opera News Award given in recognition for distinguished achievement in opera, and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music Degree by The Juilliard School. He received the Zemlinsky Prize for his efforts in bringing the composer’s music to international attention. He was named an Officier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 1996, and in 2004 was promoted to Commander. In 2002, James Conlon received France’s highest distinction from the President of the French Republic, Jacques Chirac—the Légion d’Honneur.
 
One of America’s most prestigious programs for educating singers, The Juilliard School’s Department of Vocal Arts offers young artists programs tailored to their talents and needs.  From bachelor and master of music degrees to advanced artist diploma programs in voice and opera studies, Juilliard provides frequent performance opportunities, featuring singers in its own recital halls, on Lincoln Center’s stages, and around New York City. In its nearly 77 year-history, Juilliard’s opera department has presented numerous premieres of new operas as well as works from the standard repertoire. Scheduled for 2010 will be the premiere of a joint commission from Sir Peter Maxwell Davies by Juilliard and the Royal Academy of Music entitled Kommilitonen!, directed by David Pountney in London and New York, and conducted in New York at Juilliard by Anne Manson.
      
Juilliard graduates may be heard in opera houses and concert halls throughout the world; diverse alumni artists include well-known performers such as Edie Adams, John Aler, Jan DeGaetani, Faith Esham, Simon Estes, Lauren Flanigan, Renée Fleming, Nanette Fabray, Anthony Dean Griffey, Barbara Hendricks, Hei-Kyung Hong, Gwendolyn Killebrew, Michael Maniaci, Audra McDonald, Susanne Mentzer, Leona Mitchell, Leontyne Price, Florence Quivar, Neil Rosenshein, Risë Stevens, Tatiana Troyanos, Shirley Verrett, Veronica Villarroel, and Robert White, among others.

In February 2008, Juilliard and the Metropolitan Opera announced a joint training program to identify and educate the finest young opera singers and accompanists, preparing them for careers in the world’s great opera houses. The newly-named Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program in Partnership with The Juilliard School was announced by Peter Gelb, the Met’s General Manager, and Joseph W. Polisi, President of Juilliard. Met Music Director James Levine will serve as the program’s Artistic Director, and Brian Zeger, Artistic Director of Juilliard Vocal Arts, will serve as Executive Director. The program begins with the 2010-2011 season.