News
May 2009
Heidi Lauren has been invited to direct two productions of Tosca
in the greater New York area. The first will be in May with Opera at Florham, and the second will take place June 20th
at Duck Walk North Vineyard with Opera in the Hamptons.
Also in May, Heidi Lauren continues her work as a project manager with Cartier at their flagship boutique in the Cartier Mansion on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. In celebration of the Cartier Centennial — 100 Years in America, Heidi Lauren helped re-engineer their Lutron lighting system and made sure logistics ran smoothly.
At left is a picture of her with the Wynn diamond — at 231 carats,
even Ms. Floria Tosca would appreciate it!
March 2009
For a second year, OPERA America announces that Heidi Lauren Duke will receive a grant to attend the OPERA America Conference—this year in Houston, Texas, in early May. With the theme of “Making Opera Matter,” the conference promises to be a lively gathering in the Lone Star State.
January 2009
Under the wing of iconic soprano Lauren Flanigan, Heidi Lauren is busy directing and performing in a new work created by an ensemble of opera singers...
Yes, it is indeed possible. The piece is called The Bard Laid Bare and is based on music inspired by the works of Shakespeare.
Performances will benefit American Opera Projects and will be in
Brooklyn and Manhattan venues in late January.
October 2008
Heidi Lauren has been asked to direct and design Massenet’s Cendrillon — a fantastical French version of Cinderella — with Harbor Opera. The cast is led by company founders Elspeth Davis and Erin Brittain.
The director will write her own surtitles for this well-known story.
The performances will be in the Dweck Center of the Brooklyn Public Library, and will surely introduce many to their first opera.
August 2008
Project Opera of Manhattan will begin their season with Heidi Lauren Duke’s new production of Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. Inspired by the classic Roman legend, the production will be specially designed for the historic theater at The Players in Gramercy Park, New York.
The production will also encompass projected images from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to reflect the Etruscan, Roman, and Catholic culture portrayed in the opera’s libretto.
Performances will be in mid-September...don’t miss this one!
May 2008
OPERA America announces that Heidi Lauren Duke will be one of five grant recipients to attend the National Performing Arts Convention in Denver, Colorado, June 11-14. As an honored guest of the conference, Heidi Lauren will meet members of the opera, theatre, dance and choral communities, and continue her mission of bringing young directors together.
Sarasota Opera, under the leadership of Maestro Victor DeRenzi, has invited Heidi Lauren to teach at the Sarasota Youth Opera as a
Guest Artist. The Youth Opera will focus this summer on the three Beaumarchais operas, and Heidi Lauren will lead 80 students, ages 8-18, in drama training for the operatic stage.
April 2008
American Opera Projects invites Heidi Lauren to be a scholarship participant in a new series of Viewpoints Training Classes, geared towards opera singers. The classes will be led by founding members of SITI Company, and American soprano Lauren Flanigan.
In addition to the Viewpoints classes, Heidi Lauren will serve as the Assistant Director to Ned Canty’s production of This is the Rill Speaking, an opera by Lee Hoiby, which will be showcased in its first professional production in New York in April 2008.
February 2008
The 2008 season of Les Azuriales Festival d’Opera is gearing up, and Heidi Lauren will continuing her role as Artistic Associate, this year helping to birth the Azuriales Ozone Program for Young Artists.
What started as fledgling competition for local students in 2003 has now grown into a week-long enrichment program for the finest young singers from all over the world.
After spearheading the first New York Audition round for Azuriales, three American finalists have been invited to join the company in Nice, France in August, 2008:
Elizabeth Beers Kataria, dramatic soprano.
Jennifer Berkebile, lyric mezzo.
Brace Negron, bass-baritone.
Congratulations to all the Ozone Young Artists!
October 2007
Heidi Lauren has been invited to direct two unique projects in
New York this winter. In November, she’ll kick off One World Symphony’s new season, then she’ll warm up the cold months with some french flair at Bronx Opera. Get your tickets now!
One World Symphony: Uptown vs. Downtown
16 Nov: St. Ann’s Church in Brooklyn Heights
18 Nov: Ansche Chesed in Manhattan
One World Symphony continues to break into new frontiers with this exciting program. Scenes from Puccini’s La Boheme
will be coupled with the best selections from its modern counterpoint, Jonathan Larson’s Rent, the latter orchestrated fully for the first time. Heidi Lauren directs two casts of
New York’s finest singers.
For info, tickets, or to contribute, visit www.oneworldsymphony.org
Orpheus in the Underworld
12-20 January 2008
Lehman College, Bronx
Hunter College, Manhattan
As Assistant Director on Royston Coppenger’s production of this ridiculous send up of the Orpheus and Eurydice drama, Heidi Lauren will help choreograph and direct three casts of singers. Her abridged staging will be featured at a special student performance on January 10th. Offenbach’s delicious melodies will be sung in English by all the gods, nymphs, and cupids one opera can hold!
For info, tickets, or to contribute, visit www.bronxopera.org
September 2007
Alongside some of the New York theatre community’s most celebrated woman artists, Heidi Lauren joins the team of
The Beebo Brinker Chronicles, a play by Kate Moira Ryan
and Linda S. Chapman. She’ll be assisting Broadway veteran
sound designer Jill BC DuBoff on a production directed by
Leigh Silverman, produced by Elyse Singer’s Hourglass Group.
For info, tickets, or to contribute, visit www.beebobrinker.com
September 2007
Having just returned from France and her third season with Azuriales Opera, Heidi Lauren has already begun plans to bring singers from all over the world to the Concert des Solistes 2008, which will also involve masterclasses and language coachings for young artists.
To request a brochure for Azuriales Opera Festival 2008, visit www.azuriales-opera.com
June 2007
Heidi Lauren has been invited to direct and choreograph two productions this summer: one is a 400-year-old history play; the other is a hilarious musical about the women of Wall Street. Both productions run in July in midtown Manhattan, and for a few days they will run simultaneously two blocks from one another. Details below.
RICHARD III
11-29 July 2007
38 W. 38th Street | New York
Inaugurating Spoon Theater’s new space in midtown, this production will feature actor Henry Holden, leading activist for the disabled in the media.
For info, tickets, or to contribute, visit www.spoontheater.org
THE STREET
25 July through August 5 2007
Midtown International Theatre Festival
36th Street | New York
Ever wonder what it’s like for the “broads” of Wall Street? The premiere of this new musical comedy about big business in the big city features Australian sensation Fiona Choi. Heidi Lauren Duke directs, choreographs, and designs.
For info, tickets, or to contribute, visit www.thestreetthemusical.com
May 2007
Collaborating is a wonderful thing. Heidi Lauren was in the photography studio this week with her friend and colleague, Trinidad Mac-Auliffe, to shoot images of Richard III for the forthcoming production at Spoon Theatre. Actor Henry Holden was happy to be painted and positioned for these striking images. See the results below.
See and purchase Trinidad’s work at www.athinline.com
