American Baritone Mark Walters Featured Tonight in El Nino by John Adams at the Spoleto Festival USA

NEW YORK, May 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Renowned for its passion of contemporary innovation and an enthusiasm for providing unusual performances, the Spoleto Festival USA opens its season tonight with the first fully staged production of John Adams' El Nino.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/90609

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/90610

Hailed as "a Messiah for the modern age" (Los Angeles Times), John Adams' El Nino tells the nativity story with an unprecedented spotlight on the voices of women. Acclaimed British director John La Bouchardiere draws inspiration for his imaginative production from the plays used by Franciscan monks in spreading the story of Jesus' birth through Latin America. With a libretto including poems by Rosario Castellanos and Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz—two of Mexico's greatest writers—Gospels from the Bible and the Apocrypha, and Martin Luther's Christmas Sermon, Adams' oratorio widens the lens to encounter and explore the inexhaustible miracle of birth.

Production Personnel:

Caitlin Lynch – Soprano
Erica Brookhyser – Mezzo
Mark Walters – Baritone
Daniel Bubeck – Countertenor
Brian Cummings – Countertenor
Steven Rickards – Countertenor

John La Bouchardiere – Stage Director
Joe Miller – Conductor
Ellan Parry – Associate Set Designer
Magali Gerberon – Costumes
Steve Tiplady – Puppet Direction
Sally Todd – Puppet Design

All of the soloists sing multiple roles in the challenging minimalist piece and Walters takes on representations of Joseph and Herod. "The part of Joseph reveals much more of his personal thoughts and anxiety than usually heard in the traditional story, but I feel that these expanded points help make sense of his situation to a modern audience," says Walters.

Opera News has described Walters as "a force to be reckoned with." He has been lauded for performances in such roles as the title character in Rigoletto, Germont in La Traviata, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera and Di Luna in Il Trovatore.

Also active in new music, Walters has appeared in the World Premieres of Rappahannock County by American composer Ricky Ian Gordon, which was recorded on the Naxos label, Rockland by Finnish composer Jukka Linkola, and with Cutting Edge Concerts in The Last Duchess by Theodore Wiprud and The Clever Mistress by Robert Sirota.

Next season, he will make his debut with Seattle Opera in the title role of Don Giovanni, and make debuts as Pizarro in Fidelio with both Opera Omaha and Kentucky Opera. He returns to Sarasota Opera with his first Scarpia in Tosca and returns to the Savannah Voice Festival in the title role of Don Giovanni.

Contact information:

Joseph Busseto
http://www.markwaltersbaritone.com
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