Between Bellini & Chopin: the American tour of Dominika Zamara

Dominika Zamara, soprano, is an established voice in the music scene. She graduated in 2007 with honors. Her debut in the world of opera dates back to 2010 in the role of Mimì in the opera “La Bohème” by Puccini, under the direction of maestro Enrico De Mori. From then on, a crescendo of successes led her to tread the stages of most of the globe, performing in operas, chamber concerts, sacred music, and festivals.

We are at the starting blocks for his new tour in the United States, where he is at home. It is a month-long tour during which he will visit five states. Speaking of this occasion, we are talking about a project born of two geniuses of their time: Fryderyk Chopin and Vincenzo Bellini. Soprano Dominika Zamara was inspired by the friendship between the two composers, evidenced by numerous letters and their stylistic affinity. In fact, there is a similarity between the vocal line of Chopin’s Lieder Op. 74 (his only vocal testimony) and that of Bellini’s bel canto. At the same time, Bellini’s concert arias are influenced by Chopin’s chords. On two occasions, a series of concerts dedicated to these two composers will be held.

The first, with the emblematic title “Between Bellini and Chopin”, will take place on April 21 at the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, accompanied on the piano by maestro Clipper Erickson. The other will be held in Austin on May 3. The tour will continue with a contemporary music concert on April 24 in New York for the “New York Composer Circle” (of which Zamara has been a Performer Artist since 2023), at the Tenri Cultural Institute.

The other dates: April 30 in Milwaukee and May 1 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin; on May 8 in Corpus Christi, Texas; on May 15 in Toledo, Ohio; the last stop will be in Buffalo, New York. To learn more, the Bellini and Chopin project — Two geniuses compared, born between 2013 and 2014, has been presented in Mexico, the United States, Italy, and China. Much appreciated by the public is this combination, which leads to rediscovering sides that are sometimes little-known or unfamiliar to many. In 2018, Dominika Zamara recorded the entire cycle of Chopin’s Lieder in the original keys, with a performance at the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala in Milan. A copy of this recording is preserved in the library of the Academy itself.

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Between Bellini and Chopin…

Between Bellini and Chopin Concert

Dominika Zamara, soprano

Clipper Erickson, piano

 Event date: April 21 2026, 6 pm (Local time)
 
 Place: Istituto Italiano di Cultura-NY 686 Park Avenue, NY

A project born around two geniuses of their time: Fryderyk Chopin and Vincenzo Bellini.
Soprano Dominika Zamara drew inspiration from the friendship between the two composers, documented by numerous letters and by their stylistic affinity. One can clearly perceive a similarity between the vocal line of Chopin’s Lieder Op. 74 (his only vocal works) and Bellini’s bel canto style. At the same time, in Bellini’s concert arias, one can sense the influence of Chopin’s harmonic language.

The project, developed between 2013 and 2014, has been presented in Mexico, the United States, Italy, Europe, and China.

In 2018, Dominika Zamara recorded the complete cycle of Chopin’s Lieder in their original keys, with a performance at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan. A copy of this recording is preserved in the Academy’s library.

Program:

F. Chopin Lieder Op 74
Pierścień (L’anello)
Smutna rzeka (Fiume triste)
Piosnka litewska (Canto lituano)
Życzenie (Desiderio)
Nie ma czego trzeba (Vorrei ciò che non ho)
Wiosna (Primavera)
Dwojaki koniec (Doppia fine)
Poseł (Il messaggero)
Dumka (Dumka)

V. Bellini Arie da camera
La Farfalletta
Ma rendi pur contento
Vaga luna, che inargenti
Dolente immagine di Fille mia

G. Verdi Non t’accostare all’urna

F. P. Tosti Il Sogno

To register for the free concert, click here

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PLes Talens Lyriques 18th Traetta Prize 2026

The French orchestra and musical organization Les Talens Lyriques has been awarded the 18th Traetta Prize 2026, “in recognition of their consistent, profound, and outstanding professionalism in the recovery, interpretation, and dissemination of the European musical heritage of the eighteenth century.”

The Traetta Prize is awarded by the Traetta Society in recognition of achievements in rediscovering the roots of European music. It takes its name from the composer Tommaso Traetta (1727–1779) and is presented annually during Traetta Week, a series of commemorative events dedicated to the composer, held over the eight days between the anniversaries of his birth and death (March 30 – April 6).

The aim of the Traetta Prize is to honor individuals and institutions committed to expanding knowledge of eighteenth-century musical production. The prize adopts Traetta’s name as a symbol of a long list of unjustly neglected composers such as Leonardo Vinci, Pasquale Anfossi, Antonio Sacchini, Nicola Vaccaj, Leonardo Leo, Domenico Cimarosa, and Vicente Martín y Soler, among others.

Founded in Paris in 1991, Les Talens Lyriques has established itself as one of the leading ensembles in the Baroque and Classical repertoire, distinguished by its philological rigor, historical accuracy, and interpretative brilliance.

At the helm of the orchestra, conductor Christophe Rousset—himself a recipient of the Traetta Prize in 2013—has strengthened the ensemble’s identity, guiding its artistic and musicological activities with consistency and vision. Under his direction, the ensemble has staged and recorded a repertoire ranging from well-known masterpieces to rare and forgotten works, helping to restore to audiences the richness and diversity of eighteenth-century European music.

Les Talens Lyriques – ©EricLarrayadieu

The awarding of the Traetta Prize thus celebrates the work of Les Talens Lyriques, recognizing their fundamental role in promoting eighteenth-century music and their ability to combine scholarly rigor with interpretative creativity. In particular, their recent production and recording of the opera Ifigenia in Tauride, staged last summer in Innsbruck, has shed new light on one of Traetta’s masterpieces, highlighting its dramatic and musical depth. At the same time, Christophe Rousset has led recent projects such as Traetta’s Rex Salomon, confirming his personal commitment to rediscovering and promoting rare and significant repertoire.

Over more than thirty-five years of activity, the ensemble has produced over one hundred recordings, collaborating with major cultural and academic institutions and contributing to the dissemination of a musical heritage often overlooked. Through this work, Les Talens Lyriques has played a pioneering role in reviving forgotten works and reinforcing a sense of continuity and coherence within European music, making it accessible to an ever-wider audience.

The Traetta Prize 2026 thus recognizes not only the ensemble’s artistic and musicological achievements, but also their contribution to building a shared musical memory capable of linking past and present. It stands as a testament to how, through dedication, rigor, and passion, eighteenth-century music continues to live on and inspire new generations of artists and audiences.

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New opera explores Elie Wiesel’s legacy, 10 years after his death

Music of Remembrance Premieres
The Dialogue of Memories
in Three-City U.S. Tour


Seattle • May 17
San Francisco • May 20
Chicago • May 23-24



Music of Remembrance (MOR) presents the world premiere of The Dialogue of Memories, a new opera by composer Tom Cipullo and acclaimed Chicago Tribune journalist Howard Reich, on a three-city U.S. tour this May. The work marks the first time Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wieselis portrayed as a character in an opera, drawing on Reich’s real-life friendship with Wiesel and his investigation into his mother’s long-hidden past.
Performances take place at Benaroya Hall in Seattle (May 17), Presidio Theatre in San Francisco (May 20), and the Studebaker Theater in Chicago (May 23-24).
The opera opens with Reich’s line, “I suffer from an event I have not even experienced.” When his mother Sonia’s trauma from the Holocaust resurfaces late in life, Reich is drawn into a history his family had long avoided.
As he begins to uncover his mother’s past, Reich forms an unexpected bond with Wiesel, who appears throughout the opera as a guiding presence. As in life, Wiesel challenges Reich to ask questions, tell his mother’s story, and reckon with what he has inherited – and what he chooses to do with it.

In the final moments of the work, Wiesel’s message is direct: “We are ordered to hope.”
“When I published my mother’s story, my identity as the son of Holocaust survivors was revealed on the front page of the Chicago Tribune,” said journalist Howard Reich. “This was a secret I’d been urged to keep my entire life. My friendship with Elie Wiesel changed how I understood my family’s silence – and my own responsibility to break it.”
The premiere comes as the world marks the 10th anniversary of Elie Wiesel’s passing. The last generation of Holocaust survivors is fading, and firsthand testimony is giving way to accounts passed down across generations.
“Elie Wiesel spent his life insisting that these stories be told,” said MOR Artistic Director Mina Miller. “Bringing him to the stage now, ten years after his death, raises the question of who carries that responsibility forward.”
That sense of inheritance extends into Cipullo’s score, which weaves echoes of Schumann, Gershwin, and Tchaikovsky into his own contemporary musical language. The opera unfolds in episodic scenes that move between past and present as Reich pieces together his mother’s history.
For nearly three decades, MOR has excavated long-silenced voices while expanding the repertory with commissions that confront injustice through music. The Dialogue of Memories brings those strands together, transforming a deeply personal story drawn from Reich’s own life into a new opera. Audiences in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago can now experience Reich’s story – a reflection on legacies still unfolding in families around the world.
The Dialogue of Memories
World Premiere Tour • Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago
Composer: Tom Cipullo Librettist: Howard Reich with Tom Cipullo
Based on The Art of Inventing Hope: Intimate Conversations with Elie Wiesel
Conductor: Alastair Willis
Director: Erich Parce
Media Design: Peter Crompton
Elie Wiesel: Daniel Belcher Sonia Reich: Megan Marino Howard Reich: Dominic Armstrong
MOR Chamber Ensemble: Christina Medawar, flute; Laura DeLuca, clarinet; Mikhail Shmidt, violin; Walter Gray, cello; Cristina Valdes, piano
Sunday, May 17, 2026 @ 4:00pm Seattle, Washington Benaroya Hall (200 University Street)Tickets $60; Students $25 (ID required)
https://musicofremembrance.org/show-details/memories
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 @ 7:30pmSan Francisco, CaliforniaPresidio Theatre (99 Moraga Avenue)Tickets $38–71
https://musicofremembrance.org/show-details/memoriessf
Saturday, May 23, 2026 @ 7:30pmSunday, May 24, 2026 @ 3:00pmChicago, IllinoisStudebaker Theater (Fine Arts Building)Tickets $35–75
https://musicofremembrance.org/show-details/memorieschi
About Music of Remembrance
Established in 1998, Music of Remembrance (MOR) pays tribute to historic memory and directly confronts challenges to human rights and dignity today. In addition to its work discovering and performing music from the Holocaust, MOR is admired around the world for its leadership in commissioning, having premiered 48 new works by leading composers. This includes varied chamber ensembles, song cycles, choral works, dance music, film scores, musical dramas, and full-length operas – all using art to examine compelling issues in today’s world. MOR’s online concerts, nine albums, three documentary films, and extensive outreach programs extend that impact well beyond the concert hall. MOR’s annual David Tonkonogui Memorial Award welcomes new generations onto this journey, nurturing young musicians who seek to address human rights issues through their art.
Longtime Chicago Tribune journalist Howard Reich / photo by Pam Becker
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Turandot In Florida: More than 150 performers… one of the largest choral and orchestral productions ever!

Don’t Miss the Most Stunning Opera Production Ever in South Florida

Buy Your Tickets Today!

Opera as Grand as It Gets! Puccini’s Last Opera, Unfinished at His Death – An Epic Masterpiece Highlighted by the Aria That Made Pavarotti Famous, “Nessun Dorma.”

The Singers: 

A majestic Turandot will close our opera season— the cast is led by Dominick Valdés Chenes as Calaf (March 26, and March 28) and Jennifer Rowley as Turandot (March 26, and March 28). The cast also includes Yulan Piao as Liù, Adam Lau as Timur, Raymond Diaz as Ping, James Mancuso as Pang, Levi Adkins as Pong, Ray Gonzalez as Emperor Altoum, and Alex Granito as the Mandarin.

Turandot

Click the video to watch a preview of Yessenia Cossio performing as Pu-tin Pao on the Turandot stage

The Story: 

In Turandot, a princess shaped by the ancestral trauma of a violated foremother vows never to marry and challenges suitors with deadly riddles. When prince Calaf solves them, she must confront the one thing she cannot control: her own heart. 

The Sets: 

We are bringing the historical dragon set by Alan Charles Klein, but with a twist of futuristic technology. It is the past and the future meeting in a very poetic way for our beautiful Turandot, under the baton of Jonathan Brandani, authentically born in Lucca, the same place where Puccini himself was born.

Performance Dates

FORT LAUDERDALE | Broward Center for the Performing Arts / Au-Rene Theater

📅 Mar 26 – 7:30 PM
📅 Mar 28 – 7:30 PM

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Opera & All Stars with Bernie Williams, Jonathan Tetelman & Friends Presented by Florida Grand Opera

Featuring a special performance by KeShun Freeman, Tommie Harris, Olrick Johnson, Eric Kussin, Katia Reguero Lindor, Bryant McKinnie, Stephon Marbury, Cam Newton, Nathan “NaPalm” Palmer, Stephen Pierce and Darren Rovell

Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 8:00 PM

May 6th Concert

This one-of-a-kind concert blends opera, jazz, pop, and the spirit of sports into a dynamic, cross-genre experience. Grammy-nominated guitarist and former New York Yankees legend Bernie Williams joins internationally acclaimed tenor Jonathan Tetelman for a performance that celebrates artistry, discipline, and human connection.

Two extraordinary artists. Two remarkable journeys. One unforgettable evening dedicated to the healing power of music and the importance of mental wellness.

Introducing: Voices of Wellness

Taking place during Mental Health Awareness Month, this concert marks the launch of Florida Grand Opera’s Voices of Wellness initiative—an inspiring program dedicated to supporting emotional resilience, healing, and well-being through music.

Honoring and uplifting:
• Veterans & active-duty military • First responders • Healthcare workers • Their families

Special Guests & Performers

Featuring members of the Pro Players Group, a collective of former professional athletes turned performers, including:

• KeShun Freeman • Tommie Harris • Olrick Johnson • Cam Newton • Nathan “NaPalm” Palmer • Stephen Pierce

With special appearances by:

• Bryant McKinnie • Stephon Marbury • Katia Reguero Lindor • Eric Kussin • Darren Rovell

Be part of something bigger

Experience a night that transcends genres and celebrates the power of music to unite, inspire, and heal.

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Dance4Dance 2026 Honoring Dr. Daniel Lewis Presented by Dante Puleio

Mark DeGarmo Dance’s DANCE FOR DANCE (D4D) FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 2026 honors internationally recognized performer, teacher, choreographer and author, Dr. Daniel Lewis, with its “Educational Visionary” Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 presented by Dante Puleio, Artistic Director of the José Limón Dance Company on Thursday, May 7, 2026, 6:30-9:00 PM, St. Mary’s Church, NYC’s Lower East Side. D4D-26 Raises Awareness and Funds for Our Dance Education Program Called “A National Model” by the National Endowment for the Arts

WHEN: Thursday, May 7th, 2026 6:30-9:00 PM 

WHERE: St. Mary’s Church, 440 Grand Street (east of Clinton Street) NY, NY 10002 

TRAVEL: The site is one block south of Delancey Street and 3 blocks east of the F, J, M Delancey/Essex subway station. There is municipal parking on Essex St.    

TICKETS, SPONSORSHIPS, & DONATIONS: https://bit.ly/4pJ24vj 

SILENT AUCTION: Coming Soon

Donations by Check: Dynamic Forms, Inc., 107 Suffolk Street, Studio Theater 310, New York, NY 10002

Mark DeGarmo Dance’s Dance for Dance for Social Change 2026 celebrates MDD’s 39th and 44th anniversaries as a leading NYC not-for-profit dance organization dedicated to education, performance, and intercultural community-building. The community event celebrates our 39- and 44-year commitment to provide our evidence-based dance program to the least-resourced public elementary students, schools, families, and communities across NYC. Without our support, funding and dedication our school partners rarely provide evidence-based dance education programs. The celebration includes a presentation with refreshments, a silent auction, a dance lesson, dancing, and students performing.  We honor internationally recognized performer, teacher, choreographer, and author, Dr. Daniel Lewis, with our “Educational Visionary” Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 presented by Dante Puleio, Artistic Director of the José Limón Dance Company.

Dance for Dance is MDD’s annual Lower East Side community celebration that raises awareness and funds to support our vision, mission, and programs. That mission integrates education, performance, and intercultural community through dance. We use dance to engage and empower students. Our program, Partnerships in Literacy through Dance and Creativity, was cited as “a national model” by the National Endowment for the Arts. President Obama commended Dr. DeGarmo and Mark DeGarmo Dance for “your service to your communities and the nation.” Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer designated Nov. 17, 2017 as “Mark DeGarmo Dance Day in Manhattan.” Miss America 2019 Nia Imani Franklin accepted MDD’s Arts Education Advocacy Award 2019.

ABOUT DR. DANIEL LEWIS

Daniel LewisDean of Dance. Mr. Lewis joined NWSA as the founding Dean of Dance in 1987.  An internationally recognized performer, teacher, choreographer and author, he graduated from The Juilliard School in 1967, served on its faculty from 1967-87, and was the Assistant Director of the Dance Department from 1984-1987.  He danced with the José Limón Dance Company for 12 years, originating leading roles and staging works of companies worldwide.  In the first year following the death of Mr. Limón, Mr. Lewis became the company’s artistic director at which time he formed Daniel Lewis Dance, a repertory dance company.  Mr. Lewis’ book, The Illustrated Dance Technique of José Limón (reprinted by Princeton University Press, 1999 from the original Harper & Row, 1984) has been translated in German, Spanish and Japanese.  In addition, Mr. Lewis has published two articles for Medical Problems of Performing Artists, Hanley & Belfus, Inc., Philadelphia, PA 1998 entitled Health Care For Dance Students At A Performing Arts Academy: A Dean’s Perspective and Dancing With A Prosthesis.  His paper, Dance Education in the USA K-12, was presented in 1990 at the International Symposium Munchen in Switzerland and published by Tanztendenz and in the 3/90 and 4/90 issues of Tanzund Gymnastik.  Mr. Lewis’ commitment to the growth of dance in South Florida takes form in his producing of Miami Dance Futures, Inc., which since 1988, in addition to supporting local dance companies, has presented the 1990 Balanchine Conference, 1991 Dance History Scholars’ Conference, and the 1997 American College Dance Festival among others.  Mr. Lewis has served on the Fulbright Screening Committee and as a dance panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. 

ABOUT DANTE PULEIO

A widely respected former member of the Limón Dance Company for more than a decade, Puleio is the sixth Artistic Director in the Company’s 80-year history, a position that originated with Doris Humphrey. After a diverse performing career with the Limón Dance Company, touring national and international musical theatre productions, television and film, he received his MFA from University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on contextualizing mid 20th century dance for the contemporary artist and audience. He is committed to implementing that research by celebrating José Limón’s historical legacy and reimagining his intention and vision to reflect the rapidly shifting 21st century landscape.

ABOUT DANCE FOR DANCE’S HONOREES

Mark DeGarmo Dance has honored over the past 13 years leading USA and global artists, educators, scholars, activists, and outstanding citizens concerned for the well-being of the USA and other world democracies and nations via equitable education and access to the cultural arts of their citizens. “Educational Visionary” Lifetime Achievement Awardees include educational theorist  Maxine Green (2013); actor, writer, director, and Co-Founder of The Living Theatre Judith Malina (2014); classical ballet luminaries Oleg Briansky and Mireille Brianne (2015); dance author, critic, and educator Deborah Jowitt (2016); dancer, choreographer, and dance educator Patricia Aulestia (2017); Inaugural “Arts Education Advocate” Awardee opera singer, composer, arts education advocate, and Miss America 2019, Nia Imani Franklin; and “Dance Ambassador” 2023 Awardee dancer, teacher, director, filmmaker Christine Dakin (2023); “Educational Visionary” Lifetime Achievement Awardees dancers, teachers, directors, and choreographers Phyllis Lamhut & Douglas Dunn (2024); and internationally renowned classical ballet teachers and practitioners, Andra Corvino and Ernesta Corvino (2025); and internationally recognized performer, teacher, choreographer, and author, Dr. Daniel Lewis (2026). 

ABOUT US

Operating since 1982 & incorporated in 1987, Mark DeGarmo Dance is a leading NYC nonprofit dance organization based since 2001 in the Lower East Side at NYC-owned the Clemente Soto Velez Center. MDD’s mission is to educate NYC communities, & especially children; create, perform, & disseminate original artistic & scholarly work; & build intercultural community through dance arts. MDD’s Founder, Executive & Artistic Director Dr. Mark DeGarmo has choreographed and produced over 100 dances and multiple tours in 13 countries. He curates MDD’s Virtual Salon Performance Series for Social Change in its 16th year that has since 2019 produced 566 dance artists from 23 US states and 31 countries. MDD’s Global Dance Circle for Social Change has since 2020 produced 10 seasons to “hold hands” without recognizing or disregarding global boundaries, borders, and barriers including 805 dance participants from 25 US states and 41 countries. https://markdegarmodance.orgFacebookInstagramLinkedInYouTubeand Vimeo

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3-Day International Symposium and Performances

Artistic Research, Higher Education and Technological Innovation in Opera

Project “Music Theater and New Technologies”

3-Day International Symposium and Performances Artistic Research, Higher Education and Technological Innovation in Opera Project “Music Theater and New Technologies”
In ITALIAN and ENGLISH
Day 1Thursday, March 262:30-7:00pm
Click here for information and registration
Day 2 (morning)Friday, March 279:30am-12:30pm
Click here for information and registration
Day 2 (afternoon)Friday, March 272:30-7:00pm
Click here for information and registration
Day 3Saturday, March 282:30-7:00pm
Click here for information and registration
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Viva Verdi!

Screening of Viva Verdi! (2024, Documentary, 78 min.)
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 • 6:30pmAuditorium, Casa Italiana
Part of the series Adventures in Italian Opera with Fred Plotkin. Oscar-nominated for Best Song, Viva Verdi! is an intimate glimpse into the lives of celebrated opera singers and musicians living out their ‘third act’ while mentoring music students at Casa Verdi (the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti) in Milan, built by Giuseppe Verdi in 1896. The screening will be followed by a conversation with director and co-writer Yvonne Russo and co-writer Christine La Monte.
In ENGLISH
Registration is mandatory. All attendees will be required to present proof of registration upon arrival.
Registration
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World Premiere Concert: Le Voci dello Stretto

World Premiere Concert: Le Voci dello Stretto
Friday, March 27, 2026
8:00pmAuditorium, Casa Italiana.
A new one-act opera by composer Roberto Scarcella-Perino on a libretto by Eugenio Refini, featuring four singers, a piano trio, and the Children’s Chorus of the Scuola d’Italia Guglielmo Marconi.Sung in ITALIAN
Registration is mandatory. All attendees will be required to present proof of registration upon arrival.

REGISTRATION

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