New York, NY (May 18, 2007) — The Metropolitan Opera’s Gallery Met will present Opera by Design, an exhibition of intricately detailed set models created by the design teams of the Met's seven new productions premiering in the 2007-08 season. Curated by Met Technical Director Joe Clark, Opera by Design opens on Friday, May 25 and runs through Labor Day. The exhibit is free and open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m on performance days (closes at 6 p.m. on non-performance days) and Sundays from noon to 6:00 p.m.
The handmade set models featured in the exhibit serve as blueprints from which the Met's carpenters, painters, costumers, stagehands, and craftspeople will build the set. Opera by Design provides a glimpse at how theatrical sensibilities guide the design and direction of operas and how the collaborative vision of designer and director takes shape. The exhibit also includes costume sketches and other production and design materials.
Earlier this year, Met General Manager Peter Gelb announced seven new productions in the upcoming 2007-08 season—the most new productions to be presented at the Met since the company’s first season at Lincoln Center. Gallery Met Director Dodie Kazanjian adds, "To have so many new productions in one season seemed an embarrassment of riches and cause for a provocative show. The idea of the exhibit is to reveal some of the practicalities and complexities of realizing these magical visions for the stage."
The Met’s seven new premieres have been envisioned and designed by world renowned, award-winning production teams, including:
·Lucia di Lammermoor: Mary Zimmerman, director; Daniel Ostling, sets; Mara Blumenfeld, costumes; T.J. Gerckens, lighting. Premieres September 24, 2007.
·Macbeth: Adrian Noble, director; Mark Thompson, sets and costumes; Jean Kalman, lighting. Premieres October 22, 2007.
·Iphigénie en Tauride: Stephen Wadsworth, director; Thomas Lynch, sets; Martin Pakledinaz, costumes; Neil Peter Jampolis, lighting. Premieres November 27, 2007.
·Hansel and Gretel: Richard Jones, director; John Macfarlane, sets and costumes; Jennifer Tipton, lighting. Premieres December 24, 2007.
·Peter Grimes: John Doyle, director; Scott Pask, sets; Ann Hould-Ward, costumes; Peter Mumford, lighting. Premieres February 28, 2008.
·Satyagraha: Phelim McDermott, director; Julian Crouch, associate director and designer; Kevin Pollard, costumes, Paule Constable, lighting. Premieres April 11, 2008.
·La Fille du Régiment: Laurent Pelly, director and costume design; Chantal Thomas, sets; Joël Adam, lighting designer. Premieres April 21, 2008.
Technical Director Joseph Clark oversees the Met’s vast technical and production resources, including the company’s set construction, lighting, carpentry, electrical, and costume staffs. Reporting directly to General Manager Peter Gelb, he executes the creation of all new productions and manages the engineering and logistical challenges of presenting nearly 30 operas in repertory over the course of each Met season. Mr. Clark was born in New Jersey and is a graduate of Yale University, where he received a BA and a Masters degree. He joined the Met in the late 1970s and became Technical Director in 1980.
About The Arnold & Marie Schwartz Gallery Met
The Arnold & Marie Schwartz Gallery Met, which opened in September 2006, is a showcase for contemporary works of art. Gallery Met reaffirms the company’s long history of groundbreaking relationships with major visual artists and fosters new opportunities for collaboration. The Gallery was made possible through a $1 million donation by Marie Schwartz, an Advisory Director on the Metropolitan Opera’s Board. Named for Mrs. Schwartz and her late husband in recognition of the gift, the Gallery is located in the south side of the lobby of the opera house.