Purchase College Opera Presents "Classic Broadway" In Concert

From November 9 through November 12, Purchase Opera will stroll down Broadway from the South Pacific to the back streets of London to visit Sweeney Todd. “Classic Broadway” in Concert will feature the Purchase Symphony Opera under the baton of musical director Hugh Murphy. Jacque Trussel will direct the concert.

“Classic Broadway” in Concert showcases students from the Purchase College Conservatory of Music’s Department of Opera Performance and Vocal Studies—a highly selective program that has won 15 top awards from the National Opera Association for its acclaimed productions, among other national accolades.

The cast of more than 40 students will perform a wide range of songs and ensembles from such beloved musicals as Guys and Dolls, My Fair Lady, Oklahoma, West Side Story, and A Little Night Music, among many others.

While the Purchase Opera department has been highly successful in preparing young singers for operatic careers around the world, Jacque Trussel and Hugh Murphy are looking forward to expanding the singers’ repertoire to include musical theater pieces that classically-trained singers might realistically be expected to perform as they build their operatic careers.

Jacque Trussel and Hugh Murphy said, “Musical Theater is now a staple in most opera companies. When students land an audition with an opera company, they are often asked to sing a song by such composers as Sondheim, Bernstein, or Rogers and Hammerstein right along with their Mozart, Strauss, and Puccini arias.”

They continued, “As musical theater performance and vocal styles present unique challenges, we wanted to provide our students with additional training and performance opportunities to best prepare them for their careers. We look forward to presenting a full evening of beautiful songs, duets, and ensemble numbers from the American musical theater genre that will provide valuable experience for the students while appealing to audiences of all ages.”

Performances will take place in the Recital Hall of the Purchase College Performing Arts Center.

Performances will be held Thursday, November 9, at 7 p.m., Friday, November 10 at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 11 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, November 12 at 1 p.m.

Adult tickets are $20. Discounts are available for Purchase College students and seniors. To order tickets, please visit www.artscenter.org or call 914.251.6200.

This production is made possible with support from The Emily & Eugene Grant Opera Performance and Production Fund; The L. Werlinich Opera Production Endowment; and the Purchase College Foundation.

About Purchase College–SUNY

Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College–SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu.