New Jersey State Opera presents Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS at Newark Symphony Hall May 21 and 23, 2010

GREGG BAKER, LAQUITA MITCHELL, LESTER LYNCH, ANGELA BROWN,

JANINAH BURNETT and LAWRENCE CRAIG

star in the Gershwins’Äô American Musical Masterpiece

PERFORMANCES MAY 21 and 23

AT HISTORIC NEWARK SYMPHONY HALL

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

NEWARK, NJ ’Äì February 5, 2010 ’Äì Celebrating its 45th Anniversary Season, the award-winning New Jersey State Opera, under the leadership of Artistic Director and Maestro Jason C. Tramm and Managing Director Jonathan L. Quitt, proudly announces principal casting for the 75^th Anniversary Production of The Gershwins’Äô Porgy and Bess, to be presented May 21 and 23 at historic Newark Symphony Hall (1030 Broad Street).

Acclaimed opera veterans Gregg Baker (Metropolitan Opera, NYCO, The Wiz, Timbuktu) and Laquita Mitchell (Kennedy Center’Äôs Master Class with Tyne Daly, 2004 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Prize Winner) take on the title roles, with Lester Lynch (NYCO) as Crown, Angela Brown (Metropolitan Opera) as Serena, Janinah Burnett (Metropolitan Opera) as Clara, and Lawrence Craig (NYCO) as Sportin’Äô Life. 

Jonathan Eaton (Artistic Director, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh; director NYCO’Äôs Turandot, Carmen and Cav/Pag) directs with Jason C. Tramm conducting a 55-piece orchestra.   Auditions for the ensemble will be announced shortly.

Long considered the crowning achievement of its authors, George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin, Porgy and Bess is based on Dubose and Dorothy Heyward’Äôs novel and play ’ÄúPorgy.’Äù

Set in the fictional Catfish Row, South Carolina, Porgy and Bess is the story of the crippled beggar Porgy transformed by his unexpected and improbable love for Bess, featuring some of the greatest songs in musical theatre including ’ÄúSummertime,’Äù ’ÄúI Got Plenty o’Äô Nothin’Äô,’Äù ’ÄúBess, You Is My Woman Now,’Äù and ’ÄúIt Ain’Äôt Necessarily So.’Äù   

The Gershwins’Äô Porgy and Bess makes its Newark debut at the historic Newark Symphony Hall (1030 Broad Street, Newark, NJ) for two performances on Friday, May 21 at 8:00pm and Sunday, May 23 at 3:00pm.  Single tickets are priced from $46.20 - $135.45.  To purchase tickets by phone call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com.  Tickets may also be purchased at the Newark Symphony Hall Box Office, 973-792-1730 or ticketservices@newarksymphonyhall.org.  For Group Sales, VIP, and sponsorship opportunities; or more information contact New Jersey State Opera at 973- 623-5757 or info@njstateopera.org.