News
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Opera News Magazine names The Scarlet Letter CD a “Critic’s Choice”
Below is the Opera News Magazine review of The Scarlet Letter from January 2018.
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Fanfare Magazine reviews The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter is of course Hester Prynne’s A. In one way, the opera is a bit late; adultery is old hat in the 21st century. On a broader scale, hypocrisy in society is ever present. Lori Laitman writes brilliantly scored music; it’s been a while since I’ve heard such a colorful new American opera. It…
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John Campbell of Artsong Update reviews The Scarlet Letter CD
I am thrilled by John Campbell’s Artsong Update review of The Scarlet Letter CD, from November 2017. The review is copied below. The subject of this opera is an essential part of American history. Based on Nathaniel Hawthorn’s (1804-1864) novel, David Mason’s beautiful verse adaptation portrays a love triangle set in the Puritan society of 17th…
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The Three Feathers – new version commissioned by Seattle Opera
I am happy to announce that Seattle Opera commissioned a new version of The Three Feathers, my children’s opera with Dana Gioia. This new touring version, for five singers and piano, will premiere in January 2018 and performances will continue through June 2018. The new production will be directed by Kelly Kitchens. For more information or…
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Gramophone Review of The Scarlet Letter
In October 2017, Donald Rosenberg reviewed The Scarlet Letter for Gramophone Magazine. The review is printed below. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter has inspired several operas, including rarely performed versions with music by Walter Damrosch, Fredric Kroll and Margaret Garwood. The most recent, Lori Laitman’s rapturous adaptation set to elegant verses by David Mason,…
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Selections from Vedem to be performed by Opera Orlando, November 5, 2017
Opera Orlando, in partnership with Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida, will present selections from Vedem, my Holocaust-themed oratorio with librettist David Mason. I will be in residence to present lectures around this performance and David Mason will also attend the performance. For details, please click here.
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THE SCARLET LETTER CD – Naxos release is Aug. 11, 2017
Under Greg Carpenter’s leadership, Opera Colorado brilliantly brought The Scarlet Letter to life in May 2016. A generous grant from The Sorel Organization enabled us to capture the live performance for this CD, which Naxos is releasing on August 11, 2017. Librettist David Mason and I are so grateful to conductor Ari Pelto, chorus master John Baril,…
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New Recording Sessions
Over the course of the next year, I will be recording material for a series of new solo CDs, to be released on the Albany label. Ed Kelly, with whom I have worked for the past 20 years, will be my recording engineer and Beth Greenberg will be my producer. This summer I’ll be working…
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The Three Feathers, Abridged — presented by Sounds of South Dakota
On June 29 and 30th, 2017, Sounds of South Dakota will present The Three Feathers, Abridged at the McKennan Park Bandshell in Sioux Falls, SD. This opera, with a libretto by Dana Gioia, is adapted from a Grimm’s fairy tale. A magic feather leads shy Princess Dora to the Underworld ruled by the mysterious Frog King. Here…
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Music of Remembrance performs The Seed of Dream in San Francisco on May 24, 2017
In 2005, Music of Remembrance commissioned my Abraham Sutzkever song cycle, The Seed of Dream and premiered the work on May 9, 2005 at Benaroya Recital Hall with baritone Erich Parce, cellist Walter Gray and pianist Mina Miller. photo credit: David Wilson On May 24, 2017, MOR performed the mezzo-soprano adaptation of the work at…
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An interview about “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” – conducted by soprano Malinda Haslett
Prior to Malinda Haslett and Terry Ewell’s performance of I Never Saw Another Butterfly on March 15, 2017 at Towson University, Malinda interviewed me about the composition of my Butterfly cycle. Terry filmed us, and the interview is now posted on YouTube, interspersed with portions of their performance. This Holocaust-themed cycle, composed in 1996, sets…
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Houston Cecilia Chamber Choir to feature “I Never Saw Another Butterfly”
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New Recordings of “Fresh Patterns” and “Wider Than The Sky”
In late March, 2017, my song cycle “Fresh Patterns,” settings of Emily Dickinson and Annie Finch, will be recorded by sopranos Alisa Jordheim and Patrice Michaels and pianist Andrew Rosenblum. Patrice and Andrew will also be recording “Wider Than The Sky,” from Two Dickinson Songs, as part of a CD tribute to Justice Ruth Bader…
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Eastman Opera Outreach to perform “The Three Feathers, Abridged”
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Eastman Opera Outreach to perform “The Three Feathers, Abridged”
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The Scarlet Letter: On Colorado Public Radio’s 2016 in Review: 5 Classical Music Stories We’re Still Talking About
Colorado Public Radio’s feature: 2016 in Review: 5 Classical Music Stories We’re Still Talking About includes The Scarlet Letter. This lovely feature by Jean Inaba includes excerpts from interviews with me and librettist David Mason, as well as excerpts from the opera. To listen, please click here.
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“Are Women People?” to premiere March 5, 2017 at Eastman School of Music
Are Women People? is a song cycle celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote in New York State. It was commissioned by The Hanson Institute for American Music at the Eastman School of Music and the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership. The premiere will take place on March 5, 2015 at…
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The Scarlet Letter, Abridged — at the 2017 West Chester University Poetry Conference
The 2017 West Chester University Poetry Conference will take place from June 7-10, 2017 at West Chester University in West Chester, PA. I am honored to be named the 2017 recipient of The Kate Light Scholarship. The final concert will take place on June 10th at 7:30 pm at the Madeline Adler Theatre on campus,…
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Vedem Oratorio with Music of Remembrance, November 6, 2016, Benaroya Hall, Seattle
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Lyrica Dialogues at Harvard University
On December 2, 2016, my song cycle Sable Pride, a setting of three poem by Countée Cullen, will be performed at the 2016 Lyrica Dialogues at Harvard University, which this year focuses on African-American art song, opera and operetta and choral repertory. The Dialogues will also commemorate Harvard’s late Pastor Peter J. Gomes at the…
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2018 Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize Finals — now on YouTube
The finals for the 2018 Domenic J. Pellicciotti Opera Composition Prize at The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam were live-streamed on September 24, 2016. Program A featured: Albert Nobbs by composer Patrick Soluri and librettist Deborah Brevoort followed by Mayo by composer & librettist Tom Cipullo. Program B featured: The Reef by composer…
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Tickets now available for The Baltimore Symphony’s World Premiere of “Unsung”
Unsung, for orchestra, was commissioned in late 2015 by The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with Marin Alsop, Music Director — as one of ten Centennial Celebration Commissions. The commissions celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The World Premiere performances, conducted by Marin Alsop, will take place on three nights: — September 29, 2016, 8…
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Guest on WAYO’s “Music Matters” on 8.31.16
On August 31, 2016, I will be a guest on the radio show “Music Matters,” run by Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez and members of the composition department at The Eastman School of Music. My daughter, composer Diana Rosenblum (a PhD candidate at Eastman), along with some of her colleagues — Alex Stephenson, Nick Morandi and Danny Hansen,…
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Commission from Howard Hanson Institute for American Music at the Eastman School of Music and the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership
My latest commission is from the Howard Hanson Institute for American Music at the Eastman School of Music and the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership. The piece will be for SATB vocal quartet and piano 4-hands, and will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote in New York State. I am…
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Underwriting of The NATS Art Song Composition Award
I am underwriting the NATS Art Song Composition Competition awards. The competition, started in 1983, had been held every two years. Now it will become an annual event, and the entry fees for professionals and students will be reduced. For more information, please click here.