PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Donna J. Nichols-Lawrence, Acting Managing Director

Phone: 973-984-6081

E-mail: djnlawrence@njstateopera.org

New Jersey State Opera Celebrates the Legacy of Alfredo Silipigni in Free Memorial Tribute Concert

Monday, June 12, 2006, 7:30 PM in Prudential Hall, NJPAC, Newark, NJ

Tickets not required. Open seating.

The New Jersey State Opera will present a free concert entitled “Alfredo Silipigni: His Vision and His Music”, Monday, June 12 at 7:30 PM in Prudential Hall at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, New Jersey. Musical selections will include works by Mascagni, Puccini and Verdi.

The performance will feature the New Jersey State Opera Orchestra and Chorus with invited soloists and guests and will be conducted by Joseph Colaneri, with Jason Tramm as Chorus Master. Mr. Colaneri, a specialist in verismo opera, is a member of the conducting roster of the Metropolitan Opera and Artistic Director of Mannes Opera at Mannes College of Music in New York City and began his career as Chorus master for the New Jersey State Opera.

Maestro Silipigni, a native son of New Jersey, who passed away on March 26, 2006, was instrumental in the founding of the New Jersey State Opera 40 years ago and had served since that time as the company’s principal conductor and artistic director. Maestro Silipigni brought to the New Jersey stage a level of excellence unsurpassed in the state, in collaboration with many of opera’s most celebrated artists, among them Licia Albanese, Beverly Sills, Birgit Nilsson, Magda Olivero, Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill, Jerome Hines, Franco Corelli, Anna Moffo, Sumi Jo, Carlo Bergonzi, Roberta Peters, James McCracken, Sherrill Milnes, Samuel Ramey, James Morris and Placido Domingo.

Maestro Silipigni’s and the New Jersey State Opera’s acclaimed productions included two world premiers, and his authoritative performances of the verismo repertoire created a unique venue for emerging young singers, musicians and practitioners of operatic stagecraft.

Maestro Silipigni’s development of New Jersey State Opera’s music and education programs inspired the formation of the New Jersey State Opera Guild and attracted the loyal partnership and financial support of corporations and foundations, among them Johnson & Johnson, The Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation, The Jaqua Foundation, Panasonic Electric Corporation, Lillian & Huber Boscowitz Foundation; Ambrose & Ida Frederickson Foundation; The Hyde & Watson Foundation; Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The Puccini Foundation, Mayor Sharpe James and The City of Newark, and the endorsement of four New Jersey State Governors.

The concert will be open to the public without charge. For further information about this event, the New Jersey State Opera, or contributions to the New Jersey State Opera in memory of Maestro Alfredo Silipigni please visit our website at www.njstateopera.org or call 973-623-5775.

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