Baroque opera can be trying to modern audiences because of its constant text repetitions.  Turning disadvantage to opportunity, Underworld Productions has given a Baroque opera a bilingual spin – offering a libretto that self-translates from Spanish to English and back again. “Underworld Productions has always looked for ways to break the language barrier,” said Gina Crusco, artistic director.  “Here’s a chance to translate the original into not just one vernacular, but two.”

UP’s adaptation of Pergolesi’s Livietta e Tracollo -- The Adventures of/Las Aventuras de Liv & Traco –- will take place on Sunday, June 8, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood, 54 Nagle Avenue; and on Friday June 13 and Saturday 14 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 15 at 3 p.m. at Theatre at St. Michael's Church, 99th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, New York City.

Mixing influences of modern comic book kitsch with its original Commedia dell’Arte spirit, Liv & Traco provides some good old-fashioned escapist relief from a globally-heated and war-torn present. Ms. Crusco has given voice to the original intermezzo’s two mute characters by interpolating music from other Pergolesi works set to new text.  The resulting pastiche transforms the original into a satisfying evening’s entertainment while heightening its inherent comic elements.

When the curtain opens, we find Liv, dressed as a man, hatching a plan to entrap the town’s evil-doing Traco and send him off to prison.  Later adventures send the couple into the Underworld, where an array of riotous happenings somehow manages to turn their mutual disdain to mutual attraction.  Love triumphs, and the opera culminates in a hilarious double wedding.

Liv & Traco will be directed by Gina Crusco, with English text by Ms. Crusco, Spanish text by Elisa Gonzalez, and musical realization by Jonathan Dobin.  A cast of four outstanding vocal soloists and chamber chorus will be accompanied by cello and keyboard; Elizabeth Rodgers is the pianist.  

The Inwood performance of Liv & Traco is FREE; reservations are recommended.  Tickets to the St. Michael's performances are $20 at the door, $15 reserved and for students and seniors.  To reserve, email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it    at least 24 hours in advance, with name, number of tickets, and date of performance desired, and tickets will be held at the door.

Funding for this project is made possible in part with public funds from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. The Inwood performance is made possible by the generous support of the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA).

Additional support was provided by Materials for the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs/NYC Department of Sanitation/ NYC Department of Education; and the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Gina Crusco, adaptor, English librettist, and director, has been the artistic director of Underworld Productions since 2004. In this capacity, she has directed the productions and developed original performing editions, musically-sensitive abridgements, updatings, original lyrics (A Victorian Christmas Carol) and original dialogue (Magic Flute). Gina was the Maestro del Coro of Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto for two opera seasons, a position that entailed auditioning singers in the United States for travel to Spoleto, Italy and musical preparation of the chorus for six operas.

Pianist Elizabeth Rodgers is a member of the faculty of Manhattan School of Music, which awarded her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.  She has also taught at Bard College and is pianist in residence with the Berkshire Choral Festival.  Ms. Rodgers has performed with The Metropolitan Players, Downtown Chamber Players, Friends and Enemies of New Music, Music Under Construction and The Lark Ascending. She has participated in the preparation and performance of operas with The Little Orchestra Society, Center for Contemporary Opera, American Opera Projects and Underworld Productions. She has played numerous recitals with singers and instrumentalists, including the distinguished soprano Judith Raskin. Active in new music, Ms. Rodgers has premiered works by Miriam Gideon, Marc-Antonio Consoli, Wendy Griffiths, Robert Dennis and Joelle Wallach, among many others. She has recorded with Opus I, CRI, Grenadilla, Musical Heritage, New World, Aurora, Albany, Avant and Mode.

Jonathan Dobin, music editor, is a composer and arranger who has made a specialty of reconstructing and arranging music of the 17th and 18th century from fragmentary sources. His original compositions, arrangements and editions have been performed by many esteemed artists, including conductors Johannes Somary, Abraham Kaplan, Nancy Vang; singers Seth McCoy,Susanne Peck, Lorraine DiSimone; Jane Gunther-McCoy, Robert Puleo, Martin Gonzalez, Thomas Pedersen; Baroque instrumentalists Jorg Michael Schwarz, Judson Griffin, Dongsok Shin, Lisa Terry, Don Hulbert; Baroque dancers Wendy Hilton, Alan Tjaarda Jones, Patricia Rader, Luisa Meshekoff, Dorothy Olsson, Janice Pforsich; Choirs of St. Ignatious Loyala, Church of Our Saviour, Stonewall Chorale, Polyhymnia and the Park Avenue Synagogue; Theatrical works associated with St. John the Divine Cathedral - James Keeler (NY), Harrow School - Guy Layton (London), Catholic University of America - Tom Pedersen and Carrie Klewin, TenTen Players - David Dunn Bauer and Tom Pedersen (NY), Stanford University (CA), and Comic Opera Guild - Thomas Petite (Ann Arbor).

Elisa Gonzalez, Spanish librettist, has written three series of text books in Spanish for Mexican elementary schools. As a translator she has published several technical books (Psychology, Statistics, Ergonomics and Autism) which are in continuous use. Currently she is co-authoring a children’s book of animal poems soon to be published.

Underworld Productions premieres new works, updates standard repertory, and gives new life to non-mainstream repertory.  UP has produced performances of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice; Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas; the Mozart operas Marriage of Figaro (set in a Manhattan law firm), Don Giovanni (set in a psychiatric ward), and Magic Flute (set in a 1960s cult headquarters); and A Victorian Christmas Carol, a premiere featuring a new book and lyrics and adapted Victorian songs. Underworld Productions has been awarded grants by The City of New York – Department of Youth and Community Development, The Puffin Foundation and Venable Foundation, and has received matching grants from The New York Times Company and Kingdon Capital.

Media Contact:
Gina Crusco
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

###