Ilsa Gilbert April 28th at 3pm'ILSA GILBERT: THE POET OF BLEECKER STREET'
An 80th Birthday Celebration to poet/librettist ILSA GILBERT
Sunday April 28, 3 PM
St. Mark's Church, 131 East 10th Street (at Second Avenue)
Suggested Donation: $15; $10 for students/seniors/unemployed
Reservations: 212.477.1594
Poet/librettist and longtime Village resident ILSA GILBERT will be feted on the
occasion of her 80th birthday by Downtown Music Productions.
Gilbert has enjoyed a long association with Mimi Stern-Wolfe's Downtown Music
Productions, having written the libretti and poetry for numerous operas and
song cycles presented by the long-standing music organization. A large
cast of musicians, vocalists, and dancers will assemble to perform a rich
program of works associated with Ms. Gilbert. Celebration is Sunday
April 28, 3 PM, at St. Mark's Church, 131 East 10th Street.
The program includes excerpts from five operas and art songs presented in past
years by Downtown Music Productions, all with libretti by Ilsa Gilbert:
The Bundle Man, opera by Marshall Coid, with an appearance by
countertenor Coid
Phoenix Park, opera by David Strickland, featuring soprano Karla
Simmons
The First Word, opera by Katrina Cameron, with mezzo Darcy Dunn,
baritone Mark Singer, and soprano Karla Simmons
One Night Together, opera by Daniel Burwasser, with Frank Basile, bass
Revelations and Secrets, opera by Chuck Sachs, featuring Mark Singer,
baritone.
Art songs set to poetry by Gilbert include:
Boy on the Run, music by Michael Cohen, sung by tenor Daniel Pincus
Dance Cuba, music by Isabelle Ganz, sung by mezzo Darcy Dunn with dancer
Felicia Norton in choreography by Sasha
Spielvogel (Labyrinth Dance Theatre)
Mind Matters, music and performance by Marni Rice, vocalist/accordionist
The Oboe Player, music by Julie Mandel, featuring baritone Mark Singer
with Jeffrey Hale, oboe, and Mimi
Stern-Wolfe, piano
Australian Wallaby, music by Lou Rodgers for soprano, violin and
piano
Homeless Children, music by David Hollister, with Linda Thompson Williams,
contralto, Robert Kogan, cello, and Mimi Stern-Wolfe,
piano.
