For immediate release – New York, NY – The recipient of the 2017 prestigious Marian Anderson Vocal Award, countertenor John Holiday launches his 2017-18 season as John Blue in Opera Philadelphia’s premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s We Shall Not Be Moved (a performance which saw John featured on the cover of the September issue of Opera News magazine). A tour of the opera across Philadelphia, New York City, and London is the first of several international projects upon which the vocalist embarks in the upcoming months.
Holiday’s international performances also include his debut collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel in Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, in the role in which the countertenor made his acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut. The work—programmed in tribute to the composer’s centenary—will take the ensemble across the United States (Los Angeles, New York City) to London and Paris, a fitting occasion for the music’s celebration of humanity’s transcendence of international boundaries. The tour includes Holiday’s debut performance at David Geffen Hall (New York City).
A debut recital awaits on February 15, 2018 at the Kennedy Center, as part of the Marian Anderson Vocal Award. This major award has previously been offered to artists such as Denyce Graves, Eric Owens, Lawrence Brownlee, and Janai Brugger. Other debuts this season include an appearance at Des Moines Metro Opera as the Refugee in Jonathan Dove’s breakthrough work Flight, inspired by the true-story of an Iranian refugee detained at Charles de Gaulle Airport for eighteen years.
In addition to this poignant modern-day operatic comedy, Holiday will go on to tackle a diversity of seminal roles including the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the title role in Orfeo et Euridice at the Florida Grand Opera. The artist will also continue to traverse genres by singing jazz alongside his busy operatic career. This includes Holiday’s beloved Holiday Experience shows in his Texas hometown, which offer an eclectic mix of jazz, classical, R&B, and gospel programming featuring an all-star line-up of artists including Neeki Bey, Kristin Yost, and David Marquis.
Holiday’s exciting upcoming season comes on the heels of critically acclaimed appearances at the Lincoln Center Festival (“an exceptional vocalist” –The New York Times), a return to Glimmerglass Festival in the title role of Xerxes (“a voice of warmth and beauty –Operawarhorses) and at Boston Baroque (“a bright, strong vocal presence” –The Boston Globe).
Full 2017-2018 season information below, or visit:
John Holiday 2017-18 Season
September 16-18, 21, 23-24, 2017
Philadelphia, PA | The Wilma Theater
We Shall Not Be Moved (World Premiere, with Opera Philadelphia)
Music by Daniel Bernard Roumain, directed by Bill T. Jones, conducted by Viswa Subbaraman
October 6-8, 2017
New York, NY | The Apollo Theater
We Shall Not Be Moved (with Opera Philadelphia)
Music by Daniel Bernard Roumain, directed by Bill T. Jones, conducted by Viswa Subbaraman
October 13-15, 18, 20-21, 2017
London, England | Hackney Empire
We Shall Not Be Moved (with Opera Philadelphia)
Music by Daniel Bernard Roumain, directed by Bill T. Jones, conducted by Viswa Subbaraman
December 14-15, 2017
Minneapolis, MN | Basilica of Saint Mary
Handel: Messiah
Directed by Matthew Culloton, conducted by Jonathan Cohen
December 16-17, 2017
St. Paul, MN | Ordway Concert Hall
Handel: Messiah
Directed by Matthew Culloton, conducted by Jonathan Cohen
December 23, 2017
Dallas, TX | The Kessler Theater
The Holiday Experience
Produced by John Holiday
December 24, 2017
Richmond, TX | St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
The Holiday Experience
Produced by John Holiday
February 15, 2018
Washington, D.C. | The Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
Marian Anderson Vocal Award Recital
March 18 & 23, 2018
Miami, FL | Florida Grand Opera
Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice
Company Debut, singing the lead role of Orfeo
April 19-22, 2018
Los Angeles, CA | Walt Disney Concert Hall
Bernstein: Chichester Psalms
Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel (Company Debut)
April 29, 2018
New York, NY | David Geffen Hall
Bernstein: Chichester Psalms
Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel (Company Debut)
May 4, 2018
London, U.K. | Barbican Centre
Bernstein: Chichester Psalms
Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel (Company Debut)
May 6, 2018
Paris, France | Philharmonie de Paris
Bernstein: Chichester Psalms
Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel (Company Debut)
June 22-July 15, 2018
Des Moines, IA | Des Moines Metro Opera
Dove: Flight
Company premiere, directed by Kristine McIntyre, conducted by David Neel
