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IBOC DREAM – Brazilian Times Review

Arilda Costa McClive for The Brazilian Times, NY

December 20, 2022

International Brazilian Opera Company: sheer success in Gala event

IBOC DREAM: A showcase for dreamers.

New York, NY – The International Brazilian Opera Company held a benefit cocktail hour featuring contemporary opera, jazz, and pop on December 6 at the Luxuny Atelier, (80 W 40th St PH, NYC). The event packed the house, where the Company presented scenes from the operas Plastic Flowers by João MacDowell, Tamanduá by the same composer, Yemanjá by Hugo Sanbone, arias from the traditional repertoire and standards of Brazilian music were presented with the soloists and instrumentalists of the IBOC Ensemble.

“We represent an opera philosophy focused on polycultural connection and the liberating power of the imagination”, says founding artistic director João MacDowell. “It is important that this work continues.”

The night started with food provided by Paris Baguette, a coffee shop dedicated to giving back to the heart of the community bakery, cheese from Happy Boards, New York City’s first on-demand cheese and charcuterie delivery service, and caipirinhas offered by Abelha Organic Cachaça. Portuguese wines from Grape2Glass, were also donated.

Maestra Priscila Santana’s command of the IBOC Ensemble was precise and emotional throughout the night. Plastic Flowers by João MacDowell was met with enthusiastic cheers. Countertenor Jordan Rutter hypnotized the audience in drag in a long red dress by Raxann Chin’s Femheka brand. The house came down with the fusion of electronic rhythms and symphonic instruments.

Tamanduá, also by João MacDowell, followed, performed by mezzo-soprano Flavia Darcie, tenor Yunxuan Zhu, baritone Samuel Flores, soprano Veronica Mak, and the IBOC Ensemble. Following this, composer Hugo Sanbone presented an instrumental scene from his opera Yemanjá, being developed by IBOC, with emphasis on Constance Vellozzi’s dance performance representing the goddess of the sea.

The intimate evening ended with Massimiliano Cims performing Shubert’s Ave Maria with an arrangement by João MacDowell, Alex Scott performing bossa nova classics, and Davinia Pace singing original pop songs. The event brought IBOC supporters and industry influencers together to experience and expand the organization’s work. It was an opportunity to meet the IBOC community, creators, and artists currently enrolled in the IBOC Extraordinary Artists program.

IBOC is a non-profit organization based in New York. Since 2013 it has become known for developing operas from cultures not represented in the traditional classical music repertoire, has developed seven operas, supported sixty-four immigrant artists to work in the US, performed in three countries, and provided music education experiences for young and old alike.

“IBOC is a place for dream makers, a community that comes together to create stories for a path to a better world. What makes us unique is the heritage of our repertoire creation approach, which is distinctly borderless and influenced by the Brazilian artistic movements of anthropophagy and tropicalism”, says Athena Azevedo, Executive Director of IBOC.

With your support, this work can continue and expand. Join: www.iboc.nyc/rsvp

 

 

International Brazilian Opera Company: sucesso absoluto em evento de Gala

IBOC DREAM: Uma vitrine para os sonhadores.

Nova York, NY – A International Brazilian Opera Company realizou um coquetel beneficente, com ópera, jazz e música popular no dia 6 de dezembro, no Luxuny Atelier, (80 W 40th St PH, NYC). O evento teve casa lotada e foram apresentadas cenas das óperas Plastic Flowers de João MacDowell, Tamanduá do mesmo compositor, Yemanjá de Hugo Sanbone, e mais arias do repertório tradicional e standards da música brasileira com os solistas e instrumentistas da IBOC Ensemble.

“Representamos uma filosofia de ópera voltada para a conexão policultural e o poder libertador da imaginação”, diz o diretor artístico fundador João MacDowell. “É importante que este trabalho continue.”

A noite começou com comidas oferecidas pelo Paris Baguette, uma cafeteria voltada para devolver o coração à padaria comunitária, queijos da Happy Boards, o primeiro serviço de entrega de queijos e charcutaria sob demanda da cidade de Nova York, e caipirinhas oferecidas por Abelha Organic Cachaça. Também foram doados vinhos portugueses, de Grape2Glass.

A regência da maestra Priscila Santana foi precisa e emocional durante toda a noite. Plastic Flowers de João MacDowell foi recebida com gritos entusiasmados da platéia. O contratenor Jordan Rutter hipnizou a platéia, em drag, com longo vestido vermelho da griffe Femheka de Raxann Chin. A casa veio abaixo com a mistura de ritmos eletrônicos e orquestra sinfônica.

Tamanduá, também de João MacDowell veio em seguida, interpretada pela mezzo-soprano Flavia Darcie, tenor Yunxuan Zhu, barítono Samuel Flores, soprano Veronica Mak e o IBOC Ensemble. Na sequência o compositor Hugo Sanbone apresentou uma cena instrumental de sua ópera Yemanjá, em desenvolvimento pela IBOC, com o destaque para a performance de dança de Constance Vellozzi representando a deusa do mar.

A noite íntima terminou com Massimiliano Cims interpretando a Ave Maria de Shubert com arranjo de João MacDowell, Alex Scott que interpretou clássicos da bossa nova e Davinia Pace, cantando canções originais pop. O evento reuniu apoiadores da IBOC e influenciadores do setor para vivenciar e ampliar o trabalho da organização. Foi uma oportunidade de conhecer a comunidade da IBOC, criadores e artistas atualmente inscritos no programa IBOC Extraordinary Artists.

IBOC é uma organizaçnao sem fins lucrativos com sede em Nova York. Desde 2013 se tornou conhecida por desenvolver óperas de culturas que não são representadas no repertório tradicional da música clássica, já desenvolveu sete óperas, apoiou sessenta e quatro artistas imigrantes para trabalhar nos EUA, apresentou-se em três países e forneceu experiências de educação musical para os jovens e velhos iguais.

“IBOC é um lugar para criadores de sonhos, uma comunidade que se reúne para criar históriasvisando um caminho para um mundo melhor. O que nos torna únicos é a herança de nossa abordagem de criação de repertório, que é distintamente sem fronteiras e influenciada pelos movimentos artísticos brasileiros da antropofagia e do tropicalismo”, diz Athena Azevedo, Diretora Executiva do IBOC.

Com o teu apoio esse trabaho pode continuar e se expandir. Participe: www.iboc.nyc/rsvp

 

Photos by Xi & Wei

IBOC DREAM

PROGRAM:

6 pm
open cocktails

7 pm
OPERA SHOWCASE

Introduction by Christina Morgan, co-founder IBOC

SILENT AUCTION

Ongoing immersive showcase of Transeuntis Mundi: an award-winning intermedia work by Candida Borges.

7:15 PM – Concert:

  • Quanto è Bella by Gaetano Donizetti
    tenor Yunxuan Zhu

IBOC Ensemble:

Conductor: Joao MacDowell.

Cello: Jean Luc
Violin: Solome Lomidze
Bass: Marcello Maccagnan,
Trombone: Hugo Sanbone

7:20 PM

  • from Plastic Flowers by Joao MacDowell
    Scene 08 Shopping
    Scene 12 Penelope’s Conclusion
    Countertenor: Jordan Rutter as Penelope.

IBOC Ensemble:

Conductor: Priscila Santana

Cello: Jean Luc
Violin: Solome Lomidze
Bass: Marcello Maccagnan,
Trombone: Hugo Sanbone
Electronics: João MacDowell

Creative Director: Athena Azevedo
Stage Director: Jonathan Arak
Wardrobe: Raxann Chin
Makeup: A.Love

7:35 PM

  • Tamandua Suite #4 by João MacDowell
    Mezzo-soprano Flavia Darcie
    Tenor Yunxuan Zhu
    Baritone Samuel Flores
    Soprano Veronica Mak

IBOC Ensemble:

Conductor: Priscila Santana

Violin: Solome Lomidze
Cello: Jean Luc
Bass: Marcello Maccagnan,
Trombone: Hugo Sanbone
Guitar: Gabriel Gorski,
Percussion: Junior Karegato,
Accordion Lucas Cypriano

7:50 PM

  • C’est Yemanja by Hugo Sanbone
    Dance solo & choreography: Constance Vellozzi

Solo trombone: Hugo Sanbone
Solo Clarinet: Thiago Fernandes

IBOC Ensemble:

Conductor: Priscila Santana

Violin: Solome Lomidze
Cello: Jean Luc
Bass: Marcello Maccagnan,
Guitar: Gabriel Gorski,
Percussion: Junior Karegato,
Accordion Lucas Cypriano

7:55 PM
Uptown Dreamers

8:05 PM

Speach Coach Dave Crenshaw

Guest Artist: Morgan Caceres

8:10PM

IBOC Artist Development Program Showcase

  • Ave Maria by Franz Schubert
    Tenor: Massimiliano Cims

Conductor: Joao MacDowell.

Cello: Jean Luc
Violin: Solome Lomidze
Bass: Marcello Maccagnan,
Guitar: Gabriel Gorski,
Percussion: Junior Karegato,
Accordion: Lucas Cypriano

  • Caminhos Cruzados by Tom Jobim
    Tenor: Alex Scot

IBOC Jazz Band
Bass: Marcello Maccagnan,
Guitar: Gabriel Gorski,
Percussion: Junior Karegato,
Accordion: Lucas Cypriano

  • Betrayed, written and performed by Davinia Pace
    IBOC Jazz Band
    Bass: Marcello Maccagnan,
    Guitar: Gabriel Gorski,
    Percussion: Junior Karegato,
    Accordion: Lucas Cypriano

IBOC BOARD

Executive Director: Athena Azevedo
Artistic Director: João MacDowell
Media Director: Christina Morgan
Board President: Jonathan Arak
Vocal Director: Roberta Prada
Wardrobe Director: Raxann Chin

The IBOC Ensemble

Lead bass: Marcelo Macagnan
Lead guitar: Gabriel Gorski,
Lead percussionist: Junior Karegato,
Lead accordion: Lucas Cypriano
Lead Violin: Solome Lomidze
Lead Cello: Jean Luc

Lead Dancer: Constance Vellozzi

Sponsors:

LuxuNY
Paris Baguette
Happy Boards
Abelha Organic Cachaça
Grape2Glass

Thank you to all our volunteers, donors, supporters, and staff!