New York Metropolitan Opera Star Janet Hopkins to Be Featured In The UCI Symphony Orchestra Spring Performance

NEW YORK METROPOLITAN OPERA STAR JANET HOPKINS TO BE FEATURED IN THE UCI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SPRING PERFORMANCE

IRVINE, Calif. (May 10, 2016) – The UCI Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Stephen Tucker, is thrilled to welcome famed American dramatic mezzo-soprano Janet Hopkins for a one-night only performance. The Orchestra will present the themed concert “Guarding the Future,” the third and final performance in the 2015-16 UCI Symphony Series, on Saturday, May 21, 2016, at 8:00 pm in the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Ms. Hopkins will be sing Richard Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder, the second piece in the program.

Janet Hopkins is known for her innovative style and approach to bringing classical music to broader audiences. She made her debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera in the early 90s and has since delighted opera lovers with her diverse repertoire. "The UCI Symphony is delighted to share the stage with one of America's most outstanding operatic singers and teacher,” stated Maestro Tucker. “After her sixteen-year stint at the Metropolitan Opera, Ms. Hopkins not only continues to inspire audiences, but to help in training the singers of the future."  Ms. Hopkins toured extensively with The Met and performed in Japan and throughout Europe, as well as all over the United States. She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, at the opening ceremonies of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY and is a member of the voice faculty at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

In addition to the performance, Ms. Hopkins will conduct a Masterclass for the UCI Vocal Arts students on Monday, May 16 from 1:00 to 2:50 pm in Winifred Smith Hall. The class is free and open to the public to observe.

The UCI Symphony Orchestra is one of the premier large performance ensembles at the UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts. The Orchestra has been in existence since 1970, offering music majors, non- music majors, faculty, and other community members the opportunity to study and perform symphonic music of the ages. Maestro Tucker has conducted the ensemble since 2000. In addition to Maestro Tucker’s role as a Professor at UCI, he has made conducting appearances in Bratislava, Slovakia, Budapest, Hungary, Canada, and Taiwan. His five-week residency in Taiwan was the inaugural exchange between National Taiwan Normal University and UCI, as part of a “Sister School Agreement” between the two universities. In Taiwan, Tucker taught conducting and performed in the famed National Concert Hall in Taipei.

The primary role of the symphony organization is to prepare students for professional lives in music. The orchestra frequently collaborates with its outstanding faculty performers and professional soloists such as soprano Rebecca Tomlinson (LA Opera); violinist Nathan Olson (Dallas Symphony); piano virtuoso Vijay Venkatesh; duo pianists Anthony and Joseph Paratore; violinist Dr. Lyndon Johnston-Taylor (Los Angeles Philharmonic); Trio Céleste; and Cho-Liang Lin, to name a few. Through the annual Concerto Competition, student soloists are also selected for performances with the orchestra providing a platform to launch their professional careers. Enjoy this final spring performance and the finale for the class of 2016.

UCI Symphony Orchestra Performance and Ticket Information

Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine, CA 92612
"Guarding the Future" Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 8:00 pm
Kevin Scott’s A Point Served (In remembrance Arthur Ashe - World Premiere)
Richard Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder featuring soprano Janet Hopkins
Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4, in E minor
General Admission $16 / Seniors, Groups 10+ $15 / UCI Students & Children under 17 $6
(please note: Tickets purchased at the Barclay Box Office will incur a $1 fee per ticket.)
For tickets through Claire Trevor School of the Arts, call (949) 824-2787 or visit www.arts.uci.edu/tickets

More about Janet Hopkins
Janet Hopkins has thrilled audiences at the New York Metropolitan Opera and on stages around the world.  Recognized as one of the most gifted voices of the modern opera era, Ms. Hopkins has performed a broad range of operas and concerts. Her numerous recordings have garnered critical acclaim in the United States and abroad. For more information, please visit www.JanetEHopkins.com.

About UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts
As UCI’s creative laboratory, the Claire Trevor School of the Arts explores and presents the arts as the essence of human experience and expression, through art forms ranging from the most traditional to the radically new. The international faculty works across a wide variety of disciplines, partnering with others across the campus.  National-ranked programs in art, dance, drama, and music begin with training but end in original invention. Students come to UCI to learn to be citizen-artists, to sharpen their skills and talents, and to become the molders and leaders of world culture. For more information, please visit www.arts.uci.edu.

(Pictured: Janet Hopkins, photo by Andreas Koessler)

Posted Date: 
May 9, 2016