Teatro Grattacielo
2 Riverside Drive
2C
New York, NY
10023
212-595-7127

Press

"After years of disfavor, these operas are hip again."
Zachary Woolfe, The New York Times, May 25, 2o11

La Nave, October 31, 2012. "It would be impossible to catalog all the beauties of this absorbing score, one suffused with caloric orchestral warmth as well as the poised, aristocratic nobility so characteristic of Montemezzi's musical nature. From that first gently murmuring seascape to the spectacular ceremonial conclusion, the piece is virtually without a dead spot or a carelessly written passage – compliments that few opera composers of any era can readily earn. Teatro Grattacielo once again delivered a performance of quality -- quite an accomplishment considering the challenges of the work, not to mention the difficult logistics of the occasion. "
-- Peter G. Davis, Musical America.com

"Teatro Grattacielo always digs up amazing singers to perform their amazing scores. Tiffany Abban, making her New York debut, has a full-sized, well-developed, beautifully supported spinto of womanly color and Verdian weight. She can ride over an orchestra or sing sweetly and softly, and the sound never becomes harsh when weight is brought to bear. She seemed a little tired at the end of Act II (hardly a surprise!) but she rallied for the spectacular conclusion... She has a sturdy figure but she is tall and can carry it, and she sings as if she meant what the words convey. Robert Brubaker, a better-known quantity, did some startling and thrilling things with the role of Marco Gràtico, especially in the high-lying area where most of the part seems to sit. " --John Yohalem, Parterre.com. Read the full review >

I Gioielli Della Madonna, May 26, 2o1o. "On Monday night...an enthusiastic audience turned out to hear a ratity: Wolf-Ferrari's melodramatic and colorful "I Gioielli Della Madonna." ...It was terrific fun, and interesting to hear the full-throttled performance that Teatro Grattacielo presented here, with David Wroe conducting a large and committed cast...
-- Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, Read the full review>

I Compagnacci and Il Re; David Wroe and the Westfield Symphony Orchestra, having made a shimmering hour of I Compagnacci, really sank their teeth into the sly excesses of Il Re, the work of a master determined at the end of his lifez to show off everything he had learned." John Yohalem, Opera Today

"On the podium, David Wroe brought passion and romantic movement to the production. A stylistic totality certainly fitting the dramatic intensity of the story: Love in all its cruel, sweet and most bitter metamorphoses. A truly effective presentation offered by Teatro Grattacielo."
--Manuela Cavalieri, America Oggi, May 30, 2010.

Il Piccolo Marat, April 14, 2009. "The Italian composer Pietro Mascagni hardly qualifies as a one-hit wonder, but you would never guess it to see just one work, “Cavalleria Rusticana,” turn up season after season... The rest have fallen into neglect, save for the efforts of specialist companies. One such outfit, Teatro Grattacielo, celebrated its 15th anniversary at Avery Fisher Hall on Monday night with a concert performance of “Il Piccolo Marat,” Mascagni’s 14th opera, heard in its United States première. Completed in 1921 and successfully staged in Rome that year, this three-act work is a classic rescue plot set in revolutionary France."
-- Steve Smith, The New York Times Read more >>

Read more reviews of "Il Piccolo Marat"

"Teatro Grattacielo, devotedly caretaking a neglected corner of the Italian operatic repertory, once again put us in its debt."
—Peter Davis, MusicalAmerica.com, Nov. 20, 2007

David Wroe conducted the Teatro Grattacielo Orchestra and Cantori New York Chorus in a vivid reading of the sweeping Montemezzi score, which has orchestration reminiscent of Wagner and Italianate vocal lines...
—Vivien Schweitzer, The New York Times, Nov. 15, 2007

La Farsa Amorosa is filled with crafty touches, like crystalline cuckoo clocks, distant donkey brays and bogus-pomp fanfares for Don Ferrante’s entrances. The score unfurls in a ceaseless skein of supple melody and rich orchestration...
—Steve Smith, The New York Times, 2006.

David Wroe's conducting proved delightful, not only to hear but to watch; his alert involvement, clean, sharp movements and obvious emotional connection to the score enhanced the feeling that La Farsa Amorosa had lain undeservedly forgotten far too long.
—by Eric Myers OperaNews Online, 2006

Zazà, Alice Tully Hall.
NEW YORK, Monday, November 24, 2005. "Zazà is a lesser known, but not a lesser Leoncavallo opera. Toscanini conducted the premiere in 1900, but the piece did not arrive in New York until 1920. ... Ms. Millio has the poise and command of an experienced diva, and with her cries of renunciation summoning the final curtain, she chewed the imaginary scenery to a vastly satisfying consistency. I was taken by the strong, cultured baritone of Stephen Gaertner as Cascart, Zazà's once and soon-to-be-restored lover. ...Ms Milio did very well. Her teary laments may have approached the shameless, but I suspect they are what Leonvacallo had in mind.
—Bernard Holland, The New York Times

"It is clear even in concert that I cavalieri di Ekebù is stageworthy, and Zandonai's densly orchestrated, atmospheric score and forceful vocal writing offer countless opportunities for the opera's large forces. Teatro Grattacielo assembled a first-rate group of solists..." —Donald Westwood, Opera News, 2001

"...New Yorkers should be tipping their opera hats to Teatro Grattacielo for its noble part in keeping tradition alive." —Patrick Dillon, The American Record Guide, March/April 2002

"...the company had assembled an admirable cast. In the vocally challenging title role, Manon Feubel, a strong dramatic soprano from Quebec, burst upon the scene in her U.S. debut to the acclaim of a large, enthusiastic audience...expressed by Feubel's voice of dark resonance and seemingly effortless power, with particularly stunning high notes." —Ruth Berges, OperaCanada, Spring 2003

"...Teatro Grattacielo found a cast worthy of the occasion. Manon Feubel's vibrant soprano and expressive generosity made her a most appealing Wally, Frank Porretta sang Hagenbach with welcome security, and Brian Davis's strong baritone turned Gellner into a particularly dangerous rival."
—Peter G. Davis, New York Magazine, December 9, 2002

"...that ever-laudable raider of the operatic attic, Teatro Grattacielo."
—Patrick Dillon, The American Record Guide, March/April 2003

"To the rescue has come Teatro Grattacielo ... Singing the challenging title role was Manon Feubel ... her big, dusky voice has cutting power in its top range ... A standout was Monica Yunus, a bright-voiced coloratura, in the role of Walter. Under Mr. Ajmone Marsan, the orchestra gave an exuberant and colorful, if not always tidy, account of this teeming and admirable score."
—Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, November 25, 2002

"Grattacielo's annual excursion into veristic operatic byways is an ever-welcome adornment of the autumn music calendar ... And this season's group of solo singers ranked with the strongest Grattacielo has ever had."
— Patrick Dillon, The American Record Guide, March/April 2004

"These troupers, like Silipigni, sensed from the solar plexus what Mascagni was up to. Over rough spots as well as high spots, they took the measure of his risky score."
—John W. Freeman, Opera News Online, February 2004

"The real astonishment was the magnificent performance by the orchestra, led by Alfredo Silipigni...This orchestra sounded like an opera orchestra that had played together for years...Bravo to Teatro Grattacielo for reviving this very deserving opera."
—Fred Plotkin, Das Opernglas, February 2004

"As usual, Teatro Grattacielo's presentation was first-rate. The main hero of the evening was Alfredo Silipigni, still an underrated conductor who is one of the true masters of this repertory." —Bill Zakariasen, The Westsider, December 25-31, 2003

"Shared Voyage of Discovery During an Opera in Concert...Mascagni's Iris which was presented in concert on Monday night at Alice Tully Hall by Teatro Grattacielo has enough interesting dramatic points to make one dream about how it might look in the theater." ..."an exultant orchestral performance with thrilling choral work."
—- Paul Griffiths, The New York Times, November 28, 1998

"100 Birthday Candles for Iris"..."a triumph for the two prima donnas of the evening: the conductor Fiora Contino and the soprano Karen Notare."..."a shower of applause and flowers literally flooded the principals on this splendid event." "Alice Tully Hall was jammed full with a knowledgeable and enthusiastic audience." "Iris reached moments of great expressive intensity." "A whole other story could be dedicated to the costumes by Charles and Patricia Lester inspired by a refined Orient."
—Francesca Gentile, America Oggi, November 27, 1998

"This loving performance made a strong case for the work...l'Arlesiana is a lovely work and there are many other equally worthy operas from the same period waiting to be reassessed, enough to keep Teatro Grattacielo busy for years."
—Peter G. Davis, New York Magazine, December 6, 1999

"To judge by the crowd at this art form called 'opera in concert,' one must give credit to...Teatro Grattacielo for their fortuitous intuition in producing these concerts." "Standing ovations, long, enthusiastic, and joined in by all.'
—Gianna Venturini, America Oggi, November 21, 1999

"Teatro Grattacielo...presented the North American première of a 1925 work by Riccardo Zandonai that has, at the least, shot to the top of my list of favorite opera titles: I Cavalieri di Ekebù. "The large and enthusiastic audience seemed genuinely surprised. Who would have thought that an unknown verismo opera...could be so interesting?"
—Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, November 23, 2000

"The audience was clearly delighted to discover an important score from a neglected age, and for that Teatro Grattacielo deserves the credit as well as encouragement to forge ahead."
—Peter G. Davis, New York Magazine, December 18-25, 2000

"Last Monday Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center was packed full of audience members with a fine ear who appreciated this unknown masterpiece by the Italian composer with perception and rapture." "...an event to remember and perhaps a suggestion for future courageous productions in some opera house."
— Gianna Venturini, America Oggi, November 26, 2000

"...its sprawling, Nordic-picaresque source brought forth masterly and meticulously crafted orchestration, with page upon page of cannily evocative tone painting that moves seamlessly from grotesquerie to gossamer grace. Eerie and stirring, it compels attention and admiration from start to finish, and its rip-roaring, clangorous anvil-chorus finale can rouse an audience to cheering fervor—as indeed it did at Tully Hall."
—Patrick Dillon, American Record Guide, March/April 2001

"La sorpresa è non poca ad ascoltare opere come 'Risurrezione' di Franco Alfano: si resta colpiti non solo dalla forza espressiva, dalla carica melodica e da quel saper sottolineare quasi alla perfezione stati d'animo e situazioni, ma soprattutto dalla capacità di creare atmosfere anche quando ci si affida ad un'edizione concertante come questa. Ci riferiamo a quanto messo in evidenza l'altra sera al Lincoln Center, all'Alice Tully Hall, da un impeccabile complesso vocale e strumentale qual è quello del Teatro Grattacielo di New York, diretto da Fiora Contino."
— Franco Borelli, America Oggi, December 9, 2001

"There is, though, more finesse in the scoring than the Turandot finale would lead one to suppose, with some nice viola solos and passages for divided cellos...Such moments were well served in this performance...There was some fine singing, too...Michael Corvino used grave tone and urgent yet supple phrasing to give a convincing charge to Simonson...Michele Fiammardente brought an eager and stylish Italianate tenor sound to the...role of Dimitri. Virginia Dupuy was a firm and glowing mezzo...Allison Charney looked wonderful and produced the right sort of fresh, vulnerable sound..."
—Paul Griffiths, The New York Times, December 6, 2001

"Grattacielo's performance conducted with know-how by Fiora Contino, was almost without exception very fine. The show-stealing baritone involved was Michael Corvino whose sonorous voice strikingly recalls the late Ettore Bastianini ... tenor Michele Fiammardente sang with assurance and passion ... soprano Allison Charney was a virtual clone of a young Licia Albanese ... Without exception, the large supporting cast was beyond criticism, as was the Cantori New York Chorus..."
—Bill Zakariasen, The Westsider, December 13-19, 2001

"Italo Montemezzi's opera L'Amore dei Tre Re...was performed in concert on March 26 and Tully Hall was quite full for the occasion, a welcome evening all around." "Teatro Grattacielo cast their L'Amore with love and care. "It was good to hear L'Amore again, and performed so very well. Thank you."
— Bill Wechsler, The New York Theatre Wire.Com, April 1997

"Teatro Grattacielo, New York City's newest opera-in-concert company, made an auspicious debut at Alice Tully Hall on March 26 with an impassioned performance of Italo Montemezzi's sadly neglected L'Amore dei Tre Re (1913)."
—Marylis Sevilla-Gonzaga, Opera News, August 1997

"A new and important New York opera company made its debut in Alice Tully Hall the last week in March -- the Teatro Grattacielo, which gave us a rare hearing of the once-popular musical stage-work by Italo Montemezzi, L'Amore dei Tre Re."
—Bill Zakariasen, The Westsider, April 10-16, 1997