Katonah, New York-On Saturday, October 8 at 8 p.m. Caramoor will present Leonard Bernstein's one-act opera, Trouble in Tahiti. Michael Barrett will lead a young cast of young singers including participants from Caramoor's Bel Canto Soloist program.

The opera will be fully-staged by Peter Kazaras, designed by Robert Martin, with costumes and stage décor by David and Susan Rubin, and lighting by Peter Petrino. It will be performed in The Music Room of Caramoor's House Museum and the proceeds from this concert will be used to benefit Bel Canto at Caramoor and The Terrance W. Schwab Fund for Vocal Artists. The cast includes Rosa Maria Pascarella, James Martin, Amy Synatzske, Jeffrey Picon and Evan Rogister.

"As we move into the 21^st century, we find ever more to contemplate and admire in Trouble in Tahiti," said Michael Barrett, Chief Executive and General Director of Caramoor.  "Its essential truths about the difficulties of communication in human relationships have lost none of their bite.  Its incisive portrayal of a spiritually bankrupt, materialistic society is still, unfortunately, as relevant as ever."

In writing Trouble in Tahiti, Bernstein broke new ground by setting American speech to music in the most natural way possible, without ever sacrificing lyricism or melody. He was driven by words nearly as much as by notes. In Trouble in Tahiti, his perfect marriage of music and text tells the story of Sam and Dinah, a couple who are locked not only in their own imperfect marriage, but are also imprisoned by the frictions of postwar suburban bliss. 

In the early 1950's, less than a decade after the conclusion of World War II, it was still difficult - and even subversive - to articulate the shortcomings inherent in the glorious suburban explosion that had brought prosperity to a newly expanded middle class.  With its brutally honest depiction of the secret flaws in that ostensibly perfect world, Trouble in Tahiti stands as a unique sociological study of its time and place.  Sam and Dinah's unhappy marriage serves as an eloquent metaphor for the nation's own unfulfilling devotion to materialism and cookie-cutter social structure. 

The opera's message is couched in a perfect blend of pathos and ironic humor.  The couple's vicious breakfast table spat, Sam's fatuous bonhomie as he chats with clients on his office phone, and his boastful aria in the shower about being " The Winner" is simultaneously funny and poignant, especially since it's clear that he really feels he's a loser. Dinah's swoony immersion in tropical screen claptrap gives rise to "What a Movie!" - one of the great American arias. 

Artists

Rosa Maria Pascarella, Mezzo-Soprano, recently returned from Akron Lyric Opera Theater where she performed Suzuki in Madama Butterfly.  Earlier this season, she had much success as Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri with Opera Theater of Connecticut and as Zerlina in an award winning Don Giovanni with Lyric Opera Cleveland.  She was seen as Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Theater of Connecticut and as Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte with Sarasota Opera.  Last fall, Ms. Pascarella made her debut at Avery Fisher Hall as Mother Goose in Babes in Toyland with The Little Orchestra Society.  She also debuted with Singing Star Opera as Lola in Cavalleria Rusitcana.  Last season, she performed Suzuki, in Madama Butterfly with Chicago Opera Studio, as well as two of Tossini's great heroines, Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri with Opera Theater of Connecticut and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Bronx Opera. 

James Martin, baritone, makes his home in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Music from Illinois Wesleyan University and his Master's degree from The Juilliard School as a student of Cynthia Hoffmann. He has performed opera and concert throughout the United States and parts of Europe, including appearances with NYFOS in At Harlem's Height, and Dvorák and the American Soul. Recently he debuted with Den Norske Opera as Don Giovanni in Oslo, and with L'opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg, as Junius in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Matt of the Mint in The Beggar's Opera. Other recent engagements include Sofia Gubaidulina's Rubaiyat for MoMA's annual Summergarden Festival and Bach's Johannes-Passion with the Marlboro Music Festival.

Amy Synatzske, soprano, covered the role of Violetta in La Traviata at Bel Canto at Caramoor conducted by Will Crutchfield this past summer.  In 2005, she performed Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni for H&K Productions.  In 2004, she covered Elena in Gluck's Paride ed Elena for Bel Canto at Caramoor.  In 2003, she portrayed Juana III in the world premiere of Rage D'Amours by Robert Zuidam at the Tanglewood Music Center and returned to Natchez Opera to sing Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, after making her debut as Nedda in Pagliacci the previous season.  On October 27, Ms. Synatzske will join Tim Hill and Michael Polscer in a concert featuring the songs of American composers David Eddleman, Tom Cipullo and David Del Tredici at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space. As an active recitalist, Ms. Synatzske performs frequently with Goliard Concerts, a chamber music ensemble in New York City. 

Jeffrey Picón, tenor, has performed Braham's Liebeslieder Waltzes and a program of the music of Leonard Bernstein at the Moab Music Festival, and debuted with the Naples Philharmonic led by Erich Kunzel in a program of Latin music which was taped for broadcast on PBS. Recent engagements have included Mike in the world premiere of William Bolcom's A View from the Bridge for his debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Pedrillo in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Nathanael/Cochenille in Les contes d'Hoffmann with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, The Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia for Opera Festival of New Jersey, Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia for Portland Opera Repertory Theatre and Anchorage Opera, and Dr. Caius in Falstaff and the Second Jew in Salomé with Pittsburgh Opera.  Mr. Picón recently made his Schwabacher Debut Recital in Latin Lovers: Music from South America and Cuba presented by the San Francisco Opera with pianist Steven Blier.  He has also appeared with the New York Festival of Song at the Moab Music Festival, Weill Recital Hall, the Performing Arts Society in Washington, DC, and at Wolftrap. 

Peter Kazaras, stage director, has recently enjoyed an ever-burgeoning career as a stage director in addition to performing worldwide as an operatic tenor.  Recent engagements include Norma for Seattle Opera, Le nozze di Figaro for the Seattle Opera Young Artists Development Program (a highly-acclaimed production which will transfer to the mainstage in 2008), Acis and Galatea for Santa Fe Pro Musica, Little Women for the Cabrillo Festival, Die Fledermaus for Madison Opera, Iolanta for the Academy of Vocal Arts, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi for Hartt College, Der Vampyr for Florida State University,  and The Medium and Angelique for the Merola program at San Francisco Opera.  He returns to Seattle this fall as the Principal Artistic Instructor of the Young Artists Development Program, for whom he will also direct The Turn of the Screw in the spring, after which he will also direct a semi-staged version of Krenek's rarely performed What Price Confidence? at the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York.

Michael Barrett, conductor, is Chief Executive and General Director of Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. Mr. Barrett is also Co-founder of the critically-acclaimed New York Festival of Song, and Music Director and Co-founder of the Moab Music Festival in Utah. A protégé of Leonard Bernstein, he served as his assistant from 1985 to 1990. Mr. Barrett has been a guest conductor with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, New York Philharmonic, London Symphony, Israel Philharmonic and the Orchestre National de France among others.

About Caramoor

Caramoor is the legacy of Walter and Lucie Rosen, who built the great house and filled it with their treasures. Walter Rosen was the master planner for the Caramoor estate, bringing to reality his dream of creating a place to entertain friends from around the world.  Their musical evenings were the seeds of the International Music Festival of today.  Realizing the pleasure their friends took in the beauty of Caramoor - the house with its art collection; the gardens; and the musical programs on summer evenings - the Rosens established a Foundation to open Caramoor to the public in perpetuity. 

House Museum
The House Museum is a large, rambling Mediterranean-style villa containing a priceless collection of Renaissance and Eastern art objects, and entire rooms imported from European palaces.  Twenty rooms are open to the public.  The Museum is the former summer home of financier Walter and his wife Lucie Bigelow Dodge Rosen, Caramoor's founders.  The house was built around the Spanish Courtyard, where concerts are held outdoors during the summer. Tours of the Museum are offered Wednesday through Sunday, May through October (and by appointment at other times). Group tours can be arranged.  Afternoon Tea is served there on Thursday and Fridays at 3, May through December.

Getting to Caramoor
By train, take the Harlem Division of the Metro-North Railroad to Katonah, New York. Taxi service from the station to Caramoor (5 minutes away) is available.  By car: (West Side Manhattan and New Jersey) Take the Saw Mill River Parkway north to Katonah.  Exit at Route 35/Cross River. Turn right, and at the first traffic light make a right turn onto Route 22 south.  Travel 1.9 miles to junction of Girdle Ridge Road. Follow the signs to Caramoor.  (Detailed directions:  914-232-5035, press 2, or online at www.caramoor.org).

Tickets may be ordered by calling the Box Office at 914-232-1492 or online at www.caramoor.org.

Trouble in Tahiti
Saturday, October 8 
8 p.m.                                                                        

Caramoor Music Room                            Words and Music by Leonard Bernstein

Tickets are $1,000, for pre-concert cocktails, dinner, concert and a post-concert reception with the artists; $500, for concert and post-concert reception; and $100, for concert only.