On Thursday, October 9th at 7 pm, Beaufort Performing Arts will present The East Village Opera Company, a dynamic ensemble that imagines the great opera repertoire in lush new musical settings.
The Washington Post writes, “Roll over, Mozart, and tell Verdi the news: The East Village Opera Company is in the business of bravura rock makeovers.
Universally hailed by classical and rock music critics and fans alike, The East Village Opera Company is a unique eleven-person band that reinvents classic opera arias into bona fide rock anthems. Co-founded in 2003 by multi-instrumentalist and arranger Peter Kiesewalter and dynamic lead vocalist Tyley Ross, this electrifying duo launched the ambitious idea of combining the musicianship of a powerhouse rock band and a professional string quartet to re-interpret classical music’s greatest arias and create high-adrenaline, power-rock opera.
The East Village Opera Company has been electrifying New York audiences since its inception less than two years ago. With powerful live performances packing nonstop energy, the band has attracted an unusually diverse audience to their shows. Audiences of all ages are being drawn to this typically more adult genre because it reflects the eclectic musical tastes of modern audiences.
“People have very diverse record collections…a bit of jazz, a bit of rock and pop, a bit of hip-hop, bluegrass and classical music,” says Tyley Ross. “That certainly reflects everyone in our band.” The East Village Opera Company makes music for such diverse and interesting tastes, yet it doesn’t disrespect the emotional heart of the songs. “When I arranged these tunes – and that’s what they are, they’re classical arias but they are the pop tunes of their day – I imagined what their original composers would do if they had today’s technology and instruments at their disposal,” says Peter Kiesewalter.
Tickets are on sale now at the USCB Performing Arts Center. Ticket prices are $40-35-30 and half price for children 12 years old and younger. Box Office: (843) 521-4145 Monday-Friday 10:00AM to 5:00PM. University of South Carolina Beaufort is located in the heart of downtown Beaufort at 801 Carteret St, Beaufort.
