New York, NY – National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Jane Chu has announced that The Collegiate Chorale is one of only 919 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. The Collegiate Chorale will receive a $30,000 grant in support of its May 2015 concert and CD recording of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfel’s musical epic, The Road of Promise.
The Road of Promise is a new concert adaptation of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfel’s 1937 epic musical spectacle, The Eternal Road. A dramatic mix of opera, musical theater, and pageant play, The Road of Promise tells the story of a young boy left in the care of a Rabbi and his congregation in the wake of a pogrom. To calm the boy’s fears and help him understand his faith and heritage, the Rabbi recounts ancient biblical tales, and as he does, the stories of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Rachel, Moses, Ruth, Saul, and David all come to life. The Road of Promise will run from May 6-7, 2015 at Carnegie Hall. Tickets are $30-135 and go on sale January 8, 2015.
NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “I’m pleased to be able to share the news of our support through Art Works including the award to The Collegiate Chorale. The arts foster value, connection, creativity and innovation for the American people and these recommended grants demonstrate those attributes and affirm that the arts are part of our everyday lives.”
“We’re very honored to be receiving this grant for our production of The Road of Promise…it’s the first NEA grant that The Chorale has received, and we are so appreciative of the vote of confidence it represents in our tackling this very ambitious project. We are so excited to be bringing this piece of music drama to life in its new form, and to be documenting our live performances so this important piece can be enjoyed by listeners throughout the world.” – Ted Sperling, Artistic Director
Art Works grants support the creation of art, public engagement with art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancement of the livability of communities through the arts. The NEA received 1,474 eligible applications under the Art Works category, requesting more than $75 million in funding. Of those applications, 919 are recommended for grants for a total of $26.6 million.
For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov. Follow the conversation about this and other NEAfunded projects on Twitter at #NEAFall2014.
The mission of The Collegiate Chorale is to enrich its audiences through innovative programming and exceptional performances of a broad range of vocal music featuring a premier choral ensemble. Founded in 1941 by the legendary conductor Robert Shaw, The Chorale has established a preeminent reputation for its interpretations of the traditional choral repertoire, vocal works by American composers, and rarely heard operas-in-concert, as well as for commissions and premieres of new works by today’s most exciting creative artists. The many guest artists with whom The Chorale has performed in recent years include: Stephanie Blythe, Victoria Clark, Nathan Gunn, Thomas Hampson, Angela Meade, Kelli O’Hara, Eric Owens, Rene Papé, Bryn Terfel and Deborah Voigt. Last season’s highlights included Eric Owens, Arturo Chacón-Cruz, and Julianna Di Giacomoin Arrigo Boito’s Mefistofele at Carnegie Hall, and the New York premiere of David Lang’s battle hymns with members of the Veteran Artist Program and the Manhattan Girls Chorus at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
For more information about The Collegiate Chorale, visit www.collegiatechorale.org.
The Collegiate Chorale’s 2014/2015 season opened with the NYC Premiere of Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy) in December at Carnegie Hall, featuring Eric Idle, Victoria Clark, Marc Kudisch, Lauren Worsham, and William Ferguson with Conductor/Director Ted Sperling and Orchestra of St. Luke’s. In February 2015, the company will present Handel’s Susanna at Town Hall, featuring Isabel Leonard, Daniela Mack, Javier Abreu, and Zachary James with Conductor James Bagwell, Director Ted Sperling and Orchestra of St. Luke’s. The season concludes with the US Premiere of The Road of Promise in May 2015 at Carnegie Hall, featuring Anthony Dean Griffey, Mark Delavan, Philip Cutlip, Lauren Michelle, Megan Marino, and Justin Hopkins with Conductor/Director Ted Sperling and Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
