PR - OD announces collaborative NYE event at The Grand

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

WILMINGTON, Del. — OperaDelaware, The Grand, and the Delaware Symphony Orchestra announced jointly today a New Year’s Eve Concert featuring the talents of their respective musicians and performers alongside Broadway legend Brian Stokes Mitchell.

New Year’s Eve at The Grand featuring
Delaware Symphony Orchestra, Music Director David Amado
Guest artists from OperaDelaware
Broadway’s Tony Award Winner Brian Stokes Mitchell

“We are thrilled to be a part of this collaboration, which we see as a hopeful message to the entire community that the arts are back and ready to entertain our community again,” says Grand Executive Director Mark Fields.

“The past year and a half has been such a challenging time for all who love, support, create, and perform live music,” says Brendan Cooke, OperaDelaware’s General Director. “We’re so excited to pool the collective talents of these three organizations and celebrate a return to live musical events.”

“We are elated to partner with our colleagues at The Grand Opera House and OperaDelaware to once again bring a glittering New Year’s Eve gala to Wilmington,” says J.C. Barker, Executive Director of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. “After a long break, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate—not only our musicians' return to the stage, but also The Grand’s 150th Anniversary.”

The evening will consist of a two-act program beginning with a program of traditional New Year’s concert music, including your favorite Viennese waltzes and polkas. The second act will feature the talents of Mr. Stokes Mitchell and will be a celebration of Broadway standards throughout the years. A full repertoire will be set and announced later in September.

Dubbed “the last leading man” by The New York Times, two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans Broadway, television, film, and concert appearances with the country’s finest conductors and orchestras. He received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his star turn in Kiss Me, Kate. He also gave Tony-nominated performances in Man of La Mancha, August Wilson’s King Hedley II, and Ragtime. Other notable Broadway shows include Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly’s Last Jam, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Shuffle Along. In 2016 he was awarded his second Tony Award, the prestigious Isabelle Stevenson Tony for his charitable work with The Actors Fund. That same year Stokes was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.

His extensive screen credits began with a guest starring role on Roots: The Next Generations, followed by a 7-year stint on Trapper John, MD and have continued with memorable appearances on everything from PBS’ Great Performances to The Fresh Prince, Frasier, Glee, Jumping the Broom and his most recent recurring roles on Madam Secretary, Mr. Robot, The Path, Billions and The Good Fight. Other recent TV appearances include The Blacklist, Elementary, and Bull. As a voice-over artist he has played dozens of characters on animated TV episodes including performing “Through Heaven’s Eyes” in Dreamwork’s The Prince of Egypt.

In addition to the talents of Mr. Stokes Mitchell, four stellar soloists (all OperaDelaware audience favorites) will enchant audiences with opera and operetta highlights, as guests of the Delaware Symphony, led by Maestro David Amado. Soprano Vanessa Becerra, mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams, tenor William Davenport, and baritone Eric McKeever all return to OperaDelaware for this distinctive celebration at The Grand.

Tickets to the concert are $155 per person and go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 24. Each organization will host its own presale. All proceeds benefit the three organizations equally. The concert begins promptly at 7:30 pm. “By scheduling this event at 7:30 pm, we hope that our audiences will share in the communal joy of this moment, and be able to get home safely to their families to ring in the New Year from the comfort of their own homes,” says Fields. Tickets can be purchased at www.TheGrandWilmington.org/NYE.

IF YOU GO:
What: New Year’s Eve at The Grand featuring Delaware Symphony Orchestra, OperaDelaware, and Broadway’s Brian Stokes Mitchell
Where: The Grand Opera House – Copeland Hall
When: Friday, December 31 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $155 per person, includes champagne toast

For more information, visit https://www.operade.org/new-years-eve-at-the-grand or email bcooke@operade.org.

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These programs are supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

ABOUT OPERADELAWARE
OperaDelaware, now in its 76th year, is a professional non-profit opera company with a reputation for excellence in both opera and arts education. OperaDelaware opens the door to bold, vibrant and creative operatic programming that enriches the community, transforms audiences, and encourages dialogue.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Established over 100 years ago, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra is among the premier regional orchestras in the U.S. and the only professional orchestra in Delaware. The DSO’s performance season presents classical and contemporary repertoires in full orchestra and chamber music concerts. Along with its educational programs and performances, and other special events, the DSO attracts audiences of all ages throughout the state.

ABOUT THE GRAND
Celebrating 150 years in December 2021, The Grand has been one of the region’s premier performing arts presenters, offering music, dance, comedy, and family-focused programming, along with the best of touring Broadway. The organization is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization and operates three venues on Wilmington’s Market Street arts corridor (Copeland Hall, the baby grand, and The Playhouse on Rodney Square). The opulent and historic Grand Opera House has been a landmark for the residents of Wilmington and the surrounding region for 150 years. Opened in 1871 as a home for the Grand Lodge of the Masons, The Grand played host to thousands of renowned entertainers and performing artists over the years, including Ethel Barrymore, Buffalo Bill Cody, John Philip Sousa, political cartoonist Thomas Nast, and the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University. Reopened in 1973 after falling into disrepair in 1960s, the current organization has had artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Willie Nelson, The White Stripes, Trey Anastasio, Wanda Sykes, Sinbad, Lewis Black, Ron White, Lisa Lampanelli, Pete Davidson, and more grace their stages. Between The Grand, its resident performing companies, and rentals, the building hosts more than 300 events a year bringing more than 120,000 people into downtown Wilmington and through its doors.

MEDIA RELATIONS

Press contact: For interview requests, please email us at bcooke@operade.org or call 302-658-8063.

Organizational images: Available for download here

 Advertising inquiries: For advertising and sponsorship information, please contact Mary Wilcosky at mwilcosky@operade.org.