Youngest Member of IOT’s Jago Cast Already Has Impressive Background
April, 2013, Philadelphia: Thirteen-year-old Graeme Brown of Chestnut Hill, soloist with a key role in International Opera Theater’s current production of Jago May 30, 31 and June 1 at the Media Theatre in Media, PA, will also travel with the cast to its presentation June 7 in Citta di Saluzzo, Italy.Graeme comes to IOT with impressive chops. He has been with Keystone State Boychoir (KSB) since he was seven years old and is presently part of its well-known octet “The Eight Sopranos.” He is a frequent soloist and performed with other members of KSB in Oliver on Broadway with Irish Repertory Theatre. KSB is the official boy choir of Opera Philadelphia (formerly Opera Company of Philadelphia). Graeme has performed four of its operas including Tosca, Carmen, La Boheme and – as a fitting prelude to Jago – Otello.
Jago (ee-YAH-go) had its world premiere in Italy in 2009. Media is hosting its American premiere, the first Italian-composed opera to premiere in the U.S.A. in 100 years. In recognition, Media declared the first week in May to be International Opera Theater Week.
The opera is IOT’s homage to Verdi on the great composer’s 200th birthday, and its plot begins where Verdi’s Otello ends. Jago awaits execution in a dank prison cell, encased in his own 15-year vow of silence. A child, Kasim, son of Jago’s prison guard, makes his way to the cell, and a relationship develops between the two which will forever change both lives. Graeme is Kasim.
Graeme is in the seventh grade at J.R. Masterman, a magnet school visited by President Obama in 2010 for his “back to School” speech. Graeme is currently a Tenderfoot Boy Scout and, following in his father’s footsteps, aspires to the rank of Eagle. He’s in the chess club at Masterman, which came in first nationally for the middle school chess team. He looks forward to joining the robotics club and also loves playing baseball and swimming in the ocean.
International Opera Theater, now in its tenth year, is based in both Philadelphia and Italy and has presented 10 world premieres. Jago, written by IOT founder and artistic director Karen Saillant, is composed by Carlo Pedini with a libretto by Lucio Lironi, and will be conducted by Maestro Gianmaria Griglio. All but American Karen are Italian.
Jago tickets $45-$75, Media Theatre, 104 E. State Street, Media, PA 19063. For tickets or information Contact 610-891-0100 or e-mail mediatheatre.org or internationaloperatheater.org.
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Contact: Janis O’Connor, IOT Jago Committee Marketing Chairsea.girt@netzero.net 215-970-1730
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