Press release RARE CHURCH OPERA BY STEPHEN PAULUS TO ...

Press releasePLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, MinneapolisRARE CHURCH OPERA BY STEPHEN PAULUS TO PREMIERE IN MINNEAPOLISWITH TWO FREE PERFORMANCES AT PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHSATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, at 2 p.m., andSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, at 10:30 a.m.The Shoemaker, a new church opera by Stephen Paulus, receives its world premiere with twofree performances at Plymouth Congregational Church (1900 Nicollet Avenue) in Minneapolis,MN, Saturday, September 29 at 2 p.m., and Sunday, September 30, at 10:30 a.m. Mr. Paulusset The Shoemaker to a libretto by poet Michael Dennis Browne from Leo Tolstoy’s Russianversion of the New Testament story of the Good Samaritan. The simple and poignant story,illustrating faith and mystery, seemed appropriate for a church setting to Paulus and Browne,who have collaborated for more than 30 years.Philip Brunelle, music director at Plymouth Congregational Church and a leader of theinternational choral community, conducts both performances. The cast features Twin Citiessoloists baritone James Bohn, tenor Dan Dressen, soprano Maria Jette, alto Krista Palmquist,and tenor Robb Asklof and baritone Bill Marshall along with the Plymouth Church Choir and a15-piece orchestra in a production staged by Gary Gisselman, who staged Mr. Paulus’s firstchurch opera, The Three Hermits, 15 years ago. Since then Mr. Paulus has wanted to composea companion work to be performed in a church sanctuary with a church choir, soloists, and achamber orchestra.Although several important church operas have been composed, they are fairly rare. In additionto Mr. Paulus’s The Three Hermits, among the most notable are Noye’s Fludde and CurlewRiver (Benjamin Britten), The Wise Women (Conrad Susa), Saint Erik’s Crown (Eskil Hemberg),The Masque of Angels (Dominick Argento), and The Martyrdom of St. Magnus (Peter MaxwellDavies).Plymouth Congregational Church, founded in 1857, has a long tradition of exceptional musicmakingand has commissioned more than 50 anthems for the Plymouth Choir from suchcomposers as Dominick Argento, Libby Larsen, Judith Bingham, Jonathan Dove, WilliamBolcom, Judith Weir, Stephen Paulus, John Rutter, Peter Schickele, William Albright and

Conrad Susa. The church values diversity, liberal theology, social justice, traditional worshipand the arts as integral to spiritual life. www.plymouth.org.Stephen Paulus has been described as a composer who writes in a musical language that isoriginal, often gorgeous, moving and uniquely American. He has composed more than 450works, including 12 operas, and has received commissions from the world’s great orchestras,chamber ensembles, soloists, and opera companies. He is also a frequent guest composer atmusic festivals in the United States and abroad. As one of the most frequently recordedcontemporary composers, his music is heard on more than 50 recordings.www.stephenpaulus.comMichael Dennis Browne is a frequent librettist for Stephen Paulus and is the author of severalcollections of poetry, including Things I Can’t Tell You (2005). Two of his collections have wonMinnesota Book Awards. His other recent publications include What the Poem Wants: Prose onPoetry (2009) and Give Her the River (2004). He retired from the University of Minnesota in2010 as a professor emeritus of English.Philip Brunelle, artistic director and founder of VocalEssence, is a mainstay in the internationalchoral music community with countless awards and honors for his contributions, such as theRoyal Norwegian Order of Merit, an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II, the Kodály Medal fromHungary, and Chorus America’s highest honor, the Michael Korn Founder’s Award forDevelopment of the Choral Art.Saturday, September 29, at 2 p.m.Sunday, September 30, at 10:30 a.m.Plymouth Congregational Church (1900 Nicollet Avenue) in Minneapolis, MNWorld premiere performances of Stephen Paulus’s church opera The ShoemakerAdmission: Free and open to the publicMedia contact:Allison Campbell Jensen612-977-1269 direct612-871-7400 main651-492-5931 mobileallisoncj@plymouth.org