Written by Eve Wolf
Directed by Donald T. Sanders
Set & Costumes by Vanessa James

November 16 & 18, 2006
January 30, 2003
The Kosciuszko Foundation
15 E. 65th St. 
NY, NY

Arthur Rubinstein was one of the most magnetic musical personalities of the 20th century. He had a special relationship with Paris, a city he loved so much that he vowed “never to live anywhere else in the world but in this divine city!” Turn-of-the-century Paris was the most cosmopolitan center in Europe; there Rubinstein befriended some of the greatest composers of the time, whose music he championed throughout his life.

A script based on Rubinstein’s memoirs captures his struggles and triumphs amidst the glittering musical life of Paris, featuring music by composers whom Rubinstein knew personally, including Saint-Saëns, Ravel, Falla, Szymanowski, Stravinsky, and Skriabin.

Written by James Melo
Directed by Donald T. Sanders
Set & Costumes by Vanessa James

March 14, 15 & 18, 2007
The Kosciuszko Foundation
15 E. 65th St. 
NY, NY

In the late 1800’s, the Parisian cabaret was a stage for artists, poets, and musicians whose credo was wit, inventiveness, and irreverence. Erik Satie, the epitome of eccentricity, electrified the cabarets with his flamboyant personality, biting humor, and outrageous pronouncements. This concert recaptures the kaleidoscopic life of a Montmartre cabaret through humorous and satirical writings by Satie and his collaborator, the poet Alphonse Allais.

A dramatic story from Satie’s past unfolds underneath the glittering surface of anecdotes and social satire, fueled by the music of Satie, Debussy, and contemporaneous cabaret songs and instrumental works. For the premiere, the Parisian cabaret chanteuse Denise Bahous, who revived the repertoire of the famous Yvette Guilbert from Le Chat Noir, joined ERC musicians.

Written by Eve Wolf
Directed by Donald T. Sanders
Set & Costumes by Vanessa James
Lighting Design by Beverly Emmons
Projection Design by Laura Blaguszewski
Music Arrangements by Quentin Chiapetta

June 7, 2007
FIAF
Florence Gould Hall
55 East 59th St.
NY, NY

The sensational life of the American patroness Peggy Guggenheim is the focus of a musical and cultural journey through the 20th century. Tragedy and comedy intermingle as Peggy’s very sense of self is dramatized through her forays into the artistic world, her relationships with protégés, and her traumatic love affairs. The effervescent creativity of the 20th century emerges in a musical program that covers a dizzying variety of genres and styles, with works by Poulenc, Milhaud, Stravinsky, Gershwin, Cole Porter, Nino Rota, Barber, Berio, Ned Rorem and others.

This variegated musical canvas for mixed ensemble, actors, tenor and soprano is woven into a script based on Peggy’s autobiography, a tragicomic tale infused with the drama of a fractured identity.