Edward Barnes (composer)
Encyclopedia
Edward Barnes is an American
composer
and producer
.
Edward Barnes studied music composition at the Juilliard School
with composers Vincent Persichetti
and David Diamond
, and at Dartington Hall
in Great Britain with composer-conductor Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Early in his career he established himself as an opera composer, working in Boston as resident composer of Sarah Caldwell
's Opera Company of Boston
and later at the Los Angeles Opera
. For the Los Angeles Opera
he wrote and music-directed his original operas "A Muskrat Lullaby
", "A Place To Call Home
", "Mystery on the Docks
" as well as the opera revue "Murder at the Opera", a co-commission from the Los Angeles Opera
and Houston Grand Opera
. His interest in theater and musical theater led him to found The Metro Ensemble, a new musical theater group based in Los Angeles
for whom he created the critically acclaimed shows "The Vagabond Queen", "Old Aunt Dinah’s Sure Guide To Dreams & Lucky Numbers", and "The Bones of Love". Other theater work has included scores for Lincoln Center Theater, Bay Street Theater, Children’s Theater Company of Minneapolis, and the Directors Company. He received a Drama Desk nomination for his co-adaptation of the Vortex Theater's off-Broadway production of "HMS Pinafore
" in 2007. A resident artist at the Ucross Foundation, the Instituto Sacatar in Brazil, and the Fundacion Valparaiso in Spain, he is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Stephen Sondheim Award.
In recent years, Barnes has begun working as a producer of theatrical and concert events in New York City
. He was associate producer of both Scott Joplin
's "Treemonisha
" and Philip Glass
's "The Juniper Tree
" for the Collegiate Chorale
at Lincoln Center, and coordinating producer of the NY Premiere of Leonard Bernstein
's "A White House Cantata" at Jazz at Lincoln Center
. He produced the 2009 concert version of Kurt Weill
-Ira Gershwin
's operetta, "The Firebrand of Florence
", at the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall
at Lincoln Center, featuring Nathan Gunn
, Anna Christy
, Victoria Clark
, Terrence Mann
and David Pittu
, to great critical acclaim. In March 2010, he produced the Collegiate Chorale
's Carnegie Hall concert of Ricky Ian Gordon
and Michael Korie
's opera, "The Grapes of Wrath
", starring Jane Fonda
, Christine Ebersole
, Victoria Clark
, Nathan Gunn
and Steven Pasquale
. Also for The Collegiate Chorale, he produced the January 2011 Lincoln Center performances of "Knickerbocker Holiday
" by Kurt Weill
and Maxwell Anderson
, starring Kelli O'Hara
and Victor Garber
, as well as the live cast album of the same, to be released in May 2011 by Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records. Previous producing positions have included Night Kitchen Radio Theater
on XM Satellite Radio
, the Teatro Maipu and the Teatro Lola Membres, both in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Edward Barnes studied music composition at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
with composers Vincent Persichetti
Vincent Persichetti
Vincent Ludwig Persichetti was an American composer, teacher, and pianist. An important musical educator and writer, Persichetti was a native of Philadelphia...
and David Diamond
David Diamond (composer)
David Leo Diamond was an American composer of classical music.-Life and career:He was born in Rochester, New York and studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Eastman School of Music under Bernard Rogers, also receiving lessons from Roger Sessions in New York City and Nadia Boulanger in...
, and at Dartington Hall
Dartington Hall
The Dartington Hall Trust, near Totnes, Devon, United Kingdom is a charity specialising in the arts, social justice and sustainability.The Trust currently runs 16 charitable programmes, including The Dartington International Summer School and Schumacher Environmental College...
in Great Britain with composer-conductor Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Early in his career he established himself as an opera composer, working in Boston as resident composer of Sarah Caldwell
Sarah Caldwell
Sarah Caldwell was a notable American opera conductor, impresario, and stage director of opera.- Life :Caldwell was born in Maryville, Missouri, and grew up in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She was a child prodigy and gave public performances on the violin by the time she was ten years old...
's Opera Company of Boston
Opera Company of Boston
The Opera Company of Boston was an American opera company located in Boston, Massachusetts that was active during the late 1950s through the early 1990s. The company was founded by American conductor Sarah Caldwell in 1958 under the name Boston Opera Group. At one time, the touring arm of the...
and later at the Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera
The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
. For the Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera
The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
he wrote and music-directed his original operas "A Muskrat Lullaby
A Muskrat Lullaby
A Muskrat Lullaby is a one-act opera by Edward Barnes, based on the book, Mama Don't Allow by Thacher Hurd. The work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera with funding from the Milken Family Foundation, and originally premiered in Los Angeles in 1993...
", "A Place To Call Home
A Place to Call Home (opera)
A Place To Call Home is a contemporary American opera composed by Edward Barnes who also wrote the libretto. The work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera and premiered at the John Anson Ford Theater during the summer of 1993...
", "Mystery on the Docks
Mystery on the Docks
Mystery on the Docks is a one-act opera by Edward Barnes, based on a book by Thacher Hurd. The opera was a joint commission from the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Los Angeles Opera, and Opera Columbus, sponsored by a consortium commissioning grant from the Wallace Foundation...
" as well as the opera revue "Murder at the Opera", a co-commission from the Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera
The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
and Houston Grand Opera
Houston Grand Opera
Houston Grand Opera Houston Grand Opera was founded in 1955 through the joint efforts of Maestro Walter Herbert and cultural leaders Mrs. Louis G. Lobit, Edward Bing and Charles Cockrell...
. His interest in theater and musical theater led him to found The Metro Ensemble, a new musical theater group based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for whom he created the critically acclaimed shows "The Vagabond Queen", "Old Aunt Dinah’s Sure Guide To Dreams & Lucky Numbers", and "The Bones of Love". Other theater work has included scores for Lincoln Center Theater, Bay Street Theater, Children’s Theater Company of Minneapolis, and the Directors Company. He received a Drama Desk nomination for his co-adaptation of the Vortex Theater's off-Broadway production of "HMS Pinafore
HMS Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, England, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical...
" in 2007. A resident artist at the Ucross Foundation, the Instituto Sacatar in Brazil, and the Fundacion Valparaiso in Spain, he is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Stephen Sondheim Award.
In recent years, Barnes has begun working as a producer of theatrical and concert events in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was associate producer of both Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed "The King of Ragtime". During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas...
's "Treemonisha
Treemonisha
Treemonisha is an opera composed by the famed African-American ragtime composer Scott Joplin. Though it encompasses a wide range of musical styles other than ragtime, and Joplin did not refer to it as such, it is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a "ragtime opera"...
" and Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
's "The Juniper Tree
The Juniper Tree
The Juniper Tree is a 1990 Icelandic film with a small cast of five actors, Björk, Bryndis Petra Bragadóttir, Guðrún S. Gísladóttir, Valdimar Örn Flygenring and introducing Geirlaug Sunna Þormar...
" for the Collegiate Chorale
Collegiate Chorale
The Collegiate Chorale is a symphonic choir based in New York City, USA. It was founded in 1941 by Robert Shaw, who was later to found the professional Robert Shaw Chorale. The Collegiate Chorale continues to give several performances annually in Carnegie Hall and other major venues...
at Lincoln Center, and coordinating producer of the NY Premiere of Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
's "A White House Cantata" at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center is part of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. JALC's performing arts complex, Frederick P. Rose Hall, is located at West 60th Street and Broadway in New York City, slightly south of the main Lincoln Center campus and directly adjacent to Columbus Circle. Frederick P....
. He produced the 2009 concert version of Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
-Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
's operetta, "The Firebrand of Florence
The Firebrand of Florence
The Firebrand of Florence is a Broadway musical in two acts, written by Kurt Weill , Ira Gershwin , and Edwin Justus Mayer and Gershwin, based on Mayer's play. The show opened at the Alvin Theatre on March 22, 1945 and closed on April 28 of the same year after 43 performances...
", at the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
at Lincoln Center, featuring Nathan Gunn
Nathan Gunn
Nathan Gunn is an operatic baritone from the United States.He has appeared in many of world's well-known opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Dallas Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Opera,...
, Anna Christy
Anna Christy
Anna Christy is an America soprano opera singer. She studied at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and made her debut in 2000 at New York City Opera as Papagena....
, Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark is an American musical theatre singer and actress. Clark has performed in many Broadway musicals and in other theatre, film and television work, and her soprano voice can be heard on numerous cast albums and several animated films...
, Terrence Mann
Terrence Mann
Terrence Vaughan Mann is an American actor, director, singer, songwriter and dancer who has been prominent on the Broadway stage for the past three decades...
and David Pittu
David Pittu
David Pittu is a versatile American actor known primarily for his work in the theater.-Career:Pittu who is of Romanian descent grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut and graduated from New York University in 1989. He is also a writer and director, and member of the Atlantic Theater Company...
, to great critical acclaim. In March 2010, he produced the Collegiate Chorale
Collegiate Chorale
The Collegiate Chorale is a symphonic choir based in New York City, USA. It was founded in 1941 by Robert Shaw, who was later to found the professional Robert Shaw Chorale. The Collegiate Chorale continues to give several performances annually in Carnegie Hall and other major venues...
's Carnegie Hall concert of Ricky Ian Gordon
Ricky Ian Gordon
Ricky Ian Gordon is an American composer of songs, stage musicals and opera. The death of his lover from AIDS inspired Dream True and Orpheus and Euridice...
and Michael Korie
Michael Korie
Michael Korie is an American librettist and lyricist. Korie's works include Grey Gardens , Harvey Milk and The Grapes of Wrath . He also wrote the lyrics to Doctor Zhivago Michael Korie (born Michael Cory Indick) is an American librettist and lyricist. Korie's works include Grey Gardens...
's opera, "The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath is a novel published in 1939 and written by John Steinbeck, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962....
", starring Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
, Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Ebersole was born in Winnetka, Illinois, where she attended New Trier High School...
, Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark is an American musical theatre singer and actress. Clark has performed in many Broadway musicals and in other theatre, film and television work, and her soprano voice can be heard on numerous cast albums and several animated films...
, Nathan Gunn
Nathan Gunn
Nathan Gunn is an operatic baritone from the United States.He has appeared in many of world's well-known opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Dallas Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Opera,...
and Steven Pasquale
Steven Pasquale
Steven Pasquale is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Sean Garrity in the critically acclaimed series Rescue Me. He made his debut on the HBO series Six Feet Under, playing a love interest for David. He also starred in the film Aliens vs...
. Also for The Collegiate Chorale, he produced the January 2011 Lincoln Center performances of "Knickerbocker Holiday
Knickerbocker Holiday
Knickerbocker Holiday is a musical written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson ; it was directed by Joshua Logan. Among the songs introduced was the "September Song", now considered a pop standard.- History :...
" by Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
and Maxwell Anderson
Maxwell Anderson
James Maxwell Anderson was an American playwright, author, poet, journalist and lyricist.-Early years:Anderson was born in Atlantic, Pennsylvania, the second of eight children to William Lincoln "Link" Anderson, a Baptist minister, and Charlotte Perrimela Stephenson, both of Scots and Irish descent...
, starring Kelli O'Hara
Kelli O'Hara
Kelli O'Hara is an American actress, singer, and songwriter.O'Hara has been nominated for three Tony Awards: for her performance as Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza; for her performance as Babe Williams in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of The Pajama Game, where she starred...
and Victor Garber
Victor Garber
Victor Joseph Garber is a Canadian film, stage and television actor and singer. Garber is known for playing Jesus in Godspell, Jack Bristow in the television series Alias, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, and Thomas Andrews in James Cameron's Titanic.-Early life:Born in London, Ontario, Canada, Garber is...
, as well as the live cast album of the same, to be released in May 2011 by Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records. Previous producing positions have included Night Kitchen Radio Theater
Night Kitchen Radio Theater
Night Kitchen Radio Theater is a radio theater company founded and directed by Arthur Yorinks. It has produced two dramatic radio programs: "Live From The Kennedy Center", featuring original radio plays and adaptations for family audiences; and "@7 The Henry Street Series", radio adaptations of...
on XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
, the Teatro Maipu and the Teatro Lola Membres, both in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Works
- The Old Man Who Loved Cheese (With Garrison KeillorGarrison KeillorGary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...
) - Punch & Judy Get Divorced (with David Gordon, Ain GordonAin Gordon-Life:He began writing and directing for the stage in 1985. He emerged on to the downtown dance/performance scene with four consecutive seasons at Dance Theater Workshop plus performances at Movement Research, The Poetry Project, and Performance Space 122...
and Arnold WeinsteinArnold WeinsteinArnold Weinstein was an American poet, playwright and librettist, who referred to himself as a "theatre poet"....
) - Old Aunt Dinah's Sure Guide To Dreams & Lucky Numbers
- The Bones of Love
- The Vagabond Queen
- Mystery on the DocksMystery on the DocksMystery on the Docks is a one-act opera by Edward Barnes, based on a book by Thacher Hurd. The opera was a joint commission from the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Los Angeles Opera, and Opera Columbus, sponsored by a consortium commissioning grant from the Wallace Foundation...
- A Place To Call HomeA Place to Call Home (opera)A Place To Call Home is a contemporary American opera composed by Edward Barnes who also wrote the libretto. The work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera and premiered at the John Anson Ford Theater during the summer of 1993...
- Spain/36 (With the San Francisco Mime TroupeSan Francisco Mime TroupeThe San Francisco Mime Troupe is a theatre of political satire which performs free shows in various parks in the San Francisco Bay Area and around California. The Troupe does not, however, perform silent mime, but each year creates an original musical comedy that combines aspects of Commedia...
) - A Muskrat LullabyA Muskrat LullabyA Muskrat Lullaby is a one-act opera by Edward Barnes, based on the book, Mama Don't Allow by Thacher Hurd. The work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera with funding from the Milken Family Foundation, and originally premiered in Los Angeles in 1993...