Two Tony-winning theatre stars will share the stage with Ren茅e Fleming in upcoming presentations of the late Andr茅 Previn and Tom Stoppard鈥檚 Penelope.
As previously reported, Uma Thurman will play the narrator role in the piece鈥檚 world premiere, set for July 24 at Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts. A bow at Chicago鈥檚 Ravinia Festival follows July 28, with Tony Award winner Jennifer Ehle (Oslo, The Coast of Utopia) as the narrator. Fellow Tony winner Victoria Clark (Gigi, The Light in the Piazza) will then assume the role for the work鈥檚 Colorado premiere with the Aspen Music Festival and School August 1.
Clark earned her Tony for portraying The Light in the Piazza鈥檚 Margaret Johnson鈥攁 role that has now become a part of Fleming鈥檚 repertoire after a London engagement and upcoming bows in Los Angeles and Chicago.
All three performances will also feature the Emerson String Quartet and pianist Simone Dinnerstein.
The premiere was announced in November last year, months before Previn鈥檚 death in February. The take on Homer鈥檚 Odyssey will now be presented in dedication to him. As Previn鈥檚 manuscript was left unfinished, his longtime editor and copyist David Fetherolf created a full working score so that the performance could go on as scheduled.
The piece, originally conceived as part of Tanglewood鈥檚 celebration of Previn鈥檚 90th birthday, was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Tanglewood鈥檚 summer resident), Ravinia, AMFS, and the Kennedy Center.
