Strauss, Puccini +Maria Jeritza=Newark, NJ.

As a Newark native, went to St Benedict’s Prep, and received a Certificate of Appreciation from Essex County College for my work there as Arts Editor of The Ecco, and Literary Editor of Shapes of Things. My writing has included a chapter on Maria Jeritza in my new book: Newark, Italy and me (Lulu Books 2019).

At Ramapo College I produced a Classical Concert Series featuring Emmanuel Ax; Fred Sherry; Ursula Oppens and Joyce Mathis as Young Concert Artists. With a dual degree from Intercultural Studies and Contemporary Arts at Ramapo College. I then went to grad school at the American University and worked at the Kennedy Center my career began.

At LaScala I as a guest of Claudio Abbado in Milan, Italy. At the Kennedy Center while ushering I saw every performance of LaScala; The Paris Opera; and Deutsche Oper. From the American premiere of Wieland Wagner; Giorgio Strehler and Max Bignens .
As a Producer at the Irish Arts Center I was a guest of Aer Lingus at the Dublin Theatre Festival in Ireland. Later I directed THE GIGLI CONCERT in English as a staged reading with Kate Burton and later in Italian in Rome.

Subsequently I was a guest of French Cultural services in Lyon, France for my 5 year Festival with the City of Paterson in their Historic District.
My 25 year Off-Broadway Award winning career is detailed in Exits+Entrances (Author House) on sale on the web.

Opera and Concert Series could be dedicated to Maria Jeritza for NJPAC in 2021/22. Jeritza was a superstar at the Metropolitan, Vienna, Czech, + LaScala Opera Companies. Jeritza also premiered Opera’s by Puccini, Strauss, + Janacek. Jeritza also loved, lived, and retired, to her home in Newark NJ.
The New York Times noted in their obituary she was a star of Opera’s Golden Age in the 20th century.

She was an Opera Diva, who lived, retired, and died In Newark in 1982 at 94. She attended and supported opera at The Mosque Theatre and Symphony Hall in Newark, NJ. Her appearances would generate instant applause at each performance with her blond hair and blue tinted glasses.
Homage to Maria Jeritza, who resided In Newark made opera history in Brno, Newark, The Met, Vienna as she inspired and worked with Giacomo Puccini, Leos Janacek, and Richard Strauss during her career.

MARIA JERITZA, STAR OF OPERA’S ‘GOLDEN AGE,’ DIES AT 94 …
www.nytimes.com/1982/.../maria-jeritza-star-of-opera-s-golden-age-dies-at-94 .- Maria Jeritza, the internationally renowned soprano who has beencalled … Miss Jeritza was one of the great artists of opera’s’’golden age,’’ (1887–1982) longtime resident of Newark,NJ who sang for Richard Strauss, Leos Janacek, and GiacomoPuccini :Premiere’s at the Met, Vienna, Brno, LaScala in her illustrious career in Europe and the United States.

Richard Strauss wrote 4 Last Songs (and one last song for Maria(Jeritza ) who retired to Newark after her international opera careerfrom Vienna to The Met.
Puccini loved Jeritza as his favorite TOSCA. Maria started thetradition of Tosca laying prone on the floor to sing “Vissi d’arte.”Jeritza premiered Janacek’s JENUFA among other highlights from Brno,Vienna and Milan. Her legendary musical soirees occurred at her homein North Newark. It should be an Historic Site and turned into a OperaMuseum while it still stands though now in private hands. Her postretirement appearances at The Met and Symphony Hall (formerly theMosque Theatre) garnered a rash of applause from the opera audience.
ArtsPRunlimited, Inc is part of Fractured Atlas< https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/profile?id=11419 >
Our Awards: The Irish Institute, Short Play Festival, OBIE Award asco-producer, + Making History from City of Paterson, NJ.
Book reviews in The Montclair Times (4/3/08) + The Record (9/5/04). HonoringLabor < http://irishecho.com/2012/08/honoring-labor/ >
Scholarship + Certification from Nonprofit Executive & Emerging LeaderInstitute at Rutgers University, Newark, NJ (2015)