Almost 200 years ago, three musical icons performed New York's first Italian opera, Don Giovanni, in lower New York. On May 23, they're back.

Divaria Productions presents Don Giovanni in New York, in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, the Basilica of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Rioja Lírica. The unique production re-enacts events leading up to one of the earliest opera performances in the United States, 1826's Don Giovanni.

The historical production celebrates the connection between Mozart's librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, Spanish bel canto expert (and one of New York's first Italian immigrants) Manuel Garcia, and his daughter, opera diva Maria Malibran. On May 23, 1826, the three musicians performed Don Giovanni for the first time in America at the long-gone Park Theatre on Park Row in lower Manhattan. And a few weeks later, they reunited for a concert of sacred music at the Basilica of St. Patrick's Cathedral, the same historic space where Don Giovanni in New York will be performed on May 23, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.

Blending selections from the music of Don Giovanni with an original script based upon Da Ponte's memoirs and Malibran's and Garcia's letters, Don Giovanni in New York tells the story of the three musical icons' collaboration and their important contribution to Italian culture and the arts.

Don Giovanni in New York

The Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, 273 Mott Street, New York 10012

May 23, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

$20 and $40, available at DivariaProductions.com.

Don Giovanni in New York is directed by Anton Armendariz Diaz and conducted by Nicolo Sbuelz, from a script by Andrew Bell. It features Ricardo Rivera, Richard Bernstein, Helena Brown, Jordan Pitts, Ashley Galvani Bell, Natalie Havens, Tyler Putnam, Bart Borriello, Josefina Scaro and Anton Armendariz Diaz.

The participation of Anton Armendariz Diaz was made possible by the Programme of the state agency Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) for the Internationalization of Spanish Culture (PICE), in the Mobility category, which facilitates the presence and collaboration of Spanish or Spanish-resident artists, professionals or creators in the international activities and programmes of foreign cultural organizations and institutions, both public and private.

About Divaria Productions

New York-based Divaria Productions was founded in 2011 to give emerging artists and future stars the chance to perform at a high level, to make quality opera accessible and to reach out to groups of patients with Alzheimer's and other ailments otherwise unable to enjoy vocal concerts. The opera company has performed in New York, New Jersey, Arizona and several cities in Spain, including Logroño and Santo Domingo de la Calzada. For more information, visit DivariaProductions.com.

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