The New York Times has given its imprimatur to East Village Opera Company’s rock renditions of opera arias, with NY Times reviewer Allan Kozinn raving in his recent live review that “You could get used to hearing these things this way”.

Borrowing melodies from well-known opera masterpieces, “the group imagines classical opera – with its over-the-top plots – as if staged today” (Boston Globe).

The results have been a hit across the board, with Time Out New York hailing their “grandiose yet genuinely touching operatic pomp” and AM New York praising their “special brand of rocked-up arias… a unique mash-up of old and new.”

Fans and newcomers to the band will have a chance to see them live on their upcoming 21-date U.S. tour, kicking off September 18, 2008 in Manhattan, KS.

The touring outfit features 2 vocalists, a 4-person rock band, and a 3-piece string section, all led by East Village Opera Company co-founders Tyley Ross (vocals) and Peter Kiesewalter (keyboards).

They’ll be playing music both from ‘Olde School’ and their self-titled 2005 Decca Records debut, which the Boston Herald dubbed “something genuinely fresh that combines classic beauty with rock energy.”

Check out the stunning rock-meets-opera audio stream for, “Help Me Jove” (stream) from ‘Olde School’.

East Village Opera Company 2008 Fall tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

9/18 McCain Auditorium Manhattan, KS
9/20 Lensic Theatre Santa Fe, NM
9/22 Cache Valley Center Logan, UT
9/23 Cache Valley Center Logan, UT
9/24 CS Fine Arts Auditorium Twin Falls, ID
9/27 The Admiral Theatre Bremerton, WA
9/28 Kentwood High School Covington, WA
9/30 Columbia Theatre Longview, WA
10/1 Edmonds Center for the Arts North Edmonds, WA
10/3 The Capital Theatre Yakima, WA
10/4 The Capital Theatre Yakima, WA
10/9 USCB PAC Beaufort, SC
10/10 Ferst Center for the Arts Georgia Tech, GA
10/11 Porter Center Concert Hall Brevard, NC
10/12 Newberry Opera House Newbury, SC
10/14 The American Theatre Hampton, VA
10/15 Grand Opera House Wilmington, DE
10/16 Pollak Theatre West Long Branch, NJ
10/17 Proctor’s Theatre Schenectady, NY
10/18 Zeiterion Theatre New Bedford, MA
10/20 Jepson Theatre Richmond, VA

For more music and information, go to:

East Village Opera Company Official Website