Bruce Sherman was beginning to wonder whether he had any luck at all.
The executive director of the new Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center had booked a concert in August featuring a Zydeco band from Louisiana as the first event of the new organization, which hopes to build a 500-seat performing arts center along the Weehawken waterfront in the near future.
There was only one problem with the first concert. The Blackout of 2003 hit that very same day, canceling the show.
However, the HRPAC followed up the cancellation of the first concert with huge successes, first with the outdoor concert featuring Latin jazz legend Paquito D’Rivera, then two indoor lunchtime concerts in the UBS PaineWebber atrium.
With things rolling along in fine fashion, Sherman then booked his first big fundraising event, featuring Metropolitan Opera soprano Maureen O’Flynn, to be scheduled Nov. 23 at the atrium.
Sherman sent out notices and fliers promoting the O’Flynn’s performance. But as his luck would have it, O’Flynn was called away to perform in Germany with the Berlin Opera and was not going to be able to perform at the benefit.
“I was beginning to feel a little snake-bit,” Sherman said. “Sure, I was disappointed. We already advertised it. We planned the event with Maureen for a long time. She’s one of the greatest opera singers in the world. Maureen was apologetic and wanted to do the concert when she got back home.”
But it didn’t leave Sherman with a viable alternative for a replacement.
William Burden, a tenor who was scheduled to appear with O’Flynn, was asked if he would remain on the card. A native of Westfield, N.J. who currently resides in Princeton, Burden was excited about the cause of bringing a new performing arts center to the Garden State and the metropolitan area.
“I wondered what was going to happen, because the whole night was done with Maureen in mind,” said Burden in a phone interview from London, where he is currently performing. “She was the reason why I was brought in because we worked together so many times. I sort of figured that the event would be postponed, but I was willing to support the cause any way I could.”
Sherman then had a brainstorm. He and his wife, Lauren, had produced a show in Philadelphia, a “Four Tenors Concert,” five years ago. He wondered if he could do the same in Weehawken.
“Since we already had one tenor, all we needed was to find three more,” Sherman said.
Sherman made some calls and was fortunate enough to find three more talented tenors to round out his plan to reprise a “Four Tenors Concert,” which will be held in the UBS PaineWebber atrium Sunday, Nov. 23 at 4 p.m.
Burden will be joined by Carlo Scibelli, Derek Taylor and Dongwon Shin to give the benefit concert a different style and flavor.
Fine replacement
It may not be what was originally planned, but it’s certainly turning out to be a fine replacement.
“It’s certainly going to be as enjoyable as a concert as originally planned,” Sherman said. “Probably now, it’s four times as enjoyable. I feel very lucky to get the level of the talent these guys will exhibit.”
Scibelli, who has performed all over the world, said that he is looking forward to the challenge. After all, on Saturday night, the night before the concert in Weehawken, Scibelli will perform the title role of Faust at the Connecticut Grand Opera, then will come to Weehawken to perform with the other tenors.
“It was a nice surprise for me to be included,” Scibelli said in a phone interview from Hartford. “Sure, it will be a challenge [doing the two shows in two nights], but I’ve been singing for 12 years now and I’ve had to face things like this before. I’m excited to be a part of this effort to get something built there. It’s a great idea.”
Burden is currently in London performing and recording the tenor lead in “Vanessa” by Samuel Barber with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He just had a stint with the Paris Opera and has also sung with the Metropolitan Opera as well.
“This event will be important to me, because I just learned that the New Jersey Opera Festival went out of business,” Burden said. “It’s kind of amazing that a state the size of New Jersey will not be able to keep an opera company. Any time I can do something to support the arts, I’m all for it. It seems like it should be a fun event, and I’m pleased to be able to support the effort.”
Scibelli has sung with New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Covent Garden and recently recorded a CD of Tosti songs.
While Scibelli has never performed in a four tenor setting before, he’s looking forward to it.
“It is tough when you just throw everyone together to see what happens, but it should also be fun,” Scibelli said. “It’s always interesting when you put tenors together. You just check your egos at the door and have a good time. It’s all for a good cause.”
“I think we should have a good time doing it,” Burden said. “The audience can enjoy it and they’re going to get a lot out of it. For me, it’s been a while since I’ve performed at a venue like this. It should be a great day.”
Taylor and Shin are both resident artists at the AVA Opera Theatre in Philadelphia. Shin just recently drew rave reviews at a performance he gave at Alice Tully Hall.
Sherman promises some interesting and invigorating tunes that will be performed, popular tenor arias and songs like Nessun Dorma, Be My Love, and many others. There will also be a wonderful Neapolitan song medley including O Sole Mio and Torna a Surriento.
Sherman credited the corporate sponsors of the event, like Hartz Mountain Industries, Roseland Property Companies, NY Waterway, The Hudson Reporter Newspapers chain and UBS Financial Services.
Sherman said that the response has been so great to the concert that they have only 50 general admission tickets remaining.
“Once again, we’re very grateful to all of those who helped us,” Sherman said. “We’re going to continue to provide quality entertainment and I think people are realizing that. We’ve had some solid professionals and put on some great shows.”
Even some who weren’t originally planned as such.
The Four Tenors Concert will take place on November 23rd at 4 PM in the atrium of 1000 Harbor Blvd. (also known as the UBS/Paine Webber Building) in the Lincoln Harbor section of Weehawken. Ticket prices range from $25 for general admission to $250 for Benefactor tickets including a post-concert champagne reception with the artists. Call the HRPAC concert information line for further information – (201) 716-4540.