Name: Composers Concert
Start: 2026-06-27T14:00:00
Location: Universal Preservation Hall

Adam Nielsen

Opera Saratoga

﻿When hard-headed British phonetics professor Henry Higgins takes Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle under his wing to transform her into a lady, cultures clash and Higgins and Eliza form an unlikely bond. With timeless songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “I Could Have Danced All Night”, the Opera Saratoga version will be a love letter to theater, with 10 singing actors playing all the roles and two pianists forming the orchestra. Directed by Mary Birnbaum and choreographed by Julia Eichten, the production will be music directed by Adam Nielsen.

My Fair Lady

Universal Preservation Hall

Free for children, this 45-minute show involves music from “My Fair Lady” and “The Elixir of Love” in a new plot devised by Opera Saratoga’s Festival Artists. A joyful, delightful, interactive introduction to the world of opera with a performer meet and greet, and autograph/photo session to follow! Join us beforehand in the lobby for free interactive arts and crafts by the Albany Institute of History & Art, Children’s Museum at Saratoga, and free tea from Saratoga Tea & Honey.

Family Shows

The Elixir of Love, Gaetano Donizetti and Felice Romani’s charming romantic comedy, tells the story of puppy dog Nemorino who is in love with the brilliant and wealthy landowner, Adina. When the traveling (quack) Doctor Dulcamara comes to town selling cures of all kinds, Nemorino purchases a love potion, which is in reality, a bottle of Bordeaux. Will the potion work its magic on Adina as Donizetti's music works its magic on audiences centuries after Elixir's debut? Find out at this touching bel-canto opera, which features some of Donizetti’s most beautiful and memorable music including "Una furtiva lagrima" and "Prendi per me se libero.” “With Saratoga's history as a health destination, Elixir is a very fun choice for this season, and one of my very favorite pieces of the standard repertoire,” says Mary Birnbaum.

The Elixir of Love

DRIFT, by composer Alyssa Weinberg (Founding Director of Composers Institute, Lake George Music Festival) and librettist J. Mae Barizo, is about motherlands, migration, and memory set amidst the pressing crises of our time. Opera Saratoga will produce a piano / electronics workshop of the piece this summer, conducted by Christopher Allen (Fourth Wall Ensemble)and directed by Caili Quan (NYC Ballet, Choreographer of OS' She Loves Me and Guys and Dolls.)

Drift

Celebrate the music that has been composed in the Capital Region with a 90 minute concert that features local singers and Capital Region composers Evan Mack, Bernadette Speach, Richard Wargo, Scott Wheeler, Robert Whelan and more! Followed by a talkback with Mary Birnbaum, OS' General and Artistic Director.