New York City Opera: Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald

WHAT: Blues, jazz and standards, American classics FREE: No tickets needed, just show up on the lawn! New York City Opera returns in August with a performance by three-time Grammy Award-winning soprano Latonia Moore , honoring the timeless music of “The First Lady of Song”. Three-time Grammy Award winner Latonia Moore is widely regarded as one of the most compelling sopranos on today’s international stage, celebrated for the richness of her voice and the emotional depth of her artistry. Her 2025–26 season features the role of Bess in Porgy and Bess at the Teatro Municipal de São Paulo and Serena in the same opera at the Metropolitan Opera and Houston Grand Opera. She also appears as Liù in Turandot in Detroit and joins The Cleveland Orchestra for its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Concert. In the 2024–25 season, Moore performed Musetta in La bohème with San Diego Opera, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the title role in Jenůfa with The Cleveland Orchestra under Franz Welser-Möst, in addition to appearing at the Academy of Vocal Arts Gala Concert in Philadelphia. Moore has earned international acclaim for her portrayal of the title role in Aida , which she has performed at many of the world’s leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Opernhaus Zürich, Teatro Colón, New National Theatre Tokyo, and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival. Her distinguished career also includes appearances in Dead Man Walking , Fire Shut Up in My Bones , Tosca and La bohème at major houses worldwide. She has collaborated with renowned orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Boston Symphony Orchestra, working with notable conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle and Edward Gardner. American baritone Norman Garrett , praised by The New York Times as "scene-stealing," has established himself as one of today's most compelling dramatic baritones, with acclaimed performances at the world's leading opera houses and concert venues. During the 2025–2026 season, Garrett appears as the title role in Verdi's Macbeth with Boston Lyric Opera, Scarpia in Tosca with Des Moines Metro Opera, Jim in Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera, Crown in Porgy and Bess with Lyric Opera Kansas City, and the Marquis de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites with New Orleans Opera. His concert appearances include Carlisle Floyd's Pilgrimage with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and Martinů's Epic of Gilgamesh at Bard SummerScape. Recent engagements include Crown with Washington National Opera, The Reverend in Blue at Lyric Opera of Chicago, his role debut as Macbeth with Opera Orlando, and Abdul in Omar with Quad City Symphony. He has also performed Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Phoenix Symphony and collaborated with composer Terence Blanchard in performances from Fire Shut Up in My Bones . Garrett's distinguished career includes appearances with the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, LA Opera, Austin Opera, Dayton Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Bayerische Staatsoper, and the Wexford Festival Opera, performing celebrated roles including Don Giovanni, Jochanaan, Escamillo, Conte Almaviva, Ríolobo, and the title role in Chausson's Le roi Arthus . Equally acclaimed in both standard repertoire and contemporary opera, Norman Garrett continues to earn recognition for his commanding stage presence, powerful voice, and exceptional dramatic artistry. Ray Brown Jr. was born in New York City on August 13, 1949, to Frances Fitzgerald, the half-sister of legendary vocalist Ella Fitzgerald. He was adopted and raised by jazz icons Ella Fitzgerald and bassist Ray Brown, growing up in a remarkable musical environment where legends such as Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, and Frank Sinatra were frequent visitors. At the age of ten, Brown moved with his family to California, where he discovered a passion for both drumming and singing. While attending Beverly Hills High School, he performed with school vocal ensembles that toured local festivals and hospitals. His father arranged for him to study percussion with acclaimed jazz drummers Bill Douglass and Chuck Flores, laying the foundation for his musical career. Although deeply rooted in jazz, Brown developed a strong interest in rock music during his youth, viewing it as a creative expression of independence. His enthusiasm even inspired Ella Fitzgerald's 1964 novelty recording, Ringo Beat . In 1971, Brown relocated to Seattle to continue his musical studies with drummer Bill Coleman Sr. During this period, he expanded his artistry by writing original songs while continuing to perform on drums and piano. Throughout the late 1980s, Brown toured extensively across the Pacific Northwest, Canada, Alaska, Japan, Korea, and Guam, performing for United States Department of Defense audiences. A seasoned performer, he continues to embrace life on the road, carrying forward the rich musical legacy of the extraordinary family that shaped his career. Guy Mintus Trio Guy Mintus (piano, voice, arrangements, musical direction) Luke Sellick (bass) David Sirkus (drums) Guy Mintus is a pianist, composer, vocalist, and improviser whose work moves fluidly between classical music, jazz, and musical traditions from around the world. Whether performing solo, leading ensembles, appearing with orchestras, or creating large-scale original productions, Mintus transforms the concert stage into a space where spontaneity, virtuosity, humor, and deep emotional communication coexist naturally. At the heart of Mintus’ artistic vision is a desire to reimagine the boundaries between musical worlds. Through original compositions, improvisation-infused reinterpretations of the classical canon, and cross-cultural collaborations, he creates a musical language in which Beethoven, Gershwin, Middle Eastern maqam, Mediterranean rhythms, and contemporary jazz can exist side by side as part of a single living tradition. In recent years, Mintus has emerged as a distinctive voice in the evolving dialogue between classical music and improvisation. His original reimaginings of works such as Beethoven’s Triple Concerto and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue have been presented with orchestras and festivals across Europe, the United States, and Israel, including recent performances with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra at Prague’s Smetana Hall and with Germany’s WDR Orchestra at the Konzerthaus Dortmund as part of the Ruhr Piano Festival. Officially endorsed by Yamaha Pianos, Mintus has appeared at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Teatro Massimo, and the Israeli Opera. He is the recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award and the Audience Prize at the Montreux Jazz Festival piano competition. Praised by The New York Times for his “ebullient grace” and described by DownBeat Magazine as possessing a “shining, charismatic personality,” Mintus has become known for performances that dissolve the boundaries between concert music, improvisation, and spontaneous creation. Guy Mintus Trio Guy Mintus (piano, voice, arrangements, musical direction) Luke Sellick (bass) David Sirkus (drums) Bassist-of-choice for top tier artists Benny Golson, Russell Malone, Monty Alexander and others, Luke Sellick is a compelling creative force on the New York jazz scene. Raised in the rich musical climate of Winnipeg, Canada, Luke moved to NYC in 2012 where he attended The Juilliard School and was mentored by legendary bassist Ron Carter. He apprenticed musically with pianist Johnny O’Neal, performing weekly in classic NYC jazz clubs Smoke, Smalls, and Mezzrow. Luke is currently based in Harlem and has recently appeared in concert with George Coleman, Kenny Barron, Jimmy Greene, Houston Person, Renee Rosnes, Ron Blake, Lewis Nash, Alina Engibaryan, Monty Alexander, Benny Golson and many others. In addition to his busy touring schedule, Luke is active as a teacher and clinician, working with students in New York City public and private schools, and various colleges. His debut album Alchemist was released in March 2017 on the Cellar Live label, followed by his gospel-infused Christmas EP. His latest release is Small Vacation , a folk and delta-blues infused duo album with guitarist Andrew Renfroe. Outside of his musical career, Luke’s passions include hockey, aerial photography, and disappearing into the Northern Ontario wilderness for extended periods of time. His musical philosophy is epitomized in the words of J.S. Bach, that “the end of all music is none other than glory of God and the refreshment of the spirit”. Guy Mintus Trio Guy Mintus (piano, voice, arrangements, musical direction) Luke Sellick (bass) David Sirkus (drums) David Sirkis is an Israeli drummer, composer, and bandleader based in New York City. Known for his versatility and distinctive rhythmic approach, his music blends modern jazz with Middle Eastern influences, creating a sound that is both rooted in tradition and forward-looking. Since returning to New York in 2023, Sirkis has become an in-demand presence on the city’s jazz scene, performing alongside internationally recognized artists including Gilad Hekselman, Tivon Pennicott, Joe Martin, George Braith, and Jon Davis. As both a bandleader and collaborator, Sirkis has released several original projects, including his debut album When It All Starts , Qamar Al-Din with his ensemble Komradin, and Look Up! (2026), featuring leading voices from the New York jazz scene. He has performed at international festivals including the Red Sea Jazz Festival and the London EFG Jazz Festival, and at renowned venues such as The Jazz Gallery, Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, and Ornithology Jazz Club. The internationally heralded cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper stands out among her peers not only for her polished virtuosity but for her fierce intelligence and imaginative programming. Her natural stage presence and effervescent personality inform all aspects of her musicianship—whether as recitalist, soloist with orchestra, recording artist, teacher, lecturer, or as a member of a chamber performance. But it is her curiosity and enthusiasm that have led her to commission and play works by Lera Auerbach, Josef Bardanashvili, Kenji Bunch, Mario Davidovsky, Avner Dorman, Tan Dun, Philip Glass, Tania Leon, Roberto Siera, and Benjamin Yusupov. She serves as Co-Director with Joel Sachs and Cheryl Seltzer of the pioneering New York-based contemporary music group Continuum. Over the years, critics from The New York Times have extolled her praises on numerous occasions: “Kristina Cooper gave a sensational performance…of the cello threnody;” “In the cello sonata, Kristina Reiko Cooper played the challenging cello line with a fluidity that made it seem easy;” “Ms. Cooper’s cello solos sang out in the slow movement with elegance and fine sentiment.” A turning point in her life came when Ms. Cooper created a consortium of Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, and the American Society of Yad Vashem to commission composer Lera Auerbach to write Symphony No. 6 “Vessels of Light.” Scored for cello, chorus, and orchestra, the work commemorates the heroic deeds of Japanese consul Chiune Sugihara who, during World War II in Lithuania, issued between 2,100 and 3,500 life-saving transit visas to Jews. Owing to his courage by defying Japan’s regulations and risking his own life, generations of visa recipient families are alive today, including Ms. Cooper’s husband and three children. The world premiere of “Vessels of Light,” took place in Lithuania on November 5th, 2022, with Ms. Cooper performing as soloist with the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra and Kaunas State Choir under the leadership of music director Constantine Orbelian. Ms. Cooper has appeared as soloist with some of the world’s major orchestras in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Henry Crown Theater in Jerusalem, and the Kennedy Center. A prolific chamber musician, Kristina won the Walter M. Naumburg Chamber Music Award first prize and has been a member of many renowned ensembles, including the Whitman Quartet, Quartetto Gelato, Opus X, and Intersection. Her many festival appearances include The Lincoln Center Summer Festival, Mostly Mozart, Musicians from Marlboro, Bang on a Can All-Stars, and the Stresa International Music Festival. Born and raised in New York City, Ms. Cooper holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a doctoral degree from Juilliard, where she studied cello with Joel Krosnick. Ms. Cooper serves as a visiting professor at the Buchmann Mehta School at Tel Aviv University, Israel. She is the founding musical director of The Israel Chamber Music Society, serves as the Vice-President of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. and sits on the board of the Charney Forum for New Diplomacy. Kristina plays on the 1743 Ex-Havermeyer G.B. Guadagnini cello and lives with her husband and three children in Tel Aviv, Israel. Robin K. Phillips is a playwright, producer, musician, actor, and internationally acclaimed auteur filmmaker whose career spans stage, screen, and concert narration. After a triumphant success as Narrator of New York City Opera’s Opera Goes to Hollywood in Bryant Park, Phillips brought her signature artistry, wit, and storytelling flair to one of the company’s most celebrated public performances. She previously served as Narrator for Opera Camerata of Washington for seven years, engaging audiences with her charismatic presence and refined dramatic skills. Phillips has lived, studied, and performed abroad for nearly 12 years in Munich, Sydney, London, Brussels, and Monte Carlo, experiences that continue to shape her global artistic outlook. For the stage, she has written, produced, and starred in critically acclaimed original musical plays, including The Music Halls of Paris, 1900–1960 and Agatha Sings! , an imaginative portrait of mystery writer Agatha Christie, who once dreamed of becoming an opera singer. As a filmmaker, Phillips has garnered international acclaim for her documentary Shakespeare: The Truth Behind the Name , which has achieved 105 awards and 24 nominations across 88 film festivals worldwide, including 23 for Best Documentary Feature. Credited for research, sound design, production design, and concept, her work exemplifies artistry of extraordinary range and dedication. Bryant Park lends out hundreds of free blankets on a first come, first served basis, or bring your own cotton or fleece blanket. To protect the lawn, please do not sit on waterproof materials such as plastic tarps, yoga mats, or inflatable chairs. No plastic, please! Plastic linings and ground coverings can kill the grass, so on the lawn we don't allow plastic products, including but not limited to: sheets, tarps, bags, pads, and/or yoga mats. If you need a ground covering for the lawn, the Bryant Park Shop on the Fountain Terrace stocks cotton blankets to purchase. Take a seat in one of the pre-set chairs on the lawn or grab a chair from the gravel. You can use a chair anywhere on the lawn except for the center lawn blanket zone. Purchase food and drinks from tents on the east side of the lawn or bring your own picnic. Look for Stout NYC and Heaster Street Fair vendors, and be sure to visit the Bryant Park Shop, too! Visit the Bryant Park Shop tent for exclusive Picnic Performances merchandise and more. Find a parachute, hula hoops, and more fun on the east side of the lawn at select events. Dogs are welcome on the gravel and bluestone, but not on the lawn. Performances are cancelled when it is unsafe to be outdoors. In some cases, the lawn may be too wet to open but the performance may continue. Follow @bryantparknyc for day-of event updates. You can also check the lawn status on the bryantpark.org homepage . New York City Opera was famously dubbed “The People's Opera” by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia at its founding in 1943. More than 70 years later, City Opera continues its historic mission to inspire audiences with innovative and theatrically compelling opera, nurture the work of promising American artists, and build new audiences through affordable ticket prices and extensive outreach and education programs. Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America is a free outdoor festival that welcomes all New Yorkers to experience the city’s vibrant arts and culture. The series provides a platform for extraordinary artists and serves as a vital outdoor venue for a wide array of New York’s cultural institutions.