Currently in its 17^th season and the recipient of the Westchester County 2012 Arts Organization of the Year Award, Taconic Opera will be performing the world premiere performance and professional recording of the oratorio Daniel on Saturday, May 30, 2015, at 7:30 pm at the Ossining United Methodist Church, 1 Emwilton Place/corner of Route 9, Ossining, NY, and on Sunday, May 31, 2015, at 3:00 pm at the White Plains Presbyterian Church, 39 North Broadway, White Plains, NY.  The work was composed by the company’s General and Artistic Director, Dan Montez and will be one of the featured entries in ArtsWestchester’s ArtSee Festival of 50 new art works in 2015.

On the heels of last year’s premiere, Jonah, based on the famous prophet of whale fame, Taconic Opera presents another world premiere, Daniel, based on the prophet sent to the den of lions, featuring the soloists, opera chorus and full orchestra of the Taconic Opera.  Much like Jonah, Daniel is a revered prophet in Judaism, Islam and Christianity, and the story covers the lives of four kings including the famous Nebuchadnezzar.  For those that love Verdi’s opera, Nabucco, this oratorio tells the rest of the story of the madness of Nebuchadnezzar, including the writing on the wall, the bizarre dreams, the three burning young men and, of course, Daniel’s survival in the den of lions.

Montez’s composing style has been compared to that of Fauré, Poulenc, Debussy and Ravel, with harmonic elements of Puccini to give it the kind of drama you find in opera.  Unlike other liturgical oratorios, that are either only available in early music or in ultra-modern forms, Montez strives to let the narrative be the central focus and does not detract from it with any of the atonality that is prevalent in many contemporary compositions.

Tickets are $27, $20 for seniors and $15 for students and can be purchased at the door, in advance online at www.taconicopera.org, or by calling Taconic Opera’s toll-free number (855) 886-7372. Optional pre-concert Informance by the composer/conductor starting one hour prior to concert time: $10 at the door, or order by phone or website.