COOPERSTOWN, NY - Glimmerglass Opera will host its annual New York City Spring Gala on Tuesday, April7, at 6:30 p.m. at The Metropolitan Club, 1 East 60th Street.

Themed "A Celebration of Rossini" in honor of the company's upcoming production of Rossini's La Cenerentola, the evening will feature performances by mezzosoprano Leah Wool and baritone Keith Phares. The Gala will benefit the company's Young American Artists
Program.

The Gala begins with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., and a musical performance at 7:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 8:30 p.m., followed by dessert and dancing to the Peter Duchin Orchestra.

The evening's performance will feature selections from Rossini's La Cenerentola, Il Barbiere di Siviglia and L'Italiana in Algeri. Wool makes her Glimmerglass Opera debut this summer as The Secretary in Menotti's The Consul. She has appeared as the title role in Cendrillon and La Cenerentola, as well as Erika in Vanessa, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel and Novice in Suor Angelica, with such companies as the Central City Opera, Orlando Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and The Metropolitan Opera.

Phares also makes his Glimmerglass debut this summer, as Dandini in La Cenerentola. This season, Phares also sings Falke in Die Fledermaus with Opera New Jersey, Charlie in Three Decembers with San Francisco Opera and Haly in L'Italiana in Algeri with Opera Company of Philadelphia.
The event is black tie; tickets range from $500 to $2,500. Tables of 10 range from $5,000 to $25,000. For reservations
and additional information, call Glimmerglass Opera's Development Department at (607) 547-0700 ext. 209.

Glimmerglass Opera's 2009 Festival Season features new productions of Verdi's La Traviata, Rossini's La Cenerentola, Menotti's The Consul and dramatized concerts of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. The season runs July 18 through August 25, 2009, at the Alice Busch Opera Theater in Cooperstown, New York.

For more information on Glimmerglass Opera's 2009 Festival Season, visit www.glimmerglass.org or call the company's box office at (607)
547-2255.