This summer Michael Papincak participated in the 2014 Manhattan Summer Voice Festival at Manhattan School of Music.
Michael’s first festival performance was in COMING TO AMERICA, a review of the music of Irving Berlin, written and directed by Bill Fabris with musical direction and arrangements by Dan Gettinger. Michael played the role of Giuseppe, the Italian mason and guitarist. Michael was a featured vocalist in the songs The Piccolino, Play a Simple Melody, Always, and Puttin’ On the Ritz. Ensemble pieces performed include Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, It’s a Lovely Day Today, I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, Cheek to Cheek, It Only Happens When I Dance With You, I Love a Piano, Everybody Step, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, God Bless America, Let Me Sing and I’m Happy, Steppin’ Out with My Baby, and There’s No Business Like Show Business.
Michael was also able to perform in the festival’s opera scenes program, this summer called BELLA ITALIA! Italian Opera from the Camerata to the Risorgimento. The scenes performance was conceived and directed by A. Scott Parry with musical direction from Mark Lane Swanson. Michael performed the role of Idomeneo in Mozart’s Idomeneo Act III, scene I Quartet. He also performed the role of Dr. Caius in Verdi’s Falstaff Act I, scene 2 Finale.
The festival’s main stage opera was Leos Janacek’s THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN. In this production, directed by Pat Diamond and conducted by J. David Jackson, he performed the role of the Innkeeper and the ensemble role of the Hedgehog. Michael was recognized for his Hedgehog costume by Voce di meche: “All the animals and insects were cleverly costumed, especially the Hedgehog (tenor Michael Papincak) who also sang the Innkeeper.”