On Site Opera Presents the World Premiere of John Musto’s New Opera Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt, at the American Museum of Natural History

On Site Opera will present the World Premiere of Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt, a new opera by John Musto with libretto by Eric Einhorn, at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs this Fall. Performances of the family-friendly opera - which will run approximately 20 minutes - will be free with museum admission, and will take place September 23, 24, 29, 30, October 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 (Fridays at 11:30am; Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00 & 2:30). Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt is based on the real-life experiences of Rhoda Knight Kalt (soprano Jennifer Zetlan) and her trips to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) with her grandfather Charles R. Knight (baritone Robert Orth), the famous naturalist artist who was commissioned by Dr. Henry Fairfield Osborn (tenor Patrick Cook), paleontologist and president of the AMNH, to create paintings and sculptures of prehistoric creatures – many still on display at the AMNH today. During the performances, audiences will join Rhoda as she goes on a hunt for missing fossils around the hall, while learning about the interconnectedness of creativity and science. Reflecting the most current thinking on dinosaur traits, behavior, and evolutionary links to birds, the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs examines the group of dinosaurs that evolved from an ancestor with grasping hands. It features some of the Museum’s most beloved and terrifying specimens, including Tyrannosaurus rex and Apatosaurus. Co-commissioned and co-produced with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Lyric Unlimited and Pittsburgh Opera, Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt will also travel to Chicago and Pittsburgh following the premiere in New York. The performance follows OSO’s acclaimed recent productions of Mozart’s The Secret Gardener at the West Side Community Garden, and the North American Premiere of Darius Milhaud’s The Guilty Mother at reclaimed Hell’s Kitchen space The Garage. Funding for Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt is provided in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. This production is also supported by New Music USA, made possible by annual program support and/or endowment gifts from Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Helen F. Whitaker Fund, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Carl Jacobs Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Anonymous. LISTING INFO John Musto’s Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt WORLD PREMIERE Libretto by Eric Einhorn Co-commissioned & Co-produced with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Lyric Unlimited & Pittsburgh Opera In partnership with The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) DATES & LOCATION: Sept 23, 24, 29, 30 Oct 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 *Fridays at 11:30am; Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00 & 2:30.* Central Park West & 79th St, New York, NY 10024 PRODUCTION TEAM Conductor: TBA Director: Eric Einhorn Costume Designer: Summer Lee Jack Prop Designer: Sydney Schatz CAST: Rhoda: Jennifer Zetlan, soprano Charles R. Knight: Robert Orth, baritone Dr. Henry Fairfield Osborn: Patrick Cook, tenor