Academy of Sacred Drama: Noble Soul (dramatic musical dialogues of St. Catherine from 1701)

• Kim Leeds, mezzo-soprano (Caterina)
• Paul Max Tipton, bass-baritone (Massimino)
• Gene Stenger, tenor (Testo & Filosofo)
• Margaret Carpenter Haigh, soprano (Regina)
• Clifton Massey, countertenor (Porfirio)

The Academy of Sacred Drama will present "Noble Soul," their production of Tosi's oratorio Il martirio di S Caterina ("The Martyrdom of St. Catherine") from 1701 at St. Vincent Ferrer (869 Lexington Ave, NYC) on Saturday, March 15 at 7:45pm. Catherine, a brilliant and devout Christian, confronts the ruthless King Maxentius. Refusing to renounce her faith, Catherine denounces Maxentius' cruelty to Christians, converts members of the royal court, and earns a martyr's fate.

A cast of five singers is headed by mezzo-soprano Kim Leeds in the tile role and is accompanied by an ensemble of Baroque-style instruments including harpsichord and theorbo. The Academy's production is a semi-staged production and a Western Hemisphere premiere.

Cinema-Price Admission: If you are a student, a senior on a fixed income, or have any other need for a discount ticket to attend this performance, you may purchase a cinema-price ticket without needing to verify financial need. Be mindful that there are only 20 tickets available at this price. 

About Academy of Sacred Drama

The Academy of Sacred Drama seeks to revive one of humanity's great art forms present in rituals, in liturgy, and on stage: the sacred drama. We do research and make editions and translations in order to present moving performances of theatrical musical works for our community. The Academy's work is made possible by our members, volunteers, musicians, and other performing arts professionals.

In past seasons, we presented oratorios to critical acclaim that have not been heard in around 300 years. The Academy was featured in an article in Commonweal Magazine, and our artistic decisions were declared "striking" by the New York Times. Our work was also featured in Early Music America online.

We perform without sets or costumes, and our performances tell a story through emotive gestures and subtle movement-based staging. The style of singing and instrumental music is unique and poignant. After seeing one of the Academy's performances, an audience member remarked, "Opera has never appealed to me, but I think that oratorio is my thing!"

Our area of focus is on the sacred dramas of the Baroque era—which draw upon the legendary stores of the Judeo-Christian tradition and combines them with poetic verse and classical references. Much of the genre has yet to be explored in our time.

About Kim Leeds, mezzo-soprano (Caterina)

https://www.kimleeds.com/

About Paul Max Tipton, bass-baritone (Massimino)

Described as a dignified and beautiful singer by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Paul Max Tipton performs to acclaim in repertoire from Bach and Bruhns to Barber and Bolcom. In 2024 he debuted in Tokyo singing Beethoven 9 with Masato Suzuki, and can be heard on the BIS and Avie labels.

About Gene Stenger, tenor (Testo & Filosofo)

https://www.genestenger.com/

About Margaret Carpenter Haigh, soprano (Regina)

Praised as "fiery, wild, and dangerous" (Classical Voice North Carolina) with "a talent for character portrayal" (Chicago Classical Review), soprano Margaret Carpenter Haigh captivates audiences with her "flawless intonation" and "perfect vocalism" (Classical Voice North Carolina). She is in demand as a specialist interpreter of early music throughout North America and has been featured with ensembles including the Memphis, Winston-Salem, and Portland Symphonies; Messiah Festival of the Arts; Bach Akademie Charlotte; Arizona MusicFest; Apollo's Fire; Evansville Philharmonic; and her own ensemble L'Académie du Roi Soleil. Margaret resides in New York City where she is a member of the Choir of Trinity Wall Street.

About Clifton Massey, countertenor (Porfirio)

https://www.thethirteenchoir.org/bios/clifton-massey