As we look to the road to recovery during this pandemic, one known obstacle is building vaccine trust. We wanted to create a project that reflected the honest and genuine concerns of communities, but ultimately illustrates the trust in science required to achieve the large scale immunity that allows us to put this pandemic behind us.
This virtuosic opera duet from Gioachino Rossini’s 1816 “Otello” generates support for COVID-19 vaccines, leveraging the power of performance to connect on both an individual and community level, while also keeping the musical performance intact.
The Cast
Orson Van Gay II
Rodrigo - an operatic tenor, recitalist, actor and a Fulbright Scholar encapsulates the unbound talents of this refined, confident and compelling artist. Mr. Van Gay possesses a unique voice that captivates the audience with his charisma and command of the stage for a singer of his generation. He joined the Cal Philharmonic Orchestra’s celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th anniversary and Beethoven’s ninth symphony as tenor soloist at Walt Disney Concert Hall where Orson’s performance was reviewed as being “beautifully sung and strongly acted...audience members were visibly moved.”
Nathan Granner
Otello - is a world-renowned leading tenor, headliner, solo and collaborative artist, specializing in Contemporary Opera and late Bel-Canto repertoire. The San Francisco Chronicle recently described Mr. Granner’s singing as possessing a "sinewy, ringing tone; splendidly flexible" and the San Francisco Classical Voice extolled "tons of squillo on his top notes, his honeyed tone, and his sensitive dynamic choices..."
Jamie Chamberlin
The Nurse - Praised for her “shimmering tones” and “star struck vulnerability” by Opera News, Greek-American Soprano Jamie Chamberlin is recognized for her versatility as both a singer and as an actress. A gifted interpreter of new music, Ms. Chamberlin made her professional debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, singing the soprano solo in the World Premiere of EsaPekka Salonenʼs Wing on Wing during the inaugural season of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Director: George Moïse
grew up in Atlanta, GA in a family of six. He studied in Paris and then attended NYU's undergraduate film program where he acted in almost a hundred short films and directed many classics still beloved to this day. While still in New York he formed the legendary sketch comedy group "Fat Camp" in NY. Then he moved to LA and made the acclaimed short film "Out," which played in numerous festivals all over the country including the LA Shorts Fest, the Atlanta Film Festival, and the Beverly Hills Film Festival. He went on to write and direct the now famous short film, "The List," which also screened at film festivals all over the world.
George was a freelance writer for Cinefex magazine and has worked with Christiean Audiger, Red Bull, Disney, and directed videos for Ebay. Counter-Clockwise marked his directorial debut.