BIOGRAPHY
Bridging the gap between theater and film, "Jerome Sirlin's fluid use of sets and scenic projections annihilates space and time and gives his productions an exhilarating sense of visual freedom and cinematic illusion." (Time Magazine)
Productions range from avant-garde collaborations with Philip Glass, Allen Ginsberg and Lou Reed to pop concerts for Madonna and Paul Simon; from the classic world of Wagner's Ring Cycle and Verdi's Macbeth to contemporary operas such as John Corigliano's Ghosts of Versailles and Jonathan Dove's Flight; from big budget musicals like Kiss of the Spider Woman, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame to more intimate theatricals including Piazzolla's Maria de Buenos Aires and the traveling stage circus Cirque Ingenieux.
In addition to Musical Theater and Opera, designs include multimedia installations and shows for museums, cultural institutions and theme parks. Freedom Rising at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia gives the American Constitution both a historical and contemporary context. Beyond Belief: Theatre Of Contemplation presented a 3-D media meditation experience for the Cathedral Heritage Foundation of Louisville, Kentucky. The video finale for Hershey Park's Chocolate World Tour Ride, in Pennsylvania, provides a whimsical ride through a landscape of American iconography.
Projects that have combined staging with scenic design include the European premiere of John Corigliano's opera The Ghosts of Versailles, Toshiro Mayazumi's Kinkakuji (from Mishima’s novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion) for New York City Opera, and the world premiere of Marilyn, an opera by Ezra Laderman based on the last days of Marilyn Monroe.
Recent projects include Spooky Action: The Drama of Quantum Mechanics, the opening performance of the 2013 World Science Festival at the New Victory Theater, New York; updated productions of Candide at Portland Opera, 1000 Airplanes on the Roof in Scotland at the Glasgow Concert Hall and Esther at New York City Opera.
Upcoming projects include a media installation for the Ithaca Motion Picture Project and the prototype design for a Scenic Symphony to be presented at Ford hall, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York.
SELECTED MUSIC THEATER
Spooky Action: The Drama of Quantum Mechanics - The opening night program of the 2013 World Science Festival at the New Victory Theater in New York, May 2013.
1000 Airplanes on the Roof In Concert - A concert revival, with scenics, at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, Fall.
Norman’s Arc - A musical by Glen Roven and Jerome Kass at the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles.
Hallelujah Baby! - A revival of the 1968 Tony-award winner. Book and direction by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Comden and Green. George Street Theater (New Brunswick, NJ) and Arena Stage (Washington, DC).
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? - Musical by Lee Pockriss and Hal Hackady with book by Henry Farrell. Theater Under the Stars, Houston, Texas.
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame - A musical based loosely on Disney's animated movie. Music by Allen Menken; Lyrics by Steven Schwartz; Book and direction by James Lapine; Design by Jerome Sirlin and Heidi Ettinger. Berlin, Germany.
Cirque Ingenieux - A metaphysical circus for the stage with music by Kitaro. A Networks Productions. US National Tour.
The Fantastic Adventures Of Emilio Salgari - A multimedia ballet with music by Ludovico Einaudo and choreography by Daniel Ezralow. Arena de Verona, Italy.
Kiss Of The Spider Woman - Broadway and West End musical by Kander and Ebb. Direction by Harold Prince.
Jack's Holiday - A musical by Randy Courts and Mark St. Germaine based on a turn of the century visit to New York by Jack the Ripper. Playwrights Horizons, New York.
Hydrogen Jukebox - A socio-political music drama, created in collaboration with Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass. Presented at the Spoleto Festival and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Songs For Drella - A tribute to Andy Warhol created in collaboration with Lou Reed and John Cale. The Next Wave Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music.
1000 Airplanes On The Roof - A sci-fi music drama created in collaboration with Philip Glass and David Henry Hwang. World premiere.
See Hear and Rare Area - Two performance works where what you see meets what you hear, and makes poetry out of sleight of hand. Directed by George Coates. See Hear music by Paul Dresher; Rare Area music by Mark Ream.
SELECTED OPERAS
Esther - Revival of Hugo Weisgall’s final opera, directed by Christopher Mattaliano. New York City Opera.
Maria de Buenos Aires - An choreographed opera composed by Astor Piazzolla, with choreography and direction by David Parsons. Presented by Gotham Chamber Opera, New York.
Macbeth - Opera by Giuseppe Verdi, directed by Christopher Mattaliano, Portland, Vancouver and Edmonton Operas.
Flight - Opera by Jonathan Dove. Direction by Colin Graham. Presented at The Opera Theater of St. Louis.
Candide - Opera/Musical by Leonard Bernstein, Austin Lyric Opera; Ft Worth Opera, Prince Theater, Philadelphia; Portland Opera.
The Ghosts Of Versailles - Opera by John Corigliano and William M. Hoffman. European Premiere, Hannover, Germany.
Marilyn - Opera by Ezra Laderman presented at The World Premier Festival, New York City Opera. (Staging and Design).
Kinkakuji - Opera by Toshiro Mayuzumi based on the novel The Temple Of The Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima. New York City Opera. (Staging and Design).
Esther - Opera by Hugo Weisgall and The Griffelkin by Lucas Foss. The World Premier Festival, New York City Opera. (Festival Director and Designer).
The Ring Cycle - Richard Wagner's four opera cycle (Das Rheingold, Die Valkure, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung) presented at Artpark, Niagara Falls, NY, New York City Opera Orchestra.
SELECTED CONCERTS AND INSTALLATIONS
Video Finale at Hershey Park's Chocolate Ride - A whimsical tour of a chocolate- coated American landscape. Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Freedom Rising - Design of multi-media and theatrical introduction to the United States Constitution at the National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Beyond Belief: Theatre Of Contemplation - A 3-D media contemplation center for the Cathedral Heritage Foundation of Louisville, Kentucky. The theater consists of an architectural landscape of screens on a raked stage; video projection of a kaleidoscoping 3-D image environment; music presented on a 30-minute continuous play DVD; and soft seating for 50.
Who's That Girl - Madonna's World concert tour
Born At The Right Time - Paul Simon's world concert tour.