PUTNAM COUNTY
After a 10-year absence, Grammy Award-nominated performer Michael Feinstein returns to the Oconee Performing Arts Society (OPAS) on Feb. 4, for 'An Evening with Michael Feinstein” at The Plaza Arts Center in Eatonton.
Feinstein has built a dazzling career, bringing the music of the Great American Songbook to the world over the last three decades. A Drama Desk Award recipient in 2022, Feinstein also received a Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre, one of the world's highest honors for theatre and performance.
From recordings that earned him five Grammy Award nominations to a duo of Emmy nominations for television specials, his acclaimed series for National Public Radio, concerts spanning the globe, work as an educator and archivist, and five platinum-selling albums, Feinstein has defined himself among the most important musical forces of the last and current century.
“I'm thrilled to be returning to OPAS, which has been home to some of the best musical entertainment around the world,” Feinstein said. “And while it is an honor to be collaborating with OPAS, it is a joy to know that my dear friend Doug LaBrecque's devoted commitment to maintaining arts education initiatives in the area is a foremost priority. As the access to music was the catalyst for my passion for the history of the songs that have shaped America, I can only hope for the same for the area's youth.”
LaBrecque, the artistic and executive director for OPAS, called Feinstein’s upcoming appearance at The Plaza “the highlight” of the Greensboro-based organization’s 15th season.
“Michael is a brilliant pianist, singer, and raconteur. He carries the torch for this important chapter in American music, and we are profoundly grateful to him for sharing his immense talent with us,' LaBrecque stated.
A lifelong Gershwin aficionado and protégé of Ira Gershwin, he launched the curation of the now legendary George and Ira archives.
Feinstein's keen interest and access to the music loved by so many generations paved the way to his most recent album release, Gershwin Country. This album of standards featuring Feinstein in duet with some of the biggest names in country music, from Alison Krauss to Brad Paisley to Amy Grant and Vince Gill, Ronnie Milsap, and Lyle Lovett, debuted to critical acclaim in early 2022. Upon its release, his rendition of 'Love is Here to Stay' with Dolly Parton was a Billboard top-10 charting tune.
Fans were given a glimpse into the album when Feinstein was featured on CBS Sunday Morning alongside his dear friend and one of the album's executive producers, Liza Minelli, an appearance that remains among the top-rated in 2022 for the flagship CBS news program.
Feinstein founded the Great American Songbook Foundation in 2007, an organization dedicated to celebrating the art form of American music and preserving it through educational programs, master classes, and the annual High School Songbook Academy.
Feinstein has served on the Library of Congress's National Recording Preservation Board, dedicated to ensuring the survival, conservation, and increased public availability of America's sound recording heritage, and serves as artistic director of the Palladium Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Ind.
He also maintains a powerful alliance with Carnegie Hall through his Standard Time with Michael Feinstein, in conjunction with ASCAP.
Feinstein also was named principal pops conductor in 2012 for the Pasadena Symphony and made his conducting debut there in June 2013 to celebrate critical acclaim.
Tickets are going fast for Feinstein’s concert at The Plaza Arts Center but may still be available online at www.opas.com or by calling 707-467-6000