South Pacific: David Pittsinger returns as 'Emille'

Bass-Baritone David Pittsinger returns to the role of 'Emile de Becque' in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, for a seven week period beginning 2 Feb - 21 Mar 2010.

Paulo Szot, who origianted the role on Broadway and was awarded a Tony for his performance, leaves the musical on 24 Jan 2010 to prepare for his Metropolitan Opera debut in their new production of Shostakovich's The Nose. He returns to South Pacific on 30 Mar 2010.

Pittsinger first played 'Emile de Becque' last winter and spring (stepping in for Szot when he was fulfilling opera commitments) and has played the part for several engagements during the musical's current national tour. Pittsinger made his Metropolitan Opera debut as 'Truelove' in 'The Rake's Progress' conducted by James Levine. He went on to appear in the MET productions of 'Don Carlo,' 'La Boheme,' 'Die Zauberflote' and 'Giulio Cesare' and has appeared this season in 'Tosca.'

For two one week periods, 26 - 31 Jan & 23 - 28 Mar 2010 - the role of 'Emile de Becque' will be played by William Michals, who has been understudying the role since the show premiered.

South Pacific, directed by Bartlett Sher, opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on 3 Apr 2008, following prveiews from 1 Mar, and was orginally scheduled to play a limited engagement ending on the 22 Jun 2008. The musical received critical acclaim, and on 4 Apr 2008, just one day after it opened the Lincoln Center announced the show would play an open run, and is currently booking through to 30 May 2009 at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

The musical received rave reviews: "Great entertainment. Don't miss it." (New York Theatre Guide); "Simply wonderful!" (New York Post); "A masterpiece." (Star-Ledger); "It soars" (USA Today); "This is ravishing theater." (Variety).

South Pacific won seven 2008 Tony Awards: Best Musical Revival, Best Director (Bartlett Sher), Best Actor in a Musical (Paulo Szot), Best Scenic Design (Michael Yeargan), Best Costume Design (Catherine Zuber), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder) and Best Sound Design (Scott Lehrer).

The story takes place during World War II: in the South Pacific love is found between a young nurse, Nellie Forbush and an older French plantation owner, Emile de Becque, but the war is tearing them apart.

South Pacific features such classic songs as: 'A Cockeyed Optimist'; 'Some Enchanted Evening'; 'There Is Nothing Like a Dame' and 'Bali Ha'i', to name a few.

The current cast for the Broadway revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific featuresLaura Osnes (Ensign Nellie Forbush), Paulo Szot (Emile de Becque), Loretta Ables Sayre (Bloody Mary), Andrew Samonsky (Lt. Joseph Cable), Danny Burstein (Luther Billis), Sean Cullen (Cmdr. William Harbison), Eric Anderson (Stewpot), Luka Kain (Jerome), Li Jun Li (Liat), Laurissa Romain (Ngana), Murphy Guyer (Capt. George Brackett) and Christian Delcroix (Professor).

The production of South Pacific, the first to be mounted on Broadway since the Pulitzer Prize winning musical premiered in 1949, is directed by Barlett Sher and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli.

Based on James Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific," South Pacific has music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.