Hershey Felder, PUCCINI (with Nathan Gunn)

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WORLD PREMIERE

HERSHEY FELDER
PUCCINI
LIVE from FLORENCE

Virtual Live Performance from Italy with

Nathan Gunn, Gianna Corbisiero, Ekaterina Siurina and Charles Castronovo

Sun, March 14, 7 pm*

Tickets* | CLICK HERE

*Tickets include extended on-demand viewing access of the recording through Sunday, March 21!

Filmed, performed and streamed live on location in Lucca Italy, in the home where Giacomo Puccini was born, this world premiere features Hershey Felder and three world-renowned opera stars, including University of Illinois' Nathan Gunn, promises to be a very special event.

Hershey Felder, PUCCINI is the story of a young musician in love with the world of opera, and in particular Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly.  When, through a series of unusual circumstances, the young musician meets the musical master himself, secrets are revealed that send the young man soaring.

With special guests, Baritone Nathan Gunn, who recently performed live at Peoria Riverfront Museum during an interview with Ed Sutkowski, as well as Soprano Gianna Corbisiero, Soprano Ekaterina Siurina and Tenor Charles Castronovo, this new Hershey Felder creation, will spur the imagination and move the musical soul.

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ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

HERSEY FELDER

Hershey Felder (Writer & Performer). Named to TIME magazine’s 2016 Top 10 Plays and Musicals, Hershey Felder has played over 6,000 performances of his self-created solo productions at some of the world’s most prestigious theatres, consistently breaking box office records. American Theatre magazine has said, “Hershey Felder is in a category all his own.” His shows include: George Gershwin Alone (Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theatre, West End’s Duchess Theatre); Monsieur Chopin; Beethoven; Maestro (Leonard Bernstein); Franz Liszt in Musik; Lincoln: An American Story; Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin; Our Great Tchaikovsky; and A Paris Love Story. His compositions and recordings include Aliyah, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra; Fairytale, a musical; Les Anges de Paris, Suite for Violin and Piano; Song Settings; Saltimbanques for Piano and Orchestra; Etudes Thematiques for Piano; and An American Story for Actor and Orchestra. Hershey is the adaptor, director and designer for the internationally performed play-with-music The Pianist of Willesden Lane with Steinway artist Mona Golabek; producer and designer for the musical Louis and Keely: ‘Live’ at the Sahara, directed by Taylor Hackford; and writer and director for Flying Solo, featuring opera legend Nathan Gunn. 

Hershey has operated a full-service production company since 2001, and in 2020 created a new brand, Live from Florence, that operates a “theatre at home broadcast company,” based in Florence, Italy. Previous broadcasts have included Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin; Hershey Felder, Beethoven; Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone; Hershey Felder as Claude Debussy in A Paris Love Story; Hershey Felder, Tchaikovsky; Hershey Felder as Sholem Aleichem in Before Fiddler; Hershey Felder, Backstory – The Story Behind the Creation of Berlin, Gershwin & Bernstein; and Cooking French in Florence with Jeff Thickman & Hershey Felder. The Hershey Felder Presents - Live from Florence 2020-21 Season of broadcasts will also include Hershey Felder as Sergei Rachmaninoff in Anna & Sergei. Hershey has been a scholar-in-residence at Harvard University’s Department of Music and is married to Kim Campbell, the first female Prime Minister of Canada.

NATHAN GUNN

South Bend, Indiana native Nathan Gunn is a professor and Swandlund Chair at the University of Illinois where he is co-director of Lyric Theatre @ Illinois, a comprehensive program embracing a broad continuum of opera and musical theatre, as well as the development of new works. At the Lyric Theatre @ Illinois, Gunn developed and founded the first ever Bachelor of Musical Arts in Lyric Theatre curriculum in the nation. The program is part of the School of Music at the University of Illinois and housed in the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Gunn recently performed live with his wife, fellow professor and opera singer Julie Jordan Gunn, at the Peoria Riverfront Museum during a virtual live interview hosted by Interesting People's Ed Sutkowski.

Gunn has performed many of opera and musical theatre’s greatest roles on the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Metropolitan Opera, the San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Royal Opera in London, Paris Opéra, Bavarian State Opera Munich, Theater an der Wien Vienna, Teatro Real Madrid, and Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie Brussels. He has been seen and heard on television, radio, video, and live simulcast performances, including the first ever Met in HD broadcast (The Magic Flute), in which he sang Papageno, one of his signature roles. Nathan has reinterpreted other classic roles such as Billy Budd, Figaro, and Don Giovanni, garnering awards including the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (Billy Budd) and the Metropolitan Opera’s first ever Beverly Sills Award. Gunn has also been widely acclaimed for his ability to cross over into musical theatre, including performances with the New York Philharmonic in Carousel and Camelot, the televised celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday, and collaborations with musical theatre stars including Mandy Patinkin, Kelli O’Hara, Audra McDonald, and Kristin Chenoweth. Gunn’s one-man autobiographical show Flying Solo, produced and written by Hershey Felder, has been lauded as a “riveting autobiographical musical [that] is a stunner both with its touching, relatable, family-centric narrative and Gunn’s entertaining, charismatic performing style.” (Broadway World).

In addition to life as a performer, educator and arts advocate, Gunn is an avid patron of the arts. Nathan and Julie Gunn consistently support pre-college music education and sponsor local cultural events in order to secure the future of the art form. The family resides in Champaign, Illinois.

GIANNA CORBISIERO

Declared “luminous” by Opera News, Gianna Corbisiero has performed the title roles in Tosca, La bohème, La traviata, Pagliacci, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, Carmen, Il barbiere di Siviglia and Falstaff at major opera houses throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, under the baton of conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Kent Nagano, and Charles Dutoit. She has performed with Bryn Terfel, Renee Fleming, and Marcelo Alvarez. For Bravo Canada she recorded episodes of television’s “Opera Easy,” performing excerpts from La bohème, La traviata, Tosca and Norma, and made her cinema debut singing “O mio babbino caro” in the film Elephant Song, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Corbisiero’s many honors and awards include a special prize from the Luciano Pavarotti International Vocal Competition, Top Prize in the Canadian Music Competition, and First Prize from the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation.

CHARLES CASTRONOVO

Charles Castronovo has been acclaimed internationally as one of the finest lyric tenors of his generation. Castronovo has sung at most of the world’s leading opera houses, including San Francisco Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera. Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Vienna State Opera, Berlin State Opera, Paris Opera, Bavarian State Opera Munich, Theatre Royale de la Monnaie Brussels, and many others. He starred in the title role of Daniel Catan’s Il Postino opposite Placido Domingo in the work’s World Premiere in Los Angeles, as well as in Paris and Santiago. His repertoire spans from the great Mozart tenor roles in Don Giovanni, Cosí fan tutte and Die Zauberflöte, to Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore and Alfredo in La traviata. In recent seasons, Castronovo won wide acclaim for his performances as the title role in Faust, Romeo in Roméo et Juliette, the Duke in Rigoletto, Rodolfo in La bohème and Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress.

Tickets* | CLICK HERE

*Tickets include extended on-demand viewing access of the recording through Sunday, March 21!

  • Disney Fest 2025

    (General - From Friday, May 2, 2025 until Sunday, May 4, 2025)

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    DISNEY FEST 2025

    Friday, May 2, 2025 - Sunday, May 4, 2025

    This May, the Peoria Riverfront Museum becomes the Happiest Place on Earth! Join us, for Disney Fest!

    Disney Fest 2025 brings to life decades of Disney, with special activities that are fun for the whole family! Experience classic Disney films, shorts, and documentaries on the Peoria Riverfront Museum's Giant Screen Theater, the largest Film Society screen in America. 2025's Disney Fest brings more to the movies: join us for a Disney Trivia Night, an exclusive talk on the creation of iconic Disney character Tinker Bell, animation workshops, and so much more! 

    Renowned Disney author and historian J.B. Kaufman will join us for fascinating pre-film talks and post-film Q&As as well as book signings after select films. Mr. Kaufman is a film historian and author who specializes in Disney animation history and silent films. His books include The Fairest One of All, Pinocchio: The Making of the Disney Epic, and Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse

    Award-winning author, historian, filmmaker, educator and musician, Mindy Johnson will return to the Peoria Riverfront Museum for pre- and post- film discussion on the history of women in Disney animation. Her books include Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney’s Animation, Tinker Bell: An Evolution, and Pencils, Pens & Brushes: A Great Girls’ Guide to Disney Animation.

    For the full schedule of Disney Films, click HERE.


    Programming Schedule:

    Friday, May 2, 2025

    • Disney Trivia and Cocktail Night
      6 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
      Test your knowledge on all things classic Disney at this 21+ event. One ticket includes Nick-N-Willy's pizza, one free drink, and dessert. Costumes encouraged! Bring your best to our costume contest and if you win, take home a Disney-themed prize! Prizes will be given to the winning trivia team and best costume! Prizes includes tickets to Disney Fest events.
      *Teams up to 8 members

      Get tickets HERE

    Saturday, May 3, 2025

    • Screening of Cinderella
      10 a.m. 
      With a brief introduction by collector Steve Spain and author J.B. Kaufman, see this Disney classic as you've never seen it before, on the Giant Screen!  To celebrate the 75th anniversary of this beloved classic, music director and arranger Shawn Degenhart will tell stories about his efforts to preserve the full musical score of the film in Walt Disney’s Cinderella: Full Score. Book signing with Shawn Degenhart to follow.
      Get tickets HERE
                
    • Laser Movie Magic 
      1 p.m. in the Dome Planetarium
      Join us for a laser light show featuring all your favorite Disney movies, including songs and visuals from classic Disney films like The Lion King to newer additions to the Disney family like Star Wars!
      Get tickets HERE
            
    • Hyperion Hub Podcast Recording LIVE!
       1 p.m.
      Join us in the Peoria Riverfront Museum's Grand Lobby for a live recording of the Hyperion Hub podcast with Shawn Degenhart and John Alois, as they interview guests J.B. Kaufman, Steve Spain and Mindy Johnson. 
               
    • Tour of Cinderella | Peter Pan: The Classic Disney Collection of Steve Spain with Steve Spain
      2 p.m.
      Join us in the gallery for a special tour through the classic Disney collection of Steve Spain, with Steve himself! See rare Disney cels, posters, and more as you learn the history behind the animation. 
          
    • Screening of Alice in Wonderland
      2:30 p.m. in the Giant Screen Theater
      With an introduction by Mindy Johnson, speaking about Mary Blair and the artistry of ink and painting that followed, see this Disney classic in all it's beauty, on the GIANT screen! There will be a book signing after the film with Mindy Johnson and Mr. Kaufman. 
      Get tickets HERE
             
          
    • Saturday Night Feature: Peter Pan
      Special Presentation at 5:30 p.m. | Film at 6:30 p.m. 
      Join us for a magical experience based on the classic Disney film Peter Pan (1953) Enjoy an exclusive talk from author Mindy Johnson about the creation of iconic Disney character Tinker Bell, including light refreshments in the form of mini-foods that a fairy would love, and followed by a screening of Peter Pan on the GIANT screen! Following the film, join Steve Spain, J.B. Kaufman, and Mindy Johnson for a Q&A.
      Get tickets for the exclusive talk with Mindy Johnson HERE
      Get tickets for only the film HERE

    Sunday, May 4, 2025

    • Donald Duck Shorts
      12: 30 p.m.
      in the Giant Screen Theater 
      Join us as author J.B. Kaufman presents five selected shorts of Donald Duck, and provides commentary on the evolution and animation of the character. There will be a book signing to follow with Mr. Kaufman. 
      Get tickets HERE
       
    • Laser Movie Magic 
      1 p.m. in the Dome Planetarium
      Join us for a laser light show featuring all your favorite Disney movies, including songs and visuals from classic Disney films like The Lion King to newer additions to the Disney family like Star Wars!
      Get tickets HERE
             
    • Draw It! A workshop with Joe the Art Guy!
      2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
      in the Gilmore Auditorium
      The Peoria Riverfront Museum invites you to a drawing workshop with Joe the Art Guy who will show you how to draw realistic and cartoon depictions of all your favorite animals; everything from dogs, horses, kitty cats, birds, and more. Joe will guide you through a step-by-step process, using basic shapes to help you create the animal of your choice! All materials are provided, including sketch paper, pencils, colored pencils and ink.
      Get tickets for the 2:30 workshop HERE
            
    • Tour of Cinderella | Peter Pan: The Classic Disney Collection of Steve Spain with Steve Spain
      2 p.m. Join us in the gallery for a special tour through the classic Disney collection of Steve Spain, with Steve himself! See rare Disney cels, posters, and more as you learn the history behind the animation.
             
    • Screening of The Reluctant Dragon
      2:30 p.m. With an introduction by author J.B. Kaufman, join us in the Giant Screen Theater for a special screening of Disney anthology The Reluctant Dragon (1941). 
      Get tickets HERE

    THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

    Disney Fest 2025 is sponsored by Visionary Society, Friends of Art, and Illinois Arts Council

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  • Wine & Cheese Under the Stars | Exploring the Universe

    (General - Friday, May 9, 2025)

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    Wine and Cheese Under the Stars: Exploring the Universe 

    May 9 | 7-9 PM

    Astronomers have been using the Hubble Space Telescope to discover new views of our ancient universe for 35 years. We will be celebrating some of Hubble’s best images this evening, including the new anniversary image released in April. Planetarium Director Renae Kerrigan will show you what you can see in the evening sky, and end the night with a flight through our Solar System, to the Milky Way and beyond.

    Each ticket includes up to three glasses of wine or other drinks and a charcuterie box from Bella’s Charcuterie.

    Doors open at 6:50 PM

    The program will be in two parts, allowing time to socialize and refill your wine glass between the shows.

    Ages 21+

    $45 members | $55 public

    Tickets can be purchased here 

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  • Rhumboogie on the Plaza 2025

    (General - From Thursday, May 15, 2025 until Thursday, September 25, 2025)

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    A Museum+ Program

    RHUMBOOGIE ON THE PLAZA: A SUMMER MUSIC SERIES

    Presented by Commerce Bank

    May 15, 2025 - September 25, 2024 | Thursday Nights | Doors Open at 6 p.m., Performance at 7 p.m. 

    Join us on the Peoria Riverfront Museum's Sun Plaza for a summer music series featuring local and regional jazz artists, inspired by Preston Jackson's Bronzeville to Harlem: An American Story . This series event will take place select Thursdays from May 15, 2025 to September 25, 2025, featuring artists from the Chicago area as well as regional and local musicians. Get down and boogie with us!

    Cash bar available.

    Ticket prices

    Members- $10
    Non-Members- $15
    Student- $7
    Visionary Society-$7

    Ticket price includes admission to Preston Jackson's Bronzeville to Harlem: An American Story. 

    Schedule of events

    May 15, 2025 | Rogue Parade (The Greg Ward Band)

    Get tickets HERE

    Saxophonist, composer and producer Greg Ward out of Chicago, Illinois, with Peoria ties, presents his new band Rogue Parade to kick off the 2025 Rhumboogie on the Plaza Series. Born in Peoria in 1982, Greg Ward has evolved into a musician with focus and vision. As a student at Northern Illinois University, began composing for NIU’s jazz combos and started performing in jazz clubs in Chicago. After graduating with a degree in in Jazz Studies/Saxophone Performance, Ward stayed in the Midwest to expand his musical experiences, composing and performing with the International
    Contemporary Ensemble, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Chamber Series, and commissioned by the Jazz Institute of Chicago for a new composition, Ward performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 2009. That same year, he made the move to NYC, became immersed in the jazz scene, produced and released his first CD, and collaborated with renowned jazz musicians. In 2012, Ward was selected as one of the New Music USA Van Lier Fellows. In 2014, he premiered Capturing Sunlight, and hour-long septet performance that included a short documentary by Diana Quinones Rivera.
    Commissioned by the Jazz Gallery, the collaborative project was inspired by the life and work of Preston Jackson. Ward tours internationally and performs with various prestigious ensembles, but continues to favor Peoria, Illinois with occasional performances, with a very warm welcome home.

    June 26, 2025 | Todd Kelly and the Central Illinois Jazz Orchestra ft. Maggie Sloter

    Get tickets HERE

    Central Illinois Jazz Orchestra, founded in 1998, is a seventeen-piece big band committed to keeping the ‘big jazz’ sound alive in central Illinois. CIJO is made up of professional and semi-professional musicians from the heart of Illinois that include music educators, business professionals, and full time performers. The group plays classic jazz charts from Count Basie, to Stan Keaton, and from Duke Ellington to Maynard Ferguson. The CIJO is fronted by trumpeter and Bradley University’s Todd Kelly. and at this performance, the vocal stylings of the one and only Maggie Sloter.

    July 24, 2025 | Pippi and Daniel Music & the Experience

    Get tickets HERE

    Pippi Ardennia and Daniel Leahy are composers and recording artists that create intentional, soul-stirring music that ignites self-empowerment and inspires positive change. The will showcase a 9-piece jazz band to perform at this special Rhumboogie on the Plaza in July. Pippi and Daniel are songwriters and performers that have individually been in the Music and Entertainment Business for the majority of their lives. When these two dynamos connected they realized they shared the same vision and purpose for themselves and the planet. Their purpose is to create a legacy of transformational music which can change lives by allowing new perspectives and ideas to entertain the listeners. This powerful and loving couple have set the intention to restore humanity one heart at a time.

    August 28, 2025 | Lenard Simpson Quartet

    Get tickets HERE

    Lenard Simpson is a saxophonist, composer and educator from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lenard was mostly self-taught through high school, but his natural ability and musicianship earned him accolades such as membership in the esteemed Grammy Camp Jazz Session, and an outstanding soloist award at the Mingus Jazz Competition in New York City. Lenard has had the opportunity to play and travel with artists such as pianist and composer-Billy Childs, Kurt Elling, Marquis Hill, and Clayton Cameron. Lenard received a B.M in Jazz performance at Northern Illinois University. While studying at NIU, Lenard was awarded first place in Chicago’s esteemed Luminarts Jazz Competition. Upon graduation, Lenard moved to Chicago and soon became one of the city’s top call saxophonists playing sideman to legendary local drummers, George Fludas and Charles Heath. Lenard’s trio has appeared at premier clubs and jazz festivals throughout the Chicago and Milwaukee area. Lenard recently graduated from the Thelonious Monk Institute Fellowship, which has since been renamed to the Herbie Hancock Institute where he was selected by a panel of Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, James Newton and Ambrose Akinmusire.

    September 25, 2025 | Preston Jackson and Friends | Season Finale!

    Get tickets HERE

    American painter, sculpture, painter, educator and musician. We’re ending our Rhumboogie 2025 series by highlighting
    the inspiration of the entire series: Preston Jackson’s Bronzeville to Harlem: An American Story. Joined by some of the most experienced
    musician in the city, Preston Jackson and Friends performing at the Peoria Riverfront Museum is always a delight.


    Rhumboogie on the Plaza is presented by Commerce Bank

    Sponsored by Linda Beth and Ed Sutkowski, Visionary Society, Friends of Bronzeville to Harlem and Friends of Performance

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  • Laser Light Nights | AC/DC, Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall

    (General - Friday, May 23, 2025)

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    Laser Light Nights are back at the DOME featuring an all-new 3D experience & fresh playlist!

    Sit back, relax and rock out with our new laser light system from "the worldwide leader in planetarium laser light shows," Laser Fantasy! Experience the full 3D excitement! The system features a graphics laser projector with special effects, a haze machine & a new beam projector, plus a fresh playlist of 20+ performances, from Beyoncé to The Beatles! Pick up show-enhancing spectrum glasses and refreshments at concessions!

    May 23
    6:00 – Laser AC/DC
    7:15 – Laser Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
    8:30 – Laser Floyd: The Wall

    June 13
    6:00 – Laser ABBA (new show!)
    7:15 – Laser Prince
    8:30 – Laser Zeppelin: Lazed and Confused

    $7 Members | $10 Public

    Buy tickets online here.
    Tickets & more info also available at the Museum or by phone at 309.686.7000.

    (Note: These shows contain lyrics to popular songs and some may not be suitable for all ages.)

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  • Silent Films from MoMA: Lady Windermere's Fan (1925)

    (General - Saturday, June 7, 2025)

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    SILENT FILMS FROM MOMA: LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN

    Saturday, June 7, 2025 | Reception at 5:30 p.m., Program begins at 6:30 p.m.

    Experience silent film as never before in the first-ever partnership between the Peoria Riverfront Museum and The Museum of Modern Art, New York, featuring new restorations from MoMA’s renowned collection.

    The Peoria Riverfront Museum is proud to present a digitally restored version of Ernst Lubitsch’s 1925 Lady Windermere’s Fan with live musical accompaniment featuring the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. This special performance offers an extraordinary evening combining the art of film with a live musical score that elevates the cinema into a truly immersive experience.

    Saturday, June 7, 2025

    5:30 p.m. - Welcome reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres

    6:30 p.m. – Performance begins in the Giant Screen Theater

    Tickets $50 for members, $65 for non-members

    Lady Windermere's Fan. 1925. USA. Directed by Ernst Lubitsch. Screenplay by Julien Josephson, based on the play by Oscar Wilde. With Ronald Colman, May McAvoy, Bert Lytell, Irene Rich. Restored by The Museum of Modern Art, with the financial support of Matthew and Natalie Bernstein. Accompanied by a new score compiled, synchronized, and edited by Gillian B. Anderson, based on a cue sheet issued by the Tax-Free Music Co. compiled by Michael Hoffman for the original release. 94 minutes.

    This film program is organized by Dave Kehr, Curator of Film, Sean Egan, Senior Producer, Film Exhibitions and Projects, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

    Live musical accompaniment featuring the Peoria Symphony Orchestra

    Presented by Flo and Sid Banwart

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  • Laser Light Night | ABBA, Prince, Led Zeppelin

    (General - Friday, June 13, 2025)

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    Laser Light Nights are back at the DOME featuring an all-new 3D experience & fresh playlist!

    Sit back, relax and rock out with our new laser light system from "the worldwide leader in planetarium laser light shows," Laser Fantasy! Experience the full 3D excitement! The system features a graphics laser projector with special effects, a haze machine & a new beam projector, plus a fresh playlist of 20+ performances, from Beyoncé to The Beatles! Pick up show-enhancing spectrum glasses and refreshments at concessions!

    June 13
    6:00 – Laser ABBA (new show!)
    7:15 – Laser Prince
    8:30 – Laser Zeppelin: Lazed and Confused

    $7 Members | $10 Public

    Buy tickets online here.
    Tickets & more info also available at the Museum or by phone at 309.686.7000.

    (Note: These shows contain lyrics to popular songs and some may not be suitable for all ages.)

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