Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Peter Boyer
Barry Bostwick, Blair Brown, Olympia Dukakis, Anne Jackson, Bebe Neuwirth, Eli Wallach, Louis Zorich, directed by Martin Charnin
Naxos 8.559246

On May 17, 2005, Naxos released Peter Boyer’s Ellis Island: The Dream of America in its American Classics Series. Nearly two years in the making, this recording of Boyer’s most acclaimed and ambitious work was made in three cities on two continents, and features world-class performers.

On February 16, 2003, Boyer conducted the renowned Philharmonia Orchestra at London’s Air Studios in sessions dedicated to the orchestral tracks of the recording, with top London recording engineer Geoff Foster. On September 17-19, 2003, Boyer worked with Grammy- and Tony-winning director Martin Charnin (lyricist/director of the musical Annie) in New York recording sessions of the spoken texts of the immigrants’ stories. These sessions featured a stunning cast of Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony-winning actors: Barry Bostwick, Blair Brown, Olympia Dukakis, Anne Jackson, Bebe Neuwirth, Eli Wallach, and Louis Zorich. These outstanding actors brought the stories of these Ellis Island immigrants to life in an unforgettable way.

Post-production was done in Los Angeles with recording engineer Casey Stone. In fall 2004, Propulsive Music signed a contract with Naxos of America for distributing Ellis Island: The Dream of America its American Classics Series. This internationally renowned series of recordings of American repertoire includes composers such as Adams, Barber, Bernstein, Copland, and Ives, and Boyer’s recording has  proudly joined this esteemed company.

View Naxos May 2005 North American New Release Guide

1. Prologue	This div will be replaced
2. Words of Helen Cohen, emigrated from Poland, 1920; read by Blair Brown	This div will be replaced
3. Interlude 1	This div will be replaced
4. Words of James Apanomith, emigrated from Greece, 1911; read by Louis Zorich	This div will be replaced
5. Interlude 2	This div will be replaced
6. Words of Lillian Galletta, emigrated from Italy, 1928; read by Olympia Dukakis	This div will be replaced
7. Interlude 3	This div will be replaced
8. Words of Lazarus Salamon, emigrated from Hungary, 1920; read by Eli Wallach	This div will be replaced
9. Interlude 4	This div will be replaced
10. Words of Helen Rosenthal, emigrated from Belgium, 1940; read by Bebe Neuwirth	This div will be replaced
11. Interlude 5	This div will be replaced
12. Words of Manny Steen, emigrated from Ireland, 1925; read by Barry Bostwick	This div will be replaced
13. Interlude 6	This div will be replaced
14. Words of Katherine Beychok, emigrated from Russia, 1910; read by Anne Jackson	This div will be replaced
15. Epilogue: “The New Colossus” (Emma Lazarus, 1883); read by all actors	This div will be replaced