NY harpist and cabaret artist, Rita Costanzi, brings unique one-woman show to Australia

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Award-winning New York harpist and musical theatre actor, RITA COSTANZI, brings her
acclaimed show A Score To Settle to Australia in July, appearing at the World Harp
Congress in Sydney and The Butterfly Club, Melbourne for a strictly limited season.
Described as a ‘tell-all tale of music, passion—and a very large instrument’, A Score To Settle is a
funny and poignant musical monologue based on Ms Costanzi’s life.
By turns sensuous, hilarious and deeply moving, A Score To Settle shares her story from growing up
as the musically gifted child of a famous violist father to training as a concert harpist and performing
with orchestras across the world, to performing for dying patients in palliative care, confronting her
own mortality and, finally, reconciling her art and life.
Ms Costanzi seamlessly integrates the compelling dialogue
(written by Canadian playwright, KICO GONZALEZ-RISSO) with
the virtuoso harp playing for which she is internationally
renowned, featuring original compositions as well as famous
classical works written for harp.
The show is directed by ARTHUR MASELLA, a long-time
associate of Hal Prince (arguably America’s most successful
Broadway theatrical producer-director) and a distinguished
Broadway show director in his own right.
After premiering at Vancouver International Festival with rave
reviews, Ms Costanzi performed A Score To Settle at The Ottawa
International Festival in 2010 and at its award-winning, sold-out
New York debut at The United Solo Theatre Festival (the world’s
largest) in 2011. Performances in New York, Boston, Toronto,
Vancouver, Ottawa and Brazil have elicited rapturous responses
from critics and audiences such as: ‘hilarious, compelling,
engaging, inspiring, sensuous and mesmerizing.’
‘There doubtless have been evenings with a pianist who
intertwines a narrative with keyboard playing, but as far as I
know, there is nothing remotely like the tour-de-force that
harpist-actress Rita Costanzi pulled off. What makes this show
extraordinary is not only the quality of Costanzi’s acting, but her
exquisite harp playing, which I found compelling and beautiful.’—
Boston ArtsFuse.

A Score to Settle – Australian dates

Friday 25 July, 7:00pm, Harp Lounge, 12th World Harp Congress, Sydney
Sydney Dance Lounge, The Wharf Pier, 4/5 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay NSW
Wednesday 30 July to Sunday 3 August, The Butterfly Club
5 Carson Place, off Little Collins Street, Melbourne thebutterflyclub.com/show/a-score-to-settle