The Baryshnikov Arts Center, New York, NY

Los Angeles, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/02/2016 -- Actor Gianlorenzo Albertini caught the eye of director Paul Warner while studying at the acclaimed New York Film Academy. Warner, a teacher at the Academy and a resident artist at the famed Baryshnikov Arts Center was the director of a new multi-disciplinary dance theater-opera, Women: The War Within. Warner brought Gianlorenzo Albertini in for an audition, which is when he the actor met Obie Award-winning librettist and the show's producer Matthew Maguire, who later cast the actor as a Warrior.

A collaboration of renowned artists – actor Gianlorenzo Albertini was also joined with internationally-performed composer and musician Du Yun, internationally acclaimed choreographer Stephen Petronio, New York City Ballet's premiere ballerina Wendy Whelan, Obie Award-winning actress Ching Valdes-Aran, Drama Desk Award Nominee Jennifer Lim, Obie Award-winning performer and director Winsome Brown, critically acclaimed American mezzo-soprano Abigail Fischer and one of the leading performers of the Kunju style of Chinese opera Qian Yi.

"This is different than Broadway or a traditional opera." Says Macguire. "We needed someone who had an understanding of alternative methods of story telling. Gianlorenzo is a creative, but he's also an interpretive artist."

Maguire, who also acted as librettist and worked closely with the actors throughout the development of the production said Gianlorenzo Albertini made an important contribution to the production. "He came up with a lot of useful choices. His participation allowed it to be made."

Of course it was Albertini's ability to perform on stage that won him the role. "He's a triple threat. Maguire continues. "He can act, sing and dance, but he also has this certain generosity - a way of letting go and immersing himself without even knowing it. He's incredible."

Premiere ballerina Wendy Whelan, who played Cleopatra, loved working with actor Gianlorenzo Albertini. "I thought Lorenzo was just a dancer who could act. But he's this fantastic actor who also happens to be a great dancer. His versatility is amazing and he's a lot of fun."

About Women: The War Within
Women: The War Within, explores the rise of female consciousness in the pursuit of power, four of the most powerful women in history meet: Empress Wu, the only female Empress of China, Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Egypt, Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist of Burma, and Hillary Clinton, American stateswoman.

About Actor Gianlorenzo Albertini
Gianlorenzo Albertini is an Italian theater and film actor who lives in Los Angeles, California.

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