Daniel Pantano

Daniel Pantano is the executive and artistic director of Concert Operetta Theater,
a company which he founded in 2001. Concert Operetta Theater (COT) is still the only concert operetta company in the United States.

Mr. Pantano is a trained singer and has performed in opera, oratorio and cabaret productions with repertoire that has been most diverse, and from which he has made a home in supporting and character roles. He has worked with such groups as Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Delaware, Augusta Opera, Pennsylvania Opera Theater, Banff Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera and The Academy of Vocal Arts Theater.

Mr. Pantano’s recent speaking engagements on operetta include The Nelson Eddy Appreciation Society ( Cambridge Springs, PA), the Friends of Operetta (Los Angeles, CA), OLLI (Osher's Lifelong Learning Center) at Temple University, and the Friends of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Daniel is extremely knowledgeable about many genres of music and has developed historical, educational and entertaining programs tracing music from over two centuries ago.

Daniel’s program offerings include:

Lecture programs: Many of the programs below can be offered as a single lecture or as part of a series. An accomplished singer, Daniel also offers cabaret style recitals of opera and Broadway musicals.

• Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy
  This explores who they were and their performances before they met, as well as their movies together and television of the 50’s.

• Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein
  The history of both gentleman, their work before meeting and the great stage musicals that were written by them, many of which later became world class movies.

• The History of Operetta in Europe
  When did operetta begin in Europe? Explore the beginning and the music that became the musicals of their time. Explore the music of Franz Lehar, Emmerich Kalman, Oscar Strauss, Jacques Offenbach and many more.

• The Greats of Operetta on Broadway
  When Operetta moved to Broadway, there were so many new American composers who added their brilliance to the genre. Explore the music of Sigmund Romberg, Victor Herbert, Rudolf Friml, George Gershwin, and Jerome Kern.

• Jewish Composers of Broadway
  This program will highlight the influence of Jewish composers by examining the works of Irvin Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Charles Strouse, Stephen Schwartz, Alan Menken (Disney), among others.

• Broadway and the Great Changes of the 1960’s – 1980’s
  Broadway was at its lowest until these great composers and groups help build it into what we know today! Explore the music of the hippies, the British invasion, Disney shows, Black musicals and the beginning of the Jukebox Musical

• American Operetta – The Road to Show Boat – An overview of the roots of American musical theater starting from its European beginnings, looking at George M. Cohan, Rudolf Friml, Victor Herbert, and events leading to the production of Show Boat, which changed the Broadway show style and gave us what we know today as the musical

• The Musical Comedians – The role of comedy/parody in music and how music plays a role in moving ideas, from The Beggar’s Opera to Offenbach, Gilbert & Sullivan, Allen Sherman, Tom Lehrer, and many more

Please contact us for full list of engaging programs, performances, and lectures.