1961
On February 3, 1961, Max Neuhaus performed in a production of Puccini’s Tosca at the Opera Theater of the Manhattan School of Music.
Neuhaus was part of the student orchestra providing the instrumental accompaniment for the opera.
This performance occurred during his final semester of undergraduate study, just months before he received his Bachelor of Music in 1961.
Like his participation in The Marriage of Figaro later that April, this performance demonstrates Neuhaus’s active engagement in the standard classical repertoire at the Manhattan School of Music while simultaneously establishing himself as a specialist in avant-garde percussion under Paul Price.
This February performance preceded a highly dense spring schedule, including his March 11th concert at Bennett College and the March 14th "unknown" performance at Hubbard Auditorium. It highlights the rigorous, dual-track training (classical vs. experimental) that defined his early career.