FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed "Best of New York" by New York Magazine and "an invaluable New York institution" by The New York Post will continue its star-studded Fall 2009 season with the debut of DONALD BRASWELL – the opera star recently featured on “America’s Got Talent” – on Sunday, September 27. As part of “The Actors Fund Broadway Series,” Mr. Braswell will feature songs from his debut CD New Chapter. The show is at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street). All admission proceeds will go directly to the assistance of professionals in performing arts and entertainment in times of need, crisis or transition.   

DONALD BRASWELL is an acclaimed tenor who first made his mark on the Opera world as Arturo in Bellini’s La Straniera with the Opera Orchestra of New York. He went on to celebrated turns as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi and Luigi in Il Tabarro at the Spoleto Festival in Italy; Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly with the Welsh National Opera, Opera North Scotland, Boise Opera, Rockland Opera, and the Lyric Opera of New York; Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Lyric Opera of New York; Cavaradossi in Tosca with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Romeo in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet at the Opera Company of Philadelphia; Il Duca in Rigoletto with the Austin Lyric Opera; Lancelot in Le Roi Arthus at the Bregenzer Festspiele in Austria and Oper der Stadt Köln in Germany

After graduating from Juilliard, Donald was selected as one of the winners of the Liederkranz Foundation Vocal Competition and also was awarded the Finalist Artist Grant from the Licia  Albanese-Puccini Foundation International Vocal Competition. Donald was privileged to study under the great Franco Corelli.

During a series of performances in 1995 with the Welsh National Opera, Donald was struck by a car while cycling through Wales. He suffered severe damage to the soft tissue in his throat and was told by doctors that he might not be able to sing or speak normally again. Donald was determined to beat the odds and spent the next few years working diligently to regain the normal use of his voice. With a great deal of faith, determination, and hard work, Donald has been making his way back to the performance stage.

His recently-released debut album, New Chapter, combines elements of the musical theatre, pop, and operatic arrangements of timeless classical selections. The disc was produced by the Grammy Award-winning team of Michael and Ron Morales and co-produced by Mark Martin, with lush musical arrangements by Brian Duncan.

THE ACTORS FUND is a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment. The Fund – which supports those on stage and screen and everyone behind the scenes who works in theatre, film, TV, music, dance, radio and opera – is a safety net, providing social services and emergency assistance, health services and health insurance information, employment and training programs and housing resources for those who are in need, crisis or transition. Learn more about all of The Actors Fund’s services and programs at www.actorsfund.org.