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    Announcing the Resignation of General Director and CEO Keith Cerny

    DALLAS, TX, DECEMBER 15, 2017 – After seven-and-a-half years with The Dallas Opera, Keith Cerny, The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO, has tendered his resignation.

    He has been appointed General Director and CEO of Calgary Opera, where he will assume his duties in January.

    Dr. Cerny, who took the helm of The Dallas Opera in the spring of 2010, has presided over five consecutive balanced operating budgets and a host of artistic projects, expansions, and technical innovations.  These include a highly-successful simulcast program; regional, U.S. and world premieres; and innovative community outreach programs.

    Under his leadership, TDO launched one of the very few programs for women opera conductors and administrators: The Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera, and hosted the successful 2017 OPERA America Conference, extolled as one of the most productive and thought-provoking gatherings of the opera community in recent years.

    His eye for talent led him to recruit both Music Director Emmanuel Villaume (currently preparing for Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera) and Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement, as well as a team of highly-skilled senior staff members.

    “Keith has every reason to be proud of his legacy,” notes Dallas Opera Board Chair Holly Mayer. “We wish him every success with his new responsibilities as we turn our efforts to maintaining this company’s impressive forward momentum and strengthening the collaborations with other arts organizations that have marked Keith’s tenure here in Dallas.

    The search for Cerny’s successor will begin immediately.

    ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA

    Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year.  TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.

     

    2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR

    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
    ~~~~

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA

    IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7.  VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

     

    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS

    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

    Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation, Texas Instruments Foundation, the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).  American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.  Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.

    Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.

     

    The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by

    Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, and

    The Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund

    TDO Family Performances are a part of the

    Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs

    One of the World’s Most Thrilling Sopranos – Nadine Sierra in Recital!

    The Dallas Opera Proudly Presents

    NADINE SIERRA
    IN AN EXCLUSIVE RECITAL
    Accompanied by Bryan Wagorn
    ~~~~
    SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2018, 2:00 P.M.
    MOODY PERFORMANCE HALL (Dallas Arts District)
    ~~~~
    THE ROBERT E. AND JEAN ANN TITUS
    ART SONG RECITAL SERIES
    ~~~~
    TICKETS $15 and $25

    DALLAS, TX, DECEMBER 1, 2017 – The Robert E. and Jean Ann Titus Art Song Recital Series will feature American soprano, Nadine Sierra, winner of the 2017 Richard Tucker Award and the 2009 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Finals, in an exclusive recital produced by The Dallas Opera.

    Nadine HS (002) (800x533)

    The performance will take place on Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in Moody Performance Hall (a 749-seat venue located at 2520 Flora Street—across the street from the Winspear Opera House—in the Dallas Arts District). Tickets are now on sale for $15 and $25 and may be purchased at https://dallasopera.org/titus or by contacting the friendly professionals in The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000.

    “Nadine Sierra has quickly progressed from enchanting ingénue to operatic powerhouse,” explains Keith Cerny (The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO of The Dallas Opera) and we are justifiably thrilled to be able to introduce her to North Texas audiences!”

    “We are so grateful for the Titus Family’s generous support of these important recitals, which offer an intimate setting in which to appreciate these tremendous talents.

    “This is the fifth recital in the series which has included world-class tenors Ian Bostridge and Matthew Polenzani, legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade in 2016 and tenor Michael Fabiano last winter,” Cerny adds, “each of which has contributed significantly to the advancement and preservation of this art form for future generations.”

    Nadine Sierra will be accompanied by renowned pianist Bryan Wagorn, an Assistant Conductor at the Metropolitan Opera who made his house debut during the 2013-14 Season working with conductor James Levine on the new production of Falstaff. He regularly performs throughout North America, Europe, and Asia as a pianist, chamber musician and piano accompanist.
    ___________________________________________________________________________

    Praised for her vocal beauty, seamless technique, and abundant musicality, soprano Nadine Sierra is being hailed as one of the most promising talents to emerge from the opera world today. The youngest winner to date of both the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition, Ms. Sierra has already attracted the attention of top-ranked opera companies and symphony orchestras, worldwide.

    Quoted in a recent New York Times article by Michael Cooper, “Barry Tucker, president of the Richard Tucker Music Foundation — and the son of the Brooklyn-born tenor for whom it was named — said that he had watched Ms. Sierra develop since she was in college. ‘She possesses an artistic maturity that is well beyond her years and is destined to be a leading light of the opera world’.”

    Ms. Sierra’s first taste of national notice came at the tender age of fifteen, in the wake of her appearance on the popular NPR program, From the Top, which showcases young musical artists. At sixteen, she sang the role of Sandman in Hansel and Gretel at Palm Beach Opera, under the baton of the legendary Julius Rudel.

    After graduating from New York’s Mannes College of Music, Ms. Sierra was accepted into the prestigious Adler Fellowship Program at San Francisco Opera, where she made her 2011 company debut in the dual roles of Juliet and Barbara, opposite Thomas Hampson, in the world premiere production of Heart of a Soldier, a 9/11 opera by Christopher Theofanidis.

    Commenting on her performances, the San Francisco Chronicle wrote: “There is no way to listen to soprano Nadine Sierra…and feel anything but awe and delight—a combination of admiration for her current gifts and eager anticipation at what the future surely holds for her.”

    Despite her youth, Ms. Sierra is already putting her special stamp on a wide variety of major signature roles including Lucia (in Lucia di Lammermoor), Musetta (in La Bohème), Gilda (in Rigoletto), and Pamina (in Mozart’s The Magic Flute).

    After earning “rave reviews at the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala, Ms. Sierra won the Richard Tucker award this past spring—as sure an indicator that exists of a successful opera career” (Lawrence A. Johnson, Chicago Classical Review). Before the January recital, Ms. Sierra will be appearing on the Metropolitan Opera stage in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

    Ms. Sierra recently attracted critical acclaim for her Metropolitan Opera performances in Idomeneo, a Mozart rarity co-starring Matthew Polenzani, one of the earlier stars of the Titus Art Song Recital Series.

    The 2018 Titus Recital will include a variety of much-loved works by composers Richard Strauss, Samuel Barber, Franz Schubert, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Robert Schumann, Joaquín Turina, and Leonard Bernstein (program specifics are subject to change).
    ~~~~
    Through the generosity of the Titus Family, ticket prices are $15 or $25. Seating is reserved and tickets will be held at Will Call. $10 Student Tickets are also available with a current Student I.D. Tickets may be purchased through The Dallas Opera Ticket Office (214.443.1000) or online, 24/7, at https://dallasopera.org/titus.

    “With the selection of Nadine Sierra, Keith Cerny and The Dallas Opera continue to bring world-renowned singers to the stage in Dallas. My family is excited and honored to be a part of this important series” said Dallas Opera Trustee Sarah Titus.

    ~~~~

    NADINE SIERRA BIO:
    Ms. Sierra made her professional debut with Palm Beach Opera while still a teenager, in her home state of Florida. She studied in New York City at Mannes College of Music and was an Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera. She made her debut at San Francisco Opera in 2011 as Juliet/Barbara in the world premiere of Christopher Theofanidis’s Heart of a Soldier. Recent engagements include Gilda in Rigoletto (La Scala, Milan, Chorégies d’Orange, Opéra Bastille, Metropolitan Opera, New York, Seattle Opera), Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor (La Fenice, Venice, San Francisco Opera, Zürich Opera), Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera), Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Norina in Don Pasquale (Valencia), Musetta in La Bohème, Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte (San Francisco Opera) and Flavia Gemmira in Eliogabalo (Paris Opéra). She is the youngest winner of the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition, the 2017 Richard Tucker Award Winner, and has recently signed a record contract with Deutsche Grammophon/Universal. Plans include Susannah (Metropolitan Opera), Norina in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale (Paris Opéra) and Nannetta in Falstaff (Staatsoper Berlin).

    BRYAN WAGORN BIO:
    Canadian pianist and vocal coach Bryan Wagorn serves as Assistant Conductor at The Metropolitan Opera, and regularly performs throughout North America, Europe, and Asia as pianist, chamber musician, and recital accompanist to the world’s leading singers and instrumentalists. In the 2013-2014 season, Mr. Wagorn made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Assistant Conductor in their new production of Falstaff. He has performed with James Levine and the Met Chamber Ensemble at Carnegie Hall as solo pianist and chamber musician, and in recital for the George London Foundation, the Marilyn Horne Foundation and Richard Tucker Foundation, and also serves on the music staff of the Glyndebourne Festival. A participant at the Marlboro Music Festival, Mr. Wagorn has also been engaged as Staff Coach at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute, and has served on faculty of the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s Summer Music Institute directed by Pinchas Zukerman. He made his solo recital debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 2009, and has performed two extensive tours with Jeunesses Musicales de Canada, and performed chamber music with members of The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Mr. Wagorn holds degrees in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada, the University of Ottawa, the Mannes College of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He is a graduate of The Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.

    ~~~~
    ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.

    2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR
    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
    ~~~~
    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7. VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
    Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation, Texas Instruments Foundation, the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.
    Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.

    The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by
    Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, and
    The Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund
    TDO Family Performances are a part of the
    Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs

    TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2017-2018 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2017-2018 SPRING SEASON INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixty-First International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.

    The Dallas Opera’s LA TRAVIATA Opens Oct. 27th

    La Traviata 2004 by Karen Almond

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO PRESENT
    GIUSEPPE VERDI’S HEARTBREAKING 1853 MASTERPIECE
    LA TRAVIATA
    LIBRETTO BY FRANCESCO MARIA PIAVE
    ~~~~
    STARRING
    SOPRANO GEORGIA JARMAN AS VIOLETTA, TENOR RENÉ BARBERA AS ALFREDO, AND BELARUSSIAN BARITONE VLADISLAV SULIMSKY AS GIORGIO GERMONT

    ~~~~
    CONDUCTED BY MAESTRO CARLO MONTANARO
    IN HIS DALLAS OPERA DEBUT
    ORIGINAL DIRECTION BY FRANK GALATI
    2017 REVIVAL DIRECTED BY STEFANIA PANIGHINI
    IN HER AMERICAN DEBUT
    ~~~~
    OPENING NIGHT: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2017
    7:30 PM IN THE WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE

    ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES
    October 29 (m), November 1, 4, 10 & 12 (m)
    ~~~~
    PRODUCTION UNDERWRITER:
    TEXAS INSTRUMENTS FOUNDATION

    DALLAS, OCTOBER 10, 2017 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present the second mainstage production of the 2017-2018 “Motives Unmasked!” Season: Giuseppe Verdi’s tender and bittersweet romance, LA TRAVIATA, opening on Friday, October 27, 2017 (The Amy and Vernon Faulconer Performance) at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Downtown Dallas. Verdi’s tragic-yet-beautiful tale of a “fallen woman” consistently appears at or near the top of the list of the world’s most popular operas.
    This sumptuous production from Lyric Opera of Chicago stars American soprano Georgia Jarman as the doomed Paris courtesan, Violetta Valéry; American tenor René Barbera in his company debut as Alfredo, the naïve young man who falls head-over-heels for her; and Belarussian baritone Vladislav Sulimsky as Alfredo’s deeply concerned father, Giorgio Germont.
    In their Dallas Opera debuts, acclaimed Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro guides the performance from the podium and Stefania Panighini—in her American debut—directs the 2017 revival of a production originally staged by director Frank Galati.
    This production is made possible through the generosity of the Texas Instruments Foundation.
    Subsequent performances of LA TRAVIATA will take place on October 29(m), November 1, 4, 10 and 12(m), 2017. Single tickets start at $19. Contact the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or purchase online, 24/7, at dallasopera.org.

    Based on the play La dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils (the Younger) who originally presented the tragic love story as a novel, Verdi’s 1853 masterpiece overflows with some of the opera’s most sensuous and beautiful melodies, the most memorable characters, and the most heart-rending drama, making it a popular favorite from that day to this.

    Praised for her “crystalline tone and uncommon attention to detail” combined with “rhapsodic voluptuousness” (Opera), Georgia Jarman studied at Boston University and the Manhattan School of Music before captivating opera audiences across the U.S. in performances at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Boston Lyric Opera, Atlanta Opera, New Orleans Opera, Florentine Opera—as well as her 2010 Dallas Opera debut as Donna Elvira opposite Paolo Szot’s dangerously charming Don Giovanni. Since her initial bow at English National Opera, Ms. Jarman has conquered audiences throughout Europe and has become a favorite of audiences at Covent Garden. Her triumphs there include her portrayal of all four heroines in the Richard Jones production of The Tales of Hoffmann, for which The Independent (U.K.) hailed her as the “discovery of the year.”
    Ms. Jarman’s mastery of both lyric coloratura and bel canto repertoire has earned critical acclaim and left audiences “gasping” with pleasure.
    Romantically linked with Miss Jarman’s Violetta is tenor René Barbera, the first sole recipient of all three awards of the Operalia Competition in 2011. He sang performances of Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola in his debuts with Seattle Opera and Los Angeles Opera, and was heard as Almaviva at the Stanislavsky Music Theatre in Moscow. Mr. Barbera made his 2013 Santa Fe Opera debut as Rodrigo in Rossini’s La Donna del Lago. Recent highlights include Almaviva with the Opéra National de Paris, Ramiro in La Cenerentola, Almaviva and Iopas in Les Troyens in San Francisco, Tonio in La Fille du Régiment with Greensboro Opera, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Los Angeles Opera, Giannetto in La Gazza Ladra and Narciso in Il Turco in Italia at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro. He also appeared as the Italian Tenor in Der Rosenkavalier at the Lyric Opera of Chicago; made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Lindoro in L’italiana in Algeri, conducted by James Levine, prompting Classical Source to write: “He melted hearts with (his) ardent tone and thrilling high notes.”
    Mr. Barbera sang his first Alfredo in La Traviata in Palermo, Italy.
    This season, René Barbera will make a number of additional house debuts: Deutsche Oper Berlin as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, at Teatro all Scala Milan as Ernesto in Don Pasquale with conductor Riccardo Chailly, and for the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich as Ramiro in Rossini’s version of the Cinderella story, La Cenerentola. Other notable upcoming engagements include I Puritani at the Staatstheater Stuttgart and a return to the Opéra National de Paris as Almaviva.

    ~~~~
    This celebrated production also marks the welcome return of Belarussian baritone Vladislav Sulimsky to the Dallas Opera stage in the wake of a show-stopping appearance on the Winspear stage as Ibn-Hakia in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. A member of the famed Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he has sung countless roles since 2004, the Grammy-nominated Mr. Sulimsky made a strong impression on Dallas Morning News Classical Music Critic Scott Cantrell: “With a dignified presence and a substantive polished baritone, Vladislav Sulimsky is deeply sympathetic.”

    “I am confident that Georgia Jarman and René Barbera will captivate audiences with their profound artistry and, together, they should create some of the most exciting chemistry onstage this season,” says Dallas Opera General Director & CEO Keith Cerny. “Just when you think Georgia can’t possibly sing any better—she astounds you by giving even more to her performances; and René’s star is rising so quickly in the opera firmament, he’s practically in orbit.
    “This is one TRAVIATA,” Mr. Cerny adds, “that will be talked about for many seasons to come.”
    American mezzo-soprano Abigail Levis will be making her Dallas Opera Debut as Violetta’s closest friend and confidante, Flora Bervoix. Earlier, Ms. Levis made quite a splash in the trousers role of Cherubino (at Wolf Trap and elsewhere) prompting Opera News to write that she “sailed through the role…leaving an impressive vocal glow in her wake.” Ms. Levis has been widely praised for her talent, versatility and fearlessness. She was awarded First Prize in the 2017 Klaudia Taev Competition and spent a full season with the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera.
    Tenor Brenton Ryan will make his first appearance on the Winspear stage as Alfredo’s friend Gastone. Hailed by Opera News for his “remarkable tonal suavity and refined phrasing,” Mr. Ryan is the winner of the Birgit Nilsson Prize of the 2016 Operalia competition and will be seen this season as Spoletta in a new Metropolitan Opera production of Tosca being broadcast to theaters around the world.
    Bass-baritone Dale Travis will return to the Dallas Opera in the role of Baron Douphol.
    Baritone Daniel Armstrong will make his house debut as the Marchese D’Obigny along with soprano Rachel Sterrenberg as Annina (Violetta’s loyal maid). In his second appearance on the TDO stage this season, bass-baritone Ryan Kuster returns in the role of the sympathetic Doctor Grenvil.
    Rounding out the cast is tenor Brian Rosewell as Violetta’s servant, Giuseppe; baritone Bobby L. Tinnion as Flora’s manservant; and bass Kyle Hancock as the Messenger.

    All six performances will be led by renowned Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro in his official Dallas Opera debut.
    After serving as music director of Warsaw’s Teatr Wielki from 2011 to 2014, Montanaro made house debuts at Opéra de Monte Carlo (Tosca), Rigoletto at Warsaw Opera, Seattle Opera (Maria Stuarda), Sydney Opera House, and San Francisco Opera where he conducted Puccini’s La Bohème. Mark Mandel of Opera News observed that Montanaro conducted with “Muti-like verve and sprung rhythms,” while a rave review of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra in Seen and Heard International drew attention to the “astounding job (Montanaro) did with this ensemble” and his terrific interaction with the singers. The review concluded, “Who says conductors don’t matter anymore?”
    Maestro Montanaro regularly conducts high-level master classes for women conductors on the cusp of major careers, as part of the prestigious Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera.

    This lushly romantic Lyric Opera of Chicago production was designed by Desmond Heeley with lighting design by Alan Burrett, and wig and make-up designs by Dawn Rivard.
    The choreographer is John de los Santos.
    Chorus Master Alexander Rom has the task of preparing the superb Dallas Opera Chorus.
    ~~~~

    Set in 19th-century Paris, where the young heir to a distinguished family name falls passionately in love with a woman of uncertain virtue, LA TRAVIATA is one of the most soulfully romantic works in the opera canon.
    Modeled after the too-short life and times of one of Paris’ best-known 19th century beauties, Marie Duplessis (who later went on to have a torrid affair with composer Franz Liszt); this is the story of her sometimes stormy relationship with writer Alexander Dumas the Younger, who immortalized her as “The Lady of the Camellias” after she succumbed to tuberculosis at the tender age of 23. After her death, the frenzied sale of her remaining jewels and belongings paid-off her outstanding debts and provided a tidy bequest to her niece in Normandy, who inherited Marie’s ill-gotten gains on the condition that she never set foot in Paris.
    In Dumas’ book, which served as the basis for his later play, his fictional heroine tells us, “I built a future life on your love; I dreamed of the country, of purity.” In Verdi’s opera, Alfredo (the stand-in for Dumas fils) was raised far from the wicked city-life and, in his naiveté, barely comprehends the choices that Violetta has been forced to make, in order to survive.
    However, composer Giuseppe Verdi, who at the time was living in his own “scandalous” and unconventional arrangement with Giuseppina Strepponi, understood these characters completely and renders them indelibly upon our hearts.
    For additional information about the cast, artistic/production team, and synopsis, or to purchase this “hot ticket”—visit www.dallasopera.org today.

    ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through groundbreaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.

    ~~~~
    2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR
    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
    ~~~~
    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7. VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
    Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation, Texas Instruments Foundation, the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.
    Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.

    The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by
    Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, and
    The Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund

    TDO Family Performances are a part of the
    Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs

    TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2017-2018 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2017-2018 SEASON MAINSTAGE INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixty-First International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.

    SAMSON & DALILA by Camille Saint-Saëns
    October 20, 22 (m), 25, 28, and November 5 (m), 2017
    A passionate drama of biblical proportions!
    Libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire
    Time: 1150 B.C.E.
    Place: Ancient Palestine
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume / Pierre Vallet*
    Director: Bruno Berger-Gorski*
    Set Designer: Peter Dean Beck*
    Costume Designer: Carrie Robbins*
    Lighting Designer: Alan Burrett
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Choreographer: Nycole Ray*
    Starring: Olga Borodina* (Dalila), Clifton Forbis (Samson), Richard Paul Fink (High Priest of Dagon), Michael Chioldi* (Abimélech) and Ryan Kuster (Old Hebrew)
    A traditional period production from Pittsburgh Opera!

    LA TRAVIATA (“The Fallen Woman”) by Giuseppe Verdi
    October 27, 29 (m), November 1, 4, 10 and 12 (m), 2017
    Come toast the greatest love story in all of opera!
    Time: Mid-19th century
    Place: Paris, France and the French countryside
    Conductor: Carlo Montanaro*
    Original Director: Frank Galati*
    Revival Director: Stefania Panighini**
    Production Designer: Desmond Heeley
    Lighting Designer: Alan Burrett
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Choreographer: John de los Santos
    Starring: Georgia Jarman (Violetta Valéry), René Barbera* (Alfredo Germont), Vladislav Sulimsky (Giorgio Germont), Abigail Levis* (Flora Bervoix), Brenton Ryan* (Gastone), Dale Travis (Baron Douphol), Daniel Armstrong* (Marchese D’Obigny), Ryan Kuster (Doctor Grenvil) and Rachel Sterrenberg* (Annina)
    A gorgeous, classic production from Lyric Opera of Chicago!

    THE RING OF POLYKRATES & VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D MAJOR
    A sweeping Viennese concerto paired with a charming domestic comedy!
    By Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    February 9, 11 (m), 14 and 17, 2018
    Violin Soloist (KORNGOLD CONCERTO): Augustin Dumay*
    The Dallas Opera Orchestra conducted by Emmanuel Villaume

    THE RING OF POLYKRATES
    Sumptuous Viennese music laced with orchestral color and wit!
    Libretto by Leo Feld
    Time: Early 20th century
    Place: Vienna, Austria
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Director: Peter Kazaras
    Set Designer: Donald Eastman*
    Costume Designer: Tommy Bourgeois
    Lighting Designer: Krista Billings
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Starring: Paul Groves* (Wilhelm Arndt), Laura Wilde* (Laura), Brenton Ryan (Florian Döbllinger), Susannah Biller* (Lieschen), and Craig Colclough* (Peter Vogel).
    One of the most rarely performed opera gems! In its third professional U.S. production!

    SUNKEN GARDEN by Michel van der Aa
    March 9, 11 (m), 14 and 17, 2018
    A phenomenal visual, musical and emotional adventure – live and in 3-D!
    Libretto by David Mitchell
    Time: Present Day
    Place: Unknown
    Conductor: Nicole Paiement
    Director: Michel van der Aa*
    Set Designer: Theun Mosk**
    Costume Designer: Astrid Schulz**
    Lighting Designer: Theun Mosk**
    Sound Designer: Tom Gelissen*
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Starring: Roderick Williams* (Toby Kramer), Katherine Manley* (Zenna Briggs), and Miah Persson* (Iris Marinus).
    Combining live actors and 2-D and 3-D film, to take you where opera has never gone before!

    DON GIOVANNI by W.A. Mozart
    April 13, 15 (m), 18, 21, 27 and 29 (m), 2018
    Mozart’s operatic masterpiece brought vividly to life under the baton of Music Director Emmanuel Villaume!
    Time: 20th century
    Place: Seville, Spain and the surrounding countryside
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Director: Robert Falls*
    Set Designer: Walt Spangler*
    Costume Designer: Ana Kuzmanic*
    Original Lighting Designer: Duane Schuler
    Lighting Designer: Chris Maravich*
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Mariusz Kwiecień (Don Giovanni), Laura Claycomb (Donna Anna), David Portillo* (Don Ottavio), Ellie Dehn* (Donna Elvira), Kyle Ketelsen* (Leporello), Virginie Verrez (Zerlina), Craig Verm (Masetto), and Morris Robinson (The Commendatore).
    An evocative and thrilling production from Lyric Opera of Chicago!

    * Dallas Opera Debut
    ** American Debut

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________

    ###

    The Epic Tale of Lust and Betrayal – SAMSON & DALILA

    THE DALLAS OPERA OPENS THE 2017-18 SEASON WITH

     CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS’ 

    SAMSON & DALILA

    LIBRETTO BY FERDINAND LEMAIRE

    (BASED ON THE BOOK OF JUDGES)

    ~~~~

    STARRING TENOR CLIFTON FORBIS AS SAMSON

    MEZZO-SOPRANO OLGA BORODINA AS DALILA

    IN HER DALLAS OPERA DEBUT

    ~~~~

    ALSO STARRING BARITONE RICHARD PAUL FINK, BARITONE MICHAEL CHIOLDI AND BASS-BARITONE RYAN KUSTER

    ~~~~

    CONDUCTED BY DALLAS OPERA MUSIC DIRECTOR

    EMMANUEL VILLAUME

    AND PIERRE VALLET (WED., OCT. 25TH PERFORMANCE)

    ~~~~

    STAGED BY DIRECTOR BRUNO BERGER-GORSKI

    ~~~~

    THE LINDA AND MITCH HART SEASON OPENING NIGHT PERFORMANCE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017 at 8:00 PM

    The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the

    AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas TX

     

    ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES

    October 22 (m), 25, 28, and November 5(m)

    DALLAS, OCTOBER 5, 2017 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present the initial mainstage offering of the 2017-2018 “Motives Unmasked!” Season: Camille Saint-Saëns’ glorious nineteenth-century grand opera, SAMSON & DALILA, opening with The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. (note special curtain time), the first of five performances in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Downtown Dallas.  Saint-Saëns’ 1877 masterpiece features a tremendous ensemble cast that includes Russian superstar Olga Borodina, Clifton Forbis, Richard Paul Fink, Michael Chioldi and Ryan Kuster.

    Performances continue on October 22(m), 25, 28 and November 5(m), 2017 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House.  Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., (except for the opening night performance mentioned above) and the curtain rises on our Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.  There is absolutely no late seating.

    SAMSON & DALILA will be performed in its original language, French, with English-language translations projected above the stage at every performance.

    Tickets may be purchased by phone (214.443.1000), online (www.dallasopera.org) or at the door—starting at the low price of just $19.

    ~~~~

    Samson is the only hope of his people, the Hebrews, in the oppressive grip of the Philistines.
    Enter Dalila, the calculating seductress capable of capturing men’s hearts with ease.  Her temptation of Samson continues until she gets what she wants: the secret of his strength.  Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera builds to the familiar, spectacular climax, taken straight from the Book of Judges in this libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire.

    Dramatic tenor Clifton Forbis has sung some of the most challenging roles in the operatic repertoire.  He has mesmerized Dallas Opera audiences as Siegmund in Die Walküre, as well as a “forceful and manly” Tristan.  Samson is a signature role for Mr. Forbis, who has performed this part at Bilbao, San Francisco Opera and New York’s Metropolitan Opera.  He was last seen on The Dallas Opera stage in 2012’s groundbreaking production of Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, directed by Christian Räth, after inaugurating Dallas Opera productions in the Winspear Opera House in October of 2009 in the title role of Otello.

    He will star opposite the legendary Russian mezzo-soprano, Olga Borodina, who came to prominence in the West in 1992 when she starred opposite Plácido Domingo in Samson at London’s Covent Garden.  This Grammy Award-winner is considered the ultimate Dalila of her generation, according to London-based critic Rupert Christiansen of The Telegraph.

    Adam Wasserman of Opera News observed “…to watch Borodina is to see the masterful emergence of a truly human, fully formed character…buttressed by some of the most luxurious, thrilling vocalism that one can hope to encounter in an opera house.” The artist is closely associated with the historic Mariinsky Theatre in her birthplace, Saint Petersburg, Russia, but performs and records throughout the Western world, as well. Ms. Borodina’s recording of the Verdi Requiem with Riccardo Muti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, won two 2011 Grammy Awards, including Best Classical Album.

    Music Director Emmanuel Villaume (The Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director) will conduct the renowned Dallas Opera Orchestra in “one of the brightest jewels of French opera.”  Maestro Villaume triumphed in a revival of Jonathan Kent’s production of Tosca at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; prompting Hannah Nepil of The Financial Times to praise Villaume for “teasing out sultry, sumptuous playing from his orchestra.”  He also earned uniformly outstanding notices for his superb conducting of The Dallas Opera’s 2016 revival of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Moby-Dick, prompting Gregory Sullivan Isaacs of Theater Jones to write, “…with Villaume on the podium, Heggie’s score comes across as much more neo-tonal, lush, magnificently constructed and neo-romantic opera than what I perceived in the score back then. Vocal lines soar, giving singers some great bel-canto phrases that are grateful for the voice.”

    Over the past summer, Villaume conducted a critically acclaimed Dallas Opera-Santa Fe Opera co-production of Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel in its debut as part of the Santa Fe Opera 2017 Season.  Directed by Paul Curran and designed by Gary McCann, this new production will take centerstage in Dallas in an upcoming season.

    The Samson & Dalila performance on Wednesday, October 25th will be conducted by special guest Pierre Vallet, in his Dallas Opera debut. Praised for the elegance and intensity of his performances, Maestro Vallet is a long-serving member of the Metropolitan Opera Conductors Staff.  He also conducts at Paris National Opera; the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow; Sweden’s Göteborg Opera; Barcelona’s Gran Teatro del Liceu; the Saito Kinen Festival and in many other prestigious houses and venues throughout Europe and Asia.  The New York Times even cited Vallet for conducting one of the “Ten Best Classical Performances in New York City” in 2016. Maestro Vallet’s symphonic work includes several appearances at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London; the Royal Camerata in Bucharest; the Spoleto Festival USA; and the Greenwich Village Orchestra in New York. With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Elizabeth Sombart, Vallet has recorded the Chopin piano concertos, as well as a CD of adagios from piano concertos.

    SAMSON & DALILA will be staged by internationally acclaimed German director Bruno Berger-Gorski in his TDO debut.  He has been described as “the only active German opera director who has staged operas on four continents”—including more than a hundred from the standard repertoire.  Mr. Berger-Gorski is also considered a champion of rarely performed, unusual, or contemporary works, such as Dirk d’Ase’s Einstein, Gomes’ Condor for the Festival, Wolf-Ferrari’s Sly, and Offenbach’s Rheinnixon hailed as “the discovery of the year” by Opernwelt magazine.

    Keith Cerny, the Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO noted: “We’ve assembled a superb cast and off-stage team for our season opening production, to breathe life into an exciting and accessible grand opera that hasn’t been seen on our stage in nearly half a century!

    We are especially pleased to be giving Dallas audiences the chance to personally experience the world-class artistry of Olga Borodina and Clifton Forbis; however, I’m certain patrons will be just as swept away by the power and beauty of this terrific ensemble of principal singers and the amazing Dallas Opera Chorus.

    If any show is guaranteed to bring the house down on opening night—it’s this one!”

    Other members of this cast include Grammy-winning baritone Richard Paul Fink as the High Priest of Dagon, baritone Michael Chioldi in his TDO debut as Abimélech (the Philistine provincial governor), and bass-baritone Ryan Kuster as the Old Hebrew.

    The sets were designed by Peter Dean Beck for Pittsburgh Opera.  Carrie Robbins designed the costumes for San Francisco Opera.  Both will be making their house debuts.  Lighting design is by Allen Burrett and choreography by Nycole Ray, artistic director of Dallas Black Dance Theatre: Encore!, in her Dallas Opera debut.

    As always, chorus preparation is by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.

    ~~~~

    Student Rush Tickets are available at the door 90 minutes prior to curtain – a valid student ID is required for each ticket purchased.  Contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000.  For additional information about the cast, artistic/production team, and synopsis, or to purchase this “hot ticket”—visit www.dallasopera.org today.

    SAMSON & DALILA: SYNOPSIS

    ACT I

    Palestine, 1150 B.C. In a square in Gaza, a group of Hebrews beg Jehovah for relief from their bondage to the Philistines; Samson, their leader, rebukes them for their lack of faith. When the Philistine commander, Abimélech, denounces the Hebrews and their God, Samson kills him and leads the Hebrews away. The High Priest of Dagon comes from the Philistine temple and curses Samson’s prodigious strength, leaving with the slain man’s bier. An Old Hebrew praises the returning Samson. The outer walls of the temple disappear to reveal Samson’s former lover, the Philistine woman Dalila, who invites him to come that night to her nearby dwelling. She and her maidens dance seductively for Samson, who becomes deaf to the Old Hebrew’s dour prophecies.

    ACT II

    In the Valley of Sorek, Dalila calls on her gods to help her ensnare and disarm Samson, promising the High Priest to find a way to render the hero powerless. Samson appears, passionate in spite of himself; when Dalila has him in her power, she feigns disbelief in his constancy and demands that he show his love by confiding in her the secret of his strength, weeping when he refuses. Samson hears rolling thunder as a warning from God but cannot resist following Dalila inside. Not long afterward, having finally learned that the secret of Samson’s strength is his long hair, she calls to hidden Philistine soldiers, who rush in to capture and blind Samson.

    ACT III

    In a dungeon at Gaza, the sightless Samson pushes a grist mill in a circle, praying for his people, who will suffer for his sin. He hears their voices castigating him.  During a bacchanal in the Temple of Dagon, Dalila and the High Priest taunt Samson. When they force him to kneel to Dagon, he asks a boy to lead him to the two main pillars of the temple. Samson prays to Jehovah to restore his strength, and with a mighty effort he pulls down the pillars and the temple, crushing himself and his foes.

    By John W. Freeman – courtesy of Opera News

    ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA

    Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond.  These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through groundbreaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year.  TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.

    2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR

    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
    ~~~~

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA

    IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7.  VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS

    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

    Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation, Texas Instruments Foundation, the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).  American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.  Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.

    Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.

    The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by

    Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, and

    The Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund

    TDO Family Performances are a part of the

    Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs

    TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2017-2018 DALLAS OPERA SEASON

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated.  Single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

     

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2017-2018 SEASON MAINSTAGE INFORMATION

    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixty-First International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated.  English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired.  With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.

     

    Free Simulcast of LA TRAVIATA at Klyde Warren Park!

    Live from the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House

    At The AT&T Performing Arts Center

    FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2017, 7:30 p.m.

    ~~~~

    Pre-Performance Activities and Entertainment includes Looney Tunes Cartoon For Scent-imental Reasons

    Opening night simulcast made possible by support from

    The Rosemary and Roger Enrico Foundation

    DALLAS, SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 – The Dallas Opera announces a free public simulcast at beautiful Klyde Warren Park featuring the classic romance LA TRAVIATA, by Giuseppe Verdi. The special presentation takes place in Downtown Dallas Friday, October 27, 2017 (program begins at 6:30 p.m., curtain at 7:30 p.m.). It is a live opera simulcast of the production being performed in the Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center and is presented on a large high definition video screen. The opening night simulcast is made possible in part by The Rosemary and Roger Enrico Foundation. This event will mark the 16th live simulcast presented by The Dallas Opera.

    Klyde Warren Park Simulcast by The Dallas Opera - Photo by Karen Almond KA2_8594 (640x320)
    Klyde Warren Park Simulcast photo by Karen Almond

    Klyde Warren Park is located at 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, TX 75201. Sign up today for reminders and updates about activities at www.dallasopera.org/simulcast.  This is a free, public space and no reservations are required to attend.

    The public is encouraged to arrive early, bring blankets or chairs, and secure their spot on the lawn. A variety of wining-and-dining options include Savor, serving New American cuisine; Relish, a take-away burger and hot dog kiosk; and other nearby eateries and food trucks. Those interested in attending are advised to mark their calendars and register at www.dallasopera.org/simulcast.

     La Traviata is the tale of a woman of questionable virtue sacrificing her happiness for the man she loves. Violetta Valéry is based on an actual person who was portrayed in the famed novel The Lady of the Camellias, which also inspired the movie “Pretty Woman” starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Newcomers will likely recognize much of the music in this renowned opera, featured prominently in that popular 1990 romantic comedy.

    “It is part of our mission at The Dallas Opera to serve the community through programs like our free public simulcasts, and we are delighted to present this classic Italian opera in Klyde Warren Park for our 16th Simulcast. For those who have yet to try opera, experiencing this magical art form in the relaxed setting of the park is a memorable and fun experience. Bring your friends and family, and we’re sure you’ll be cheering ‘bravo’ with thousands of other patrons by the end of the evening!” said Keith Cerny, the Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO of The Dallas Opera.

    “We are thrilled to host the Dallas Opera’s La Traviata simulcast this fall and hope our patrons will enjoy the simulcast as well,” said Klyde Warren Park President Tara Green. “We are thankful to celebrate our partnership with the Dallas Opera for the 5th year in a row.”

    The fun begins early at 6:30 p.m. with KLUV Radio’s popular morning jockey Jody Dean, who hosts the event with Kristian Roberts, Education Program Senior Manager for The Dallas Opera. Activities include a trivia contest, behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast, and a cartoon. The company will also be accepting donations for the non-profit organization, Locks of Love.

    The amorous antics of cartoon classic character Pepé Le Pew, the skunk, will be featured in the Looney Tunes short For Scent-imental Reasons from Warner Bros. Audience members of all ages will delight in the caper as Pepé tries to woo the lovely Penelope Pussycat. The 1949 cartoon, in which all voices were done by Mel Blanc, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

    The Dallas Opera is proud to partner with Locks of Love, a non-pr-ofit organization that provides hairpieces to disadvantaged children with medical hair loss. Donations of hair will be accepted at the simulcast, and donors will receive a complimentary pair of opera tickets to see The Dallas Opera’s production of Samson & Dalila on Sunday, November 5. Hair must be at least 10” and bundled in a ponytail or braid. Each hairpiece by Locks of Love is crafted from human hair, custom-made for each child, and helps restore a sense of normalcy to their everyday lives. Please visit www.dallasopera.org/simulcast for complete information.

    Soprano Georgia Jarman, will sing the lead role of the fatally ill courtesan, Violetta Valéry. She’ll be making sparks with tenor René Barbera, who is making his Dallas Opera debut in the role of Alfredo, her true love. For another key role, Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont, The Dallas Opera is bringing back an extraordinary baritone: Vladislav Sulimsky from Belarus. Two dynamic Italians will be making their company debuts, conductor Carlo Montanaro and director Stefania Panighini to lead the production. The chorus is a magnificent presence in this opera and will be prepared by acclaimed Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.

    Sung in Italian, with English language translations projected above the stage, La Traviata can also be experienced at five additional performances: October 29, November 1, 4, 10, 12, 2017 in the Winspear Opera House with tickets starting at just $19.  Tickets may be purchased online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org or by contacting The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000.


    About Klyde Warren Park

    Klyde Warren Park serves as a central gathering space for Dallas and its visitors. The 5.2 acre deck park, designed by the Office of James Burnett, is an urban green space built over the recessed Woodall Rodgers Freeway between Pearl and St. Paul streets in downtown Dallas. Klyde Warren Park is a highly active space, providing daily free programming for the public ranging from yoga to lecture series to outdoor concerts and films. The park is privately operated and managed by the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation. For more information on programming, volunteering or to make a donation to support free daily programs, please visit www.KlydeWarrenPark.org.

    ~~~~

                The complete season schedule, artist and production team bios, synopses and more can be found at www.dallasopera.org.

    ~~~~
    ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA

    Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year.  TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.

    ~~~~

    2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR

    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family

    ~~~~

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA

    IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7.  VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
    Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation; Texas Instruments Foundation; the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

    American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.

    The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by

    Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, and the Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund.

    TDO Family Performances are a part of the Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs

    TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2017-2018 DALLAS OPERA SEASON

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated.  Single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org. 

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2017-2018 SEASON MAINSTAGE INFORMATION

    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixty-First International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated.  English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired.  With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.

    Opera Administrators Chosen for 2017 Hart Institute

    IWC-webbanner-flyer

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    Wednesday, August 9, 2017
    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Celeste Hart at 214.443.1071
    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    The Dallas Opera is Proud to Announce the
    Inaugural Class of Women Administrators
    For the 2017 Linda and Mitch Hart Institute
    ~~~~
    Nov. 5 – 19, 2017 in Dallas, Texas
    ~~~~
    Four Americans Selected for Elite Opera Professional Development Program
    ~~~~
    Distinguished Faculty Include Marin Alsop, Nicole Paiement, Carlo Montanaro, and Alec Treuhaft
    ~~~~
    Initial Support from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation Additional Support from
    The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Baker Botts LLP

    DALLAS, AUGUST 9, 2017 – The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the four distinguished professionals selected for the inaugural class of women opera administrators in the newly-expanded Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors and Administrators at The Dallas Opera:
    • Anh Le (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis)
    • Stefanie Mercier (Washington National Opera)
    • Sara Noble (Chautauqua Opera Company)
    • Jennifer Rivera (Long Beach Opera)
    The third annual residency of the Hart Institute is scheduled to take place in Dallas, Texas, from November 5 – 19, 2017.
    Working to address a long-standing career issue in the opera world, The Dallas Opera in 2015 launched a unique, new residential program designed to provide training and career support for distinctively talented women conductors. This year, the goals of the program were expanded to address the needs of American opera administrators.

    “Although women have played vital roles in politics, corporate culture, the front office, and the boardroom for many years, the so-called ‘glass ceiling’ is real,” explains Dallas Opera Chairman Holly Mayer, “and few women occupy the top jobs in our industry. That’s why the Hart Institute for Women Conductors and Administrators is such an important initiative for The Dallas Opera.
    “This relatively new program already has an impressive track record of helping accomplished women achieve their career goals, as shown by the appointments of Lidiya Yankovskaya as Music Director of Chicago Opera Theater and Tianyi Lu as a Dudamel Fellow at the Los Angeles Philharmonic,” Ms. Mayer adds. “The Hart Institute is making a difference in the lives of qualified music professionals—who just happen to be women!”

    For the next six years, TDO will invite between two and four American opera administrators to join the institute each season. These women will be selected on the basis of their potential to become leaders of one of America’s top opera companies later in their careers.
    The selected opera administrators will attend all sessions during the annual fall residency in Dallas. This curriculum includes examining the role of the board, leadership development, personal branding, media and PR training, effective artist management, and navigating the recruiting processes for senior level positions.
    To continue to develop their musical skills, which is essential for any opera executive, the administrators will observe rehearsals with The Dallas Opera Orchestra and conducting master classes by Marin Alsop, The Dallas Opera’s Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement, and Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro. Special sessions on Development, Finance, and Marketing will be offered as well.
    One of TDO’s goals is to build a network of talented leaders. In addition to the residency, selected administrators will be invited to participate in quarterly conference calls to continue to develop their personal networks and leadership skills.
    The administrators program will accept applications each spring from women who are either American citizens or green-card holders; there is no age limit. Institute Fellows will receive a stipend, travel, and housing for the duration of this year’s Hart Institute.

    Keith Cerny, The Dallas Opera’s Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO notes: “The Dallas Opera has demonstrated its commitment to reshaping the opera field through the use of innovative public outreach, by exploring new technologies, commissioning new works to expand the operatic repertoire, and programming with passion, courage and imagination.”
    “This already proven program,” Mr. Cerny added, “will enable more women to add to their skills in a wide range of areas, and provide them with the tools to accelerate their careers still further.”

    The institute had vital foundational support from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation. Naming support came through the generosity of Linda and Mitch Hart. Additional support for the institute comes from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Baker Botts LLP, Susan and Mark Geyer, Holly and Tom Mayer, Betty and Steve Suellentrop, Martha and Max Wells, and Jenifer and Peter Flynn.

    Marc A. Scorca, President and CEO of OPERA America, earlier remarked: “The Dallas Opera continues to expand its influence and stature among American opera companies, as shown by this exciting new initiative. The company is to be applauded for taking a significant step to remedy the existing gender imbalance on the podium. This effort complements OPERA America’s support of the work of female opera composers and promises to enrich the art form by encouraging more gifted artists to express themselves through opera.”

    ~~~~

    2017 Hart Institute Administrators
    (Inaugural Class)

    ANH LE
    Anh Le is the Publications and Brand Manager at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Prior to moving to St. Louis, she served as the Communications Associate for The Santa Fe Opera and the Associate Director of Marketing at Yale Rep. A lifelong arts lover, she has also worked with companies including the Yale School of Music (New Haven, CT), Opera Holland Park (London), and A.R.T. (Cambridge, MA). Anh received her BA from Harvard University in 2012, where she was awarded the Robert E. Levi Prize for excellence in arts administration. In 2015, she also received an MFA in Theater Management from the Yale School of Drama.
    Anh Le writes: “It is a tremendous honor to be a member of this institute’s inaugural class, and I look forward to two weeks of inspiration, learning, and professional growth next November. I cannot thank The Dallas Opera enough for its flagship commitment to women in our field.”

    STEFANIE MERCIER
    Stefanie Mercier is the Manager of Rehearsal Planning and Artist Services at Washington National Opera, where she oversees the creation of the overall season rehearsal and performance calendar as well as the daily rehearsal schedule. She was responsible for the rehearsal schedule for WNO’s 2016 Ring Cycle, which required three years of advance planning. Stefanie has been a lover of the performing arts since her first ballet lessons at the age of three. She danced with the School of the Richmond Ballet through high school, performing with the professional company annually in The Nutcracker. At the University of Virginia, she served in leadership roles with two student-run arts groups. After earning a bachelor’s degree, she came to WNO as an intern and has held four different staff positions in the past eleven years.
    Stefanie Mercier writes: “I am thrilled to be chosen to participate in the Hart Institute at Dallas Opera this fall. I look forward to joining this diverse network of women and learning from the forward-thinking curriculum to take my career in opera to the next level.”

    SARA NOBLE
    Sara Noble is in her third year as Company and Media Manager for the Chautauqua Opera Company. Since 2013, she has curated the unconventional operatic concert series ‘Home Brewed Opera’ as Executive Producing diva for Opera on Tap’s New York City chapter. For Opera on Tap, Sara produced the world premiere of James Barry’s comedic opera SMASHED: The Carrie Nation Story and scenes from Daniel Felsenfeld’s opera-in-development The Inner Circle. She served three terms as the Executive Secretary for the New York Opera Alliance, and has collaborated with organizations including American Opera Projects, The BEAT Festival, Opera Slavica, and Fifth House Ensemble. Sara is a strong advocate for contemporary classical music as an administrator, producer, and performer based in New York City.
    Sara Noble writes: “I am thrilled to have been chosen for the first Hart Institute for Women Opera Administrators. I have been greatly inspired by Dallas Opera’s commitment to increase diversity and inclusion in the field and look forward to this opportunity to connect with a network of peers and mentors who share those goals.”

    JENNIFER RIVERA
    Two time Grammy nominee Jennifer Rivera has performed leading roles with opera companies on five continents including the Berlin Staatsoper, the Teatro Regio di Torino, and the Dallas Opera among many others. She was selected as the “Debut Artist of the Year” at the New York City Opera and won a Helpmann Award (Australia’s Tony Award) in 2015. She has created leading roles in three world premieres and her discography includes recordings of Agrippina, Il Ritorno D’Ulisse, L’Olimpiade and the soon to be released Becoming Santa Claus. Jennifer has been writing popular essays for the Huffington Post Arts and Culture section since 2012. In the beginning of 2017 she transitioned to a full-time arts administrator, and was named Assistant Director of Development at Long Beach Opera where she is tasked with major gift fundraising.  Jennifer Rivera writes: “I am thrilled to be returning to The Dallas Opera in order to participate in the inaugural Institute for Women Administrators. The leadership at The Dallas Opera has already inspired me a great deal with their commitment to innovation within the opera industry alongside artistic excellence, and I am excited to be challenged and galvanized by leaders within the field in a program geared towards advancing women into leadership positions.”

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    ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.

    2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR
    The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family

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    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7. VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG

    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
    Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation; Texas Instruments Foundation; the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
    American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.

    TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2017-2018 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2017-2018 SEASON MAINSTAGE INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixty-First International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.

    SAMSON & DALILA by Camille Saint-Saëns
    October 20, 22 (m), 25, 28, and November 5 (m), 2017
    A passionate drama of biblical proportions!
    Libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire
    Time: 1150 B.C.E.
    Place: Ancient Palestine
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Director: Bruno Berger-Gorski*
    Set Designer: Peter Dean Beck*
    Costume Designer: Carrie Robbins*
    Lighting Designer: Alan Burrett
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Choreographer: Nycole Ray*
    Starring: Olga Borodina* (Dalila), Clifton Forbis (Samson), Richard Paul Fink (High Priest of Dagon), Michael Chioldi* (Abimélech) and Ryan Kuster (Old Hebrew)
    A traditional period production from Pittsburgh Opera!

    LA TRAVIATA (“The Fallen Woman”) by Giuseppe Verdi
    October 27, 29 (m), November 1, 4, 10 and 12 (m), 2017
    Come toast the greatest love story in all of opera!
    Time: Mid-19th century
    Place: Paris, France and the French countryside
    Conductor: Carlo Montanaro*
    Original Director: Frank Galati*
    Revival Director: Stefania Panighini**
    Production Designer: Desmond Heeley
    Lighting Designer: Alan Burrett
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Choreographer: John de los Santos
    Starring: Georgia Jarman (Violetta Valery), René Barbera* (Alfredo Germont), Vladislav Sulimsky (Giorgio Germont), Abigail Levis* (Flora Bervoix), Brenton Ryan* (Gastone), Dale Travis (Baron Douphol), Daniel Armstrong* (Marchese D’Obigny), Ryan Kuster (Doctor Grenvil) and Rachel Sterrenberg* (Annina)
    A gorgeous, classic production from Lyric Opera of Chicago!

    A Double Bill!
    THE RING OF POLYKRATES AND VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D MAJOR
    A sweeping Viennese concerto paired with a charming domestic comedy!
    By Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    February 9, 11 (m), 14 and 17, 2018

    THE RING OF POLYKRATES
    Sumptuous Viennese music laced with orchestral color and wit!
    Libretto by Leo Feld
    Time: Early 20th century
    Place: Vienna, Austria
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Director: Peter Kazaras
    Set Designer: Donald Eastman*
    Costume Designer: Tommy Bourgeois
    Lighting Designer: Krista Billings
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Starring: Paul Groves* (Wilhelm Arndt), Laura Wilde* (Laura), Brenton Ryan (Florian Döbllinger), Susannah Biller* (Lieschen), and Craig Colclough* (Peter Vogel).
    One of the most rarely performed opera gems! In its third professional U.S. production!

    Violin Soloist (KORNGOLD CONCERTO): Augustin Dumay*
    The Dallas Opera Orchestra conducted by Emmanuel Villaume

    SUNKEN GARDEN by Michel van der Aa
    March 9, 11 (m), 14 and 17, 2018
    A phenomenal visual, musical and emotional adventure – live and in 3-D!
    Libretto by David Mitchell
    Time: Present Day
    Place: Unknown
    Conductor: Nicole Paiement
    Director: Michel van der Aa*
    Set Designer: Theun Mosk**
    Costume Designer: Astrid Schulz**
    Lighting Designer: Theun Mosk**
    Sound Designer: Tom Gelissen*
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Starring: Roderick Williams* (Toby Kramer), Katherine Manley* (Zenna Briggs), and Miah Persson* (Iris Marinus).
    Combining live actors with 2-D and 3-D film, to take you where opera has never gone before!

    DON GIOVANNI by W.A. Mozart
    April 13, 15 (m), 18, 21, 27 and 29 (m), 2018
    Mozart’s operatic masterpiece brought vividly to life under the baton of Music Director Emmanuel Villaume!
    Time: 20th century
    Place: Seville, Spain and the surrounding countryside
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Director: Robert Falls*
    Set Designer: Walt Spangler*
    Costume Designer: Ana Kuzmanic*
    Original Lighting Designer: Duane Schuler
    Lighting Designer: Chris Maravich*
    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Mariusz Kwiecie? (Don Giovanni), Laura Claycomb (Donna Anna), David Portillo* (Don Ottavio), Ellie Dehn* (Donna Elvira), Kyle Ketelsen* (Leporello), Virginie Verrez (Zerlina), Craig Verm (Masetto), and Morris Robinson (The Commendatore).
    An evocative and thrilling production from Lyric Opera of Chicago!

    * Dallas Opera Debut
    ** American Debut
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