FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Photo Credit: Karen Almond, Dallas Opera
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Celeste Hart 214-443-1071
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org celeste.hart@dallasopera.org
THE STARS WILL ALIGN IN FRISCO AS
THE DALLAS OPERA PRESENTS
FREE SIMULCAST #15
MADAME BUTTERFLY
by GIACOMO PUCCINI
SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2017, 7:30 p.m.
Simulcast Live in High Definition from
The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House in Dallas to
THE STAR IN FRISCO
Nine Cowboys Way, Frisco, TX
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Starring Soprano Hui He and Tenor Gianluca Terranova
Donato Renzetti Conducts, Staged by Director John Copley
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With Generous Support from Founding Sponsor
THE DALLAS FOUNDATION
Additional Support from
The University of North Texas – New College in Frisco
Register for Free Tickets at dallasopera.org/simulcast
or call 214-443-1000
WALK UPS WELCOME!
DALLAS, TX. MARCH 16, 2017 – North Texas’ newest entertainment district and Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, The Star in Frisco, is the location for a FREE Dallas Opera Simulcast this weekend, the fifteenth in the company’s history.
A critically acclaimed production of MADAME BUTTERFLY by Giacomo Puccini will be presented live this coming Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. from the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas.
The Madame Butterfly Simulcast is generously sponsored by The Dallas Foundation.
The program begins at 6:00 p.m. hosted by KLUV Radio’s Jody Dean and The Dallas Opera’s Education Program Senior Manager Kristian Roberts. Activities include the Family Fun Zone 5:00-7:00 p.m., trivia, behind-the-scenes interviews, and a WB Classics presentation of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in “What’s Opera, Doc?” considered one of the cleverest and most popular animated cartoons of all time.
The curtain goes up on the opera performance at 7:30 p.m.
With poignant melodies, memorable characters and a heart-wrenching storyline, Madame Butterfly has captivated audiences and dampened handkerchiefs for more than a hundred years. Loosely based on true events in Nagasaki, Japan, the unforgettable opera tells the tale of a young, naïve Japanese woman, Cio-Cio-San (soprano Hui He), blinded by her love for a callous American naval officer (tenor Gianluca Terranova). Lucas Meachem stars as Sharpless and Manuela Custer as Suzuki, with David Cangelosi as Goro and Reginald Smith, Jr. as The Bonze.
“The Dallas Foundation has been proud to serve as the Founding Sponsor of The Dallas Opera’s simulcasts at AT&T Stadium since 2012, helping to provide families throughout our community the chance to experience world-class opera in this unique and relaxed setting,” remarked Mary M. Jalonick, President and CEO of The Dallas Foundation. “This year’s simulcast performance at The Star in Frisco, will offer audiences an opportunity to enjoy one of the most well-known operas in one of our area’s newest event venues.”
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“We are extremely grateful to The Dallas Foundation for its generous and sustained support of these programs,” said Keith Cerny, the Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO of The Dallas Opera. “Bringing the splendor and magic of opera to as broad an audience as possible is one of my primary goals as head of The Dallas Opera. These free public presentations are a great vehicle to introduce newcomers to this incredible art form, as well as other opera patrons who enjoy seeing performances in a relaxed setting. TDO’s simulcasts have reached more than 70,000 patrons since the program began in 2010.”
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The Star in Frisco, Texas is located at Nine Cowboys Way, Frisco, TX 75034. Tickets and parking are free. Register online at www.dallasopera.org/simulcast or call 214-443-1000. The public is encouraged to arrive early to secure their spot and pick up their tickets. This is an outdoor venue and patrons should bring their own low-rise lawn chairs or blankets. Parking is free and concessions will be available on site.
The Dallas Opera extends special thanks to the Gene and Jerry Jones Family.
Winner of multiple international awards, conductor Donato Renzetti has earned critical acclaim from around the globe. George Loomis of The New York Times wrote that the Maestro “conducted a warm, expansive performance,” of a recent production of Tosca (Puccini) for Rome Opera.
This Dallas Opera production, staged by legendary British director John Copley, has already scored with classical music critics, who wrote:
“…it was a thriller…there were chills-down-the-back singing…Repeat performances are highly recommended.” – Scott Cantrell, The Dallas Morning News
“The Chinese soprano is one of the most famous interpreters of Butterfly today. Her Asian ancestry and look only add dramatic character to the role of the Japanese woman. The regal resonance of (Hui He’s) voice largely fills the hall of the opera house with forceful but never forced high notes.” — Sidonie Sawyer, The Huffington Post
“The cast is uniformly excellent…The orchestra was wonderful…Overall, this is a Butterfly that is not to be missed.” — Gregory Sullivan Isaacs, Theater Jones
“Hui He gave us a Butterfly for the ages…through her acting, but even more through her glorious, astonishing voice.” — J. Robin Coffelt, Texas Classical Review
MADAME BUTTERFLY is performed in Italian with projected English translations. This production, which originated at San Francisco Opera, received generous support from Texas Instruments Foundation and James R. and Carole Erwin.
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
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The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by
Texas Instruments 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 2016-2017 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 $275. Full Subscriptions (five opera productions) begin at $95; Flex Subscriptions (three-performances of your choice) begin at $75. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2016-2017 SPRING SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixtieth 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. The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.
MADAME BUTTERFLY by Giacomo Puccini
March 10, 12(m), 15, 18, 24, & 26(m), 2017
The must see, heart-wrenching Italian opera!
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa & Luigi Illica
Time: 1904
Place: Nagasaki, Japan
Conductor: Donato Renzetti
Stage Director: John Copley
Set and Costume Designer: Michael Yeargan
Lighting Designer: Duane Schuler
Wig & Make-up Designer: Stephanie Williams
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Hui He* (Cio-Cio-San), Gianluca Terranova* (B.F. Pinkerton), Manuela Custer (Suzuki), Lucas Meachem* (Sharpless), David Cangelosi (Goro), Reginald Smith, Jr.* (The Bonze), Will Hughes (Prince Yamadori), Mark McCrory (Imperial Commissioner), Samuel P.J. Lopez (Registrar), Angela Turner Wilson (Kate Pinkerton)
A classic, period production (new to Dallas) from the San Francisco Opera!
THE TURN OF THE SCREW by Benjamin Britten
March 17, 19(m), 22, 25, 2017
A dark and gripping tale!
Libretto by Myfanwy Piper
Time: 1950s
Place: Bly, an English country house
Conductor: Nicole Paiement
Original Production: Jonathan Kent
Stage Director: Francesca Gilpin*
Set and Costume Designer: Paul Brown
Original Lighting Designer: Mark Henderson
Lighting Design Recreated By: David Manion
Wig and Make-up Designer: Stephanie Williams
Starring: William Burden (Prologue/Peter Quint), Emma Bell* (Governess), Oliver Nathanielsz* (Miles), Ashley Emerson* (Flora), Dolora Zajick* (Mrs. Grose), Alexandra LoBianco* (Miss Jessel)
An acclaimed production from Glyndebourne!
NORMA by Vincenzo Bellini
April 21, 23(m), 26, 29, May 7(m), 2017
A thrilling and suspenseful masterpiece!
Libretto by Felice Romani
Time: 50 B.C.
Place: Roman-occupied Gaul
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Stage Director: Nic Muni*
Set Designer: John Conklin
Costume Designer: John Conklin
Lighting Designer: Thomas Hase
Wig & Make-up Designer: Stephanie Williams
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Elza van den Heever (Norma), Marina Costa-Jackson* (Adalgisa), Yonghoon Lee* (Pollione), Christian Van Horn (Oroveso), Mithra Mastropierro* (Clotilde), Charles Karanja (Flavio)
An atmospheric production from Cincinnati Opera!
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
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The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Texas Instruments Foundation, TACA, 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. A special thanks to the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for its continuing support.
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