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    The Dallas Opera Presents CARMEN Oct. 19-Nov. 4

    Media Release

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    Wednesday, October 17, 2018

    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014

    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

     

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO PRESENT

    THE COMPANY’S SPECTACULAR SECOND PRODUCTION

    OF THE 2018-2019 “SWEPT AWAY” SEASON!

    GEORGES BIZET’S COLORFUL, SENSUAL 1875 MASTERPIECE

    CARMEN

    LIBRETTO BY HENRI MEILHAC AND LUDOVIC HALÉVY

    BASED ON THE NOVELLA BY PROSPER MÉRIMÉE

    ~~~~

    STARRING FRENCH MEZZO-SOPRANO STÉPHANIE D’OUSTRAC

    IN HER DALLAS OPERA DEBUT

    TENOR STEPHEN COSTELLO IN HIS ROLE DEBUT AS DON JOSÉ

    SOPRANO SARA GARTLAND IN HER TDO DEBUT AS MICAËLA

    AND BASS-BARITONE ALEXANDER VINOGRADOV AS ESCAMILLO

    ~~~~

    CONDUCTED BY MUSIC DIRECTOR EMMANUEL VILLAUME

    AND MAESTRO PIERRE VALLET (10/24 & 11/2)

    PRODUCTION CREATED BY SIR DAVID McVICAR

    Directed by Jack Furness in his American Debut

    ~~~~

    OPENING NIGHT: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 AT 7:30 PM

    WITH ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES

    Oct. 21(m), 24, 27, Nov. 2 & 4(m), 2018

    The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House

    AT&T Performing Arts Center

    ~~~~

    GENEROUS SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

    MR. AND MRS. J. DAVIS HAMLIN

    BETTY AND STEVE SUELLENTROP

    TEXAS INSTRUMENTS FOUNDATION

    With Special Thanks to the Estate of

    Eleanor P. Stevens

     

    DALLAS, OCTOBER 17, 2018 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present the second production of the 2018-2019 “Swept Away” Season: Georges Bizet’s colorful, sensual and passionate 19th century masterpiece, Carmen, one of the most beloved and popular works in the entire opera canon.  Carmen opens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 19, 2018 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District.

    The Opening Night Performance of Carmen was scheduled to be simulcast to patrons in nearby Klyde Warren Park.  Due to the probability of more unseasonably wet weather, the Carmen simulcast has been rescheduled to take place on Friday, November 2, 2018 (curtain time: 7:30 p.m.) in the same outdoor location.

    This Gothenburg Opera production from Sweden was originally created by Sir David McVicar for Glyndebourne Opera in the U.K.— it has never before been seen in the U.S.

    Carmen will be conducted by The Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume, inaugurating his sixth season with The Dallas Opera this fall—and by guest conductor Pierre Vallet on October 24th and November 2nd.

    George Bizet’s 1875 masterpiece will be directed by Jack Furness in his American Opera debut.  Mr. Furness is best known for his work as the Founder and Artistic Director of Shadwell Opera (UK), which has produced a string of critically-acclaimed modern and chamber operas.

    The stellar international cast includes French mezzo-soprano Stéphanie d’Oustrac in the title role; tenor Stephen Costello in his role debut as Don José; soprano Sara Gartland in her company debut as Micaëla; Russian bass Alexander Vinogradov as Escamillo; sopranos Sarah Tucker as Frasquita and Lindsay Metzger as Mercédès in their company debuts; tenor Rafael Moras as Le Remendado and baritone Corey Crider as Le Dancaïre in their house debuts; bass Ben Wager as Zuniga, and baritone Gideon Dabi in his TDO debut as Moralès.

     

    Subsequent performances of CARMEN will take place on October 21(m), 24, 27, November 2 and 4(m), 2018, with generous support from Mr. and Mrs. J. Davis Hamlin, Betty and Steve Suellentrop, and Texas Instruments Foundation, and with special thanks to the estate of Eleanor P. Stevens.

     

    ~~~~

    She’s the woman no man can resist and, as performed by renowned French mezzo-soprano Stéphanie d’Oustrac in her company debut, who would want to say “non”?  Mark Pullinger, writing for bachtrack, had high praise for her mastery of this signature role: “Sultry, fiery, coquettish: a mezzo singing Carmen needs to have all these qualities and d’Oustrac scored on each and every point. From her teasing, orange-peeling habanera to her haughty tossing away of Don José’s ring in the finale, this was a compelling reading of the role.”

    Ms. d’Oustrac, the great-grand-niece of composer Francis Poulenc, dedicated herself to music and a life on the stage from a very young age.  She will sing opposite a frequent guest artist of The Dallas Opera, tenor Stephen Costello, making an important role debut as the troubled Don José.  Heidi Waleson of The Wall Street Journal found his recent performances “stunning,” adding, “His tenor is beautifully poised and free; ardent without pushing.”

    James M. Keller, reviewing for The Santa Fe New Mexican, also praised Costello’s “attention to the details of the score (which) reflected a commendable attitude of deeply imbued musicianship.” Costello last appeared on the TDO stage in the 2016 revival of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Moby-Dick, but has moved local audiences with portrayals that spanned operatic repertoire from bel canto to Russian Romanticism.

    Soprano Sara Gartland will make her TDO debut as the faithful Micaëla after earning rave reviews singing the title role in Rusalka with Des Moines Metro Opera, where she previously starred as Jenůfa and Juliette, and at Arizona Opera—where, earlier, she sang Violetta in La traviata.  Her Rusalka was praised by Opera News as “an exquisite account of the title role.  The soprano’s voice continues to gain body in the midrange yet retains a thread of silver that graces her sound with an ethereal shimmer.”

    Regarding her San Francisco Opera appearance as Micaëla, Harmony Wheeler of Broadway World wrote that Gartland “has a strong, stunning voice that commands attention, yet portrays the purity and innocence of the character…(in) a career bound to take her to many more of the world’s famous opera houses.”

    Other recent highlights include her San Diego Opera debut as Musetta, Marzelline in Fidelio with Opera Omaha, Violetta for Utah Opera, Adina in L’Elisir d’amore with Austin Lyric Opera, and covering the title role in Norma at TDO.

    Ms. Gartland stepped into the role of Micaëla following soprano Vanessa Vasquez’ withdrawal from the Dallas Opera cast for health reasons.

    Celebrated Russian bass Alexander Vinogradov makes a welcome return to the Winspear Opera House after a show-stopping turn as Colline in TDO’s 2015 production of La bohème. Gregory Sullivan Isaacs of TheaterJones.com described him as “that rarity of rarities—a real basso.”  In addition to singing the role of the confident Escamillo for The Dallas Opera, he will be making his L.A. Opera and Bavarian State Opera debuts this season in the same role.  Other season highlights for Vinogradov include his Metropolitan Opera debut in Lucia di Lammermoor and Luisa Miller and Le nozze di Figaro at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre.

    Other principal roles in this outstanding cast are filled by:

    • Soprano Sarah Tucker as Frasquita
    • Soprano Lindsay Metzger as Mercédès
    • Tenor Rafael Moras as Le Remendado
    • Baritone Corey Crider as Le Dancaïre
    • Bass Ben Wager as Zuniga, and
    • Baritone Gideon Dabi as Moralès

    ~~~~

    The Dallas Opera’s globe-trotting music director, Emmanuel Villaume, who in addition to his work in the world’s great opera houses and orchestra halls, has just released a critically-acclaimed recording of piano concertos with pianist Andrew von Oeyen and the PKF-Prague Philharmonia on the Warner Classics label.  The review in London’s Sunday Times praised Villaume’s “magical sense of rhythm and texture in Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and, especially, in Bizet’s youthful Symphony in C, a toe-tapping joy throughout.”

    After Maestro Villaume conducts the first two productions of The Dallas Opera season, The Flying Dutchman and Carmen, he will return to Dallas in the spring of 2019 to conduct Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and – in between – be welcomed back to the Metropolitan Opera to conduct performances of Bizet’s other well-known opera, The Pearl Fishers.

    Lawrence A. Johnson of TheClassicalReview.com previously noted Villaume’s “considerable bona fides in French repertoire…conducting a performance that conveyed the melodic richness of Bizet’s music with elegance, delicacy and dramatic point as needed.”

     

    “I think Bizet was totally aware that he was breaking new ground in this work and it’s part of what gives Carmen such incredible intensity,” explains Emmanuel Villaume. “At the same time, he pulls off this passionate tale with taste, a great deal of elegance and, I wouldn’t say ‘restraint’ exactly, but there’s always a frame around what’s happening onstage that I find quite interesting.

    “Whenever you break new ground in the arts,” Maestro Villaume adds, “the first one to get there is usually the same one who gets it right.  Everyone who follows is simply looking to repeat or expand upon that success; to recreate the magic.  The spell cast by Carmen is both irresistible and unique—performance after performance.”

     

    Praised for the elegance and intensity of his interpretations, French Guest Conductor Pierre Vallet (conducting Carmen on 10/24 and 11/2) is frequently engaged by the world’s great opera companies. The New York Times selected his conducting of Persée et Andromède by Ibert at the Manhattan School of Music as one of the ten best classical performances in New York in 2016. He has conducted Madama Butterfly and Faust at the Metropolitan Opera; Tannhäuser at L’Opéra National de Paris; and Samson and Dalila at The Dallas Opera.

    This production was originally directed by the internationally renowned Sir David McVicar, who debuted with TDO in 2001 as the director of Manon, a production successfully revived fourteen years later with Ailyn Pérez and Stephen Costello in the starring roles.

    Set design is by a legendary figure in the British theater, Michael Vale; costume design is by Sue Blane (who famously designed costumes for the 1975 cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show), with lighting design by Clare O’Donoghue (part of the team that created the Olympic Rings for the 2012 Opening Ceremonies in London)—all three in their company debuts.

    Revival Choreographer Andrzej Glosniak joined the Göteburg (Gothenburg) Opera Dance Company in 2001 and has collaborated with world-renowned dancers and choreographers in the years since.  This production of Carmen marks his American Opera debut.  This production was originally choreographed by Andrew George.

    The Dallas Opera Chorus will be prepared by Chorus Master Alexander Rom and the children’s chorus by Children’s Chorus Master Meredith Wallace in her TDO debut.

    Wig and make-up designs are by Emmy Award-winner Dawn Rivard.

    ~~~~

    Few operas are as deeply loved as Carmen, and few have generated such immediate controversy.  Early audiences and critics attending the 1875 premiere production in Paris were shocked and troubled by the onstage action (from scandalous factory workers puffing on cigarettes to gleefully unrepentant smugglers), as well as the earthy principal characters themselves.  However, after receiving a copy of the score, composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky made the prophetic remark that “In ten years time, Carmen will be the most popular opera in the world.”

    ~~~~

    Dallas Opera performances of Carmen will continue on October 21(m), 24, 27, and November 2 & 4, 2018 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, selected by Southern Living as the best new venue for opera.  All evening performances will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.  Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m.

    Full season subscriptions are still available, beginning at just $100, and single tickets start at the low, low price of $19.  Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $15 or $25 (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance. Contact the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or make your purchase online at dallasopera.org.

    A free, pre-performance lecture (“The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talks”) will be conducted one hour prior to curtain.  The Dallas Opera Guild also hosts “Opera Insights,” a lively panel discussion featuring artists, directors and designers, prior to opening.  For more details, check out the events calendar at dallasopera.org.

    Parking onsite is available in the Lexus Red Parking beneath the Winspear Opera House and the Lexus Silver Parking adjacent to the Wyly Theatre.  Additional paid parking is available at nearby One Arts Plaza and in several nearby surface lots.

    ~~~~

    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.

     

    2018-2019 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

     

    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 2018-2019 DALLAS OPERA SEASON

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale now; 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 2018-2019 MAINSTAGE SEASON

    The Dallas Opera celebrates its 62nd 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. (unless otherwise indicated) and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m.  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 FLYING DUTCHMAN by Richard Wagner

    October 12, 14 (m), 17 & 20, 2018

    The season sets sail with Wagner’s sweeping, romantic masterpiece – not seen in Dallas since 1994!

    Time: the German Expressionist 1920s

    Place: the coast of Norway

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

    Director: Christopher Alden

    Set Designer: Allen Moyer

    Costume Designer: Allen Moyer

    Lighting Designer: Anne Militello*

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Greer Grimsley (The Dutchman), Anja Kampe* (Senta), Jay Hunter Morris (Erik), Mark S. Doss (Daland), Luretta Bybee (Mary) and Andrew Stenson* (Steersman).

     

    CARMEN by Georges Bizet

    October 19, 21 (m), 24, 27, November 2 & 4 (m), 2018

    The woman who won’t be owned returns to The Dallas Opera stage!

    Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy

    Time: 19th century

    Place: Seville, Spain and the surrounding countryside

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume and Pierre Vallet (10/24 and 11/2)

    Original Director: Sir David McVicar

    Revival Director: Jack Furness**

    Set Designer: Michael Vale*

    Costume Designer: Sue Blane*

    Lighting Designer: Clare O’Donoghue*

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Original Choreographer: Andrew George

    Revival Choreographer: Andrzej Glosniak*

    Starring: Stéphanie d’Oustrac* (Carmen), Stephen Costello (Don José), Sara Gartland* (Micaëla), Alexander Vinogradov (Escamillo), Sarah Tucker* (Frasquita), Lindsay Metzger* (Mercédès), Rafael Moras* (Le Remendado), Corey Crider* (Le Dancaïre), Ben Wager (Zuniga), Gideon Dabi* (Moralès).

     

    MANON LESCAUT by Giacomo Puccini

    March 1, 3 (m), 6, 9, 2019

    The woman who has everything discovers too late that she has nothing – without true love!

    Libretto by Domenico Oliva and Luigi Illica

    Time: Late 18th century

    Place: France and America

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

    Director: Edward Berkeley*

    Set Designer: Tommy Bourgeois

    Costume Designer: Tommy Bourgeois

    Lighting Designer: Krista Billings

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Kristin Lewis* (Manon Lescaut), Musa Ngqungwana (Lescaut), Gregory Kunde (Chevalier Renato des Grieux), Andrea Silvestrelli* (Geronte di Revoir), Jonas Hacker* (Edmondo), Mark S. Doss (Innkeeper), Alyssa Martin (Singer), Matthew Grills* (Dance Master), Clay Hilley* (Lamplighter), Mark McCrory (Sergeant of the Royal Archers) and David Leigh* (Naval Captain).

     

    LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini

    March 15, 17 (m), 20, 23, 29, 31 (m), 2019

    The most timeless love story in all of opera returns to break your heart!

    Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica

    Time: 19th century

    Place: The Latin Quarter of Paris, France

    Conductor: Giuliano Carella

    Director: Tomer Zvulun

    Set Designer: Erhard Rom*

    Costume Designer: Peter J. Hall

    Lighting Designer: Robert Wierzel*

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Jean-Francois Borras* (Rodolfo), Pumeza Matshikiza** (Mimì), Anthony Clark Evans* (Marcello), Sara Gartland* (Musetta), Will Liverman* (Schaunard), Nicholas Brownlee* (Colline), and Samuel Ramey (Benoît/Alcindoro), Don LeBlanc (Parpignol), Andrew Ward (Customs House Officer), Christopher Harrison (Sergeant), Dan Crowell (“Prugne di Tours”)

     

    FALSTAFF by Giuseppe Verdi

    April 26, 28 (m), May 1, 4, 2019

    Shakespeare’s uproarious comedy brought to musical life!

    Libretto by Arrigo Boito

    Time: During the reign of Henry IV of England

    Place: Windsor

    Conductor: Riccardo Frizza

    Original Director: Lee Blakeley

    Revival Director: Shawna Lucey*

    Set Designer: Adrian Linford*

    Costume Designer: Adrian Linford*

    Lighting Designer: Rick Fisher*

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Mark Delevan* (Sir John Falstaff), Angela Meade (Alice Ford), Quinn Kelsey* (Ford), Mojca Erdmann* (Nanetta), Airam Hernández* (Fenton), Stephanie Blythe* (Dame Quickly), Megan Marino* (Meg Page), Alex Mansoori* (Bardolfo), Andrea Silvestrelli (Pistola), and Robert Brubaker (Dr. Caius).

     

    * Dallas Opera Debut

    ** American Debut

    _____________________________________________________________________________________

     

    ###

     

     

    “The Flying Dutchman” Opens TDO’s “Swept Away” Season on October 12

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    Wenesday, October 3, 2018

    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014

    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

     

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO PRESENT

    THE COMPANY’S EPIC SEASON OPENER!

    RICHARD WAGNER’S SWEEPING 1843 MASTERPIECE

    THE FLYING DUTCHMAN

    LIBRETTO BY RICHARD WAGNER AFTER HEINRICH HEINE’S

    Aus den Memoiren des Herren von Schnabelewopski

    ~~~~

    CONDUCTED BY DALLAS OPERA MUSIC DIRECTOR

    EMMANUEL VILLAUME

    DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER ALDEN

    STARRING ACCLAIMED BASS-BARITONE GREER GRIMSLEY AS THE DUTCHMAN AND SENSATIONAL GERMAN-ITALIAN SOPRANO ANJA KAMPE IN HER TDO DEBUT AS SENTA

    ALSO STARRING JAY HUNTER MORRIS AS ERIK

    MARK S. DOSS IN HIS TDO DEBUT AS DALAND

    LURETTA BYBEE AS MARY

    AND ANDREW STENSON IN HIS COMPANY DEBUT AS THE STEERSMAN

    ~~~~

    THE LINDA AND MITCH HART SEASON OPENING NIGHT PERFORMANCE:

    FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2018 AT 8:00 PM (Please note special curtain time)

    WITH ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES

    AT 7:30 P.M. AND 2:00 P.M. (SUNDAY MATINEE)

    Oct. 14(m), 17 & 20, 2018

    The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House

    AT&T Performing Arts Center

    ~~~~

    This Production Made Possible by

    HOLLY AND TOM MAYER

    RICHARD AND ENIKA SCHULZE

    JOANNA L. AND T. PETER TOWNSEND

     

                DALLAS, OCTOBER 3, 2018 – The Dallas Opera is extremely proud to present the season opener of the company’s grand 2018-2019 “Swept Away” Season: Richard Wagner’s haunting nineteenth-century masterpiece, The Flying Dutchman (Der fliegende Holländer), a work not seen on The Dallas Opera stage since January of 1994.

    The Flying Dutchman will open on Friday, October 12, 2018 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District.  The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance has a special curtain time of 8:00 p.m.

    This compelling production from Canadian Opera Company in Toronto will be directed by Christopher Alden.  The Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume will be at the podium for all four performances—kicking off his sixth season at TDO with his first Wagner performance in Dallas!

    A world-class international cast of notable Wagnerians includes American bass-baritone Greer Grimsley as the Dutchman; German-Italian soprano Anja Kampe in her house debut as Senta; American tenor Jay Hunter Morris as Erik; American bass-baritone Mark S. Doss in his TDO debut as Daland; American mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee as Mary, and Korean-American tenor Andrew Stenson in his company debut as the Steersman.

    Subsequent performances of The Flying Dutchman will take place on October 14(m), 17, and 20, 2018, with generous underwriting support provided by Holly and Tom Mayer, Richard and Enika Schulze, and Joanna L. and T. Peter Townsend.

    ~~~~

    Renowned American director Christopher Alden, (The Ann Stuart Stage Director) returns to The Dallas Opera with a production of the same opera he guided in his 1978 company debut, Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman. He revisited TDO in subsequent seasons to stage a groundbreaking production of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck in 2000, and Mozart’s masterpiece, Le nozze di Figaro. Mr. Alden works regularly with many of the world’s most distinguished companies, including English National Opera Opera, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Houston Grand Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Santa Fe Opera and The Festival d’ Aix en Provence.

    Mr. Alden’s English National Opera production of Handel’s Partenope received the Olivier Award for Best UK Opera Production as well as Australia’s Helpmann Award and his staging of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Stanislavsky Theater in Moscow won the Golden Mask Award for Best Russian Opera Production.

    “What we love about Wagner’s operas is that Wagner took the operatic art form…to new extremes in talking about human beings and society,” Christopher Alden told Arts and Culture Texas in a newly-published feature.

    “Wagner was a rather dark person himself—a dark, narcissistic, monomaniacal, amazingly focused artist,” the director added. “He wrote pieces that go to the deepest, darkest places about human beings, and reach down into the deepest aspects of the human psyche. That’s why people are so compelled by them and so obsessed by them.”

    The Dallas Opera’s globe-trotting music director, Emmanuel Villaume, in addition to celebrating his Fifth Anniversary with the company, has just released a critically-acclaimed recording of piano concertos with pianist Andrew von Oeyen and the PKF-Prague Philharmonia on the Warner Classics label.  The review in London’s Sunday Times praised Villaume’s “magical sense of rhythm and texture in Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and, especially, in Bizet’s youthful Symphony in C, a toe-tapping joy throughout.”

    Maestro Villaume not only conducts the first two productions of the season, The Flying Dutchman and Carmen, he will return to Dallas in the spring to conduct performances of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut.  Villaume will be the guest of the Metropolitan Opera in November, where he will conduct eagerly-anticipated performances of Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers.

    Louisiana native Greer Grimsley, one of the reigning Wotans of the Modern Era, remains one of the most prominent Wagnerian singers of our day.  His interpretations of Wagner roles have earned Grimsley repeat engagements at many of the world’s most prestigious opera houses from Berlin to Santa Fe.  He even sang the role of Wotan in Robert Lepage’s landmark “machine” production of Der Ring des Nibelungen at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

    This past summer, Grimsley triumphed in his Bayreuth debut—singing the title role of the Dutchman, as well as Wotan in Die Walküre.

    The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reviewing Grimsley’s Dutchman proclaimed “Not only does he move well and possess genuine presence, he has sure musical instincts that support a voice of remarkable depth and lyric breadth.  His Dutchman was intelligent and impassioned.”

    And The Huffington Post summed him up thusly: “He sings…well…like a god.”

    Anja Kampe makes her thrilling Dallas Opera debut in the role of Senta. Her portrayals of several roles have set a new standard, including her Sieglinde at the Bayreuth Festival, Isolde at Ruhrtriennale, Katerina Ismailova at Bavarian State Opera (Munich), and Brünnhilde in performances of Die Walküre at the Salzburg Easter Festival.

    Peter Reed of Classical Source wrote that Kampe’s Senta “pinned you to your seat with its intensity and risk-taking abandon” and praised her “gripping mixture of rawness and radiance” in the role.

    Ms. Kampe opened last season with concert performances of Fidelio at Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Italy, conducted by Zubin Mehta. She then returned to the stage of the Bavarian State Opera to reprise her explosive performance as Lady Macbeth in Dmitri Shostakovich’s 1934 masterpiece.  Other recent career highlight include Isolde in a new production in Berlin, and as Kundry in Parsifal at both the Vienna State Opera and Paris National Opera.

    Jay Hunter Morris as “Erik” makes a welcome return to The Dallas Opera after a brilliant revival of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Moby-Dick in which he sang the role of mad Captain Ahab. Earlier, Morris tackled the daunting role of Paul in TDO’s 2014 production of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Die tote Stadt (“The Dead City”).

    He sang the role of Siegfried with the San Francisco Opera in 2011 and, perhaps most famously, at the Metropolitan Opera in a Grammy-winning production by Robert Lepage.  Senior Critic Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times wrote: “the biggest surprise of the Met’s cast, the hearty, youthful-sounding tenor Jay Hunter Morris.”

    Other recent successes include his first Tristan in Valencia with Zubin Mehta, and Schoenburg’s Guerre-Lieder at the Vienna Konzerthaus with Kent Nagano in a stellar career that has taken Morris from Budapest to Beijing.

    Grammy Award-winner Mark S. Doss has sung with major orchestras in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago and Toronto, while also performing close to a hundred roles with more than 60 major opera companies around the world: Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, the Vienna State Opera, London’s Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera and the Canadian Opera Company (to name a few).

    Recent roles have included Sujskij in Dvorák’s Dimitrij at Odessey Opera in Boston, Méphistophélès in Faust with Ópera Oviedo in Spain, Amonasro in Aida with the Teatro Regio in Turin, Jochanaan in Salome in Mallorca, and the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth with the Dorset Opera Festival.  The role of Daland marks Mr. Doss’s Dallas Opera debut and he will return in March for Manon Lescaut.

    Remarkable range and versatility are the hallmarks of mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee on the opera and theatrical stage.  In addition to singing opera, she is continually exploring the realm of musical theater and character acting and singing, which has led to roles such as Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music with the Pine Mountain Music Festival, Little Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore, and her role debut as Golde in Fiddler on the Roof at Shreveport Opera. Ms. Bybee has also been seen as Mrs. Lovett in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd at Vancouver Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, and New Orleans Opera.

    This season, in addition to the role of Mary in TDO’s The Flying Dutchman (opposite her real-life husband, Greer Grimsley), Ms. Bybee will perform the concert “On Broadway” with the Springfield Symphony.

    Andrew Stenson launches the 2018-2019 Season with his Dallas Opera debut as the Steersman. He also joins the Minnesota Opera as Fadinard in The Italian Straw Hat, as well as Utah Opera where he will sing Tamino in Die Zauberflöte.

    Last season, Stenson returned to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Ferrando in Così fan tutte, sang the title role of Candide with the San Francisco Symphony, and made his company debut with Opera Theatre of St. Louis in An American Soldier, attracting national attention and acclaim in the role of Danny Chen.

    Mr. Stenson is the first prize winner in both the 2015 Giulio Gari International Vocal Competition and 2016 Gerda Lissner Foundation Competition.  He is also the recipient of a 2011 Sara Tucker Study Grant.

    ~~~~

    Allen Moyer designed both sets and costumes for this COC production; OBIE Award-winner Anne Militello is the lighting designer and Emmy Award-winner Dawn Rivard designed wigs and make-up for The Flying Dutchman.  This production marks Moyer and Militello’s exciting TDO debuts.

    The Dallas Opera Chorus is prepared by acclaimed Chorus Master Alexander Rom.

    Performances of this early Wagner masterpiece will continue on October 14(m), 17 & 20, 2018 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, selected by Southern Living as the best new venue for opera and praised by the U.K.’s Opera magazine as the finest opera house in North America.  All evening performances will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. (with the exception of Opening Night); Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m.

    Full season subscriptions are still available, beginning at just $100, and single tickets start at the low, low price of $19.  Student Rush Best Available Tickets may be purchased at the Winspear Box Office for $15 or $25 (depending on the section) ninety minutes prior to curtain.  Contact the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or make your purchase online at dallasopera.org.

    ~~~~

    Tickets for the Dallas Opera’s 2018 Opening Night Celebrations, FIRST NIGHT, presented by Hall Arts Residences and Chaired by Shelle and Michael Sills, are available through Special Events Manager Tracy Mott at tracy.mott@dallasopera.org.

     A free, pre-performance lecture (“The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talks”) will be conducted one hour prior to curtain at most performances—excluding the “Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance.”  The Dallas Opera Guild also hosts “Opera Insights,” a lively panel discussion featuring artists, directors and designers, on a Sunday afternoon prior to opening.  For specific dates and more details, visit dallasopera.org.

    Parking onsite will be available in the Lexus Red Parking beneath the Winspear Opera House and the Lexus Silver Parking adjacent to the Wyly Theatre.  Should those reach capacity, additional paid parking is available at nearby One Arts Plaza and in several surface lots.  Prices range from $5 to $25 per vehicle.

    ~~~~

    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.

    ~~~~

    2018-2019 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 at

    www.dallasopera.org

    FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS

    Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@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 2018-2019 DALLAS OPERA SEASON

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale now; 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 at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2018-2019 MAINSTAGE SEASON

    The Dallas Opera celebrates its 62nd 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 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 FLYING DUTCHMAN by Richard Wagner

    October 12, 14 (m), 17 & 20, 2018

    The season sets sail with Wagner’s sweeping, romantic masterpiece – not seen in Dallas since 1994!

    Time: the German Expressionist 1920s

    Place: the coast of Norway

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

    Director: Christopher Alden

    Set Designer: Allen Moyer*

    Costume Designer: Allen Moyer*

    Lighting Designer: Anne Militello*

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Greer Grimsley (The Dutchman), Anja Kampe* (Senta), Jay Hunter Morris (Erik),

    Mark S. Doss* (Daland), Luretta Bybee (Mary) and Andrew Stenson* (Steersman).

     

    CARMEN by Georges Bizet

    October 19, 21 (m), 24, 27, November 2 & 4 (m), 2018

    The woman who won’t be possessed by any man returns to The Dallas Opera stage!

    Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy

    Time: 19th century

    Place: Seville, Spain and the surrounding countryside

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume and Pierre Vallet (10/24 and 11/2)

    Original Director: Sir David McVicar

    Revival Director: Jack Furness**

    Set Designer: Michael Vale*

    Costume Designer: Sue Blane*

    Lighting Designer: Clare O’Donoghue*

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Original Choreographer: Andrew George

    Revival Choreographer: Andrzej Glosniak*

    Starring: Stéphanie d’Oustrac* (Carmen), Stephen Costello (Don José), Vanessa Vasquez* (Micaëla), Alexander Vinogradov (Escamillo), Sarah Tucker* (Frasquita), Lindsay Metzger* (Mercédès), Rafael Moras* (Le Remendado), Corey Crider* (Le Dancaïre), Ben Wager (Zuniga), Gideon Dabi* (Moralès).

     

    MANON LESCAUT by Giacomo Puccini

    A Semi-Staged Concert – March 1, 3 (m), 6, 9, 2019

    The woman who has everything discovers too late that she has nothing – without true love!

    Libretto by Domenico Oliva and Luigi Illica

    Time: Late 18th century

    Place: France and America

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

    Director: Edward Berkeley*

    Set Designer: Tommy Bourgeois

    Costume Designer: Tommy Bourgeois

    Lighting Designer: Krista Billings

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Kristin Lewis* (Manon Lescaut), Musa Ngqungwana (Lescaut), Gregory Kunde (Chevalier Renato des Grieux), Andrea Silvestrelli* (Geronte di Revoir), Jonas Hacker* (Edmondo), Mark S. Doss (Innkeeper), Alyssa Martin (Singer), Matthew Grills* (Dance Master), Clay Hilley* (Lamplighter), Mark McCrory (Sergeant of the Royal Archers) and David Leigh* (Naval Captain).

     

    LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini

    March 15, 17 (m), 20, 23, 29, 31 (m), 2019

    The most timeless love story in all of opera returns to break your heart!

    Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica

    Time: 19th century

    Place: The Latin Quarter of Paris, France

    Conductor: Giuliano Carella

    Director: Tomer Zvulun

    Set Designer: Erhard Rom*

    Costume Designer: Peter J. Hall

    Lighting Designer: Robert Wierzel*

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Jean-Francois Borras* (Rodolfo), Pumeza Matshikiza** (Mimì), Anthony Clark Evans* (Marcello), Sara Gartland* (Musetta), Will Liverman* (Schaunard), Nicholas Brownlee* (Colline), and Samuel Ramey (Benoît/Alcindoro).

     

    FALSTAFF by Giuseppe Verdi

    April 26, 28 (m), May 1, 4, 2019

    Shakespeare’s uproarious comedy brought to musical life!

    Libretto by Arrigo Boito

    Time: During the reign of Henry IV of England

    Place: Windsor

    Conductor: Riccardo Frizza

    Original Director: Lee Blakeley

    Revival Director: Shawna Lucey*

    Set Designer: Adrian Linford*

    Costume Designer: Adrian Linford*

    Lighting Designer: Rick Fisher*

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Mark Delevan* (Sir John Falstaff), Angela Meade* (Alice Ford), Quinn Kelsey* (Ford), Mojca Erdmann* (Nanetta), Airam Hernández* (Fenton), Stephanie Blythe* (Dame Quickly), Megan Marino* (Meg Page), Alex Mansoori* (Bardolfo), Andrea Silvestrelli (Pistola), and Robert Brubaker (Dr. Caius).

     

    * Dallas Opera Debut

    ** American Debut

     

    _____________________________________________________________________________________

     

    ###

     

    CARMEN Simulcast at Klyde Warren Park

     

    Patrons at Klyde Warren Park Enjoy Opera Beneath the Stars! (Photo by Karen Almond) 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    Wednesday, September 19, 2018

    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014

    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

     

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD

    TO ANNOUNCE

    Bizet’s CARMEN

    TDO’s 17th FREE LIVE SIMULCAST!

    Presented in Fabulous Klyde Warren Park
    ~~~~

    FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

    Live from the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House

    At The AT&T Performing Arts Center

    ~~~~

    Activities and Entertainment include Tom & Jerry Cartoon Carmen Get It! and Carmen Costume Contest

     

    Opening night simulcast made possible by support from

    The Enrico Foundation

    Additional Support Provided by Texas Instruments

     

    DALLAS, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 – The Dallas Opera announces a free public simulcast at beautiful Klyde Warren Park featuring the gripping and passionate story of Carmen, by Georges Bizet. The special presentation takes place in Downtown Dallas on Friday, October 19, 2018 (program begins at 6:30 p.m., curtain time – 7:30 p.m.).

    This will be a live simulcast of the opening night performance in the Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center and presented for park patrons on a large high definition video screen. The Carmen Simulcast is made possible in part by The Enrico Foundation with additional support provided by Texas Instruments.

    This event will mark the 17th free live simulcast presented by The Dallas Opera since 2010.

    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.  No reservations are required to attend.

    “The free fall simulcast in Klyde Warren Park has quickly evolved into one of our most popular traditions,” explains Dallas Opera Director of Marketing and Ticket Sales Carrie Ellen Adamian.  “It’s not merely a grand night for opera, it’s a marvelous opportunity to celebrate community life with your loved ones, children, and friends.  For those who may never have experienced opera before, Carmen is especially thrilling with its combination of fantastic melodies and a storyline that will keep you on the edge of your…blanket.”

    ~~~~

    The fun begins at 6:30 p.m. before the sun goes down with KLUV Radio’s popular morning show host Jody Dean and Kristian Roberts, Education Program Senior Manager for The Dallas Opera.  Activities include a trivia contest, behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast, and a 1962 Tom & Jerry cartoon, Carmen Get It! (courtesy of WB Classics).

    The Dallas Opera will also revive our popular “Carmen Costume Contest” which asks the relevant question: “What Kind of Carmen Are You?”

    Whether you envision yourself as a traditional Carmen, a Carmen Electra or a Carmen Miranda—male or female, on two legs or four (yes, pets can enter)—you’re being summoned to the Klyde Warren Park stage in your most imaginative Carmen finery to mark The Dallas Opera’s exciting live simulcast.  Judging will take place at the simulcast location around 8:30 p.m. (during first intermission) with prize winners to be determined the old-fashioned way: by audience acclaim.  Competitors are advised to bring loud and enthusiastic friends.

    The public is encouraged to arrive with time to spare before the 7:30 curtain, and to bring blankets or low lawn-chairs to secure their spot on the lawn.  A variety of nearby wining-and-dining options include Savor, serving New American cuisine and assorted food trucks.

     

    “Since its inception, Klyde Warren Park has been committed to bringing the very best of the performing arts free of charge to all our patrons,” said Kit Sawers, President of Klyde Warren Park.  “The Dallas Opera simulcast has been one of our most successful and beloved programs, with thousands attending each year from all across North Texas.  This valued partnership is a dream come true, bringing together people of all ages, ethnicities and socioeconomic groups for an exciting celebration of the arts with a unique, community-bridging synergy.”

    Carmen is the tale of a woman who refuses to be possessed and the man who longs to make her his own forever.  Set in 19th century Seville, Spain, this passionate tale of love, jealousy, and obsession is among the most popular operas ever composed.  English language supertitles will be on screen throughout the simulcast.

    Carmen’s stellar international cast includes sultry French mezzo-soprano Stephanie d’Oustrac in the title role; tenor Stephen Costello in his role debut as Don José; soprano Vanessa Vasquez in her company debut as Micaëla; Russian bass Alexander Vinogradov as Escamillo; sopranos Sarah Tucker as Frasquita and Lindsay Metzger as Mercédès in their company debuts; tenor Rafael Moras as El Remendado and baritone Corey Crider as El Dancairo in their house debuts; bass Ben Wager as Zuniga, and baritone Gideon Dabi in his TDO debut as Morales.

    Sung in French, with English language translations projected above the Winspear Opera House stage, Carmen can also be experienced in the traditional opera house setting during any of six mainstage performances: October 19, 21(m), 24, 27, November 2 & 4, 2018.

    Subscriptions and FLEX three-packs (three operas of your choice) for the Dallas Opera’s 2018-2019 “Swept Away” Season are on sale now, starting at just $100 for all five mainstage productions, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org.

    Single tickets start at just $19.  Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $15 to $25, depending on the section, (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance.  Simulcasts are always free of charge and open to all members of the public.

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

    ~~~~

    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.

     

    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.

    ~~~~

    2018-2019 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

     

    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 2018-2019 DALLAS OPERA SEASON

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale now; 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 2018-2019 MAINSTAGE SEASON

    The Dallas Opera celebrates its 62nd 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 FLYING DUTCHMAN by Richard Wagner

    October 12, 14 (m), 17 & 20, 2018

    The season sets sail with Wagner’s sweeping, romantic masterpiece – not seen in Dallas since 1994!

    Time: the German Expressionist 1920s

    Place: the coast of Norway

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

    Original Director: Christopher Alden

    Set Designer: Allen Moyer

    Costume Designer: Allen Moyer

    Lighting Designer: Anne Militello*

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Greer Grimsley (The Dutchman), Anja Kampe* (Senta), Jay Hunter Morris (Erik), Mark S. Doss* (Daland), Luretta Bybee (Mary) and Andrew Stenson* (Steersman).

     

    CARMEN by Georges Bizet

    October 19, 21 (m), 24, 27, November 2 & 4 (m), 2018

    The woman who won’t be owned returns to The Dallas Opera stage!

    Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy

    Time: 19th century

    Place: Seville, Spain and the surrounding countryside

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume and Pierre Vallet (10/24 and 11/2)

    Original Director: Sir David McVicar

    Revival Director: Jack Furness**

    Set Designer: Michael Vale*

    Costume Designer: Sue Blane*

    Lighting Designer: Clare O’Donoghue*

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Original Choreographer: Andrew George

    Revival Choreographer: Andrzej Glosniak**

    Starring: Stephanie D’Oustrac* (Carmen), Stephen Costello (Don José), Vanessa Vasquez* (Micaëla), Alexander Vinogradov (Escamillo), Sarah Tucker* (Frasquita), Lindsay Metzger* (Mercédès), Rafael Moras* (El Remendado), Corey Crider* (El Dancairo), Ben Wager (Zuniga), Gideon Dabi* (Morales).

     

    MANON LESCAUT by Giacomo Puccini

    Semi-Staged, March 1, 3 (m), 6, 9, 2019

    The woman who has everything discovers too late that she has nothing – without true love!

    Libretto by Domenico Oliva and Luigi Illica

    Time: Late 18th century

    Place: France and America

    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

    Director: Ed Berkeley

    Set Designer: TBA

    Costume Designer: TBA

    Lighting Designer: Krista Billings

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Kristin Lewis* (Manon Lescaut), Musa Ngqungwana (Lescaut), Gregory Kunde (Chevalier des Grieux), Andrea Silvestrelli* (Geronte de Ravoir), Jonas Hacker* (Edmondo), Mark S. Doss (Innkeeper), Alyssa Martin (Singer), Matthew Grills* (Dance Master), Clay Hilley* (Lamplighter), Mark McCrory (Sergeant of the Royal Archers) and David Leigh* (Naval Captain).

     

    LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini

    March 15, 17 (m), 20, 23, 29, 31 (m), 2019

    The most timeless love story in all of opera returns to break your heart!

    Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica

    Time: 19th century

    Place: The Latin Quarter of Paris, France

    Conductor: Giuliano Carella

    Director: Tomer Zvulun

    Set Designer: Erhard Rom

    Costume Designer: Peter J. Hall

    Lighting Designer: Robert Wierzel

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Jean-Francois Borras* (Rodolfo), Pumeza Matshikiza** (Mimi), Anthony Clark Evans* (Marcello), Sara Gartland (Musetta), Will Liverman* (Schaunard), Nicholas Brownlee* (Colline), and Samuel Ramey (Benoit/Alcindoro).

     

    FALSTAFF by Giuseppe Verdi

    April 26, 28 (m), May 1, 4, 2019

    Shakespeare’s uproarious comedy brought to musical life!

    Libretto by Arrigo Boito

    Time: During the reign of Henry IV of England

    Place: Windsor

    Conductor: Riccardo Frizza

    Original Director: Lee Blakeley

    Revival Director: Shawna Lucey*

    Set and Costume Designer: Adrian Linford*

    Lighting Designer: Rick Fisher*

    Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard

    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

    Starring: Mark Delavan* (Sir John Falstaff), Angela Meade (Alice Ford), Quinn Kelsey* (Ford), Mojca Erdmann* (Nanetta), Airam Hernández* (Fenton), Stephanie Blythe* (Dame Quickly), Megan Marino* (Meg Page), Alex Mansoori* (Bardolfo), Andrea Silvestrelli (Pistola), and Robert Brubaker (Dr. Caius).

     

    * Dallas Opera Debut

    ** American Debut

    ______________________________________________________________________________

     

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    Ian Derrer to lead The Dallas Opera

     

    Written By: Eric Skelly

    “In case you haven’t gotten it by now: I love singing! I LOVE great singing!” So enthuses Ian Derrer, the man who takes the
    reins in July a,s general director and CEO of one of America’s most important opera companies, Dallas Opera. The comment is hilariously facetious, as his passion for opera is one of many things that become glaringly obvious if you spend any time talking with the affable 43-year-old. As you get to know Derrer’s story, two more things become glaringly obvious. From the very start, opera chose him as much as he chose it And, he was destined for Dallas!

    This is a homecoming for Derrer (for the record, it’s pronounced DAIR-er). No matter where life and career take him, Dallas keeps calling him back, most recently for a two-year stretch as artistic administrator from 2014 to 2016. Derrer credits Music Director Emmanuel Villaume for that appointment: “[Emmanuel Villaume] knew me from Santa Fe and Chicago, and he knew that in addition to my production experience I had this artistic side as well;’ explains Derrer.
    “Great opera company that [Dallas] is, it was the offer of a lifetime at that point for me.”

    Villaume’s is a, name that comes up frequently in conversation with Derrer, the most recent in a long list of important figures in opera who have shaped and influenced his life and career going all the way back to childhood.

    Derrer was born in Rockport, Illinois. His parents, singers both, moved the family to the Charlotte, North Carolina area when Ian was six months old. Both parents sang in the Charlotte Opera chorus, where Ian become indoctrinated to opera at a very young age. “My parents were always going to rehearsal;’ he recalls. “I was listening to them prepare their chorus parts. My mother would have to use rehearsal tapes that she would play over and over in the car, so it slowly just began to envelop me. Eventually my parents just began taking me to rehearsals; I think that was to keep from having to hire a baby sitter.”

    Once young Ian began attending rehearsals, the die was cast. “I’d be in these rehearsals and eventually they’d say ‘Hey we need a street urchin in this opera: They’d enlist me and I’d be the second kid on the left. The first opera I remember seeing in Charlotte was The Magic Flute, and I became enchanted immediately. I think I was around 5. Later I sang the role of Gherardino in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. It’s a one-liner. The kid comes in and says ‘Hey get ready, he’s on his way; and then he’s reprimanded for breaking into the adult conversation and scurries out. And that was how it all began.”

    This newfound passion was further fueled by his father’s extensive opera record collection, which began as a gift from a relative who knew George London, and passed along the great Canadian bass-baritone’s own recordings to the Derrer family. His favorites included London’s classic recording of Boris Godunov and a recital disc of Duparc songs. “There’s nothing like the George London voice;’ says Derrer, “the size, the color, the innate beauty:• He was also drawn to American bass­baritone Norman Treigle’s recordings of Boito’s Mefistofele and Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann. With these iconic bass­-baritone voices figuring so prominently in his formative operatic life, lo and behold when Ian began taking private voice lessons in high school, he himself was a bass-baritone.

    The private lessons led to a spot in the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, an immersive six-week Summer program prestigious enough to attract college recruiters. This is where Dallas came calling for Ian Derrer for the first time. He sang for a recruiter from Southern Methodist University and came away with a scholarship to study voice. “I looked at the faculty list at SMU and I was immediately drawn to the name of Thomas Hayward;’ says Derrer.

    Originally named Thomas Tibbett, Hayward changed his name to avoid the appearance of riding the coattails of his celebrated uncle, the great American baritone Lawrence Tibbett. Familiar with Hayward’s career from live recordings, Derrer was eager to study with this man who had sung with the legendary tenor Jussi Bjoerling. “(Hayward) was someone who taught old school technique, who won the Auditions of the Air at The Met with Robert Merrill and had direct connections to the Golden Age of Singing. He instilled in me a lot of things that I still greatly value, like quality of voice and quality of diction, things that came naturally to studying with him.”

    So the path to a singing career seemed clear. But then a work study job brought Ian Derrer under the influence of SMU Director of Opera Dejan Miladinovic, who opened up for Derrer a whole new world of possibilities and opportunities as a stage director. One .such opportunity brought him to Dallas Opera for the first time. “I decided to do some independent study work, asking to be a fly on the wall for an upcoming production of Elektra that they were preparing. They needed an assistant for the incoming director, John Copley … one of those individuals who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. He showed me what it took to be a good assistant, to be well versed in backstage language, to anticipate things that kept opening up new opportunities for me.”

    Continuing to follow wherever his passion led him, Derrer began spending his summers learning production and stage management as a production assistant at the Santa Fe Opera, and pursuing a master’s degree in opera production at Northwestern University. At Northwestern while taking an elective class in Lieder, he found himself singing for famed American mezzo-soprano and Metropolitan Opera star Mignon Dunn. “Well, Honey;’ she told him, “you can direct when you’re old. You need to sing now!”

    Although he studied with Dunn for many years, it was clear
    that Derrer’s calling was for the administrative end of opera. As
    he considered the breadth and depth of knowledge he’d
    already amassed, Derrer realized “there were not a lot of opera
    administrators who had experience on the stage, backstage, and who had the love and passion for singing I had:’ He gathered more experience as rehearsal music coordinator/administrator at New York City Opera (a “trial by fire” with its 16 productions in repertory) and subsequently Lyric Opera of Chicago, where he became director of production.

    He now takes the top job at Dallas Opera, having held that position for the last two years at Kentucky Opera. After taking the Texas company’s temperature, assessing its current state of health (financial and otherwise), Derrer’s number one, overriding priority should come as no surprise. “It’s important to me that we continue on the path of artistic excellence, no question there. You look at the list of singers who made their notable debuts in Dallas. That’s a hell of a list: Callas, Domingo, Caba lie … it’s astonishing. There’s a legacy there, and I want to make sure we continue to build on that legacy. That’s where somebody like Emanuel Villaume is an amazing part of the artistic success of this company:’

    Although he wasn’t involved in its planning, Derrer is excited about the 2018-2019 season, bookended by what he calls “the great rhapsodic and melodic sweep” of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman and one of Derrer’s all-time favorites, Verdi’s Falstaff with a stellar cast led by Mark Delavan, Angela Meade and Stephanie Blythe. Looking back at what brought him to this point, Derrer sums it up: “Sometimes you don’t know which way you’re going, but by the time you look back you think ‘well I was on this path the whole time, just didn’t know it:”

    **Article provided courtesy of Arts & Culture Texas Magazine, written by Eric Skelly

    Don Giovanni Opens April 13th for Six Performances

    Photo by Todd Rosenberg

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Tuesday, March 20, 2018
    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014
    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO PRESENT
    ROBERT FALLS’ ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF
    DON GIOVANNI
    by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Conducted by Music Director Emmanuel Villaume
    ~~~~
    MARIUSZ KWIECIEŃ HEADS AN ALL-STAR CAST:
    LAURA CLAYCOMB, DAVID PORTILLO, KATIE VAN KOOTEN,

    KYLE KETELSEN, VIRGINIE VERREZ, CRAIG VERM AND MORRIS ROBINSON
    ~~~~
    APRIL 13, 15(m), 18, 21, 27 and 29(m), 2018
    The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
    At the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas, TX

    DALLAS, TX. MARCH 20, 2018 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present one of the most talked about Mozart productions of the decade: DON GIOVANNI in a critically acclaimed production created by Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls for Lyric Opera of Chicago and conducted by Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume.
    Don Giovanni will open Friday, April 13th at 7:30 p.m. (The Enrico Foundation Performance) in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas, TX for the first of six performances. Tickets start at just $19 and can be purchased online at www.dallasopera.org or by contacting The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000.
    Additional performances are scheduled for April 15 (2:00 matinee), 18, 21, 27 and 29 (a second 2:00 matinee), 2018. All evening performances begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.

    Based on the legendary Spanish lothario, Don Juan, librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte conjures up a character who is attractive-yet-deeply disturbing in both behavior and attitude. George Bernard Shaw, who regarded Don Giovanni as the greatest of all operas, singled it out for “its uncommon share of wisdom, beauty, and humor.”
    Director Robert Falls (the James R. Seitz Stage Director in Honor of John Gage), speaking to Lawrence B. Johnson for “Chicago on the Aisle,” noted: “In Mozart, we’re dealing with a supreme genius, like Shakespeare, who understood the human condition profoundly. Don Giovanni is comic but it’s also deeply personal and painful, an intense examination into humanity in all its desires, darkness and cruelty.”

    “Robert Falls’ brilliant production of Don Giovanni is the most admired in recent memory,” explains Dallas Opera Interim General Director and CEO Kern Wildenthal. “Mariusz Kwiecień is THE Don Giovanni of our day,” he continues, “The stellar principal cast is simply unbeatable—the best of the best singing each and every role. Under the inspired leadership of Maestro Emmanuel Villaume, this ‘must see’ production promises to be one of the high points in The Dallas Opera’s history.”

    The late Andrew Patner of Classical Voice North America observed: “Falls’ Giovanni production solves several problems off the bat, including the most important one — how can the music, story, and characters be communicated to a living audience? That’s the only “concept” that matters. A big man who works in a big theater, Falls is a master at using large spaces and stages…a gifted theater artist can show us that the Don, and Mozart of course, are ever our contemporaries.”
    The outstanding ensemble cast will be led by one of the world’s leading baritones and the reigning Don Giovanni of our day: Mariusz Kwiecień, also praised as “one of opera’s most intelligent actors.” Mr. Kwiecień’s engagements this season have included the roles of Marcello in La Bohème at London’s Royal Opera House, Zurga in The Pearl Fishers for Chicago Lyric, Count Almaviva in the Metropolitan Opera’s Le nozze di Figaro, the title role in Eugene Onegin at Vienna State Opera, and Malatesta in Opera Kracow’s Don Pasquale.
    William Burnett of Opera Warhorses notes “The sex-obsessed Don is a favorite character of the Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecień, who played him memorably in the production of Sir David McVicar. (Robert) Falls gave Kwiecień license to further explore Don Giovanni’s nature, and the resulting portrait was extraordinary: an utterly charming but lethally sociopathic bad boy who, except for some bad luck and an error in judgment in the final few hours of his life on earth, might have added another thousand or so names to Leporello’s catalogue….Kwiecień’s Giovanni is a masterpiece…an engaging anti-hero, in a performance that is wonderfully sung and impressively acted.”
    The starry ensemble also includes local favorite and Grammy Award-winning soprano Laura Claycomb in her role debut as Donna Anna. This Texas native won the 2011 Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year Award for her unforgettable company debut as Gilda in Rigoletto.
    “Claycomb’s voice is pliant and rich” writes Opera News. She frequently performs with Paris Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and at additional opera companies, major festivals, and symphony orchestras, worldwide, where Ms. Claycomb has earned consistent accolades for her amazing coloratura soprano, impeccable musicianship, ethereal high notes, and dramatic stage presence.
    The role of Don Ottavio will be sung by tenor David Portillo, a native of San Antonio, who appeared in two Metropolitan Opera productions earlier this season, including one of the most critically acclaimed works of the current season: The Exterminating Angel. Although Mr. Portillo attracted favorable notices in the world premiere of Breaking the Waves, he is making a name for himself in classic operatic repertoire, from Beethoven to Wagner, prompting a Sydney, Australia publication to write, “His voice is well suited to Mozart: clear, well-projected and with a comfortable top register that showed no (sign) of strain.”
    Soprano Katie Van Kooten will make her Dallas Opera debut as the unstoppable Donna Elvira. In demand on both the opera and concert stage, performances of Beethoven’s Ninth and Verdi’s Requiem bookend her appearances in Dallas. The Daily Telegraph described her as “a major operatic talent. Her singing has something of the same glow radiated by a Te Kanawa or a Freni…a winning stage personality.”
    Bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen will take his first bow on the Winspear stage in what has become a signature, scene-stealing role: Giovanni’s man servant, Leporello. No stranger to bad boys himself, last season Mr. Ketelsen earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Méphistophélès in Gounod’s Faust in Zurich and Escamillo in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Carmen, not to mention his earlier turn at Covent Garden as Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. Opera-Brittania was prompted to write that Mr. Ketelsen was “a joy to hear from the moment he first opened his mouth, with smooth chocolate tones ringing out effortlessly.”
    Although French mezzo-soprano Virginie Verrez won First Prize at the 2016 Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition, her appearance in this production as the coquettish Zerlina marks her official company debut. Other highlights of her 2017-18 Season include Dorabella in Così fan tutte for Opéra de Lille, Flora in La traviata for Paris National Opera, and Erika in Barber’s Vanessa – a new Keith Warner production opening at the Glyndebourne Festival next August.
    Baritone Craig Verm made an indelible mark on Dallas audiences as the doomed Doug Hansen in the 2015 world premiere of Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s Everest and returns as the not-willing-to-be-duped Masetto. Mr. Verm’s performance is made possible with support from the Charron and Peter Denker Rising Stars Endowment Fund. And bass Morris Robinson returns to TDO to reprise the role of The Commendatore – with verve, dignity, and power.

    ~~~~
    Critically acclaimed Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume (The Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director) will conduct all six performances. Opera Wire praised Villaume for his conducting of Thaïs at the Metropolitan Opera: “From the opening chords to the final ones, the polish of one of Massenet’s finest scores was felt.” The New York Times also touted his conducting prowess in the much-discussed new production of Tosca: “He brings shape, nuance and pliancy to the score.” Maestro Villaume’s most recent triumph was his conducting of Faust for Lyric Opera of Chicago. Seen and Heard International observed “Villaume’s expert hand was evident in the carefully-voiced sonorities, blending of the brass and percussion. Villaume supported the solo voices with fine attention to the stage, as well as care with the details, such as his tasteful stretching of measures and passages to accentuate lyricism.”
    Currently in his fifth season as music director of The Dallas Opera, Maestro Villaume guided our successful Samson & Dalila before turning his attention to engagements in Prague and at the Met, and also conducted the rarely performed Korngold one-act, The Ring of Polykrates earlier this year. Last summer, he also presided over a new Paul Curran production of Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Golden Cockerel at Santa Fe Opera (a co-production with The Dallas Opera designed by Gary McCann).

    Don Giovanni stage director Robert Falls recently staged the world premiere of Rogelio Martinez’s Blind Date and adapted and directed a new production of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People in the Albert Theatre. This summer, he will direct the return engagement of Jim McGrath’s Pamplona in the Goodman’s Owen Theatre.
    Recent productions for the Chicago-based director include The Iceman Cometh for the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Rebecca Gilman’s Luna Gale for the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, Measure for Measure and the world and off-Broadway premieres of Beth Henley’s The Jacksonian.
    Among his other credits are The Seagull, King Lear, Desire Under the Elms, John Logan’s Red, Jon Robin Baitz’s Three Hotels, Eric Bogosian’s Talk Radio and Conor McPherson’s Shining City; the world premieres of Richard Nelson’s Frank’s Home, Arthur Miller’s Finishing the Picture, Eric Bogosian’s Griller, Steve Tesich’s The Speed of Darkness and On the Open Road, John Logan’s Riverview: A Melodrama with Music and Rebecca Gilman’s A True History of the Johnstown Flood, Blue Surge and Dollhouse; the American premiere of Alan Ayckbourn’s House and Garden; and the Broadway premiere of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida.
    The Associate Director on this revival is Jodi Gage in her Dallas Opera debut.

    ~~~~
    Other members of the experienced production team for Don Giovanni include set designer Walt Spangler, costume designer Ana Kuzmanic, choreographer August Tye Pauley, and fight director Nick Sandys Pullin – all in their Dallas Opera debuts. The associate fight director is Katherine Coyl.
    The original lighting designer for this production was Duane Schuler; lighting for this revival will be designed by Chris Maravich. Wig and make up design is by Dawn Rivard.
    Expert Chorus preparation is by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
    The assistant conductor is Paolo Bressan. The assistant director is Mo Zhou.

    ~~~~
    The season finale will last approximately three-and-a-half hours, including a 25-minute intermission. The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk can be enjoyed in nearby Hamon Hall (adjacent to the audience chamber) one hour prior to curtain.
    Performed in Italian with English translations projected above the stage, ticket prices for this eighteenth-century masterpiece range from $19-$289. Discounted group rates and Student Rush Tickets are also available.
    For more information, call The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214-443-1000 or obtain more information online (including a full synopsis and complete cast and production team biographies) at www.dallasopera.org/season/don-giovanni.
    The Winspear Opera House is located in the Dallas Arts District at 2403 Flora Street, Dallas, Texas, 75201.
    ~~~~

    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

    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 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.

    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*
    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), Katie Van Kooten* (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 DALLAS OPERA NEEDS PEOPLE LIKE YOU!

    ACTORS AND SUPERNUMERARIES
    (NON-SINGING EXTRAS)
    BOTH MALE AND FEMALE NEEDED FOR
    DON GIOVANNI
    by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    ~~~~
    By Invitation Only: Saturday, March 17, 2018
     Karayanis Rehearsal Production Center
    4301 S. Fitzhugh, Dallas, 75210
    ~~~~
    Apply no later than March 6, 2018 by emailing headshot and resume to auditions@dallasopera.org

    DALLAS, TX. FEBRUARY 22, 2018 – This may be your chance to appear on the stage of the magnificent Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House in fabulous costumes with world-class opera singers. The Dallas Opera is seeking women and men, in non-singing/non-speaking roles for our upcoming production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI.
    The production opens on Friday, April 13, 2018 for six performances at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, ending on April 29, 2018. Actors and supernumeraries (opera’s fancy term for “extras”) must be able to participate in all six performances, as well as take part in several rehearsals. No singing or speaking is required and a small stipend will be provided.
    The Dallas Opera is seeking two male actors and two cover roles to portray the groom’s “best men” as well as the father of the bride. These extras will engage in a carefully choreographed fight scene.  The company is also seeking a woman who will portray a bride. Actors must be available for both daytime and evening rehearsals.
    The Dallas Opera is also seeking several men (supernumeraries) of all ages.  The ability to ride a bicycle onstage is considered a plus. “Supers” must be available for evening rehearsals and will be used in a variety of roles as:

    • Waiters
    • Delivery Men
    • Vagrants

    Those wishing to be considered for any of these positions should respond as soon as possible, with an emailed headshot and resume to auditions@dallasopera.org.  Applicants must submit these materials by March 6, 2018, for more information and to obtain an invitation. 
    Participants will be contacted by March 12, 2018 if selected to audition.
    That audition by invitation will take place on March 17, 2018 at The Dallas Opera Karayanis Rehearsal Production Center located adjacent to Fair Park at 4301 S. Fitzhugh, Dallas, TX  75210 (follow the signs for Gate 12 to a gated parking lot entrance off Gaisford St.).
    Join The Dallas Opera for an unforgettable experience from a unique perspective!

    ~~~~

    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 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. 

    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), Nino Machaidze** (Donna Elvira), Katie Van Kooten* (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