The Dallas Opera makes its gripping 2015 production of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca available free of charge for home viewing.
Registration details in this press release; link below.
TDO Tosca Simulcast Stream – February 10 2021
103 Applicants for Elite Program; Institute Makes Room for Four Additional Women Conductors to Observe
An International Inaugural Session of The Institute for Women Conductors At The Dallas Opera
Nov. 28 – Dec. 6, 2015
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Launched with Generous Support from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation
DALLAS, JUNE 5, 2015 – The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the names of the six distinguished professionals selected to participate in the inaugural session of the Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera:
Working to address a long-standing career issue in the opera world, The Dallas Opera is launching a unique, new residential program designed to provide training and career support for distinctively talented women conductors. Female conductors age forty and younger, as well as accomplished women singers, opera coaches and accompanists, and instrumentalists with established careers seeking a new career at the podium, were encouraged to apply.
A total of 103 women conductors and professional musicians heeded the call and applied by the April 15th deadline. Of that number, nearly half the applicants (44%) came from the United States. Other nations making a strong showing included Germany, Italy, Israel and Taiwan (followed by Greece, Canada, Australia and Spain).
Applicants from 27 countries included principal and assistant conductors, concertmasters and music staff from top-ranked symphonies, opera companies, and conservatories.
“As a female conductor,” explained IWC Fellow Anna Skryleva, “I’m interested, of course, in programs supporting women—there are still so few of them; I don’t know of any other program of this type in the opera field. These days in Dallas promise to be very intensive.”
Jennifer Condon heartily agreed, writing: “The Dallas Opera’s recognition of the need for encouragement and support of women conductors is fabulous. The programme – so generously offered – touches on all aspects relevant to a career in conducting. So far as I am aware, there is no programme of its kind anywhere else in the world.
“I simply leapt at the chance to be included.”
“I was so thrilled to see The Dallas Opera offer such an innovative initiative for female conductors to further develop their opera skills on the podium,” responded Jessica Gethin. “As a young, female, Australian conductor based in Perth, the opportunity to be a part of the inaugural Institute for Women Conductors is invaluable at this stage of my conducting career.
“Through a generous combination of intense masterclasses on the podium with international mentors, seminars on the challenges we face within the industry and networking opportunities provided, I am looking forward to developing my technical skills and broadening my repertoire knowledge in a uniquely supportive environment and earning my place as an alumna in this brilliant and vital program, watching it grow and nurture the careers of many female conductors from around the world.
“I can’t wait to get my hands on the scores,” added Ms. Gethin, “and head over to the other side of the globe to get started!”
This new institute will be inaugurated on November 28, 2015 and run through December 6, 2015, with key support from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation.
The IWC will consist of master classes and one-on-ones with Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume and Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement; seminars, discussions, and networking opportunities; as well as the chance to conduct The Dallas Opera Orchestra in a public concert performance the evening of December 5, 2015 onstage in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, Texas.
When asked what she hoped to gain from the experience, Stephanie Rhodes replied: “Everything! The insights of both Emmanuel Villaume and Nicole Paiement into conducting technique, interpretation, and the various business aspects of the profession are something I imagine will be invaluable, given the wealth of experience they bring to the table.
“I’m particularly looking forward to building relationships with fellow female conductors,” Ms. Rhodes added, “as I think the support, strength, and perspective we can offer each other now will be critical throughout our careers.”
IWC Fellow Natalie Murray Beale expressed similar sentiments: “This program is a vital acknowledgement of female conducting talent and a rare opportunity for women conductors.
“I have great hopes to develop my conducting at the Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera and to make new, positive working relationships with artists and managers alike. I look forward,” she added, “to emerging a stronger and more visible conductor.”
In addition to the six Institute participants, four more conductors – all from the United States – have been invited to observe the proceedings. They are: Arianne Abela, Luçik Aprahämian, Avlana Eisenberg and Co Boi Nguyen.
Those attending will also be encouraged to take part in an annual two-day networking event, beginning in the summer of 2016.
Stated Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny: “The Dallas Opera has demonstrated, in multiple ways, its commitment to reshaping the opera field through the use of innovative public outreach, by exploring new technologies, commissioning new works to expand the operatic repertoire, and programming with passion and imagination.”
“This much-needed program,” Mr. Cerny added, “will enable more women conductors to add their talents and insights to our collective understanding of this art form, while encouraging conversation about the necessity of women in leadership roles.”
The Dallas Opera’s Principal Guest Conductor, Nicole Paiement, who also serves as the Artistic Director and Conductor for San Francisco’s renowned contemporary opera company, Opera Parallèle, commented, “In tandem with my work as a professional conductor, I have spent many years striving to develop and support exceptional young talent, both onstage and in the orchestra pit. I am tremendously pleased to be able to continue this aspect of my career in a leadership role here in Dallas, and to be responsible for guiding each carefully selected group through this newly developed Dallas Opera program.
“The women taking part in this program will have the all-too-rare opportunity to observe another woman in this leadership role, “ Paiement added, “something that, regrettably, I never experienced in my early career as I sought role models from among my professional peers. I sincerely hope my work with the women in this institute can serve as a source of both valuable insights and inspiration.”
Marc A. Scorca, President and CEO of OPERA America, remarked: “The Dallas Opera continues to expand its influence and stature among American opera companies, as shown by this exciting new initiative. The company is to be applauded for taking a significant step to remedy the existing gender imbalance on the podium. This effort complements OPERA America’s support of the work of female opera composers and promises to enrich the art form by encouraging more gifted artists to express themselves through opera.”
Lidiya Yankovskaya, another IWC Fellow, wrote: “The Dallas Opera is known for doing innovative and exciting work that has placed the company at the forefront of American Opera and continues to inspire many within the field, myself included. I relish the opportunity to see this work from the inside and to learn from the company’s phenomenal leadership.
“Taking part in Dallas Opera’s program for Women Conductors will be crucial in giving me the push I need to gain exposure and move forward into more regular high-level work in the opera world. The institute will not only provide the opportunity to receive experience working with the company’s fantastic artists and feedback on my work, but it also represents a chance to gain exposure, and to discover how to make the leap into the next career level.”
Internationally renowned Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume observed: “No conductor ever stands at the podium alone. We raise our baton with those who came before us, and those who will follow in our footsteps.
“It takes a lifetime to become completely at home on the podium,” Villaume adds. “It was my privilege to be guided and taught by geniuses like Spiros Argiris and Seiji Ozawa, who, in turn, always quoted their own masters. In fact, they claimed that, only near the end of their performing careers, did they entirely understand some of the comments and advice they received from their mentors.
“We are always trying to perfect our work. I feel I am now at a place in my career, where I can begin to effectively share my experiences with the next generation of conductors.”
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2015 IWC FELLOWS:
JENNIFER CONDON (Australia/Germany)
Jennifer Condon has been passionate about opera from an absurdly young age – since her teens she has been fortunate to have fellow Australian, Simone Young, as mentor. Jennifer studied piano in Sydney, and conducting in Melbourne and Vienna before commencing work as a souffleuse at the Hamburg State Opera in 2008. She now has a repertoire of over 55 operas. During her time in Hamburg, Jennifer also brought Peggy Glanville-Hicks’ opera Sappho (1963) from the composer’s hand-written manuscript to the recording studio. The CD, with an eminent cast including Deborah Polaski, Sir John Tomlinson and Wolfgang Koch with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, has been released to considerable critical acclaim. Jennifer lives in Berlin and works as a free-lance vocal coach and prompt as she pursues a conducting career. Assistant conducting engagements to date include Lohengrin in Zurich and Salome in Vienna. Future engagements include Reimann’s Lear in Budapest and Ariadne auf Naxos in Tokyo.
JESSICA GETHIN (Australia)
Australian-born conductor Jessica Gethin has won praise from audiences and critics alike for her dynamic energy, outstanding musicianship and abounding presence on the podium. A graduate of the exclusive Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program, Ms. Gethin commenced her official appointment as Chief Conductor of the Perth Symphony Orchestra (Perth, Australia) in 2011. Jessica Gethin has performed on stages throughout Europe, USA, UK, Canada, Asia and Australia as conductor, concert presenter, program writer, orchestrator, guest lecturer, music educator and adjudicator. With a diverse background working across a variety of genres ranging from classical, jazz, opera and ballet to musical theatre, contemporary and film score; Jessica has recorded for numerous CDs, television documentaries, live radio broadcasts and television commercials. Artist collaborations include conducting Welsh bass baritone Bryn Terfel, Divinyl’s Chrissy Amphlette, The Ten Tenors, soprano Rachelle Durkin, Australian screen star Lisa McCune, soprano Marina Prior, tenor David Hobson, jazz trumpeter James Morrison and Dutch violinist Rudolf Koelman, to name a few. Ms. Gethin currently resides in Western Australia with her husband and two children.
NATALIE MURRAY BEALE (UK)
Conductor Natalie Murray Beale is a BBC Performing Arts Fund Fellow and is being mentored by Esa-Pekka Salonen. She has performed with the Welsh National Opera, Opera Holland Park, Spitalfields Festival, Chamber Orchestra of London and the City of London Sinfonia. Ms. Murray Beale has also gained valuable experience as Assistant Conductor for the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Festival d’Aix, Wiener Festwochen and Den Nye Opera with the Philharmonia, Bergen Philharmonic, B’Rock Orchestra, Le Cercle de l’Harmonie and the Freiburger Barockorchester. Previous positions include serving on the music staff of Welsh National Opera; as coach at the Royal Opera House, Young Artist Programme; and as Guest Chorus Director of London Symphony Chorus.
Ms. Murray Beale enjoys collaborating with composers and recently conducted the soundtracks to the video game Alien:Isolation (BAFTA nominated) and the British film Robot Overlords. Her performances of the new opera, We are Shadows, received a Royal Philharmonic Society award. This year she will make her debuts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.
STEPHANIE RHODES (USA)
Stephanie Rhodes is a renowned opera collaborator, having served on the music staff of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, The Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera and Wolf Trap Opera, amongst others. She has garnered experience as a conductor, assistant conductor, prompter, chorus master, rehearsal pianist, orchestral keyboardist and diction coach. This summer she joins the Miami Summer Music Festival as the Studio Program Director and conductor of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, additionally participating as a fellow in the festival’s Orchestral Conducting Institute. As a Fulbright award recipient, Ms. Rhodes spent the 2012/13 season in Moscow specializing in Russian repertoire and pronunciation for non-native singers. She was recently commissioned by The Dallas Opera to transliterate Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and is currently working on a book to standardize Russian diction for singers. An alum of the Houston Grand Opera Studio and San Francisco’s Merola Opera program, she holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Utah State University in Collaborative Piano and Piano Performance.
ANNA SKRYLEVA (Russia/Germany)
Russian conductor Anna Skryleva has lived and worked in Germany for the past 15 years. Currently, Ms. Skryleva is engaged as principal resident conductor at The State Theatre, Darmstadt, in addition to performing as a concert pianist and a chamber musician in Russia, other European nations and Mexico. Anna Skryleva’s career as a conductor began in 2002 in Karlsruhe, where she was engaged at the Music College as music assistant of the conductor Prof. Alicja Mounk. From 2007 to 2012, Anna Skryleva was engaged at the State Opera Hamburg as musical assistant of Simone Young, where she acquired a wide repertoire, from German Romanticism to Italian bel canto to modern music of the 20th century. After successfully conducting Richard Strauss’ Salome at the State Theatre Darmstadt in 2013, Anna Skryleva was named Darmstadt’s Principal Resident Conductor. Since then, she has conducted new productions and revivals of works including Otello, Tristan und Isolde, Il trittico, Madame Butterfly, La traviata and many more. The German publication Main-Echo named Anna Skryleva “Person of the Year 2013.” Earlier this year, she was nominated for the “Emotion Award 2015” in the Category “Women in Leadership”; winners will be announced later this month.
LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA (USA)
Lidiya Yankovskaya’s recent work as a symphonic and opera conductor has been hailed as “superb,” “expert,” and “coax[ing] every possible expressive note from the instrumentalists.” Currently, Ms. Yankovskaya serves as Music Director of Harvard University’s Lowell House Opera, Artistic Director of Juventas New Music Ensemble, and Music Director with Commonwealth Lyric Theater. She also works regularly with Gotham Chamber Opera, Center for Contemporary Opera, and New York Lyric Opera. Last summer, Ms. Yankovskaya served as a conducting fellow under renowned conductor Lorin Maazel at the Castleton Festival, where she had the privilege of assisting Maestro Maazel and filled in for him regularly in rehearsal and performance. Recent productions have received multiple awards ranging from The American Prize to the National Opera Association Award. In addition to her work as a conductor, Lidiya is a pianist and coach, recently serving as Music Director for Opera Boston’s education tours. Presently, she is working as a Russian Diction Coach and occasional rehearsal conductor for Tanglewood Festival Chorus (the chorus of the Boston Symphony). www.LidiyaYankovskaya.com
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2015 IWC OBSERVERS:
ARIANNE ABELA (USA)
Known for her work promoting charitable organizations, conductor Arianne Abela has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and America’s Got Talent as artistic director of “3 Penny,” a non-profit chorus and orchestra, and co-founder of “House of Clouds.” Arianne served as music director of Saybrook College Orchestra and has conducted the Yale Symphony Orchestra, Wesleyan University Orchestra and the Vidin State Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria. As a chorusmaster, Abela has prepared choirs for Michael Tilson Thomas, Leonard Slatkin, Rafael Payare, and Martin Katz, as well as for the University of Michigan Opera in productions of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. As a soloist and professional ensemble singer, Abela has performed with major ensembles across North America, Europe and Asia. Abela is currently a doctoral candidate in conducting at the University of Michigan under the tutelage of Jerry Blackstone. She holds a master’s degree in conducting from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree from Smith College.
LUÇIK APRAHÄMIAN (USA)
Luçik Aprahämian’s versatility as a conductor makes her equally at home in front of an orchestra, leading a vocal ensemble, or guiding outstanding performances on the opera stage. With her profound passion for opera, Dr. Aprahämian has served as co-artistic director of Southern Arizona Opera, worked with Opera Parallèle and Bayshore Lyric Opera (both located in the Bay area), and served as assistant conductor and director of the Opera Theatre Program at the University of California at Santa Cruz. She is an avid exponent of new music and has commissioned and premiered works for choir, orchestra, and opera with ensembles in the Bay Area and Arizona. Recent premieres include Andrew Pascoe’s opera, God: The Opera and David Evan Jones’s chamber opera, The Rehearsal. Dr. Aprahämian received her bachelor’s degree in fortepiano performance practice, as well as a master’s degree in conducting, from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She pursued additional graduate studies to earn her doctorate in conducting from the University of Arizona.
AVLANA EISENBERG (USA)
Music Director of the Boston Chamber Symphony, Avlana Eisenberg has conducted orchestras throughout the United States and in France, Germany, Austria, Scotland, Spain, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. Her debut CD, with soloist Zina Schiff and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra MAV, features violin concertos by Sibelius and Barber and the world premiere orchestral recording of Ben-Haim’s Three Songs without Words. Eisenberg received a Fulbright Fellowship for conducting study in Paris and apprenticeship at the Paris National Opera and was one of Glamour magazine’s “Top Ten College Women of the Year.” As an undergraduate at Yale University, she founded and directed the Silliman Symphony and was honored with Yale’s “V. Browne Irish Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts.” An alumna of Interlochen Arts Camp and the Aspen Music Festival, Eisenberg holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Michigan and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Institute.
CO BOI NGUYEN (USA)
Ms. Co Boi Nguyen has been on the faculty of the University of Redlands, School of Music since 2006, serving as music director of the University of Redlands Orchestra and Opera. From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Nguyen was conductor and faculty member of the C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival at Long Island University, New York. At the same time, she also worked as assistant conductor to Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun in New York. As an alumna of the Vietnam National Academy of Music, Ms. Nguyen returns to Hanoi regularly to perform and to give master classes. She made her highly acclaimed debut with the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra at the Hanoi Opera House in July 2002, making her the first woman ever to lead the ensemble. Ms. Nguyen is a graduate of the conducting programs at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Juilliard School in New York.
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For high-resolution, digital photographs suitable for print or to arrange an interview
Please contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and Public Relations
214.443.1014 or suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, 2015-2016 SEASON SPONSOR FOR THE DALLAS OPERA’S “SEEKING THE HUMAN ELEMENT” SEASON
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise described. Single Tickets range from $19 to $275 and will be available July 15. Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale now starting at $75. Family performance tickets (available June 1) 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 2015-2016 FALL SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Ninth 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 excluding FIRST NIGHT of the season.
GREAT SCOTT by Jake Heggie
October 30, November 1(m), 4, 7 & 15(m), 2015
A Thrilling Dallas Opera World Premiere!
Libretto by Terrence McNally*
Time: Present Day
Place: A Major American City
Conductor: Patrick Summers
Stage Director: Jack O’Brien*
Production Design: Bob Crowley
Lighting Design: Brian MacDevitt*
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Joyce DiDonato* (Arden Scott), Ailyn Pérez (Tatyana Bakst), Frederica von Stade (Mrs. Edward “Winnie” Flato), Nathan Gunn (Sid Taylor), Anthony Roth Costanzo* (Roane Heckle), Kevin Burdette (Eric Gold) and Michael Mayes* (Wendell Swan). A Brand-New Dallas Opera Production!
TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini
November 6, 8(m), 11, 14, 20 & 22(m), 2015
A passionate and timeless masterpiece in a beloved period production
An opera in three acts first performed in Rome, Italy on January 14, 1900
Text by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa after Victorien Sardou’s 1887 French-language play, La Tosca
Time: Early 19th century
Place: Locations in and around the City of Rome
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Stage Director: Ellen Douglas Schlaefer*
Production Design: Ulisse Santicchi
Lighting Design: Marie Barrett
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Children’s Chorus Master: TBA
Starring: Emily Magee (Floria Tosca), Giancarlo Monsalve* (Mario Cavaradossi), Raymond Aceto (Baron Scarpia), William Ferguson (Spoletta), Dale Travis* (A Sacristan) and Ryan Kuster (Angelotti).
One of The Dallas Opera’s Most Popular!
BECOMING SANTA CLAUS by Mark Adamo
December 4, 6(m), 9 & 12, 2015
An Eagerly Awaited Dallas Opera World Premiere!
Libretto by the composer, Mark Adamo.
Time: Now
Place: An Elven kingdom in the far, far north; also, the stable of the first Christmas
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Stage Director: Paul Curran
Production Design: Gary McCann*
Video Design: Driscoll Otto*
Lighting Design: Paul Hackenmueller*
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Jennifer Rivera* (Queen Sophine), Juan José de León (Prince Claus), Matt Boehler* (Donkey) Another New Dallas Opera Production
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
________________________________________________________________________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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The Dallas Opera is announcing cast changes for the upcoming production of Cataloni’s LA WALLY; read on.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, January 19, 2015
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 or Celeste Hart 214.443.1071
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org celeste.hart@dallasopera.org
The Dallas Opera Announces
Cast Changes to LA WALLY
LA WALLY, ACT IV
With Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s EVEREST
(A Dallas Opera World Premiere)
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OPENING FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015, 7:30 P.M.
FOR THE FIRST OF FOUR PERFORMANCES
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The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
At the AT&T Performing Arts Center
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ALICE W. AND RICHARD D. BASS,
EVEREST Underwriters
With Additional Support from
National Endowment for the Arts,
TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund
& Tobin Theatre Arts Fund
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Three-Opera FLEX Subscriptions
Still Available, Starting at $75
Single Tickets Start at $19
DALLAS, TX, JANUARY 19, 2015 – The Dallas Opera is announcing cast changes for the company’s upcoming new production of Alfredo Catalani’s LA WALLY (Act IV).
Mexican tenor Rodrigo Garciarroyo will perform the leading role of Giuseppe Hagenbach on January 30 (opening night), February 1 and 4, 2015. Tenor Arnold Rawls will sing the role for the final performance scheduled on February 7, 2015. The singers are assuming the role after Carl Tanner recently withdrew, due to illness.
In addition, soprano Melissa Citro will sing the final performance of La Wally in the title role. Earlier, soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams took over the part from Latonia Moore, who withdrew because of her pregnancy.
Mr. Garciarroyo, who is making his Dallas Opera debut in LA WALLY, has been praised by John Bills of Pro Opera Magazine as “…combining a rich sound and a smooth legato with secure and heroic high notes: first class singing.”
Mr. Rawls makes his Dallas Opera debut in this production after earning rave reviews from Opera News, which wrote, “He owned the stage dramatically and musically…nailing each note.”
Ms. Citro, making her house debut with The Dallas Opera as the intrepid title character of Wally (short for “Walburga,” in case you were wondering), has excelled in a variety of Wagnerian roles. Writing about her Glimmerglass Festival appearance in The Consul, one reviewer claimed Miss Citro “stopped the performance in the second act with her aria, when she finally snaps in the face of the unseen Consul’s inhumanity to his fellow man. Ms. Citro is already singing such Wagnerian roles as a Norn and a Valkyrie in major houses. She has a great career ahead of her. See her now.”
LA WALLY is the first half of the sole double bill in The Dallas Opera’s 2014-2015 “Heights of Passion” Season. The climactic final act of this rarely produced 1892 work is being paired with the world premiere of EVEREST—the first opera by renowned British composer Joby Talbot (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Gene Scheer (Moby-Dick).
Opening night will take place on Friday, January 30, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.
That night, LA WALLY will star Mary Elizabeth Williams, described by Opera News as “the next great Verdi soprano,” as Wally, on the heels of her performances as Floria Tosca for Seattle Opera (where she was selected as the 2011-2012 “Artist of the Year”). Ms. Williams, praised by The Washington Post for “wonderful stage presence, both regal and human.” Ms. Williams will perform the role on January 30, February 1 and 4, 2015.
The role of Walter will be sung throughout by Dallas Opera favorite Jennifer Chung, who appeared as Juliette in last season’s critically acclaimed production of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s twentieth-century masterpiece, Die tote Stadt.
Conducted by Anthony Barrese (Tosca, 2008) and staged in this abridged production by renowned stage director Candace Evans (Don Pasquale, The Merry Widow), this is the tale of a free-spirited and fiercely passionate young woman who realizes, too late, that love delayed isn’t always love denied. TDO’s production also will incorporate the famous Act I aria, “Ebben, ne andrò lontana.”
Other members of the top-notch production team include acclaimed set designer Robert Brill (Moby-Dick), costume designer David C. Woolard (Oscar, Death and the Powers), lighting designer Christopher Akerlind (The Dream of Valentino, La bohème, The Marriage of Figaro), wig and make-up designer David Zimmerman and projections designer Elaine J. McCarthy.
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On the slopes of Mount Everest, luck and the weather can turn with equal ferocity and swiftness, and dreams die even for the most valiant of men.
British composer Joby Talbot’s first opera confronts the tragic events surrounding an ill-fated 1996 Everest expedition with a cast that includes tenor Andrew Bidlack and mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, as well as bass Kevin Burdette and baritone Craig Verm in their company debuts. This much-anticipated Dallas Opera world premiere will be conducted by contemporary music specialist and Dallas Opera Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement and staged by director Leonard Foglia (Moby-Dick) – this season’s James R. Seitz, Jr. Stage Director in Honor of John Gage – with stunning projections designed to carry us to the one of the highest, most awe-inspiring, and dangerous places on earth.
“It’s a thrill to have this opportunity to bring together artists from several of the most memorable productions in recent Dallas Opera history,” says Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, “and to combine their extraordinary talents in fresh and exciting new ways.
“I am also delighted to cement The Dallas Opera’s newfound reputation as a creative force in American Opera with the first of three world premieres scheduled to take place in 2015,” Mr. Cerny adds. “My team and I are confident that this thrilling original work by Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer will bring us a step closer to our goal of providing adventurous North Texas audiences with thought-provoking new works, in addition to carefully conceived productions of rarely performed and much-loved favorites from the opera repertoire.”
Dallas Opera Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement made a profound impression on theatergoers during the 2012 launch of our chamber opera series: The Lighthouse by Peter Maxwell Davies. Wrote Willard Spiegelman of Opera News, “Nicole Paiement led the ensemble briskly through a score that is rhythmically as well as harmonically complex.” Dallas Observer Classical Music Critic Katie Womack expounded further: “The success of Friday’s performance was largely due to Nicole Paiement, who conducted the orchestra skillfully and artistically, and DTC’s artistic director, Kevin Moriarty, whose staging of this work marked his opera directorial debut. Moriarty’s transition to this genre seemed effortless and his work at home in the Wyly Theatre space. Together, the two produced one of the most interesting hours of opera I’ve seen in a while.”
The conductor also led brilliant performances of Tod Machover’s Death and the Powers last season, easily the most cutting-edge and technologically sophisticated opera ever produced in North Texas.
Andrew Bidlack, praised by David Fleshler of The Miami Herald for his “smooth legato and heroic top notes,” prompted Classical Voice of New England to proclaim that he has “vocal color to match one of the original ‘Three Tenors’.” Mr. Bidlack made his TDO debut as Sandy in The Lighthouse, which launched our chamber opera series in 2012.
Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, who debuted with Dallas Opera in the acclaimed 2013 production of Dominick Argento’s The Aspern Papers before creating the role of Mary Magdalene in the San Francisco Opera world premiere of Mark Adamo’s most recent work, “made a brilliant impression,” according to Georgia Rowe of Opera News. “Cooke sang with complete conviction, sounding unforced and lustrous.” While San Francisco Chronicle Critic Joshua Kosman wrote that her singing was “eloquent and shimmeringly rich.”
Bass Kevin Burdette will be making his company debut but he’s already attracting a lot of attention for his “large powerful voice with a burnished robust sound” and a “vibrant personality that pervaded the entire theater” (Opera Today).
Baritone Craig Verm, who will also be making his TDO debut in this production, has earned raves for his “brilliantly performed” roles and “consistently solid and well-colored” singing” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review).
The Dallas Opera Chorus is prepared by acclaimed Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
EVEREST is generously underwritten by Alice W. and Richard D. Bass, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts, TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund, and the Tobin Theatre Arts Fund.
Performances of this unique double bill (LA WALLY sung in Italian, EVEREST sung in English, with English language supertitles projected above the stage) will take place in the magnificent Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House on January 30, February 1 (2:00 p.m. matinee), 4 & 7, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. These works will be separated by an intermission.
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Single tickets for the remaining mainstage productions of the Dallas Opera’s “Heights of Passion” 2014-15 Season (La bohëme, Iolanta) are on sale now, starting at just $19, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org. Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for as little as $15 (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance.
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT “JANUARY AT THE DALLAS OPERA”
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG AND CHECK THE CALENDAR LISTINGS
For high-resolution digital photographs suitable for print
To arrange an interview or obtain additional information
Please contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and Public Relations
214.443.1014 or suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, 2014-2015 SEASON SPONSOR
FOR THE DALLAS OPERA’S “HEIGHTS OF PASSION” SEASON
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG AND CHECK THE CALENDAR LISTINGS
Ticket Information for the 2014-2015 Dallas Opera Spring Season
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise described. Single Tickets range from $19 to $275 and Flex Subscriptions are on sale starting 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 2014-2015 SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Eighth 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 excluding FIRST NIGHT of the season.
A RARE DALLAS OPERA DOUBLE BILL:
LA WALLY by Alfredo Catalani
January 30, February 1(m), 4 and 7, 2015
The Climactic Final Act!
First performed in Milan, Italy on January 20, 1892
Text by Luigi Illica after Wilhelmine von Hillern’s story, Die Geyer-Wally
Time: Around the year 1800
Place: The Austrian Alps
Conductor: Anthony Barrese
Stage Director: Candace Evans
Scenic Design: Robert Brill
Costume Design: David C. Woolard
Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Williams* & Melissa Citro* (Wally), Rodrigo Garciarroyo* & Arnold Rawls* (Giuseppe Hagenbach) and Jennifer Chung (Walter)
A Brand-New Dallas Opera Production!
Paired with EVEREST by Joby Talbot
January 30, February 1(m), 4 and 7, 2015
A Dallas Opera World Premiere!
Text by Gene Scheer
Time: Modern Day
Place: In the Death Zone on Mount Everest
Conductor: Nicole Paiement
Stage Director: Leonard Foglia
Scenic Design: Robert Brill
Costume Design: David C. Woolard
Video Design: Elaine J. McCarthy
Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Andrew Bidlack (Rob Hall), Sasha Cooke (Jan Arnold), Kevin Burdette* (Beck Weathers) and Craig Verm* (Doug Hansen).
LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini
March 13, 15(m), 18, 21, 27 and 29(m), 2015
A passionate and timeless masterpiece in a beloved period production
An opera in four acts first performed in Turin, Italy on February 1, 1896
Text by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica after Henry Murger’s novel Scènes de la vie de bohème
Time: mid-19th century
Place: The Latin Quarter of Paris, France
Conductor: Riccardo Frizza*
Stage Director: Peter Kazaras
Scenic Design: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Costume Design: Peter J. Hall
Lighting Design: Thomas C. Hase
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Children’s Chorus Master: Melinda Cotton
Starring: Ana Maria Martinez (Mimi), Bryan Hymel (Rodolfo), Davinia Rodriguez* (Musetta), Jonathan Beyer (Marcello), Alexander Vinogradov* (Colline), Stephen LaBrie (Schaunard) and Stefan Szkafarowsky (Benoit).
One of the Dallas Opera’s Most Popular!
IOLANTA by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
April 10, 12(m), 15 and 18, 2015
A rarely performed Tchaikovsky gem, set in Medieval Provence!
First performed in St. Petersburg, Russia on December 18, 1892
Text by Modest Tchaikovsky based on the Danish play King Rene’s Daughter by Henrik Hertz
Time: The 15th century
Place: Provence, a mountainous region in Southern France
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Stage Director: Christian Räth
Scenic Design: Christian Räth
Costume Design: Susan Cox
Video Design: Elaine J. McCarthy
Lighting Design: Thomas C. Hase
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Ekaterina Scherbachenko* (Iolanta), Sergey Skorokhodov* (Count Vaudémont), Joanna Mongiardo* (Brigitta), Lauren McNeese (Laura), Tamara Mumford* (Marta), Andrei Bondarenko** (Robert, Duke of Burgandy), Mikhail Kolelishvili (Renè, King of Provence), Andrew Bidlack (Alméric), Vladislav Sulimsky** (Ibn-Hakia) and Jordan Bisch (Bertrand).
Another New Dallas Opera Production
* 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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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Contact: Suzanne Calvin (214.443.1014/suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org)
Or Megan Meister (214.443.1071/megan.meister@dallasopera.org)
THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO PRESENT
GIUSEPPE VERDI’S POIGNANT 1853 MASTERPIECE
LA TRAVIATA
LIBRETTO BY FRANCESCO MARIA PIAVE
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STARRING GREEK SOPRANO MYRTÒ PAPATANASIU IN HER AMERICAN DEBUT AS VIOLETTA, AMERICAN TENOR JAMES VALENTI AS ALFREDO, AND FRENCH BARITONE LAURENT NAOURI IN HIS DALLAS OPERA DEBUT AS GIORGIO GERMONT
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CONDUCTED BY MAESTRO MARCO GUIDARINI
STAGED BY DIRECTOR BLISS HEBERT
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OPENING NIGHT: FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012 AT 7:30 PM
WITH ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES
April 15(m), 18, 21, 27, 29(m)
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PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS:
MRS. WILLIAM W. WINSPEAR AND
JOY S. AND RONALD M. MANKOFF
DALLAS, MARCH 7, 2012 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present the third main stage production of the 2011-2012 “Tragic Obsessions” Season: Giuseppe Verdi’s tender and bittersweet romance, LA TRAVIATA, opening Friday, April 13, 2012 at 7:30 PM in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Downtown Dallas. This will be the first time Verdi’s “Fallen Woman” has appeared on the Winspear stage.
This gorgeous production, never before seen in Dallas, is made possible through the generosity of Dallas Opera production underwriters Joy S. and Ronald M. Mankoff and Mrs. William W. Winspear.
Subsequent performances of LA TRAVIATA are scheduled for April 15(m), 18, 21, 27, & 29(M), 2012. Single tickets start at $25. Contact the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or purchase online, 24/7, at dallasopera.org.
Based on the play La dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils (the Younger), this 1853 masterpiece overflows with some of the opera’s most sensuous and beautiful melodies, the most memorable characters, and the most heart-rending drama, making it a popular favorite from that day to this.
The Dallas Opera’s LA TRAVIATA will star Greek Soprano Myrtò Papatanasiu in her American Opera Debut as the French courtesan, Violetta Valery. Seen & Heard International sang the praises of Miss Papatanasiu as Donna Elvira, in which she “sang touchingly of her abandonment, sensitively revealing her all-to-human capacity to be enthralled by Leporello disguised as Don Giovanni.” Miss Papatanasiu’s recent engagements have included Nedda in Pagliacci at Zurich’s Opernhaus, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at the Vienna State Opera, and the title role in Handel’s Alcina with the Stuttgart State Theater in Germany.
Romantically linked with Miss Papatanasiu’s Violetta is tenor James Valenti, who last seduced Dallas Opera audiences in our critically acclaimed 2011 production of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Mr. Valenti will be singing the role of the love-struck Alfredo Germont, a far cry from his last character on our stage. Marilee Vergati of Dallas Examiner applauded Valenti’s callous Duke last season as, “a believable scoundrel as exemplified in the famous song “La donna é mobile.” (Another) brilliant moment during the Dallas Opera’s production is the quartetto di Rigoletto, where a brokenhearted Gilda sees the true nature of the Duke as he attempts to seduce Maddalena.”
Making his Dallas Opera debut is celebrated French baritone Laurent Naouri as Giorgio Germont. Concertonet.com’s Paul Wooley commented on Naouri’s performance of Germont in an earlier production at Santa Fe Opera: “The Violetta-Germont scene showed Naouri at his best. As he dealt with the diminutive Dessay, this Germont didn’t bellow or bluster to get his way, but instead used lush, warm tones to create the aura of a weakened man in utter desperation. His elegant ‘Di Provenza’ was one of the highlights of the night, as Naouri pleaded with his son using careful diminuendi at the end of nearly every phrase.” Mr. Naouri’s recent engagements include the role of Goulaud in Pelleas et Melisande at Madrid’s Teatro Real, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, and the multiple roles of Lindorf/Coppelius/Miracle/Dapertutto in Les contes d’Hoffmann at La Scala in Milan.
“This is a remarkably beautiful production,” explains Dallas Opera Artistic Director Jonathan Pell, “created by the renowned team of designer Allen Charles Klein and director Bliss Hebert, and I have wanted to bring it to Dallas since I first saw Allen’s sketches.
“Furthermore, the singers at the heart of this Verdian masterpiece are among the best in the world. In the title role, we are thrilled to present Myrtò Papatanasiu, who has been compared to another Greek soprano famous for her portrayal of Violetta, Maria Callas, who will forever be intimately linked to the Dallas Opera. As her lover Alfredo, the American tenor James Valenti will bring warmth and a passionate yearning to the role, much as he did when he earned the ‘Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year Award’ for his portrayal of Rodolfo in La bohème. Finally,” adds Mr. Pell, “in the pivotal role of Giorgio Germont, opera lovers will experience the unique artistry of Laurent Naouri, one of France’s foremost singers, in his eagerly anticipated Dallas Opera debut.
“How many reasons do you need to purchase a ticket? However many that is—we have many more.”
American Mezzo-Soprano Amanda Crider will be making her Dallas Opera Debut as Violetta’s closest friend, Flora Bervoix. David Fleshler of the South Florida Classical Review wrote that Miss Crider “brought a rich, deeply expressive voice” to her performances. Earlier this season, Miss Crider made her debut with Opera Omaha in Rossini’s di matrimLa cambiale di matrimonio.
Baritone Timothy Mix will make his Dallas Opera Debut in the role of Baron Douphol. Mr. Mix was the 2008 Richard Tucker Career Grant recipient. He has been described as someone who “…sang and acted…strongly into the plot…interacting fully with the other characters. Aided by a powerful stage presence, he proved more a personage than the title character.” (intermissionmag.com)
Bass Mark McCrory will be singing the role of Marchese D’Obigny. Dallas Opera Resident Young Artist Aaron Blake will return to the Dallas Opera stage as Gastone, Viscomte de Letorières; and Mezzo-Soprano Susan Nicely, who portrayed the Nurse in our critically acclaimed production of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov last season, returns in the role of Annina.
Rounding out the cast is tenor Steven Haal as Giuseppe, Bass Bobby Tinnion as Flora’s servant and Bass Kyle Logan Hancock as the Messenger.
All six performances will be conducted by the Marco Guidarini in his first appearance at the Dallas Opera in more than a decade. He debuted with the company conducting performances of Il barbiere di Siviglia, starring Jennifer Larmore.
This lushly romantic Florida Grand Opera production was designed by Allen Charles Klein and will be staged by Bliss Hebert, The James R. Seitz, Jr., Stage Director in Honor of John Gage.
Mr. Hebert has staged over 200 productions of more than 80 operas with 25 different companies, including the Metropolitan Opera for Les contes d’Hoffmann with Joan Sutherland and Plácido Domingo; Lyric Opera of Chicago for Manon with Renata Scotto; San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera for a new production of Orpheus in the Underworld; the Dallas Opera for a Manuel de Falla triple bill (Master Peter’s Puppet Show, La vida breve, and El amor brujo), L’incoronazione di Poppea, Les contes d’Hoffmann, Lucia di Lammermoor, Werther, Romèo et Juliette, and L’Italiana in Algeri; L’Opera de Montreal for Samson et Dalila, Der Rosenkavalier, Turandot, and Manon Lescaut; Houston Grand Opera for Dialogues of the Carmelites and Turandot; Florida Grand Opera for The Turn of the Screw, Les contes d’Hoffmann, Tosca, Die Walküre, La Voix Humaine, Il tabarro, and La Gioconda; San Diego Opera for Salome, Werther, and Dialogues of the Carmelites, New Orleans Opera for Tristan und Isolde and Lohengrin; and Baltimore Opera for Turandot, Lucia di Lammermoor, Romèo et Juliette, and Norma.
Lighting design will be by Thomas C. Hase, with wig and make-up designs by David Zimmerman.
Chorus preparation will be by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
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Set in 19th-century Paris, where the young heir to a distinguished family name falls passionately in love with a woman of uncertain virtue, LA TRAVIATA is one of the most soulfully romantic works in the opera canon.
Modeled after the too-short life and times of one of Paris’ best-known 19th century beauties, Marie Duplessis (who later went on to have a torrid affair with composer Franz Liszt); this is the story of her sometimes stormy relationship with writer Alexander Dumas the Younger, who immortalized her as “The Lady of the Camellias” after she succumbed to tuberculosis at the tender age of 23. The frenzied sale of her remaining jewels and belongings paid-off her outstanding debts and provided a tidy bequest to her niece in Normandy, who inherited Marie’s ill-gotten gains on the condition that she never set foot in Paris.
In Dumas’ book, which served as the basis for his play, his fictional heroine tells us, “I built a future life on your love; I dreamed of the country, of purity.” In Verdi’s opera, Alfredo (the stand-in for Dumas fils) was raised far from the wicked city-life and, in his naiveté, barely comprehends the choices Marie—now called Violetta—has been forced to make in order to survive. However, composer Giuseppe Verdi, who then lived in his own unconventional arrangement with Giuseppina Strepponi, understood these characters completely and rendered them indelibly upon our hearts.
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EVENTS AND GUEST ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
THE DALLAS OPERA GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES
THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS FOUNDATION,
PRESENTER OF THE 2011-2012 SEASON
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT “MARCH AT THE DALLAS OPERA”
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG AND CHECK THE CALENDAR LISTINGS
For high-resolution, digital photographs suitable for print
To arrange an interview
Or for additional information
Please contact Suzanne Calvin, Manager/Director Media & PR
214.443.1014 or suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
THE DALLAS OPERA WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS GRATITUDE TO OUR EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS:
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Ticket Information for the 2011-2012 Dallas Opera Season
All performances, unless otherwise stated, are in the acoustically acclaimed Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Season subscriptions start at just $76, FLEX subscriptions (three performances) begin at $75. Single tickets start at $25 apiece. For more information, contact the friendly staff at The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org. Principal cast members and events may be subject to change. All ticket sales are final.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2011-2012 SPRING SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Fifth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. With the exception of Tristan & Isolde, evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. Tristan’s evening performances will start at 7:00 p.m. and matinees at 2:00 p.m. Performances of The Lighthouse (new chamber opera series) will take place in the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre located directly across the street from the Winspear in the AT&T Performing Arts Center. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired.
TRISTAN & ISOLDE by Richard Wagner
February 16, 19(m), 22 & 25, 2012
A Special Opera-in-Concert, with projections by Moby-Dick’s Elaine McCarthy!
Ancient Myths, Modern Cine-Magic! And a special curtain time: 7:00 p.m.!
An opera in two acts first performed in Munich, June 10, 1865.
Text by Richard Wagner, based on an ancient Celtic and Icelandic legend.
Time: Legendary
Place: A ship at sea; outside King Marke’s palace, Cornwall; Tristan’s castle at Kareol
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Christian Räth
Video Design: Elaine McCarthy
Lighting Design: Alan Burrett
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Jeanne-Michele Charbonnet (Isolde), Clifton Forbis (Tristan), Mary Phillips (Brangäne), Jukka Rasilainen** (Kurvenal), Kristinn Sigmundsson* (King Marke), Erik Nelson Werner (Melot), and Aaron Blake (A Young Sailor/A Shepherd).
THE LIGHTHOUSE by Peter Maxwell Davies
Inaugural production of the Dallas Opera Chamber Series
Presented in collaboration with the Dallas Theater Center
In the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
March 16, 17 & 18(m), 2012
A chilling supernatural and psychological thriller!
Time: December 1900
Place: Edinburgh Court of Enquiry, Fladda Isle Lighthouse off the Scottish coast
Conductor: Nicole Paiement*
Stage Director: Kevin Moriarty* (opera directorial debut)
Scenic Design: Beowulf Boritt*
Costume Design: Claudia Stephens*
Cast to be announced this autumn.
LA TRAVIATA by Giuseppe Verdi
April 13, 15(m), 18, 21, 27 & 29(m), 2012
Let’s Party Like It’s 1849!
An opera in three acts first performed in Venice at Teatro La Fenice, March 6, 1853
Text by Francesco Maria Piave, based on Alexandre Dumas’ play, La dame aux camélias
Time: 19th century
Place: Paris
Conductor: Marco Guidarini
Stage Director: Bliss Hebert
Production Design: Allen Charles Klein
Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
Choreographer: Rosa Mercedes*
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Myrtò Papatanasiu** (Violetta Valéry), James Valenti (Alfredo Germont), Laurent Naouri* (Giorgio Germont), Amanda Crider* (Flora Bervoix), Timothy Mix* (Baron Douphol), Mark McCrory (Marchese D’Obigny), Ethan Herschenfeld* (Doctor Grenvil), and Susan Nicely (Annina).
THE MAGIC FLUTE by W.A. Mozart
April 20, 22(m), 25, 28, May 4 & 6(m), 2012
Hearts Tested, Tried and True!
An opera in two acts first performed in Vienna, September 30, 1791.
Text by Emanuel Schikaneder.
Time: Legendary
Place: Mythological Egypt
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Production: August Everding
Stage Director: Matthew Lata
Scenic Design: Jörg Zimmermann*
Costume Design: Renate Kalanke*
Lighting Design: Duane Schuler
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Children’s Chorus Master: Melinda Cotten
Starring: Ava Pine (Pamina), Shawn Mathey* (Tamina), Patrick Carfizzi (Papageno), L’ubica Vargicová* (The Queen of the Night), Raymond Aceto (Sarastro), Kevin Langan (The Speaker), David Cangelosi (Monostatos), Angela Mannino* (Papagena), Caitlin Lynch* (First Lady), Lauren McNeese* (Second Lady), Maya Lahyani* (Third Lady), Aaron Blake (First Man in Armour) and Darren K. Stokes* (Second Man in Armour).
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
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The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; TACA; 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. Cartier is the official jeweler and watchmaker of The Dallas Opera. Rosewood Crescent Hotel is the official hotel of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. A special thanks to Mrs. William W. Winspear and the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for their continuing support.
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Many of the most talented stars in the performing arts never set foot on stage, and, as if to make that point, “The Dallas Morning News” Classical Music Critic Scott Cantrell profiles half a dozen people who make a tremendous difference, including several who are rarely identified by the patrons in the aisles.
These would include Dallas Opera Technical Director Drew Field and Wig and Makeup Designer David Zimmerman. Kudos to two of the hardest working guys in the business. You’ll be enjoying the fruits of their labors all season long.
Suzanne Calvin, Assoc. Dir. of Marketing, The Dallas Opera