The Dallas Opera is excited to announce that we are taking our shows on the road!
Details in the press release that follows:
TDO OperaTruck Press Release 04-12-21
Photos by Karen Almond
The Dallas Opera is excited to announce that we are taking our shows on the road!
Details in the press release that follows:
TDO OperaTruck Press Release 04-12-21
Photos by Karen Almond
COVID-19 CONCERNS FORCE POSTPONEMENT OF
THE DALLAS OPERA’S 2020/2021 SEASON UNTIL SPRING 2021
PLEASE READ THE ATTACHED RELEASE
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Contact: suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
THE DALLAS OPERA PROUDLY PRESENTS ITS
63rd INTERNATIONAL SEASON
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“STANDING OVATION”
Celebrating Ten Years in the Margot and Bill
Winspear Opera House, AT&T Performing Arts Center
The Magic Flute (Oct. 18-Nov. 3, 2019)
The Golden Cockerel (Oct. 25-Nov. 2, 2019)
Don Carlo (In Concert, March 20-28, 2020)
Pulcinella & La Voix Humaine (April 3-8, 2020)
The Barber of Seville (April 24-May 10, 2020)
And TDO’s Acclaimed Family Performance Series
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SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
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Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019 AT 8:00 PM
The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
At the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas TX
DALLAS, JANUARY 24, 2019 –The Dallas Opera is proud to announce its spellbinding 2019-2020 Season, “Standing Ovation,” consisting of five mesmerizing mainstage productions, including a Dallas Opera coproduction of a rarely performed work by the composer of “Scheherazade”; a ballet with song—featuring dancers from Dallas Black Dance Theatre, on a double bill with a one-woman drama conceived by French legends Francis Poulenc and Jean Cocteau; in addition to perennial favorites in fresh and glorious productions! Patrons will be pleased to learn that the 63rd Season of The Dallas Opera contains some of the most popular operas ever composed—with exceptional international casts, conductors, directors and designers—working with the critically acclaimed Dallas Opera Orchestra and Dallas Opera Chorus.
In an effort to present each work as written by the composer and librettist, The Dallas Opera will continue to produce each opera in its original language with English supertitles projected above the stage for maximum enjoyment.
2019-2020 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
THE MAGIC FLUTE
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
October 18, 20(m), 23, 26 and November 1 & 3(m), 2019
THE GOLDEN COCKEREL
By Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
October 25, 27(m), 30, and November 2, 2019
DON CARLO
By Giuseppe Verdi
March 20, 22(m), 25 and 28, 2020
A Dallas Opera Double Bill:
PULCINELLA & LA VOIX HUMAINE
PULCINELLA: Ballet with Song by Igor Stravinsky
LA VOIX HUMAINE (The Human Voice):
By Francis Poulenc with a libretto by Jean Cocteau
April 3, 4, 5(m) and 8, 2020
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
By Gioachino Rossini
April 24, 26(m), 29 and May 2, 8 and 10(m), 2020
The company will present renowned conductor Emmanuel Villaume, the Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director, at the podium for three of this season’s operas; as well as the Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement and Italian conductor Riccardo Frizza.
Every mainstage production in 2019-2020 will be presented in the critically acclaimed Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, located at 2403 Flora Street in the heart of the Dallas Arts District.
Season Sponsors are The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family.
Subscription prices for the 2019-2020 Season range from $95 to $939 for all five mainstage operas (not including boxes). Dallas Opera Flex Subscriptions allow patrons to select three or more operas for as little as $19 per performance. Subscription seating goes on sale Monday, April 2, 2019 and seats will be assigned by June 15, 2019.
The benefits of becoming a Dallas Opera subscriber include substantial savings off single ticket prices, priority seating, lost ticket replacement, ticket exchanges and invitations to special events.
Single Tickets, starting at the low price of $19, will go on sale to the public in July. For more information, please contact the friendly staff in The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214-443-1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.
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Notable Company Debuts in the 2019-2020 Season Include:
“The coming season offers a splendid opportunity to both celebrate and recollect our first decade in the Winspear Opera House,” explains Ian Derrer, The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO.
“The thrill of working in the Winspear, as well as the prospect of making music with the likes of Emmanuel Villaume, Nicole Paiement, and guest conductors like Riccardo Frizza, continues to attract artists of the highest caliber. That trend continues with eagerly-anticipated TDO debuts of many of the most exciting singers of our day: Jamie Barton, Pretty Yende, Venera Gimadieva, Paolo Fanale, Leah Crocetto, Markus Werba, Lawrence Brownlee, Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition winner Samantha Hankey, and Robert Watson—to name a few!
“The upcoming season is also marked,” Derrer continues, “by a balanced mix of great opera in several languages, from classic to modern, in both popular and brand-new productions. The Dallas Opera’s ‘Standing Ovation’ Season offers something for everyone.”
Returning International Artists in the 2019-2020 Season:
“There’s much to celebrate in 2019 at The Dallas Opera. In fact, it’s difficult to imagine a more exciting time to be Chair of the Dallas Opera, as the company enters a new era under the visionary leadership of General Director and CEO Ian Derrer,” explains Dallas Opera Board Chairman Mark H. LaRoe.
“This year, we will mark the tenth anniversary of our move into the beautiful Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, a twenty-first century reinterpretation of the grand, traditional ‘horseshoe’ engineered specifically for maximum enjoyment of opera and musical theater. 80,000 people in North Texas experienced The Dallas Opera last year through our critically acclaimed mainstage operas, award-winning education programs, free simulcasts, concerts and other community engagements.
However, there’s still much more to be done to make opera accessible to everyone,” LaRoe adds.
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The Dallas Opera’s 2019-2020 Season begins on a high note with The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance on Friday, October 18, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. (note the special curtain time). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s final operatic masterpiece, The Magic Flute, in a dazzling Sir Peter Hall production designed for Los Angeles Opera by one of the most renowned satirical cartoonists of the 20th century!
Italian tenor Paolo Fanale and American soprano Andrea Carroll make their company debuts as the spirited duo of Tamino and Pamina, braving trial by fire and water in order to be united at last. “Tamino demands a beautiful voice that radiates youthful ardor,” wrote Harper’s Bazaar, “and you’ll hear it from this ‘heart-throb Italian tenor (Paolo Fanale).” Meanwhile, Opera News noted that Miss Carroll is “a favorite of the Vienna State Opera, (lauded for her) vibrant soprano (with its) rich, low register and gleaming top.”
Russian soprano Olga Pudova will account for several of the performance’s high notes as the Queen of the Night. This will be her first appearance in the role in Dallas after conquering the stratospheric heights that make her the Queen of choice on major stages from Edinburgh to Vienna. Another eagerly-anticipated debut is Austrian baritone Markus Werba as the delightfully eccentric Papageno. Bachtrack praised his interpretation as “conveying the character’s good and child-like nature…his singing (was) warm and mellifluous.”
Dallas Opera favorite Morris Robinson, an American bass last seen on the Winspear stage as the Commendatore in our acclaimed 2018 spring production of Don Giovanni, “dominates the stage…with his firm, opulent tone that seems to pour forth from another world” (The Classical Review). He returns in the role of the mysterious Sarastro.
This production, originally directed by the late Sir Peter Hall, was designed by British cartoonist and illustrator extraordinaire, Gerald Scarfe, best known for a half century of scathing political cartoons for The London Sunday Times and for directing and designing the animation sequence for Pink Floyd’s film and concert versions of The Wall. Mr. Scarfe has designed sets and costumes for opera companies from Seattle to New Zealand.
The Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume will conduct The Dallas Opera Orchestra in an eighteenth-century masterpiece that is mixes popular song with show-stopping coloratura and a charming touch of glockenspiel.
Casting the roles of the First, Second, and Third Lady is about choosing complementary voices capable of creating one of the great trios in opera. The First Lady will be sung by American soprano Diana Newman, the Second Lady by American mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey, and the Third Lady by American contralto Hannah Ludwig – all in their TDO debuts.
The villain of the piece, Monastatos, will be portrayed by character tenor Brian Frutiger with soprano Jeni Houser as the charming Papagena and bass David Pittsinger as The Speaker.
This revival will be staged by Kyle Lang in his company debut. As always, chorus preparation is by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
Performances of The Magic Flute continue on October 20(m), 23, 26, and November 1 and 3(m), 2019 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., (except for the opening night performance mentioned above) and the curtain rises on TDO Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. There is no late seating.
The Magic Flute will be performed in its original language, German, with English-language translations projected above the stage at every performance.
Tickets may be purchased by phone (214.443.1000), online (www.dallasopera.org) or at the door. Student Rush Tickets are available 90 minutes prior to curtain – a valid student ID is required for each ticket.
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The second production of The Dallas Opera’s 2019-2020 Season is a brand-new Dallas Opera co-production of an opera that has not appeared on our stage since 1973. The Golden Cockerel by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov opens on Friday, October 25, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. in the Winspear Opera House. Music Director Emmanuel Villaume will conduct this tart-tongued comedy, imaginatively staged by esteemed Scottish director Paul Curran (Becoming Santa Claus).
This opulent Paul Curran production garnered rave reviews when it opened in Santa Fe during the 2017 summer festival. Rimsky-Korsakov’s cautionary tale about lust and power (or the lust for power) captivated both critics and audiences.
Russian soprano Venera Gimadieva will make her company debut as the exotic and oh-so-sultry Queen of Shemakha. Classical Music Critic Scott Cantrell of The Dallas Morning News wrote, “She weaves her spell with showcase vocalism.”
Russian bass Nikolai Didenko (who, according to The New York Sun, “regularly steals the show with his seemingly effortless subterranean voice” will make his Dallas Opera debut as the delusional King Dodon. Russian tenor Viktor Antipenko and American baritone Corey Crider will sing the roles of Dodon’s backstabbing sons, Prince Guidon and Prince Afron.
Bass Kevin Burdette (Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s Everest), described by The New York Times as “the Robin Williams of opera,” is the king’s loyal commander, General Polkan. Contralto Lindsay Ammann sings the role of Amelfa, while English tenor Barry Banks, a favorite of Metropolitan Opera audiences, makes his TDO debut as the Astrologer who seems to know all.
The Golden Cockerel will be conducted by acclaimed Music Director Emmanuel Villaume, praised for the sensitivity of his conducting by Zachary Woolfe of The New York Times. This season, Maestro Villaume was praised for his illuminating conducting of our season opener, The Flying Dutchman, which prompted Gregory Sullivan Isaacs of TheaterJones.com to write, “Emmanuel Villaume was astonishing in the pit. Having observed him for years, there is a steady upward trend from fine conductor to one of the best of our time.” Wayne Lee Gay of Texas Classical Review noted in his analysis of our second production of the current season, Carmen, “Even in the opening phrases of the Overture…Villaume’s command of the nuance and unique musical language of Bizet signaled an outstanding performance in the making.”
Scottish director/choreographer Paul Curran, who made a dazzling 2015 Dallas Opera debut with the world premiere of Mark Adamo’s Becoming Santa Claus, will revive his own production here in Dallas.
Set and costume designs are by internationally acclaimed British designer Gary McCann, whose jaw-dropping designs for The Dallas Opera’s 2015 world premiere of Mark Adamo’s Becoming Santa Claus were the talk of the town. Recent and upcoming projects include designing Der Freischütz and Macbeth for Vienna State Opera; Killology for the Royal Court Theatre; Carmen for Philadelphia Opera; and the sets for My Fair Lady for Teatro San Carlo in Naples.
The acclaimed Dallas Opera Chorus will be ably prepared by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
Sung in Russian with English supertitles projected above the stage, The Golden Cockerel can also be experienced on October 27(m), 30, and November 2, 2019. Dallas Opera evening performances begin promptly at 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
The complete season schedule, artist and production team bios, synopses and more can be found online, anytime, at www.dallasopera.org.
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The third production of The Dallas Opera’s 63rd “Standing Ovation” Season is one of the greatest and most challenging works in the opera canon: Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlo, opening on Friday, March 20, 2020 for the first of four performances in the magnificent Winspear Opera House.
A generation has passed since The Dallas Opera’s sole presentation of Verdi’s titanic tale of clashing Catholics and Protestants. A French princess is forced to marry King Philip II of Spain against her will when her heart belongs to Don Carlo. In the work described by The New York Times as “The Hamlet of Italian opera—a profound and challenging venture for any opera company,” dangerous secrets and dangerous liaisons abound! A terrifying Grand Inquisitor and a duplicitous mistress of the King send tensions sky high in this explosive mix of sex, politics and religion—thrillingly brought to life by Verdi’s masterful score!
This series of concert version performances will be guided from the podium by Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume.
Soprano Leah Crocetto, “a passionate actress with a beautiful, vibrant voice” (Seattle Times) stars as the conflicted Elizabeth de Valois, torn between desire and duty. Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, winner of the BBC’s prestigious Cardiff Singer of the World competition, was praised by Opera Now for giving “a searing account of Eboli’s dramatic conflicts and intense emotions.” American tenor Robert Watson, a frequent guest of Deutsche Oper Berlin, has sung repertoire ranging from Cavaradossi to Lohengrin in U.S. and European opera houses. He will make his Dallas Opera debut singing the title role.
Baritone Mariusz Kwiecień, who sings “with palpable musical and emotional investment” (John von Rhein, The Chicago Tribune), returns to TDO in the role of Rodrigo di Posa. Bass Morris Robinson, who last thrilled local audiences as The Commendatore/Stone Guest in 2018’s Don Giovanni, will apply his “gorgeously rich and sepulchral bass (The Washington Post) to the part of King Philip II—in a role debut.
Other principal singers in the cast include bass Andrea Silvestrelli as the feared Grand Inquisitor, bass David Leigh as a Monk, soprano Ewa Plonka in her house debut as Tebaldo, and soprano Elizabeth Sutphen as A Celestial Voice.
Atmospheric lighting is provided by designer Krista Billings and chorus preparation by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage, Don Carlo will have three additional concert version performances on March 22(m), 25 and 28, 2020.
Tickets are likely to go quickly; renew your Dallas Opera subscription today!
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The fourth production of The Dallas Opera’s 63rd Season is a double bill of two remarkable twentieth-century works: Pulcinella, a ballet with song by Igor Stravinsky (performed in collaboration with Dallas Black Dance Theatre) and La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice) a one-woman tour de force by Francis Poulenc and Jean Cocteau. The Dallas Opera is proud to present a new production of two works never before seen in Dallas!
The character of Pulcinella was introduced in Italy’s commedia dell’arte in 1620; a witty, sometimes foolish, outspoken, “voice of the common man” who conquered geographical and culture boundaries to become a fixture in European entertainment. This neo-classical ballet is based on an eighteenth-century play entitled Four Identical Pulcinellas—and was commissioned by dance impresario Sergei Diaghilev for the famous company he founded in Paris: the Ballets Russes. The original 1920 production also featured sets and costumes by world-renowned Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.
The composer utilized themes from the earlier work, erroneously attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, updating them with modern cadences and harmonies. About the project, Stravinsky wrote: “Pulcinella was my discovery of the past, the epiphany through which the whole of my late work became possible. It was a backward look, of course—the first of many love affairs in that direction—but it was a look in the mirror, too.”
Artists from the world-renowned Dallas Black Dance Theatre will command centerstage, accompanied by a trio of outstanding soloists: mezzo-soprano Lindsey Metzger, tenor Matthew White, and bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba. Director Candace Evans (The Merry Widow, Don Pasquale) returns to The Dallas Opera after recently guiding productions of Daniel Catán’s Florencia en al Amazonas for San Diego Opera, La Tragedie de Carmen for Opera Birmingham, Giulio Cesare for Seagle Music Colony, and The Pearl Fishers for North Carolina Opera.
The ballet is being paired with another work new to Dallas Opera audiences, composer Francis Poulenc’s setting of a raw and riveting drama by French playwright/filmmaker Jean Cocteau, La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice). Starring the remarkable Patricia Racette as a woman on the brink in this, her TDO directorial debut, The Human Voice is a one-woman tour de force in which the audience listens in to one side of a final phone conversation between Elle and the callous ex-lover who has abandoned her for another. The Chicago Tribune raved, “Racette raises the emotional ante…she is mesmerizing from first to last, drawing into her character’s increasing distress…as her life unravels.”
This double bill marks the return of the Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement, who last conducted the U.S. premiere of Dutch composer Michel van der Aa’s Sunken Garden in 2018.
Other recent career highlights include Handel’s Xerxes at the Glimmerglass Festival, Kevin Puts’ Silent Night for Atlanta Opera, a reprise of Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s Everest (which she conducted in the 2015 Dallas Opera world premiere) and numerous premieres and commissions for the San Francisco company she co-founded, Opera Parallèle. Upcoming engagements include Donizetti’s La favorite for Houston Grand Opera and Mason Bates The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs at Seattle Opera. In March, Maestra Paiement will conduct the world premiere of a new American chamber opera, Today It Rains, inspired by an event in the life of twentieth-century visual artist Georgia O’Keeffe.
This new Dallas Opera production will feature sets and costumes designed by Tommy Bourgeois with lighting design by Krista Billings.
Pulcinella & La Voix Humaine will be presented at the Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center on April 3, 4, 5(m) and 8, 2020. As always, sung in their original languages: Pulcinella in Italian and La Voix Humaine in French with English language supertitles.
Season subscriptions will go on sale to the public on April 2, 2019. Current season subscribers may renew at any time by contacting the friendly professionals in The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office, at 214.443.1000.
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The final production of the 63rd International Season is a comedy that transcended styles, cultures and languages to become an all-time favorite: Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, opening Friday, April 24, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House.
Disguises and false identities abound as men—young and old—vie for the hand of the beautiful Rosina in one of the funniest and most frenetic operas ever composed! Rossini’s delightful 19th century comedy centers on “Figaro, Figaro, Figaro!” a scheming barber and jack-of-all-trades, sung by Grammy Award-winning baritone Lucas Meachem, described by San Francisco Classical Voice as a scene-stealer “who draws all eyes…with his charismatic Figaro.”
Figaro plots with Count Almaviva (sung in their TDO debuts by Spanish tenor Xabier Anduaga in the first two performances, and by tenor Lawrence Brownlee, “a super nova in the grand opera firmament” in all subsequent performances) to release Bartolo’s headstrong ward, Rosina, from her gilded cage. South African soprano Pretty Yende, who displays “a voice that has a lilting, silvery quality that is both bright and delicate,” portrays the willful Rosina in her company debut. Italian baritone Renato Girolami blusters as the easily duped Doctor Bartolo.
American bass Adam Lau will delight audiences as the music master, Don Basilio, and soprano Margaret Gawrysiak portrays Berta, the governess.
Conducted by Italian Maestro Riccardo Frizza, who will guide our spring performances of Verdi’s Falstaff, this Minnesota Opera production will be staged by director Christopher Mattaliano in his company debut. The sets were designed by Allen Moyer, costumes by the late Jamie Scott, and chorus preparation by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage, this uproarious production will captivate patrons in additional performances on April 26(m), 29, May 2, 8 & 10(m), 2020.
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Evening performances during the 2019-2020 Season will begin at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise stated (including the 8:00 p.m. curtain for the Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance). All Sunday matinees are slated to begin at 2:00 p.m.
The “Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talks,” a free background lecture designed to enhance your enjoyment of the opera being performed, takes place in Nancy B. Hamon Hall located just off the Winspear Opera House lobby, one hour prior to each performance, except for Opening Night of the Season.
Dallas Opera performs mainstage works in their original languages. Easy-to-read English translations are projected above the stage during every Dallas Opera performance—even those sung in English—and special headsets are available for the hearing impaired.
No late seating is permitted at Dallas Opera performances once the house doors are closed. Latecomers will be seated at the first available opportunity (usually, intermission).
Flex subscriptions for three mainstage performances of your choice begin at $24 for the 2019-2020 Season. Full Subscriptions begin at $100 for all five productions. New subscriptions will become available on April 2, 2019.
Single Tickets for next season will start at $19 and are expected to go on sale in early July. Group rates are available. Student Rush Tickets are available 90 minutes prior to curtain. With a valid Student ID you can obtain “the best available seat” for as little as $15.
For additional information about the “Standing Ovation” Season, call The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214-443-1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.
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Put aside those computers, tablets, and smart phones—and grab the kiddos—in order to take advantage of budget-minded, kid-friendly performances offered by The Dallas Opera in the 2019-2020 Season!
In addition to presenting world-class opera, and to providing support for outstanding young artists, established stars, and up-and-coming female conductors; The Dallas Opera is also committed to introducing the joys of opera to as many people as possible, and to provide budget-minded, kid-friendly performances that can be enjoyed by North Texans of every age, background and educational level.
The always popular Dallas Opera Family Performance Series is generously supported by the Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund.
TDO Family Performances are a part of the Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs.
Five dollar single tickets will be available through The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or 24/7 at dallasopera.org/family.
2019-2020 FAMILY PERFORMANCE SERIES
DOCTOR MIRACLE
By Georges Bizet
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Georges Bizet’s romantic, one-act operetta about love and omelets was composed for a music competition when the composer (world-renowned for his operas Carmen and The Pearl Fishers) was just eighteen years old. A youthful vitality permeates this story set in 19th century Padua, Italy, in the home of the Mayor, his wife Veronica, and his love-struck daughter, Laurette. She’s enamored of the ever-resourceful Silvio, an army captain, who dons one disguise after another to infiltrate the household, in order to win the hand of the girl he adores. Sound simple? Guess again! The classic storybook set and costumes were designed by Production Designer Tommy Bourgeois.
THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS
By John Davies
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Saturday, April 4, 2020
An operatic version of a Brothers Grimm classic fairytale: “The Town Musicians of Bremen,” enhanced with music by Rossini, Donizetti, Offenbach, Arthur Sullivan and Verdi.
Eddie Pensier, a rooster with operatic aspirations, is chased away from his farm for waking the barnyard with tenor arias. On the very same day, Barcarolle, the dog, and Dorabella, the cat, are cast out by their owner for being too old to catch rabbits and mice. The three animals run into the woods near the road to Bremen where General Boom, a retired army donkey, is marching along playing his drum. He’s on his way to Bremen to begin a new band. As each of the runaways cross the General’s path, he invites them to join his band. They have plans of their own, however, and decline the invitation. The woods surrounding the Bremen Road are filled with uncertainty. Eddie, Dorabella and Barcarolle become lost and argue angrily until General Boom hears their shouting and rescues them. With rumors of robbers approaching, they accept the General’s suggestion to overlook their differences, join his band and march to Bremen. Working together as a team they overcome difficult circumstances further down the road, and as they approach their new home, the newly formed Bremen Town Musicians celebrate the idea that friendship, cooperation, and respect for others is far better than facing problems alone.
$5 performances in the Winspear Opera House. Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door. Learn more online at www.dallasopera.org/family.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT!
THE 5th HART INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN CONDUCTORS SHOWCASE
NOVEMBER 9, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.
THE MARGOT AND BILL WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE
AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Six of the world’s most promising conductors—all of them women—take the podium to conduct a concert of opera favorites featuring some of the nation’s top young singers performing with The Dallas Opera Orchestra. Hundreds of conductors from countries around the globe have competed for the handful of places available in this young-but-prestigious institute. Six are chosen each year to participate in the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors, an intensive, two-week residency—and an opportunity to work with some of the music industry’s most renowned leaders, artists, conductors, and agents.
Tickets for this exceptional annual concert event start at just $10. Season ticket holders and donors receive priority seating—place your order when you subscribe! Call 214.443.1000.
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ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.
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2018-2019 SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
IS AVAILABLE ONLINE 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. Flex Subscriptions are on sale now; single tickets range from $19 to $289 (excluding boxes). 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: SPRING
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.
MANON LESCAUT by Giacomo Puccini
Semi-Staged Concert, March 1, 3 (m), 6, 9, 2019
Featuring images of select art works from the collections of The Dallas Museum of Art!
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
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 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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If your interest is in Puccini’s “Turandot” or Argento’s “The Aspern Papers,” your chance for single tickets is just over a week away. But you might want to give some thought to a terrific two-pack for less than fifty dollars, especially with two more performances of AIDA this coming weekend. Read on…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, November 5, 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 PLEASED TO OFFER
SINGLE TICKETS
FOR PUCCINI’S PASSIONATE PUZZLE
TURANDOT
AND
ARGENTO’S RIVETING MYSTERY
THE ASPERN PAPERS
Presented by Texas Instruments Foundation
~~~~
Season Subscriptions are on Sale Now! Starting at Just $75!
Single Tickets for Spring Productions as low as $19!
On Sale November 14, 2012
DALLAS, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 – The Dallas Opera is happy to announce that single tickets for Giacomo Puccini’s final masterpiece, TURANDOT, as well as a new production of the company’s first world premiere commemorating the 25th anniversary of Dominick Argento’s THE ASPERN PAPERS will go on sale Wednesday, November 14, 2012 beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Single tickets, starting at a new low price of $19, may be purchased at your convenience online, 24/7, at dallasopera.org or by contacting the friendly staff at the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000.
Single tickets are now available for all scheduled 2012-2013 TDO Family Performances at $5 apiece, including:
• TDO Family Concert on Saturday, February 2, 2013 with the Dallas Opera Orchestra and guest performers, directed by Maestro Anthony Barrese. Free family friendly activities start at noon, the performance will be at 2:00 p.m.
• Georges Bizet’s Doctor Miracle in two performances with full orchestra on Saturday, November 10th followed by two additional performances on Saturday, April 27, 2013 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (with lots of hands-on lobby activities in-between!)
• And a brand-new adventure: TDOpage2stage which consists of fun, free activities (starting at noon) and a free Kids Book Club presented in the Winspear lobby at 12:30 p.m. followed by a performance of John Davies’ Jack and the Beanstalk at 2:00 p.m. (Saturday, January 26, 2013) in artistic collaboration with Dallas Children’s Theater.
Season subscriptions for our mainstage productions begin at the low, low price of $75. The trio of mainstage productions for the 2012-2013 “Pursuits of Passion” Season presented by Texas Instruments Foundation consists of:
• AÏDA by Giuseppe Verdi, with Latonia Moore in the title role
(with remaining performances on Nov. 9 & 11m, 2012)
• TURANDOT by Giacomo Puccini, with Lise Lindstrom making her Dallas Opera debut in the title role
(April 5, 7m, 10, 13, 19 & 21, 2013)
• THE ASPERN PAPERS by Dominick Argento, with Susan Graham in her Dallas Opera debut as Tina. Supported by additional funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and Opera America.
(April 12, 14m, 17, 20 & 28m, 2012)
Two–pack season subscriptions for our mainstage productions begin at the low, low price of $44. Take your pick of any two mainstage productions for the 2012-2013 “Pursuits of Passion” Season presented by Texas Instruments Foundation.
“During this ‘Pursuits of Passion’ Season,” explains Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, “we will build on the extraordinary success of last season’s unbroken string of artistic triumphs (from Lucia di Lammermoor to The Lighthouse to Tristan & Isolde) to the unparalleled community interest in the first simulcast ever conducted in Cowboys Stadium. The Dallas Opera had well over thirty thousand ticket requests and, ultimately, around 15,000 trekked to the home of the Dallas Cowboys to experience a magical night of Mozart with a multi-generational crowd that spanned all ages, income and educational levels, and ethnic groups.”
Added Mr. Cerny: “It was powerful testimony to grassroots interest in the performing arts in North Texas. For me, it was opera at its most inspiring. I’d like to see that momentum continue to build throughout this new season.”
Attention-grabbing Dallas Opera debuts this season include:
• Orlin Anastassov, the offspring of two opera singers, this accomplished Bulgarian bass has been dazzling audiences since the age of 19 (He made his La Scala and Covent Garden debuts before his mid-20s). After singing the role of the high priest, Ramfis, in Dallas he will reprise the role next year at La Scala. Opera Britannia took note of his “handsome and firm basso cantabile tone” and energetic stage presence.
• Sasha Cooke, an American mezzo-soprano who caused a sensation as Kitty Oppenheimer in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of John Adams’ Doctor Atomic, winner of the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. The New Yorker praised her “luminous tone…verbal nuance…and flair for seduction.” She makes her TDO debut as Sonia, a young aspiring singer in Argento’s The Aspern Papers.
• Susan Graham, the “peerless American mezzo” (New York Observer) and one of the world’s most acclaimed singers will make her eagerly awaited Dallas Opera debut as Tina in our new 25th anniversary production of The Aspern Papers. “Sounding and looking fabulous,” writes the Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco), “Graham sings with such surety, tonal allure, and technical panache as to make you wonder if she is the same singer who reigns supreme in slow, sensual French repertoire.”
• Joseph Kaiser, an American tenor who starred in the Kenneth Branagh’s film adaptation of The Magic Flute (2007), will make his TDO debut as the composer, Aspern, in The Aspern Papers. Joshua Kosman of The San Francisco Chronicle wrote: “Here is a singer of unnerving ability, blessed with a muscular but flexible sound, plenty of tonal color and technical proficiency—not to mention a full helping of charismatic good looks.”
• Nadia Krasteva, a native of Sofia, Bulgaria, now on the artistic roster of Vienna State Opera and in demand from Moscow to Chicago, will make her TDO debut as Amneris in our season opener, Aïda. Operagoers can’t get enough of this “pure stage animal” (Opera Today) “sexy, beguiling, fiercely independent” (Splash) with “a warm rich mezzo” (ArkivMusic).
• Lise Lindstrom, an American soprano “who made a notable splash in the opera world (debuts at La Scala and the Met) with her portrayals of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot” (Opera Today) will bring the princess to life in her Dallas Opera debut. “The elegant Lise Lindstrom is an imposing presence as the title character and commands our attention…capable of delicate shadings and unmitigated power” (Kansas City Star).
• Christian Van Horn, an American who performs regularly in many of the world’s great venues, has been praised for his “sonorous, rock-solid bass baritone” (John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune) as well as his “beautiful dark timbre” (Le Temps). His portrayal of Timur in Turandot will mark his TDO debut.
Among the notable artists returning to the Dallas Opera stage this year are:
• Alexandra Deshorties, a Canadian-born French soprano who made her TDO debut as Desdemona in the opera that opened the Winspear Opera House in October of 2009: Verdi’s Otello. Now she returns as Juliana Bordereau—a secretive opera singer—in the 25th anniversary production of The Aspern Papers. A phenomenal actress, during Ms. Deshorties’ “riveting…fearless” performances as Medea at last year’s Glimmerglass Festival, “she had the audience hanging on every word” (CNY Café Momus).
• Nathan Gunn, considered one of the most exciting baritones onstage today, has charmed TDO audiences as Malatesta and Guglielmo but returns in the much darker role of The Lodger in Argento’s The Aspern Papers. Most recently he triumphed in the Met’s revival of Billy Budd, earning Anthony Tommasini’s praise for his “robust, penetrating and warm (sound; Nathan Gunn is) a born actor, he sings as if speaking the words.”
• Hei-Kyung Hong, a Korean-American lyric soprano who has enchanted audiences in sympathetic roles, including Lìu in Turandot, brings her “fresh and radiant (singing) distinguished by beautiful phrasing and refined pianissimos” (The New York Times) to our upcoming production of Puccini’s final masterpiece.
• Lester Lynch, an African-American artist with a commanding stage presence and a “resounding baritone with…deep, resonant overtones and a hearty vibrato that bounces around the corners of a theater like a ball in a pinball machine” (musicalcriticism.com), makes a welcome return to TDO as the Ethiopian King, Amonasro, in our season opening production, Aïda.
• Latonia Moore, a Houston-born African-American soprano who recently triumphed at the Metropolitan Opera in her debut in the title role of Aïda, returns to Dallas in the same role this fall. She sang a memorable Micaela in our 2004 Carmen and won that season’s Maria Callas Award as the “debut artist of the year.” Of her Covent Garden debut, Hugh Canning wrote: “Moore’s creamy, lyric soprano could take her to the top of her profession.”
• Antonello Palombi, an Italian tenor who made an indelible impression as Canio in the Dallas Opera’s acclaimed 2005 production of Pagliacci, returns in two leading roles this season: Radames in Aïda and next spring as Calaf in Turandot. Several seasons ago, he was the talk of the opera world after stepping into the role of Radames in mid-performance at La Scala when Roberto Alagna walked-off. Frankfurter Neue Presse calls his tenor “firm (and) breathtaking.”
• Dean Peterson is a multifaceted American bass-baritone who will appear this season as Fafner in Siegfried at La Scala but will also portray the womanizing impresario, Barelli, in TDO’s The Aspern Papers. Possessing a voice and stage persona of “splendid gravity” (BravaDiva.com), Peterson’s chameleon-like ability to inhabit a wide variety of roles has fueled demand for his talents in opera houses around the world.
~~~~
The benefits of becoming a Dallas Opera subscriber are even more attractive this season. In addition to priority seating, lost ticket replacement, invitations to special events and a no-interest installment payment plan, the company has added these great incentives for 2012-2013:
• The first 800 subscribers received FREE seats to Cabaret@TDO, this season featuring the incredibly appealing American baritone, Rod Gilfry (Billy Budd, South Pacific). This one-night-only performance will be held in the acoustically acclaimed Winspear Opera House on November 8, 2012. SOLD OUT!
• Subscribers are eligible for a 20% discount on all additional single tickets purchased.
• A free Family four-pack to attend any of our TDO Family Series performances in the Winspear Opera House.
• TDO’s Bring-a-Friend Program allows season ticket holders to bring a friend for free to select TDO performances. Quantities are limited for each performance.
• And last, but not least, priority access to TDO’s educational and social events for one entire year. These include the Conversations with Keith; the TDO Experience Series; “Baritones and Beachballs” summer discussions, movie screenings and more; and TDO’s Composing Conversations with the most fascinating creative minds at work in opera today.
ABOUT TURANDOT:
The pursuit of passion leads a barbarian prince to Beijing, China, where he is reunited with his long-lost father and a faithful servant before taking on his greatest challenge-answering three riddles to win the hand of Princess Turandot, although failure will cost him his life! This intriguing “Battle of the Sexes” also revolves around questions of family loyalty, faithfulness to duty, openness to emotion, and honesty to oneself.
The ensemble cast is led by acclaimed soprano Lise Lindstrom in her Dallas Opera debut and tenor Antonello Palombi who took us by storm in our opening opera of the season Aïda. Puccini’s magnificent, marvelous, and extremely powerful drama proves love conquers all!
At the head of a spectacular cast, American soprano Lise Lindstrom in her Dallas Opera debut as Turandot, Italian tenor Antonello Palombi as Calaf, Korean-American soprano Hei-Kyung Hong as Liu, American bass-baritone Christian Van Horn in his Dallas Opera debut as Timur, American baritone Jonathan Beyer as Ping, Taiwanese-American tenor Joseph Hu as Pang, and American tenor Daniel Montenegro as Pong.
Conducted by Maestro Marco Zambelli (Romeo & Juliette) and staged by renowned director Garnett Bruce. Sung in Italian with English language supertitles on April 5, 7m, 10, 13, 19 & 21m, 2013.
Opera contains: Execution, torture, onstage suicide, adult themes
TDO rating: PG-13
ABOUT THE ASPERN PAPERS:
A stranger appears at a once-grand home on Lake Como, seeking a room to rent. Although suspicious of his motives, a long-retired opera star and her niece agree to take the man in. The lodger, obsessed with a composer who died suddenly and tragically, is convinced his final masterpiece is somewhere in this home belonging to this retired opera star. A game of cat-and-mouse ensues over possession of the Aspern Papers.
A star-studded cast has been ensemble including mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Tina in her long-anticipated Dallas Opera debut, with soprano Alexandra Deshorties as a famous diva, and baritone Nathan Gunn as an obsessed music lover.
Conducted by Dallas Opera Music Director Graeme Jenkins and staged by celebrated director Tim Albery. Sung in English with English language supertitles on April 12, 14m, 17, 20, & 28m, 2013.
Opera contains: adult themes
TDO Rating: PG-13
Single tickets for the 2012-2013 Season are subject to dynamic pricing (the earlier they are purchased and the less-in-demand, the lower the price). Subscriptions are on sale now, starting at just $75 to $1,015. Inner Circle seating may be priced higher.
EVENTS AND GUESTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
~~~~
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT “NOVEMBER AT THE DALLAS OPERA”
IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG AND CHECK THE CALENDAR LISTINGS
OR DALLASOPERA.ORG/SUMMER
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’s 2012-2013 “Pursuits of Passion Season”
Is Presented by Texas Instruments Foundation
THE DALLAS OPERA WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS GRATITUDE TO OUR EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS:
AMERICAN AIRLINES – OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
LEXUS – OFFICIAL VEHICLE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
Ticket Information for the 2012-2013 Dallas Opera Season
All performances are in the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Subscriptions start at just $75 and are on sale now. Single tickets start at a new low price of just $19. For more information, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2012-2013 SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Sixth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired.
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi
REMAINING PERFORMANCES: November 9, 11(m), 2012
Verdi’s Complex and Intimate Love Story Set in Spectacular Ancient Egypt!
An opera in four acts first performed at Khedivial Opera House, Cairo on December 24, 1871.
Text by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette.
Time: Old Kingdom
Place: Egypt
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Garnett Bruce
Costume Design: Peter J. Hall
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Latonia Moore (Aïda), Antonello Palombi (Radames), Nadia Krasteva* (Amneris), Lester Lynch (Amonasro), Orlin Anastassov* (Ramfis), Ben Wager (The King of Egypt), Jonathan Yarrington* (Messenger), and NaGuanda Nobles* (Priestess).
TURANDOT by Giacomo Puccini
April 5, 7(m), 10, 13, 19 & 21(m), 2013
Puccini’s Last Masterpiece—Riddled with Passionate Romance and Unforgettable Music!
An opera in three acts first performed in Milan at La Scala, April 25, 1926
Text by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni, based on Carlo Gozzi’s fable, Turandot.
Time: Legendary times
Place: Peking, China
Conductor: Marco Zambelli
Stage Director: Garnett Bruce
Production Design: Allen Charles Klein
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Lise Lindstrom* (Princess Turandot), Antonello Palombi (Calaf), Hei-Kyung Hong (Liu), Christian Van Horn* (Timur), Jonathan Beyer (Ping), Joseph Hu (Pang), Daniel Montenegro* (Pong), Ryan Kuster* (A Mandarin), Steven Haal (Emperor Altoum).
THE ASPERN PAPERS by Dominick Argento
April 12, 14(m), 17, 20, 28(m), 2013
The Games People Play—Both Young and Old—To Achieve Their Twisted Desires!
An opera in two acts first performed in Dallas, November 19, 1988.
Text by Dominick Argento, based on a Henry James novella.
Time: Legendary
Place: Lake Como, Italy
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Tim Albery
Scenic Design: Andrew Lieberman*
Costume Design: Constance Hoffman*
Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Assistant Director: Michael Mori
Starring: Susan Graham* (Tina), Nathan Gunn (The Lodger), Joseph Kaiser* (Aspern), Dean Peterson (Barelli), Sasha Cooke* (Sonia), Eric Jordan* (A painter), Jennifer Youngs* (Olimpia).
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
______________________________________________________________________________________
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. 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.
###
No turkeys here-just great music and good fun! See all the reasons to make the Dallas Opera a bigger part of your family life this November. Keep scrolling…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Megan Meister 214.443.1071
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org megan.meister@dallasopera.org
NOVEMBER BRINGS THE FAMILY TOGETHER
AT THE DALLAS OPERA!
~~~~
FINAL PERFORMANCES OF VERDI’S AÏDA
WILL ALSO TAKE CENTERSTAGE
DALLAS, OCTOBER 2, 2012 – The Dallas Opera is wild about families during the month of November. Join us on Sunday, November 4, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. for TDO’s Family Concert featuring mezzo-soprano Amanda Crider, baritone David Pershall, Maestro Christian Capocaccio and the Dallas Opera Orchestra in the splendid Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at AT&T Performing Arts Center.
Tickets are on sale now at the ridiculously low price of $5 apiece! FREE lobby activities will begin at 12:30 p.m. and everyone is cordially invited to take part. Following lots of hands-on fun, you and your family members will take your seats for a delightful concert of some of opera’s greatest hits—a matinee filled with arias and overtures you’re sure to know and love!
Saturday, November 10, 2012 brings us back to the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at AT&T Performing Arts Center for the oh-so-charming, family-friendly opera DOCTOR MIRACLE. There will be two performances of this zany, gently romantic, one-act operetta about love and omelettes at 10:30 a.m. and at 2:00 p.m. with lobby activities between performances at 12:30 p.m. Contact the Dallas Opera at 214.443.1000 or purchase online at dallasopera.org. $5 tickets will also be available at the door prior to each performance.
Come November, there will be just three performances remaining of Verdi’s brilliant and beloved AÏDA: Saturday, November 3rd at 7:30 p.m., Friday, November 9th at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 11th at 2:00 p.m. You won’t want to miss this opera with Texas-born soprano Latonia Moore singing the title role, fresh from her acclaimed Metropolitan Opera debut earlier this year. As Dallas Opera Artistic Director Jonathan Pell has said “patrons will have a chance to fall in love with AÏDA like never before.”
Subscriptions for the mainstage productions of the Dallas Opera’s “Pursuits of Passion” Season are on sale now, starting at just $75, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org. Single tickets begin at a new low price of $19. 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 Dallas Opera performance.
November Calendar of Events
1.) Thursday, November 1, 2012
“A Toast to Graeme Jenkins” The Women’s Board of the Dallas Opera invites you to celebrate 20 years of leadership from Maestro Graeme Jenkins, the Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director, beginning his farewell season with The Dallas Opera. Wine and hors d’oeuvres, Business Attire
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Hamon Hall, Winspear Opera House
2403 Flora Street
Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: $75 per person, RSVP: 214.443.1049
2.) Saturday, November 3, 2012
JACK & THE BEANSTALK at Timberglen Branch Dallas Public Library
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Timberglen Branch Library
18505 Midway Road
Dallas, TX 75287
Cost: Free, open to the public, dallasopera.org/RSVP to receive an event reminder
3.) Saturday, November 3, 2012
“A?DA: Saturday Night Performance”
The pursuit of passion leads to divided loyalties in the ancient capital of Memphis, where Aïda, an Ethiopian princess enslaved by conquering Egyptians, struggles to reconcile her love of country with her searing desire for the heroic captain, Radames. Complicating matters, the Egyptian princess Amneris carries a fiery torch for the same military commander, whose love for the alluring “slave girl” (sung by the acclaimed Latonia Moore) could cost him his honor — or his life! An international ensemble cast will breathe new life into Verdi’s enormously popular drama. Call for tickets now!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Winspear Opera House
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets
4.) Sunday, November 4, 2012
“Family Concert with Mezzo-Soprano Amanda Crider, Baritone David Pershall, Maestro Christian Capocaccio and the Dallas Opera Orchestra”
A parade of opera’s greatest hits. From Mozart to Puccini and Bizet to TDO favorite Jake Heggie, we’ll have something for opera fans of all ages including fun family friendly activities prior to the performance that will be free and open to the public.
Time: 12:30 PM Lobby Activities
2:00 PM Performance Begins
Location: Winspear Opera House
2403 Flora Street
Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: $5 Performance. Lobby activities Free, open to the public
Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets
5.) Wednesday, November 7, 2012
“Brownbags@theopera” Join us in Sammons Park at the AT&T Performing Arts Center for a free noontime recital featuring Hannah Rigg, a rising star of the opera world, performing a variety of musical selections. This enjoyable program is being brought to you by CultureMap Dallas. Bring lunch or purchase from one of the many area food trucks; tables and chairs provided.
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Sammons Park
2403 Flora Street
Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: FREE
6.) Thursday, November 8, 2012
Cabaret@TDO featuring Rod Gilfry
A thank-you concert for all full (3-performance) Dallas Opera Season Subscribers, “Cabaret@TDO featuring Rod Gilfry” will feature a Dallas Opera favorite Gilfry performing in the intimacy of the Winspear Opera House.
COST: FREE, for full (3-performance) season subscribers only.
SEATING IS LIMITED, Subscribers may reserve their tickets at dallasopera.org/mytdo or call 214.443.1000.
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Winspear Opera House
2403 Flora Street
Dallas, TX 75201
7.) Friday, November 9, 2012
“A?DA: Friday Night Performance”
The pursuit of passion leads to divided loyalties in the ancient capital of Memphis, where Aïda, an Ethiopian princess enslaved by conquering Egyptians, struggles to reconcile her love of country with her searing desire for the heroic captain, Radames. Complicating matters, the Egyptian princess Amneris carries a fiery torch for the same military commander, whose love for the alluring “slave girl” (sung by the acclaimed Latonia Moore) could cost him his honor — or his life! An international ensemble cast will breathe new life into Verdi’s enormously popular drama. Call for tickets now!
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Winspear Opera House
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets
8.) Saturday, November 10, 2012
“DOCTOR MIRACLE” $5 Family Matinee
Dallas Opera presents DOCTOR MIRACLE by Georges Bizet Sung in English. Part of our family friendly programming this 1-act comedic opera is presented in partnership with the SMU & UNT Vocal Department.
Time: 10:30am Performance I
12:30pm Lobby activities
2:00pm Performance II
Cost: $5
Location: Winspear Opera House
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets
9.) Saturday, November 10, 2012
“Inside the Dallas Opera” our monthly program that takes you, the listener, backstage and behind-the-scenes for a look at timely issues and upcoming productions, hosted by Suzanne Calvin.
Time: TBD (after the Saturday afternoon opera)
Listen: WRR 101.1 FM
10.) Saturday, November 10, 2012
“Music & Masterpieces”
This ambitious experimental partnership combining great music and the visual arts will be launched on Saturday, November 10th at 2:00 p.m. at the DMA’s Horchow Auditorium with a special program devoted to the exhibition Posters of Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec and His Contemporaries. French-Canadian soprano Nathalie Paulin will perform in a recital accompanied by Michael Heaston, Head of the Music Staff at TDO.
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Dallas Museum of Art
1717 North Harwood
Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: FREE with RSVP dallasopera.org/RSVP
11.) Sunday, November 11, 2012
“A?DA: Sunday Matinee II”
The pursuit of passion leads to divided loyalties in the ancient capital of Memphis, where Aïda, an Ethiopian princess enslaved by conquering Egyptians, struggles to reconcile her love of country with her searing desire for the heroic captain, Radames. Complicating matters, the Egyptian princess Amneris carries a fiery torch for the same military commander, whose love for the alluring “slave girl” (sung by the acclaimed Latonia Moore) could cost him his honor — or his life! An international ensemble cast will breathe new life into Verdi’s enormously popular drama. Call for tickets now!
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Winspear Opera House
2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Single tickets start at $19 online. Subscriptions start at $75 for all three productions. Call 214.443.1000 or visit us online at dallasopera.org/tickets
12.) Wednesday, November 14, 2012
SINGLE TICKETS GO ON SALE
TURANDOT & THE ASPERN PAPERS single tickets will be priced, starting at $19, and may be purchased conveniently online, 24/7, at dallasopera.org or by contacting the friendly staff at the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000.
EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
~~~~
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT “OCTOBER 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’s 2012-2013 “Pursuits of Passion Season”
Is Presented by Texas Instruments Foundation
THE DALLAS OPERA WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS GRATITUDE TO OUR EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS:
AMERICAN AIRLINES – OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
LEXUS – OFFICIAL VEHICLE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
Ticket Information for the 2012-2013 Dallas Opera Season
All performances are in the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Subscriptions start at just $75 and are on sale now. Single Tickets for AÏDA and family performances go on sale September 10th. For more information, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2012-2013 SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Sixth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired.
AÏDA by Giuseppe Verdi
October 26 –The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance
Starring Latonia Moore, The Charron and Peter Denker Rising Star for 2012!
October 28(m), 31, November 3, 9, 11(m), 2012
Verdi’s Complex and Intimate Love Story Set in Spectacular Ancient Egypt!
An opera in four acts first performed at Khedivial Opera House, Cairo on December 24, 1871.
Text by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette.
Time: Old Kingdom
Place: Egypt
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Garnett Bruce
Costume Design: Peter J. Hall
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Latonia Moore (Aida), Antonello Palombi (Radames), Nadia Krasteva* (Amneris), Lester Lynch (Amonasro), Orlin Anastassov* (Ramfis), Ben Wager (The King of Egypt), Jonathan Yarrington* (Messenger), and NaGuanda Nobles* (Priestess).
TURANDOT by Giacomo Puccini
April 5, 7(m), 10, 13, 19 & 21(m), 2013
Puccini’s Last Masterpiece—Riddled with Passionate Romance and Unforgettable Music!
An opera in three acts first performed in Milan at La Scala, April 25, 1926
Text by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni, based on Carlo Gozzi’s fable, Turandot.
Time: Legendary times
Place: Peking, China
Conductor: Marco Zambelli
Stage Director: Garnett Bruce
Production Design: Allen Charles Klein
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Lise Lindstrom* (Princess Turandot), Antonello Palombi (Calaf), Hei-Kyung Hong (Liu), Christian Van Horn* (Timur), Jonathan Beyer (Ping), Joseph Hu (Pang), Daniel Montenegrio* (Pong), Ryan Kuster* (A Mandarin), Steven Haal (Emperor Altoum).
THE ASPERN PAPERS by Dominick Argento
April 12, 14(m), 17, 20, 28(m), 2013
The Games People Play—Both Young and Old—To Achieve Their Twisted Desires!
An opera in two acts first performed in Dallas, November 19, 1988.
Text by Dominick Argento, based on a Henry James novella.
Time: Legendary
Place: Lake Como, Italy
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Tim Albery
Scenic Design: Andrew Lieberman*
Costume Design: Constance Hoffman*
Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Assistant Director: Michael Mori
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Susan Graham* (Tina), Alexandra Deshorties (Julianna Bordereau), Nathan Gunn (The Lodger), Joseph Kaiser* (Aspern), Dean Peterson (Barelli), Sasha Cooke* (Sonia), Eric Jordan* (A painter), Jennifer Youngs* (Olimpia).
* 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. 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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After looking at a friend’s tickets for a single pre-season game for a major sports franchise; I don’t want to hear any more complaints about opera being “too expensive.” In fact, I want you to more-or-less empty your wallet, grab the kids or grandkids, and come to the Winspear for some outstanding family friendly programs at the AT&T Performing Arts Center that won’t make a dent in your checking account–courtesy of the Dallas Opera. See the release that follows.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, August 27, 2012
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Megan Meister 214.443.1071
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org megan.meister@dallasopera.org
Fall Brings Charming and Uplifting
TDO Family Programming
Presented by
The Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs,
Chase, Kimberly-Clark Corporation
& Texas Instruments, Inc.
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JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
TDOpage2stage
Saturday, October 27th 2:00 p.m.
At the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House
AT&T Performing Arts Center
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THE DALLAS OPERA FAMILY CONCERT
With Mezzo-Soprano Amanda Crider, Baritone David Pershall and Maestro Christian Capocaccia
Sunday, November 4th 2:00 p.m.
At the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House
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DOCTOR MIRACLE
$5 FAMILY PERFORMANCE,
Saturday, November 10th 2:00 p.m.
At the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House
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DALLAS, AUGUST 27, 2012 – The Dallas Opera is delighted to offer three consecutive weekends of family-friendly programming designed to introduce “you and yours” to the extraordinary world of opera. TDO will present a brand new program for the fall called TDOpage2stage on Saturday, October 27, 2012. At 12:30 p.m., the lobby of the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House in the AT&T Performing Arts Center will open for a special kick-off event with a legendary special guest from the world of sports to introduce you to our new TDO Kids Book Club, along with lots of other lobby activities as well.
The excitement doesn’t end there—TDO will host the first public performance of John Davies’ witty opera adaptation of the familiar tale of JACK AND THE BEANSTALK starting at 2:00 p.m., featuring soprano Hannah Riggs as Jack, mezzo-soprano Emily Hueske as Mother/Wife and Bass Travis McGuire as Giant/Trouble. The cast will be accompanied by TDO’s Music Director for Education and Family Programming, Mary Dibbern.
This timeless children’s story was brought to life by Dallas Opera Production Designer Tommy Bourgeois. Dallas Children’s Theater’s Education Director Nancy Schaeffer staged the work for the Dallas Opera.
Single tickets for this event go on sale on Monday, September 10th at 10:00 a.m. for just $5 apiece!
On Sunday, November 4th the Dallas Opera will host a fun-filled afternoon of free arts-related activities starting at 12:00 p.m. and concluding with the Dallas Opera Family Concert at 2:00 PM featuring mezzo-soprano Amanda Crider, fresh off her crowd-pleasing TDO debut as Violetta’s friend “Flora” in our critically acclaimed romantic hit, LA TRAVIATA. She will appear with baritone David Pershall, who is “as handsome as it gets,” with an effortless legato line, according to Larry Kellum of the Connecticut Town Times. “One can see why the Metropolitan Opera has added him to their roster next season.”
These rising stars and the Dallas Opera Orchestra will perform under the baton of Maestro Christian Capocaccia, former Assistant Conductor of the Dallas Opera.
Ms. Crider will be performing “Voi che sapete”, and Mr. Pershall will sing “Hai gia vinta la causa” from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (“The Marriage of Figaro), among other concert highlights. Mr. Pershall will also perform an aria from Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s 2010 Dallas Opera world premiere, Moby-Dick, “Captain Ahab, I must speak with you”. Both Ms. Crider and Mr. Pershall will perform selections from Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia (“The Barber of Seville”), along with memorable arias from Bizet’s always sizzling Carmen.
Don’t miss out on this tremendous (and perfectly priced) program!
Just $5 per ticket! Buy on-line, 24/7, at dallasopera.org or call 214.443.1000. First four tickets FREE for ALL current TDO subscribers to use at any performance in the TDO Family Series. What better chance to introduce the extraordinary music, the magic, and the incredible excitement of opera to your children, grand-children or loved ones!
The Dallas Opera Educational/Family Series is presented by The Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs, Chase, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and Texas Instruments, Inc., and made possible in part by grants from The David M. Crowley Foundation, the Rosewood Foundation, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
On Saturday, November 10, 2012 a Family Matinee performance of Georges Bizet’s romantic, one-act operetta about love and omelets, DOCTOR MIRACLE, at the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House located at 2403 Flora Street, Dallas 75201. Tickets for the 2:00 p.m. performance are family budget-priced at $5 apiece! Contact the Dallas Opera at 214.443.1000 or purchase online at dallasopera.org. Tickets will also be available at the door.
DOCTOR MIRACLE was composed for a competition when Georges Bizet (world-renowned for his operas Carmen and The Pearl Fishers) was just eighteen years old. A youthful vitality permeates this story, set in 19th century Padua, Italy, in the home of the Mayor, his wife Veronica, and his love-struck daughter, Laurette. She’s enamored of the ever-resourceful Silvio, an army captain, who dons one disguise after another to infiltrate the household, in order to win the hand of the girl he adores. Sound simple? Guess again!
The SMU cast of DOCTOR MIRACLE features soprano Coretta Smith as Laurette, mezzo-soprano Rachel Alexander as Veronica, baritone Njabulo Mthimkhulu as The Mayor, and tenor Zach Hess in the triple role of Silvio/Pasquin/Doctor Miracle.
The cast and the Dallas Opera Orchestra will perform under the baton of Maestro Christian Capocaccia, former Assistant Conductor of the Dallas Opera.
The classic storybook set and costumes were designed by Production Designer Tommy Bourgeois.
These performances feature a new English translation by Dr. James Hampton, who has also staged the work for the Dallas Opera.
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Subscriptions for the three mainstage productions of the Dallas Opera’s “Pursuits of Passion” Season are on sale now, starting at just $75, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at dallasopera.org. Single tickets for all Family Performances and AÏDA go on sale September 10th at 10 a.m., starting at a new low price of just $19! Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $25 (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance.
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“JACK & THE BEANSTALK” KEY BIOS:
MARY DIBBERN (Music Director for Education and Family Programs)
The American pianist Mary Dibbern joined the Music Staff of The Dallas Opera as Music Director for Education and Family Programs in June 2012. She is an internationally known specialist in the field of vocal coaching, recital accompaniment, recordings, University level master classes, Young Artists Program teaching, television and radio appearances in Europe, the United States and Asia. Dibbern was graduated summa cum laude from SMU with a Master of Music in accompaniment under the direction of Maestro Paul Vellucci. She then moved to Paris to work with the great French musicians Nadia Boulanger and Pierre Bernac. She resided in France from 1978 to 2009, where she was guest coach for the Opéra National de Paris (Bastille), and the operas of Nice, Bordeaux, Lyons, Toulouse, Dijon, Châtelet, the Opéra-Comique, the Festival de Radio France-Montpellier and in Europe at the Théâtre Municipal de Lausanne, the Círculo Portuense de Opera, the Lithuanian National Opera (Vilnius), the Latvian National Opera (Riga) and at the Shanghai Opera House where she was in charge of musical and language preparation for the first French-language productions. In the US, she was guest coach at Seattle Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Memphis and Hawai’i Opera Theatre. She was Head of Music at Minnesota Opera for three seasons, where she collaborated closely with composer Kevin Puts and librettist Mark Campbell on their world premiere “Silent Night” which subsequently won the Pulitzer Price for Music 2012. Mary Dibbern is the author of seven books on French music published by Pendragon Press and is the Editorial Consultant for Musik Fabrik’s publications of works by French composer Jacques Leguerney She is a recording artist for Harmonia Mundi France, Claves and Maguelone.
NANCY SCHAEFFER (Stage Director)
Nancy Schaeffer has served Dallas Children’s Theater since its founding in 1984, first as a teacher and actor and now as Director of all Education Programs and outreach activities. A graduate of Western Kentucky University, Ms. Schaeffer has directed numerous DCT productions including Junie B. Jones…; How I Became a Pirate; don’t u luv me?; Madeline’s Christmas; EAT (It’s Not About Food); Goodnight Moon; The Secret Life of Girls; Stuart Little; If You Give a Mouse a Cookie; The Island of the Skog; Honk!; Babe, the Sheep-Pig; Jack & the Giant Beanstalk; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Bunnicula; Lyle the Crocodile; Miss Nelson is Missing (1999 &2010); Miss Nelson is Back!; If You Give a Moose a Muffin and If You Give a Pig a Party (both of which she adapted for the stage); and twelve productions of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! Ms. Schaeffer also directed DCT’s highly successful touring production of The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fair(l)y (Stoopid) Tales which toured the US and then traveled to Shanghai, China playing at the 2006 Shanghai International Children’s Culture and Arts Expo. As Education Director, Ms. Schaeffer oversees numerous programs including: DCT Academy, which offers year-round classes to more than 1,800 young people, ages 3 through 18; Curtains Up On Reading, an in-school residency program that integrates drama, literature, language arts, social studies, and history; After School and Summer Drama Classes that benefit “at-risk” youth through eight after-school satellite arts programs, and DCT’s Teen Scene, which nurtures the theater audiences and professionals of tomorrow by opening communication between teens, theater professionals and the community at large. She is also the primary contact with area Educators and District Leaders as well as other Education Directors from area cultural institutions. She also recently directed Shared Stories- a museum theater project with the 6th floor museum being created as a part of the upcoming programs honoring the 50th anniversary of the death of President John F. Kennedy.
TOMMY BOURGEOIS (Production Designer)
Tommy Bourgeois has been associated with The Dallas Opera for over 25 years. He has been an integral part of our Costume Shop and is the Head of the Properties Department. Mr. Bourgeois has designed costumes and scenery for Ballet Austin, including Romeo and Juliette, The Nut Cracker and an original production of Taming of the Shrew commissioned by the Kennedy Center. Other costume designs include Six Flags over Texas’ Christmas Show, Jazz land in New Orleans and Dixie Stamped in Tennessee. In addition to designing costumes for various theatres in Dallas, Tommy served as Master Carpenter and Costumer for the Lyric Opera Of Dallas for 4 years from 1986- 1989. He is currently the set designer for the Order of the Alamo Coronation that takes place in San Antonio every spring during Fiesta. Tommy earned a MA in Theatre Design and Dramatic Criticism at Southwest Texas University and went on to earn an MFA at Southern Methodist University where he studied with Bill and Jean Eckhart. In New York, Mr. Bourgeois was the assistant to Beni Montressor on ballets and operas in New York, NY and abroad and worked in the Fashion industry for Joseph Abboud and Emanuel Ungaro.
“JACK & THE BEANSTALK” CAST:
HANNAH RIGGS (Jack)
Soprano Hannah Rigg, a native of Tomball, TX, received her B.M. in Vocal Performance (2010) from East Texas Baptist University and her M.M. in Vocal Performance (2012) from The Meadows School of the Arts at SMU. Her operatic and musical theatre roles include Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro), Minerva (Orpheus in the Underworld), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas), Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz), Ruth (The Pirates of Penzance), and Dina (Schoolhouse Rock Live!). In concert performances in the Dallas area, Hannah has been heard as soloist in John Rutter’s Gloria and Mozart’s Requiem. Among her numerous awards, scholarships and honors are the Roy and Sue Johnson Opera Theatre Award (2012), Sigma Alpha Iota Scholastic Award (2010), Outstanding Music Student Award (2010), Dexter Lee Riddle Music Scholarship Award (2009), Sharon Faulkner Memorial Scholarship (2008) and the Janice Walker Wrotenbery Scholarship (2007). Hannah was recently named to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges” and in the fall, she continues her studies at SMU, working towards a Performer’s Diploma in Voice with her teacher Dale Dietert.
EMILY HUESKE (Mother/Wife)
Mezzo-soprano Emily Hueske of Tolland, Connecticut has quickly established herself in the Dallas/Fort Worth music community. She has been heard as a soloist with the Arts District Chorale in a performance of Rossini’s Petite messe solonnelle at the Dallas Museum of Art and has also been a soloist with the Plano Civic Chorus and the Women’s Chorus of Dallas. She is a member of both the Fort Worth Opera Chorus and The Dallas Opera Chorus. This coming season she will be singing the role of Mother/Giant’s wife in The Dallas Opera’s outreach production of Jack and the Beanstalk. As a member of UNT Opera she has sung the role of Alisa in Lucia de Lammermoor and was invited to perform selected opera scenes at the Center for Contemporary Opera’s 2012 Gala in New York City. In the New England region Ms. Hueske has performed with a wide variety of ensembles including the Boston Opera Project, Manchester Symphony Orchestra, Nashua Symphony Orchestra, Old North Festival Chorus and Opera Boston. She has also been a soloist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, the Hartford Chorale and the Simsbury Light Opera. She has sung the role of Madame de la Haltiere in Massenet’s Cendrillon with the New England Conservatory Opera Theatre, as well as the role of Cecilia March in Adamo’s Little Women. In the summer of 2006 she was selected to sing the role of Mrs. Gibbs in the Western Regional premiere of Ned Rorem’s Our Town with the Aspen Opera Theatre Center. Ms. Hueske received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from the University of Connecticut and completed a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of North Texas studying with Dr. Stephen Austin.
TRAVIS McGUIRE (Giant/Trouble)
Travis Wiley McGuire graduated from Southern Methodist University with an M.M. in Voice Performance, studying under Virginia Dupuy, Martha Gerhart, and Simon Sargon. His B.A. Degrees in Music and Biblical Text are from Abilene Christian University, where he studied under Julie Pruett. In Abilene, he appeared as Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, as Gianni Schicchi, and as Frank Maurrant in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene. He also sang with the Abilene Opera Association as the Imperial Registrar in Madama Butterfly, as Sonora in La Fanciulla del West, and as Smee in Peter Pan. McGuire’s appearance as Prison Warden Frank in the Abilene Tri-Collegiate Opera’s Die Fledermaus was described in the Abilene Reporter News as displaying a “well-developed comedic bent” and “great vocal abilities.” In 2008, McGuire participated in the Los Angeles-based program, OperaWorks! where he worked with noted coach, Ann Baltz. He has also recently appeared in several of the the SMU Opera Ensemble’s “Opera Free for All” series concerts, in addition to appearances as the Narrator in The Old Maid and the Thief, the Sorceror in Dido and Aeneas, Alcindoro in La Boheme, Grandpa Moss in an award-winning production of Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land, and the Learned Judge in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury.
“DOCTOR MIRACLE” KEY BIOS:
CHRISTIAN CAPOCACCIA (Conductor)
Italian conductor Christian Capocaccia continues to distinguish himself as an artist of keen insight and musicianship. His ease on the podium and comfortable coaching style with singers throughout each season have made him a favorite with orchestras, opera companies and vocalists. 2012 begins with Mr. Capocaccia assuming the post of Music Director of the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic. In September, Mr. Capocaccia will lead performances of Donizetti’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi with AsLiCo (Associazione Lirica e Concertistica Italiana). In October, he returns to the Dallas Opera for performances of Bizet’s Dr. Miracle, his first production with the company since leaving in 2011. During the 2011/12 Season, Mr. Capocaccia coached emerging vocalists at the 10th International Opera Program of Artescénica in Torreón and Saltillo, Mexico. Later on in the season he led Manhattan School of Music’s Opera Scenes production, with director Richard Gammon. In the spring, Mr. Capocaccia was called upon to fill in last minute for rehearsals of Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos for the Argentine premier of the piece at the Teatro Colon, where he displayed tremendous confidence and skill, learning the piece overnight, and delivering insight and direction to the great appreciation of the theatre staff and musicians alike. 2011 saw the conclusion of three years as assistant conductor with the Dallas Opera, under Maestro Graham Jenkins. In the 10/11 season, Mr. Capocaccia made his Winspear Opera House debut conducting the Dallas Opera Orchestra and guest singers in a program of opera highlights, in addition to assisting on productions of Don Giovanni, Roméo et Juliette and Rigoletto. Born in Rome, he began studying the violin at the age of 9. He attended the Santa Cecilia Music Conservatory. He earned his Diploma under Paolo Ciociola and completed his studies with world-renowned violinist Nina Beilina in New York. Subsequently he studied composition under Boris Porena and Luciano Pelosi, and conducting with Piero Bellugi and Donato Renzetti. A graduate of Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington under David Effron he has participated in Master classes with Herbert Blomstedt, Gustav Meier and Leonard Slatkin.
JAMES HAMPTON (Stage Director)
James Hampton has received critical acclaim as both a stage director and singer. The Washington Post applauded his “pungent”, “tightly paced” direction of Ned Rorem’s opera Our Town at The Catholic University of America. For The University of Texas at Austin, he has directed productions of Handel’s Rinaldo, Orff’s Antigone, Robert Ward’s Roman Fever, and numerous opera scenes evenings. He has directed Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor and Menotti’s The Medium for East Carolina University. On stage, he has been praised for his “mellifluous tenor” (The Towson Times) and “flair for comedy” (The Washington Post). He has been a soloist with the Metro Opera Project, The Texas Early Music Project, The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin, Cockpit in Court Summer Theater, The Johns Hopkins Chorale, and the Handel Choir of Baltimore. Ensemble credits include the Washington Opera, Baltimore Opera, Washington Concert Opera and the Deutsch Oper Berlin. James received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The University of Texas at Austin and is the Artistic Services Manager for The Dallas Opera.
TOMMY BOURGEOIS (Production Designer)
Tommy Bourgeois has been associated with The Dallas Opera for over 25 years. He has been an integral part of our Costume Shop and is the Head of the Properties Department. Mr. Bourgeois has designed costumes and scenery for Ballet Austin, including Romeo and Juliette, The Nut Cracker and an original production of Taming of the Shrew commissioned by the Kennedy Center. Other costume designs include Six Flags over Texas’ Christmas Show, Jazz land in New Orleans and Dixie Stamped in Tennessee. In addition to designing costumes for various theatres in Dallas, Tommy served as Master Carpenter and Costumer for the Lyric Opera Of Dallas for 4 years from 1986- 1989. He is currently the set designer for the Order of the Alamo Coronation that takes place in San Antonio every spring during Fiesta. Tommy earned a MA in Theatre Design and Dramatic Criticism at Southwest Texas University and went on to earn an MFA at Southern Methodist University where he studied with Bill and Jean Eckhart. In New York, Mr. Bourgeois was the assistant to Beni Montressor on ballets and operas in New York, NY and abroad and worked in the Fashion industry for Joseph Abboud and Emanuel Ungaro.
“DOCTOR MIRACLE” CAST BIOS:
CORETTA SMITH (Laurette)
Lyric Soprano Coretta Smith is a second year graduate in the Master of Music program in Vocal Performance at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and a student of Barbara Hill-Moore. Coretta received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Abilene Christian University in May of 2010. In February 2012, she sang the role of La Contessa in the SMU opera production of Le Nozze di Figaro. In July 2012, Ms. Smith made her European debut as Pamina from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with the Amalfi Coast Music Festival. Other roles include the title role in Cendrillon and the Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte. Ms. Smith has been a Finalist in regional competitions for the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Dallas Chapter of the Negro Business and Professional Women’s Organization.
RACHEL ALEXANDER (Veronica)
Rachel graduated as a music performance major from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi in 2011. Rachel continued as a freshman in graduate school, furthering her education of the voice at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she has studied with Virginia Dupuy (voice teacher), Simon Sargon (coach), Hank Hammett (acting director), in addition to Maestro Paul Phillips. She has worked on pieces by Handel, Massenet, Gounod, De Falla, Obradors, and Schubert, among others. Rachel sings in the University Park United Methodist Church Choir. In February 2012, Rachel played Cherubino in SMU’s production of the opera Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart. In regards to her future career plans, Rachel expresses a “hope to have an active performing career, do some teaching and masterclasses, and then come back to Mississippi to build up Mississippi Opera. Mississippi has one of the oldest opera companies in the nation, but most Mississippians don’t even know that it exists. It is such a great opportunity, and it is begging to be put in the spotlight.”
NJABULO MTHIMKHULU (The Mayor)
Njabulo Mthimkhulu makes his TDO2Go and Student Performances @ the Winspear debut with these performances. He has sung Marullo in Rigoletto and de Bretigny in Manon with the Cape Town Opera and was a soloist for Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Missa Cellensis, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Schubert Mass in G. His repertoire includes the title role in Don Giovanni, the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Rambaldo in La Rondine. He made his European debut in Sweden as Jean in Boesman’s Julie. Upcoming engagements include the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro with Southern Methodist University. Mr. Mthimkhulu is currently working on his Artist Diploma at Southern Methodist University.
ZACH HESS (Silvio/Pasquin/Doctor Miracle)
Zachary Hess has been described as “marvelous” by the Nashville Scene and “outstanding” by the Nashville Parent. Mr. Hess’ roles in Doctor Miracle will mark his debut with TDO2Go. Mr. Hess was most recently seen in Opera Avanti’s scenes program, singing Faust in Boito’s Mefistofele and Tom Rakewell in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. Other roles include Alfredo in La traviata with Repertory Opera Theater of Washington, DC, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Captain Tarnitz in The Student Prince for Nashville Opera, and Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd with Tennessee Repertory Theatre. Mr. Hess was also a member of the Mary Ragland Young Artist Program at Nashville Opera. On the concert stage, Mr. Hess has sung the tenor solo in Theodore Dubois’ The Seven Last Words of Christ in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as well as the tenor solo in Mozart’s “Coronation” Mass with the Masterworks Chorus of the Shenandoah Valley.
“FAMILY CONCERT” KEY BIOS:
CHRISTIAN CAPOCACCIA (Conductor)
Italian conductor Christian Capocaccia continues to distinguish himself as an artist of keen insight and musicianship. His ease on the podium and comfortable coaching style with singers throughout each season have made him a favorite with orchestras, opera companies and vocalists. 2012 begins with Mr. Capocaccia assuming the post of Music Director of the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic. In September, Mr. Capocaccia will lead performances of Donizetti’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi with AsLiCo (Associazione Lirica e Concertistica Italiana). In October, he returns to the Dallas Opera for performances of Bizet’s Dr. Miracle, his first production with the company since leaving in 2011. During the 2011/12 Season, Mr. Capocaccia coached emerging vocalists at the 10th International Opera Program of Artescénica in Torreón and Saltillo, Mexico. Later on in the season he led Manhattan School of Music’s Opera Scenes production, with director Richard Gammon. In the spring, Mr. Capocaccia was called upon to fill in last minute for rehearsals of Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos for the Argentine premier of the piece at the Teatro Colon, where he displayed tremendous confidence and skill, learning the piece overnight, and delivering insight and direction to the great appreciation of the theatre staff and musicians alike. 2011 saw the conclusion of three years as assistant conductor with the Dallas Opera, under Maestro Graham Jenkins. In the 10/11 season, Mr. Capocaccia made his Winspear Opera House debut conducting the Dallas Opera Orchestra and guest singers in a program of opera highlights, in addition to assisting on productions of Don Giovanni, Roméo et Juliette and Rigoletto. Born in Rome, he began studying the violin at the age of 9. He attended the Santa Cecilia Music Conservatory. He earned his Diploma under Paolo Ciociola and completed his studies with world-renowned violinist Nina Beilina in New York. Subsequently he studied composition under Boris Porena and Luciano Pelosi, and conducting with Piero Bellugi and Donato Renzetti. A graduate of Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington under David Effron he has participated in Master classes with Herbert Blomstedt, Gustav Meier and Leonard Slatkin.
AMANDA CRIDER (Mezzo-Soprano)
Amanda Crider made her Dallas Opera debut last season as Flora Bervoix in La traviata. Her current season includes Prince Orlofsky in Knoxville Opera’s production of Die Fledermaus, an appearance with the Greeley Philharmonic, and her return to both Apollo’s Fire and Seraphic Fire in Handel’s Messiah. Recently she appeared as Clarina in La cambiale di matrimonio (Opera Omaha), First Secretary in Nixon in China(Eugene Opera), mezzo soloist in Chansons Madécasses with New World Symphony, and symphonic debuts with the Eugene Symphony (Mozart’s Requiem) and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (Handel’s Messiah). She has appeared numerous times with Florida Grand Opera including performances as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro and Mercédès inCarmen. She has also sung with New York City Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Gotham Chamber Opera, and the Tanglewood Music Center. Showing her versatility, she has sung Nellie Forbush in South Pacific for Anchorage Opera and Opera Boston. She has been lauded for her early music interpretations including two seasons with Glimmerglass Opera (Pastore #3 in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Sesto in Handel’s Giulio Cesare) and performances with Apollo’s Fire, Seraphic Fire, and The Bach Festival Society of Florida. She has been a finalist in competitions such as the José Iturbi International Voice Competition and Jensen Foundation Voice Competition, and is a recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation.
DAVID PERSHALL (Baritone)
American baritone David Pershall is quickly making a name for himself on stages around the world with his seductive voice and engaging stage presence. This year he joins the roster at the Metropolitan Opera as the first cover of Lord Cecil in Maria Stuarda. He will also be making his premier as Zurga in Les Pêcheurs de Perles at VirginiaOpera and appearing in concert performances with Dallas Opera. Other recent performances include Schaunard in La Bohème with the Den Norske Opera & Ballet, Robert Baker in Bernstein’s Wonderful Town with the Giuseppe Verdi Orchestra di Milano, Vaughn Williams’ Sea Symphony with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Carmina Burana with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia & Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with the Opera Theater of Connecticut, as well as the title role of Don Giovanni at Yale School of Music. David has won many prestigious vocal competitions including 1st Prize in the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Competition, 1st Prize in the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition, 1st Prize in the Connecticut Opera Guild Competition, 1st Prize in the Hugo Kauder Competition for Voice, the Presser Music Foundation Award, and the Thomas Stewart Award for Vocal Excellence. His other awards include prizes in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Giulio Gari Foundation Competition, the Opera Index Competition, the George London Foundation, the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, the David L. Kasdon Memorial Prize for the Outstanding Singer in the Yale School of Music, and an Artist Grant Award from the National Bel Canto Vocal Competition.
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EVENTS AND GUEST ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT “AUGUST 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’s 2012-2013 “Pursuits of Passion Season”
Is Presented by Texas Instruments Foundation
THE DALLAS OPERA WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS GRATITUDE TO OUR EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS:
AMERICAN AIRLINES – OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
LEXUS – OFFICIAL VEHICLE OF THE DALLAS OPERA
CARTIER – OFFICIAL JEWELER & WATCHMAKER OF THE DALLAS OPERA
Ticket Information for the 2012-2013 Dallas Opera Season
All performances are in the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Subscriptions start at just $75 and are on sale now. For more information, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2012-2013 SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Sixth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired.
AIDA by Giuseppe Verdi
October 26: The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance
Featuring Latonia Moore, The Charron and Peter Denker Rising Star (2012)
October 28(m), 31, November 3, 9, 11(m), 2012
Verdi’s Complex and Intimate Love Story Set in Spectacular Ancient Egypt!
An opera in four acts first performed at Khedivial Opera House, Cairo on December 24, 1871.
Text by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette.
Time: Old Kingdom
Place: Egypt
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: John Copley
Costume Design: Peter J. Hall
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Latonia Moore (Aida), Antonello Palombi (Radames), Nadia Krasteva* (Amneris), Lester Lynch (Amonasro), Orlin Anastassov* (Ramfis), Ben Wager (The King of Egypt), Jonathan Yarrington* (Messenger), and NaGuanda Nobles* (Priestess).
TURANDOT by Giacomo Puccini
April 5, 7(m), 10, 13, 19 & 21(m), 2013
Puccini’s Last Masterpiece—Riddled with Passionate Romance and Unforgettable Music!
An opera in three acts first performed in Milan at La Scala, April 25, 1926
Text by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni, based on Carlo Gozzi’s fable, Turandot.
Time: Legendary times
Place: Peking, China
Conductor: Marco Zambelli
Stage Director: Garnett Bruce
Production Design: Allen Charles Klein
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Lise Lindstrom* (Princess Turandot), Antonello Palombi (Calaf), Hei-Kyung Hong (Liu), Christian Van Horn* (Timur), Jonathan Beyer (Ping), Joseph Hu (Pang), Daniel Montenegrio* (Pong), Ryan Kuster* (A Mandarin), Steven Haal (Emperor Altoum).
THE ASPERN PAPERS by Dominick Argento
April 12, 14(m), 17, 20, 28(m), 2013
The Games People Play—Both Young and Old—To Achieve Their Twisted Desires!
An opera in two acts first performed in Dallas, November 19, 1988.
Text by Dominick Argento, based on a Henry James novella.
Time: Legendary
Place: Lake Como, Italy
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Tim Albery
Scenic Design: Andrew Lieberman*
Costume Design: Constance Hoffman*
Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Assistant Director: Michael Mori
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Susan Graham* (Tina), Alexandra Deshorties (Julianna Bordereau), Nathan Gunn (The Lodger), Joseph Kaiser* (Aspern), Dean Peterson (Barelli), Sasha Cooke* (Sonia), Eric Jordan* (A painter), Jennifer Youngs* (Olimpia).
* 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. 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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