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    The Man Behind the Music

    Composer-Librettist Mark Adamo is coming Thursday night to talk about his life, work and career. Will you be there?

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Monday, November 11, 2013
    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014
    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

    THE DALLAS OPERA PRESENTS A NEW

    “COMPOSING CONVERSATION
    WITH MARK ADAMO”
    ~~~~
    The Renowned American Composer/Librettist of the operas
    Little Women, Lysistrata and The Gospel of Mary Magdalene

    As well as other acclaimed works
    ~~~~
    In Conversation with Senior Classical Music & Opera Critic
    Gregory Sullivan Isaacs of Theater Jones.com
    ~~~~
    Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.
    Nasher Hall, Nasher Sculpture Center
    Dallas Arts District
    ~~~~
    Free Event, No Admission Required

    DALLAS, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present the latest in our free public series of “Composing Conversations” on Thursday, November 14, 2013 in Nasher Hall at the internationally acclaimed Nasher Sculpture Center (2001 Flora St., Dallas). The conversation, beginning at 6:30 p.m., will focus on the multifaceted career of one of America’s most successful and accomplished composer-librettists, Mark Adamo.
    Mr. Adamo is the creator of three compelling operas, including Little Women, one of the most frequently performed new American operas of our day. His most recent composition, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, successfully premiered earlier this season at San Francisco Opera and was described by The Huffington Post as a “feast for the ears, eyes and mind.” His 2005 opera Lysistrata, based on the comedy by Aristophenes, prompted Alex Ross of The New Yorker to write, “I relaxed a minute after the music began, knowing that I was in the hands of a brilliant theatre composer.”
    The other half of this conversation, hosted by Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, will be the Senior Classical Music and Opera Critic for the performing arts website Theater Jones.com, Gregory Sullivan Isaacs.
    Mr. Isaacs is a composer in his own right (nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for composition), as well as an award-winning singer, conductor, musician and arts journalist who has written and reviewed for a variety of Texas publications. The conversation will explore all aspects of Adamo’s working career, as well as his ideas about music, drama and theater.
    ~~~~

    Seating for the Nasher Sculpture Center event is limited. To secure your spot, call 214.443.1000 or reserve your seats online, 24/7, at dallasopera.org/rsvp.

    ~~~~

    KEY BIOS

    AMERICAN COMPOSER-LIBRETTIST MARK ADAMO:

    American composer-librettist Mark Adamo recently premiered his third full-length opera, the “densely rhapsodic” (Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle) The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, at San Francisco Opera—following a busy season of opera and chamber premières. In May 2012, Fort Worth Opera opened its first production of his second opera, Lysistrata; that September, the Constella Festival in Cincinnati opened their season with August Music, for flute duo and string quartet, commissioned by Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway: in December, Sasha Cooke and the New York Festival of Song introduced The Racer’s Widow, a cycle of five American poems for mezzo-soprano, cello, and piano; and, in April 2013, baritone Thomas Hampson and the Jupiter String Quartet introduced Aristotle, after the poem by Billy Collins, in concerts at the Mondavi Center in Davis, California before continuing to Boston and New York under the auspices of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

    Adamo first attracted national attention with his uniquely celebrated début opera, Little Women, after the Alcott novel. Introduced by Houston Grand Opera in 1998 and revived there in 2000, Little Women is one of the most frequently performed American operas of the last fifteen years, with more than 80 national and international engagements in cities ranging from New York to Minneapolis, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, Adelaide, Perth, Mexico City, Bruges, Banff, Calgary, and Tokyo, where it served as the official U.S. cultural entrant to the 2005 World Expo. The Houston Grand Opera revival (2000) was telecast by PBS/WNET on Great Performances in 2001 and released on CD by Ondine that same year; in fall 2010, Naxos released this performance on DVD and on Blu-ray. (Little Women was the first American opera recorded in high-definition television.) Comparable enthusiasm greeted the début of the larger-scaled Lysistrata, Adamo’s second opera, adapted from Aristophanes’ comedy but also including elements from Sophocles’ Antigone. Lysistrata was commissioned by Houston Grand Opera for its 50th anniversary and introduced in March 2005: its New York City Opera debut in March 2006 led to concert performances by Washington National Opera (May 2006) and Music at the Modern by the Van Cliburn Foundation (May 2007) before the new staging of the work at Fort Worth Opera in spring 2012, which was included on the best-of-2012 lists of both D Magazine and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

    While Adamo’s principal work continues to be for the opera house, over the past 5 years he has ventured not only into chamber music but also into symphonic and choral composition. Adamo’s first concerto, Four Angels, for harp and orchestra, was commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and debuted in June 2007: the Utah Symphony, led by their Music Director Emeritus, Keith Lockhart, presented Four Angels in January 2011. In May 2007, Washington’s Eclipse Chamber Orchestra, for which Adamo served as its first composer-in-residence, performed the revised version of Adamo’s Late Victorians, a cantata for singing voice, speaking voice, and orchestra: Naxos released Late Victorians in 2009 on Eclipse’s all-Adamo CD, which also included Alcott Music, from Little Women, for strings, harp, celesta, and percussion; “Regina Coeli,” an arrangement of the slow movement of Four Angels for harp and strings alone; and the Overture to Lysistrata for medium orchestra. In April of 2010, Harold Rosenbaum’s New York Virtuoso Singers paired six of Adamo’s newly-published choral scores with the complete chamber-choral work of John Corigliano. This concert featured the New York premières of Cantate Domino (after Psalm 91,) Pied Beauty and God’s Grandeur (Gerard Manley Hopkins; commissioned by the Gregg Smith Singers,) Matewan Music(Appalachian folk-tune variations,) Supreme Virtue (Stephen Mitchell’s translation of the Tao te Ching,) and The Poet Speaks of Praising (Rilke: commissioned and introduced by Chanticleer.)
    Composer-in-residence at New York City Opera from 2001 through 2006, where he led the VOX: Showcasing American Composers program, Adamo also served as Master Artist at Atlantic Center for the Arts in May 2003. Since 2007 he has served as the principal teacher of American Lyric Theatre’s Composer-Librettist Development Program in New York, in which he coaches teams of composers and librettists in developing their work for the stage.

    Adamo began his education in the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where, as a freshman in the Dramatic Writing Program, he received the Paulette Goddard Remarque Scholarship for outstanding undergraduate achievement in playwriting. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Music Degree cum laude in composition in 1990 from the Catholic University of America. His music is published exclusively by G. Schirmer, Inc.

    GREGORY SULLIVAN ISAACS,
    SENIOR CLASSICAL MUSIC AND OPERA CRITIC FOR THEATER JONES.COM:

    Gregory is a professional musician and music journalist who has held numerous musical directorships of opera, choral and symphonic organizations. In 2009, he was honored by being chosen as a fellow for the sixth annual NEA Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera. Other honors include a Pulitzer Prize nomination in composition, a Peabody award for performance, and an ASCAP award for his commitment to American Music. He holds a Master’s degree in music from the prestigious music program at Indiana University in Bloomington. He also writes for other publications including Arts+Culture Magazine, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The Dallas Voice. He is a member of the Music Critics Association of North America and ASCAP. Email: gregoryisaacs@theaterjones.com

    ~~~~

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS 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

    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 2013-2014 “By Love Transformed” Season
    Is Sponsored 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 2013-2014 Dallas Opera Season

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Subscriptions are now on sale to the general public, starting at just $76. Single Tickets starting at $19 and Flex Subscriptions are also on sale. Family performances are $5 (Family Performance Subs are $12 for three family performances) and are on sale now. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2013-2014 SEASON INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Seventh 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 will 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.

    CARMEN by Georges Bizet
    October 25 (special time, 8:00 p.m.), October 27(m), 30, November 2, 8 & 10(m), 2013
    The most irresistible bad girl in opera—How can you possibly say “non”?
    An opera in four acts first performed in Paris on March 3, 1875
    Text by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée
    Time: 19th century
    Place: Seville, Spain
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Chris Alexander
    Scenic Design: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
    Costume Design: Werner Iverke
    Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Children’s Chorus Master: Melinda Cotten
    Starring: Clémentine Margaine**(Carmen), Brandon Jovanovich (Don José Oct. 25, 27, 30), Bruno Ribeiro* (Don José Nov. 2, 8, 10), Mary Dunleavy (Micaëla), Dwayne Croft (Escamillo), Danielle Pastin*(Frasquita), Audrey Babcock*(Mercédès), Kyle Albertson*(Zuniga), Steven LaBrie (Le Dancaïre), William Ferguson* (Remendado), John David Boehr*(Moralès).

    DEATH AND THE POWERS by Tod Machover
    February 12, 14, 15 & 16(m), 2014
    Science fiction and poignant family drama combine in a major regional premiere!
    An opera in one act first performed in Monte Carlo, Monaco at the Salle Garnier on September 24, 2010.
    Text by Robert Pinsky, based on a story by Pinsky and Randy Weiner
    Time: Unknown time in the future
    Place: Earth, the home of billionaire Simon Powers
    Conductor: Nicole Paiement
    Stage Director: Diane Paulus*
    Associate Director: Andrew Eggert*
    Scenic Design: Alex McDowell*
    Costume Design: David Woolard*
    Lighting Design: Don Holder
    Choreography: Karole Armitage*
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Starring: Robert Orth (Simon Powers/Robot One), Joélle Harvey (Miranda/Robot Four), Patricia Risley(Evvy/Robot Three), Hal Cazalet*(Nicholas/Robot Two), Frank Kelley*(The United Way), David Kravitz*(The United Nations), Tom McNichols*(The Administration).

    DIE TOTE STADT (“THE DEAD CITY”) by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    March 21, 23(m), 26, 29 and April 6(m), 2014
    The Hitchcock-like tale of one man’s dark obsession with the woman he loved and lost.
    An opera in three acts first performed in Hamburg & Cologne, Germany on December 4, 1920
    Text by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Paul Schott based on a novel by Georges Rodenbach, Bruges la morte
    Time: End of the 19th century
    Place: The city of Bruges in northwestern Belgium
    Conductor: Sebastian Lang-Lessing*
    Stage Director: Mikael Melbye
    Scenic Design: Mikael Melbye*
    Costume Design: Dierdre Clancy*
    Video Design: Wendall Harrington*
    Lighting Design: Mark McCullough
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Choreography: Matthew Ferraro*
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Anne Petersen**(Marietta) , Jay Hunter Morris (Paul), Morgan Smith (Fritz), Weston Hurt (Frank), Katherine Tier*(Brigitta), Andrew Bidlack (Albert), Jan Lund**(Victorin), Jennifer Chung (Juliette), Angela Turner Wilson (Lucienne).

    THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Gioachino Rossini
    March 28, 30(m), April 2, 5, 11 & 13(m), 2014
    Figaro, a scheming barber and jack-of-all-trades plots to release a headstrong girl from her gilded cage!
    An opera in two acts first performed in Rome on February 20, 1816
    Text by Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais, from his comedy Le Barbier de Séville
    Time: 18th century
    Place: Seville, Spain
    Conductor: Giuliano Carella*
    Stage Director: Herb Kellner
    Original Production: John Copley
    Scenic Design: John Conklin
    Costume Design: Michael Stennet
    Lighting Design: TBD
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Nathan Gunn (Figaro), Isabel Leonard*(Rosina), Alek Shrader*(Count Almaviva), Donato DiStefano (Dr. Bartolo), Burak Bilgili*(Don Basilio), Nathan De’Shon Myers (Fiorello), Christian Teague*(Ambrogio).

    DALLAS OPERA FAMILY PERFORMANCES
    Jack and the Beanstalk: October 26, 2013 and April 5, 2014
    Family Concerts: November 3, 2013 and February 1, 2014
    The Elixir of Love: November 9, 2013 and April 12, 2014

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

    ###

    Tech-Heads Take Notice

    Keith Cerny’s latest edition of “Off the Cuff” on “Theater Jones” explores the technical ins-and-outs of opera simulcasts. Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask. Read on.  Be sure not to miss Luke McKenzie’s incredible photos.

    Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and Public Relations

    A New Dimension in Song

    It is one of the most intimate, personal, and moving of art forms. It is “Art Song” and it has aficionados as passionate as any in the opera world. Thanks to the Titus Family, the Dallas Opera is going to play a vital role in the preservation of the fine art of “art song.” Details in the release that follows.

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Monday, November 4, 2013
    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014
    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

    THE DALLAS OPERA
    IS THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE
    AN IMPORTANT NEW RECITAL SERIES
    CREATED BY A TRANSFORMATIVE GIFT!

    THE ROBERT E. AND JEAN ANN TITUS ART SONG RECITAL SERIES

    ~~~~
    Inaugural Performance
    Jan. 4, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.
    In Dallas City Performance Hall
    ~~~~
    Internationally Acclaimed English Tenor
    IAN BOSTRIDGE IN RECITAL
    ~~~~
    $15-$25 TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!

    DALLAS, NOVEMBER 4, 2013 – The Dallas Opera is thrilled and honored to announce that, through the generosity of The Titus Family, a brand-new recital series has been created to showcase well-established singers in programs dedicated to preserving the fine art of “art song.”
    The series launch will take place on Saturday, January 4, 2014 in Dallas City Performance Hall (2520 Flora Street, Dallas) at 7:30 p.m. with the Dallas Opera debut of one of the classical music world’s most exciting singing stars: English tenor Ian Bostridge, who will be performing a program that will include the original twelve-song version of Franz Schubert’s Winterreise as well as selections by Benjamin Britten, Charles Ives, Noel Coward and Cole Porter.
    Mr. Bostridge will be accompanied in recital by a celebrated young Canadian pianist, Miss Wenwen Du.

    “In my own musical work as a pianist and accompanist,” says Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, “I have always particularly enjoyed working with singers on art song and lieder.
    “Imagine my delight, then, with this extraordinary Titus Family gift, which allows the Dallas Opera to engage the finest interpreters of this repertoire to perform right here in North Texas.
    “We are thrilled to inaugurate this new series with one of the world’s leading performers in this repertoire, tenor Ian Bostridge. The Dallas Opera is already making plans to host a series of gifted artists in coming seasons and I can foresee the day when this unique series is as eagerly anticipated as the main stage Dallas Opera season itself.”

    Ian Bostridge, created a CBE in the 2004 “New Year’s Honours,” has forged major careers on the world’s finest opera and concert stages, as well as in the recording studio.
    In the opera world, Bostridge has performed the roles of Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Jupiter (Semele), and Aschenbach (Death in Venice) at English National Opera; Quint (The Turn of the Screw), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and Caliban (The Tempest) for the Royal Opera; Don Ottavio in Vienna and Nerone (L’Incoranazione di Poppea), Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress) and Male Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia) in Munich, and the role of Aschenbach in Brussels, Amsterdam and Luxembourg.
    The Los Angeles Times wrote: “Bostridge sings as if from inside the music, as if he has found a way to produce pure, disembodied emotion.”
    He has a host of award-winning recordings (both Grammy and Gramophone) and has dazzled concert audiences at the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw and New York Philharmonic Orchestras.
    The always brilliant Mr. Bostridge has played a significant role in the 2013 Britten Centenary celebrations from the Salzburgh Festival to London’s Barbican to New York’s Carnegie Hall.
    Opening the “Britten 100 Festival” last week, “Bostridge brought his distinctive voice, with its combination of sensual allure and choirboy purity to a performance of all five (Britten) Canticles,” wrote New York Times Classical Music Critic Anthony Tommasini, “The audience withheld applause until the end. Once it started, it went on and on.”

    “The Robert E. and Jean Ann Titus Art Song Recital Series,” explains Dallas Opera Executive Committee Member Sarah Titus, “was created by our family to honor my parents’ lifetime commitment to the arts in Dallas, as well as their history of giving to the Dallas Opera. My parents’ commitment to the organization dates back to its inception in the late 1950s.
    “This particular art form has been a lifelong passion of my mother’s, so, endowing an annual recital featuring world-class artists and accompanists seemed a natural fit.
    “Speaking for the entire family, we are excited to be bringing this glorious music to Dallas audiences; and we commend Keith Cerny’s responsible leadership of—and vision for—the Dallas Opera.”

    ~~~~

    Due to the desire to create a more intimate (and breathtaking) musical experience, the Dallas Opera will present this extraordinary recital in the 750-seat Dallas City Performance Hall, already winning high praise for its lovely acoustic and design.
    Tickets, priced at $15 to $25, go on sale today, November 4th and are expected to go fast. They may be purchased at dallasopera.org or by contacting the friendly customer service professionals in the Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000.

    ~~~~

    KEY BIOS:

    IAN BOSTRIDGE (Tenor)

    Ian Bostridge’s international career includes the world’s major concert halls and the Edinburgh, Munich, Vienna, Aldeburgh, Salzburg and Schubertiade Festivals, including artistic residencies at the Konzerthaus Vienna, Carnegie Hall New York, Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonie Luxembourg, the Barbican, the Wigmore Hall, and Laeiszhalle Hamburg.
    In opera he has performed the roles of Tamino, Jupiter (Semele) and Aschenbach (Death in Venice) at English National Opera; Quint (The Turn of the Screw), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and Caliban (The Tempest) for the Royal Opera; Don Ottavio in Vienna and Nerone (L’Incoronazione di Poppea), Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress) and Male Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia) in Munich. He has sung Aschenbach in Brussels, Amsterdam and Luxembourg.
    Ian Bostridge’s award-winning recordings include “Schubert with Graham Johnson” (Gramophone Award 1996), “Tom Rakewell with Gardiner” (Grammy Award 1999), “Schumann with Julius Drake” (Gramophone Award 1998), The Turn of the Screw (Gramophone Award 2003) and Billy Budd (Grammy Award 2010) with Harding and Ades’ The Tempest (Gramophone Award 2010). He has recorded recitals of Schubert, Wolf and Britten with Antonio Pappano.
    Ian Bostridge’s concert engagements include the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw and New York Philharmonic orchestras under Rattle, Davis, Ozawa, Rostropovich and Harding. He sang Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex with Angelika Kirchschlager and H.K. Gruber in Vienna and the world première of Henze’s Opfergang with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and under Antonio Pappano.
    For the 2013 Britten Centenary celebrations, Ian Bostridge has a major presence world-wide, with appearances at the Aix-en-Provence, Brighton, Aldeburgh and Salzburg Festivals; Britten residencies at the Laeiszhalle Hamburg, the Philharmonie Cologne, New York’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Barbican, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Moscow Conservatoire (including the Moscow premiere of Death in Venice under Rozhdestvensky). He performs in the Berlin Philharmonie on Britten’s birth date and has appearances with the Warsaw Philharmonic and Roberto Abbado, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra and Antonio Pappano, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vladimir Jurowski (in London and the Vienna Musikverein) and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra and Andris Nelsons.
    In 2001 he was elected an honorary fellow of Corpus Christi College and in 2003 he was made an Honorary Doctor of Music by the University of St Andrews. He was created a CBE in the 2004 New Year’s Honours.

    WENWEN DU (Accompanist)

    Hailed as “exceptional” by Opera Canada magazine, Wenwen Du is an accomplished young pianist. Excelling in both the solo and collaborative ?elds, Miss Du is in high demand both in Canada and abroad.
    Originally from China, Ms. Du received a Bachelor of Music (Performance) and an Artists Diploma from the Vancouver Academy of Music.
    Ms. Du has participated in numerous international masterclasses, including the Shanghai International Piano Masterclass, Gold Country Piano Institute – Masterclass in Interpretation (Nevada City, California, USA), Festival Orford (Montreal, Canada), The International Holland Music Session (Holland, Netherlands) and the Warsaw Piano Workshop – International Piano Course in Interpretation (Warsaw, Polland). These masterclasses were held by many renowned professors, including Paul Badura-Skoda, Boris Berman, Mikhail Voskresensky, Dimitri Bashkirov, Thomas Ungar, Jerome Rose, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Peter Donohoe.
    Miss Du has also performed solo piano recitals in China, Poland, Spain, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Holland, the United States, and Canada. She is the winner of many National and International Piano Competitions, including “The Third Proko?ev International Piano Competition” (Ukraine), and “The Third Wiesbaden Piano Competition” (Germany).
    Wenwen received the Opera Coaching Fellowship from the Atlantic Music Festival (USA) in 2012, spending five weeks coaching with Dr. Arlene Shrut while coaching and accompanying 18 singers through performances of opera, lieder and song. Wenwen then participated in the 2012 Oxford Lieder Festival (UK), lead by Wolfgang Holzmair. There she took masterclasses with Mr. Holzmair, Roger Vignoles, Martyn Hill, and Michael Dussek. She was also Music Director of Envision Financial’s benefit concert A Night on Broadway.
    She attended the 2013 Britten Song course at the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme (UK), lead by Ian Bostridge and Julius Drake. Prior to attending the course, she was awarded the Loewen Prize from the Canadian Aldeburgh Foundation, a scholarship given to a leading Canadian pianist attending a Britten-Pears training course. During the course, Mr. Bostridge invited Wenwen to perform with him in the final concert. She also attended the 2013 Franz-Schubert-Institut (Austria), lead by Dr. Deen Larson and Elly Ameling.

    DALLAS CITY PERFORMANCE HALL

    Located at the intersection of Routh and Flora, Dallas City Performance Hall is a multi-disciplinary gateway to the Arts District, presenting a broad range of cultural performances and events by a growing group of small and midsize cultural organizations representing all artistic disciplines and the diverse heritages of the Dallas community.
    This lyrical and elegant addition to the Dallas Arts District promises to be a unique and delightful “village for the arts” for Dallas audiences. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP – one of the world’s leading architecture, urban design, engineering, and interior architecture firms – the newly completed Phase I of the design includes a state-of-the-art, 750-seat, multi-purpose theater specifically designed to accommodate a wide variety of performance needs as well as an expansive front lobby capable of accommodating small performances and events for up to 200 people. The dynamic features of these two spaces encourage social and cultural interaction from the street to the stage, from pre-show cocktails to post-show conversation and offer both artists and audiences the opportunity to engage with all forms of performance, from the outsized spectacle of epic theatre to the smooth elegance of a jazz quartet. City Performance Hall is the place discover our next generation of great arts organizations and be captivated by the energetic and multifaceted creative spirit of Dallas artists!

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS 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

    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 2013-2014 “By Love Transformed” Season
    Is Sponsored 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 2013-2014 Dallas Opera Season

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise described. Season subscriptions are on sale, starting at just $76. Single Tickets range from $19 to $275 and Flex Subscriptions will remain on sale following the close of Carmen. Family performances are $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2013-2014 SEASON INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Seventh 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 will 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.

    CARMEN by Georges Bizet
    October 25 (special time, 8:00 p.m.), October 27(m), 30, November 2, 8 & 10(m), 2013
    The most irresistible bad girl in opera—How can you possibly say “non”?
    An opera in four acts first performed in Paris on March 3, 1875
    Text by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée
    Time: 19th century
    Place: Seville, Spain
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Chris Alexander
    Scenic Design: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
    Costume Design: Peter J. Hall
    Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Children’s Chorus Master: Melinda Cotten
    Starring: Clémentine Margaine**(Carmen), Brandon Jovanovich (Don José Oct. 25, 27, 30), Bruno Ribeiro* (Don José Nov. 2, 8, 10), Mary Dunleavy (Micaëla), Dwayne Croft (Escamillo), Danielle Pastin*(Frasquita), Audrey Babcock*(Mercédès), Kyle Albertson*(Zuniga), Steven LaBrie (Le Dancaïre), William Ferguson* (Remendado), John David Boehr*(Moralès).

    DEATH AND THE POWERS by Tod Machover
    February 12, 14, 15 & 16(m), 2014
    Science fiction and poignant family drama combine in a major regional premiere!
    An opera in one act first performed in Monte Carlo, Monaco at the Salle Garnier on September 24, 2010.
    Text by Robert Pinsky, based on a story by Pinsky and Randy Weiner
    Time: Unknown time in the future
    Place: Earth, the home of billionaire Simon Powers
    Conductor: Nicole Paiement
    Stage Director: Diane Paulus*
    Associate Director: Andrew Eggert*
    Scenic Design: Alex McDowell*
    Costume Design: David Woolard*
    Lighting Design: Don Holder
    Choreography: Karole Armitage*
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Starring: Robert Orth (Simon Powers/Robot One), Joélle Harvey (Miranda/Robot Four), Patricia Risley(Evvy/Robot Three), Hal Cazalet*(Nicholas/Robot Two), Frank Kelley*(The United Way), David Kravitz*(The United Nations), Tom McNichols*(The Administration).

    DIE TOTE STADT (“THE DEAD CITY”) by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    March 21, 23(m), 26, 29 and April 6(m), 2014
    The Hitchcock-like tale of one man’s dark obsession with the woman he loved and lost.
    An opera in three acts first performed in Hamburg & Cologne, Germany on December 4, 1920
    Text by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Paul Schott based on a novel by Georges Rodenbach, Bruges la morte
    Time: End of the 19th century
    Place: The city of Bruges in northwestern Belgium
    Conductor: Sebastian Lang-Lessing*
    Stage Director: Mikael Melbye
    Scenic Design: Mikael Melbye*
    Costume Design: Dierdre Clancy*
    Video Design: Wendall Harrington*
    Lighting Design: Mark McCullough
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Choreography: Matthew Ferraro*
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Anne Petersen**(Marietta) , Jay Hunter Morris (Paul), Morgan Smith (Fritz), Weston Hurt (Frank), Katherine Tier*(Brigitta), Andrew Bidlack (Albert), Jan Lund**(Victorin), Jennifer Chung (Juliette), Angela Turner Wilson (Lucienne).

    THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Gioachino Rossini
    March 28, 30(m), April 2, 5, 11 & 13(m), 2014
    Figaro, a scheming barber and jack-of-all-trades plots to release a headstrong girl from her gilded cage!
    An opera in two acts first performed in Rome on February 20, 1816
    Text by Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais, from his comedy Le Barbier de Séville
    Time: 18th century
    Place: Seville, Spain
    Conductor: Giuliano Carella*
    Stage Director: Herb Kellner
    Original Production: John Copley
    Scenic Design: John Conklin
    Costume Design: Michael Stennet
    Lighting Design: TBD
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Nathan Gunn (Figaro), Isabel Leonard*(Rosina), Alek Shrader*(Count Almaviva), Donato DiStefano (Dr. Bartolo), Burak Bilgili*(Don Basilio), Nathan De’Shon Myers (Fiorello), Christian Teague*(Ambrogio).

    DALLAS OPERA FAMILY PERFORMANCES
    Jack and the Beanstalk: October 26, 2013 and April 5, 2014
    Family Concerts: November 3, 2013 and February 1, 2014
    The Elixir of Love: November 9, 2013 and April 12, 2014

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

    ###

    Thousands Fill Klyde Warren Park for “Carmen” Simulcast

    It was one of the greatest block parties I’ve ever seen. Hope you were there, too!

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Monday, October 28, 2013
    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Megan Meister 214.443.1071
    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org megan.meister@dallasopera.org
    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE
    THE OFFICIAL ATTENDANCE ESTIMATE FOR
    AN EVENING OF OPEN-AIR OPERA ON THE LAWN:
    3,764 Patrons
    Fill Klyde Warren Park to View
    TDO’s Free Simulcast of Carmen!
    ~~~~
    FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013
    ~~~~
    WITH SUPPORT FROM THE DALLAS ARTS DISTRICT

    DALLAS, TX, OCTOBER 28, 2013 – The Dallas Opera, in partnership with Klyde Warren Park and with support from The Dallas Arts District, is delighted to announce the success of our first-ever artistic collaboration: a live simulcast of one of the most popular operas in the repertoire, Georges Bizet’s 1875 masterpiece, CARMEN, starring the gorgeous and gifted French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine in her American debut!
    The Klyde Warren Park Simulcast, the sixth simulcast presented by the Dallas Opera since 2010, enabled at least 3,764 patrons to enjoy an evening of spectacular entertainment, live from the Margaret McDermott Performance Hall of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center!
    According to Klyde Warren Park, which monitored the North and South entrances to the Park and conducted clicker counts from the end of the First Act until early in the Second Act, at least 3,764 people saw some portion of the live simulcast last Friday evening. Following the official count, anecdotal evidence from multiple sources indicated the crowd continued to grow.
    Early attendees were treated to a silent film rarity, “Carmen Junior,” starring Baby Peggy Montgomery and a WB Classics Tom and Jerry cartoon – “Carmen Get It!” in addition to a Carmen Costume Contest and “Toreador Song Sing-a-Long” hosted by 102.9 Now Radio Personality Jagger and opera expert Dr. Stephen Dubberly.
    Backstage interviews were conducted by WFAA’s Ron Corning and Colleen Coyle and views of the red carpet action at the Winspear, where FIRST NIGHT was in full-swing, also added to the sense of “being there.”
    The curtain went up promptly at 8:00 p.m. and the crowd rose to its feet for the national anthem, conducted by Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume, prior to the performance.

    “One of my primary goals as head of the company continues to be discovering effective new ways to share this extraordinary art form with as broad an audience as possible, while building on an extensive network of collaborations within the Arts District—and beyond,” explained Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny.
    “I was delighted, and staggered, to see the astonishing turnout we had last Friday for the first ever simulcast in Klyde Warren Park. This event proved, as if there were any doubts, that opera performed to the highest standard appeals to people of every age and background.
    “We were pleased to work closely with our colleagues at Klyde Warren Park and the Dallas Arts District to make our vision for community engagement such an unqualified success!”

    “Klyde Warren Park was conceived and designed for these types of activities—activities that bring the performing and visual arts to everyone. These programs help provide a way to promote and showcase art to those who may not otherwise experience these performances,” remarked Jody Grant, Chairman, Woodall Rogers Park Foundation.

    Tara Green, President of Klyde Warren Park agreed: “The unique location of the Park, reconnecting our too-long-disconnected Downtown area to Uptown and the rest of the city, makes us especially conscious of our responsibility to serve all the people of Dallas. Our mission is to be a tremendous showcase—as well as a great green space—and productive collaborations with organizations like the Dallas Opera are key.
    “We are so deeply grateful that Keith Cerny of the Dallas Opera approached us with this idea and we truly hope it will mark the first of many memorable and joyful collaborations to come!”

    “I saw my dream come true with literally thousands of people in Klyde Warren Park watching an opera with rapt fascination,” said Sheila Grant, co-creator of the “Sheila and Jody Grant Opera Discovery” program.
    “Families with their small well-behaved children had their eyes glued to the screen. Everyone was so happy: people were offering their chairs and blankets to complete strangers and offering them, wine and food as well.
    “I have not been this thrilled or overjoyed since the opening of the Park. Thousands of patrons were clearly enjoying themselves immensely. For many, it was the chance of a lifetime to see a live performance with their families; people of every race, creed and age.
    “While I personally can’t sing a note,” Sheila Grant added, “my heart will be singing for months because of this extraordinary evening.”

    “All are welcome in the Dallas Arts District, which works to be inclusive and collaborative at every opportunity and continues to set new attendance records each year,” notes Dallas Arts District Executive Director Catherine Cuellar.
    “Through this partnership with our stakeholders at The Dallas Opera and Klyde Warren Park, we are helping to cultivate the next generation of opera fans,” she added.
    ~~~~

    CARMEN was sung in the original French, with English language translations projected above the stage and on the simulcast screen at Klyde Warren Park.
    This performance and simulcast launched the Dallas Opera’s sixth production of CARMEN in our 56-year-history.
    ~~~~

    Subscriptions for the Dallas Opera’s 2013-2014 “By Love Transformed” Season are on sale now, starting at just $76 for all four mainstage productions, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org. Single tickets start at just $19. Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $25 to $50, depending on the section, (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance. All simulcasts are free of charge.

    About The Dallas Arts District:

    The Dallas Arts District is the largest arts district in the nation, spanning more than 73 acres and 19 contiguous blocks in the heart of downtown. With stunning architecture, including four buildings designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects, world-class exhibits and exemplary cultural programming, the Dallas Arts District has become the landmark that defines the heart of the city of Dallas.
    Established in 2009 as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization as the AT&T Performing Arts Center neared completion, today’s Dallas Arts District serves residents and patrons of the district, increasing awareness of and access to arts and the District. Operating under the umbrella of Downtown Dallas, Inc. as advocate, steward and representative, The Dallas Arts District serves stakeholders including the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Crow Collection of Asian Art, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Theater Center, Klyde Warren Park, Nasher Sculpture Center, The Dallas Opera, The Perot Museum of Nature & Science, Hall Financial, MetroArts Corporation and One Arts Plaza, among others.
    The Dallas Arts District is funded by grants, voluntary membership dues, sponsorships and donations. To learn more about how you can help support your Dallas Arts District, visit www.dallasartsdistrict.org.
    About Klyde Warren Park
    Klyde Warren Park serves as a central gathering space for Dallas and its visitors to enjoy in the heart of the city. The 5.2-acre deck park, designed by the Office of James Burnett, creates an urban green space over the existing Woodall Rodgers Freeway between Pearl and St. Paul Streets in Downtown Dallas. The park includes a performance pavilion, restaurant, shaded walking paths, a dog park, a children’s park, great lawn, water features, and an area for games, providing year-round activities to all citizens of Dallas. Klyde Warren Park is privately operated and managed by the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
    For more information on volunteering or donations, please visit www.KlydeWarrenPark.org or call 214-716-4500.

    ~~~~
    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 2013-2014 “By Love Transformed” Season
    Is Sponsored 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 2013-2014 Dallas Opera Season

    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Subscriptions are now on sale to the general public, starting at just $76. Single Tickets starting at $19 and Flex Subscriptions are also on sale. Family performances are $5 (Family Performance Subs are $12 for three family performances) and are on sale now. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2013-2014 SEASON INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Seventh 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 will 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.

    CARMEN by Georges Bizet
    October 25 (special time, 8:00 p.m.), October 27(m), 30, November 2, 8 & 10(m), 2013
    The most irresistible bad girl in opera—how can you possibly say “non”?
    An opera in four acts first performed in Paris on March 3, 1875
    Text by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée
    Time: 19th century
    Place: Seville, Spain
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Chris Alexander
    Scenic Design: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
    Costume Design: Werner Iverke
    Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Children’s Chorus Master: Melinda Cotten
    Starring: Clémentine Margaine**(Carmen), Brandon Jovanovich (Don José Oct. 25, 27, 30), Bruno Ribeiro* (Don José Nov. 2, 8, 10), Mary Dunleavy (Micaëla), Dwayne Croft (Escamillo), Danielle Pastin*(Frasquita), Audrey Babcock*(Mercédès), Kyle Albertson*(Zuniga), Steven LaBrie (Le Dancaïre), William Ferguson* (Remendado), John David Boehr*(Moralès).

    DEATH AND THE POWERS by Tod Machover
    February 12, 14, 15 & 16(m), 2014
    Science fiction and poignant family drama combine in a major regional premiere!
    An opera in one act first performed in Monte Carlo, Monaco at the Salle Garnier on September 24, 2010.
    Text by Robert Pinsky, based on a story by Pinsky and Randy Weiner
    Time: Unknown time in the future
    Place: Earth, the home of billionaire Simon Powers
    Conductor: Nicole Paiement
    Stage Director: Diane Paulus*
    Associate Director: Andrew Eggert*
    Scenic Design: Alex McDowell*
    Costume Design: David Woolard*
    Lighting Design: Don Holder
    Choreography: Karole Armitage*
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Starring: Robert Orth (Simon Powers/Robot One), Joélle Harvey (Miranda/Robot Four), Patricia Risley(Evvy/Robot Three), Hal Cazalet*(Nicholas/Robot Two), Frank Kelley*(The United Way), David Kravitz*(The United Nations), Tom McNichols*(The Administration).

    DIE TOTE STADT (“THE DEAD CITY”) by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    March 21, 23(m), 26, 29 and April 6(m), 2014
    The Hitchcock-like tale of one man’s dark obsession with the woman he loved and lost.
    An opera in three acts first performed in Hamburg & Cologne, Germany on December 4, 1920
    Text by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Paul Schott based on a novel by Georges Rodenbach, Bruges la morte
    Time: End of the 19th century
    Place: The city of Bruges in northwestern Belgium
    Conductor: Sebastian Lang-Lessing*
    Stage Director: Mikael Melbye
    Scenic Design: Mikael Melbye*
    Costume Design: Dierdre Clancy*
    Video Design: Wendall Harrington*
    Lighting Design: Mark McCullough
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Choreography: Matthew Ferraro*
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Anne Petersen**(Marietta) , Jay Hunter Morris (Paul), Morgan Smith (Fritz), Weston Hurt (Frank), Katherine Tier*(Brigitta), Andrew Bidlack (Albert), Jan Lund**(Victorin), Jennifer Chung (Juliette), Angela Turner Wilson (Lucienne).

    THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Gioachino Rossini
    March 28, 30(m), April 2, 5, 11 & 13(m), 2014
    Figaro, a scheming barber and jack-of-all-trades plots to release a headstrong girl from her gilded cage!
    An opera in two acts first performed in Rome on February 20, 1816
    Text by Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais, from his comedy Le Barbier de Séville
    Time: 18th century
    Place: Seville, Spain
    Conductor: Giuliano Carella*
    Stage Director: Herb Kellner
    Original Production: John Copley
    Scenic Design: John Conklin
    Costume Design: Michael Stennet
    Lighting Design: TBD
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Nathan Gunn (Figaro), Isabel Leonard*(Rosina), Alek Shrader*(Count Almaviva), Donato DiStefano (Dr. Bartolo), Burak Bilgili*(Don Basilio), Nathan De’Shon Myers (Fiorello), Christian Teague*(Ambrogio).

    DALLAS OPERA FAMILY PERFORMANCES
    Jack and the Beanstalk: October 26, 2013 and April 5, 2014
    Family Concerts: November 3, 2013 and February 1, 2014
    The Elixir of Love: November 9, 2013 and April 12, 2014

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

    ###

    Opening Weekend Has Begun!

    It’s here! The new Dallas Opera season kicks off in a whole new way tomorrow morning with the inaugural edition of FIRST SIGHT, a reception, fashion show and luncheon sponsored by J.P. Morgan. And that’s just the beginning of what should be a truly landmark weekend. Read on and start planning your picnic now.

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Wednesday, October 23, 2013

    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014
    Suzanne.Calvin@dallasopera.org
    Or Megan Meister 214.443.1071
    Megan.Meister@dallasopera.org

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO PRESENT
    “FIRST SIGHT”
    Thursday, Oct. 24th Fashion Show
    And Opening Weekend Festivities
    10 a.m. in the Winspear Opera House
    PRESENTED BY J.P. MORGAN
    ~~~~
    Followed on Friday, Oct. 25th at 8:00 p.m. by
    GEORGES BIZET’S 1875 MASTERPIECE
    CARMEN
    THE LINDA AND MITCH HART
    SEASON OPENING NIGHT PERFORMANCE
    ~~~~
    “FIRST NIGHT 2013”
    5:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
    At the AT&T Performing Arts Center
    NGP ENERGY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, Presenting Sponsor
    ~~~~
    The Dallas Opera’s Free Klyde Warren Park Simulcast with Support From the Dallas Arts District – Special Features Begin at 6:30 p.m.

    Including Tom and Jerry in “Carmen Get It!” and Costume Contest
    Park Patrons will also be Introduced to the Exciting

    “SHEILA AND JODY GRANT OPERA DISCOVERY” PROGRAM!

    DALLAS, OCTOBER 23, 2013 – The Dallas Opera, inspired by the incredible success of FIRST NIGHT festivities that mark the opening of each new season, is delighted to introduce an extraordinary spin-off: The FIRST SIGHT Fashion Show and Luncheon featuring the work of five outstanding and internationally renowned Dallas-based designers with their breathtaking interpretations of the operas that will take centerstage this season in addition to fashions by ESCADA, an international brand synonymous with the highest quality and luxury. This celebration of great opera and fabulous design will take place on Thursday, October 24, 2013 in the acclaimed Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, presented by J.P. Morgan.
    The pre-show reception beginning at 10:00 a.m. will set the mood for the fun that follows as the Shannon and Ted Skokos Stage is transformed into a glamorous high-fashion runway to showcase the imagination and talent of five of fashion’s most creative designers:

    ELIZABETH ANYAA
    MICHAEL FAIRCLOTH
    ABI FERRIN
    KHANH NGUYEN
    And NICOLAS VILLALBA
    Followed by
    “RESORT 2014”
    PRESENTED BY ESCADA

    The fabulous fashion show will be capped by a sit-down luncheon at 11:45 a.m. in the C. Vincent Prothro Lobby, artfully prepared by Puck Catering.

    Explains FIRST SIGHT & FIRST NIGHT Chair, Lynn Mock: “The overwhelming public interest in the fashion element of FIRST NIGHT prompted us to expand our vision to match the creativity of an iconic brand, ESCADA, as well as these five incredible designers. By giving them the spotlight, exclusively, in this very special event, we hope to excite and engage our patrons while giving art and fashion their due.
    “It’s a perfect extension of the FIRST NIGHT celebrations,” Ms. Mock adds.

    Following their unveiling at FIRST SIGHT, these one-of-a-kind creations inspired by the operas and theme of the 2013-2014 “By Love Transformed Season” will lend an additional air of excitement to the red carpet on Opening Night.
    Several fashion-savvy style leaders are lending their expertise to the Dallas Opera’s inaugural FIRST SIGHT, including Event Architect Jeffrey Horn FPLtd. and Event Designer Larry Leathers.
    “There is nothing more glamorous and elegant than our talented designer creations, with ESCADA fashion; all showcased inside the beautiful Winspear Opera House,” says Fashion Show Producer Rhonda Sargent Chambers. “I am thrilled!”
    ~~~~

    The Dallas Opera is pleased to revive—by popular demand—the exciting festivities marking the opening of a new season, known as FIRST NIGHT. The one-night-only celebrations presented by NGP Energy Capital Management will take place both inside and outside the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District, on Friday, October 25, 2013 beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a lavish black-tie dinner at 6:00 provided by Puck Catering in a beautifully appointed tent in Sammons Park (located just off the main promenade to the Winspear Opera House).
    The menu and dinner music, as well as the artistic design, will reflect the cultural influences that dominate the 2013-2014 Season – “By Love Transformed” (season presenting sponsor Texas Instruments Foundation).
    Sophisticated models will show off their extraordinary opera-inspired couture gowns, designed especially for the occasion. Several of the gowns and original sketches will be auctioned online by FIRST SIGHT sponsor, Heritage Auctions, beginning on October 25th.

    Adding to the excitement of the Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance is the buzz about the Dallas Opera’s new music director, Maestro Emmanuel Villaume, who will be making his podium debut—as music director—in that evening’s performance (Mr. Villaume has previously conducted productions for the Dallas Opera as a visiting guest conductor). The occasion will also mark the hotly anticipated American debut of award-winning French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine in the title role of Georges Bizet’s 1875 masterpiece, CARMEN.

    “FIRST NIGHT has extended the Dallas Opera’s Season Opening Production far beyond the confines of the Winspear Opera House,” explains Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny. “People picnicking on blankets in Klyde Warren Park, enjoying the Dallas Opera’s High-Definition Carmen simulcast, will also share in the excitement of the Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance and the energy and enthusiasm of this newly expanded event.
    “We are all tremendously grateful to NGP Energy Capital Management, FIRST SIGHT / FIRST NIGHT Chair Lynn Mock and everyone involved in underwriting, planning and executing this extraordinary, multifaceted experience designed to attract people of all ages and backgrounds: patrons, donors and music lovers. This year, we’re expanding our opening night events in Sammons Park, in order to include as many interested patrons as possible—both for our very first pre-performance black-tie dinner and the distinctive After-Party.”

    Elements of the Klyde Warren Park Simulcast, supported by the Dallas Arts District, include a presentation of a rarely seen silent comedy, “Carmen Junior,” starring Baby Peggy Montgomery; the Tom and Jerry WB Classic cartoon, “Carmen Get It!” and a Carmen Costume Contest open to all comers! Hosted, beginning at 6:30 p.m., by KDMX radio personality Jagger along with the popular lecturer and head of UNT’s Opera Program, Dr. Stephen Dubberly.
    The occasion will also mark the introduction of an exciting new adventure in 21st century community outreach: The Sheila and Jody Grant Opera Discovery program, designed to transform outdoor enthusiasts and opera lovers enjoying a performance on the Klyde Warren Park lawn to new patrons experiencing opera in the magnificent setting of the Winspear.
    Learn more about this fabulous program at Klyde Warren Park this coming Friday night!

    Food and drink will be available for purchase onsite; however, picnic baskets and blankets are welcome on the lawn.
    ~~~~

    FIRST NIGHT Red Carpet arrivals will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening supported by FIRST NIGHT Red Carpet Sponsor, Deloitte. The black-tie dinner is from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., CARMEN curtain is 8:00 p.m. (please note the special time) and the fabulous After Party will commence in the Sammons Park tent adjacent to the Winspear Opera House immediately following the final curtain call.
    Modern Luxury is the exclusive media partner for the Dallas Opera’s 2013 FIRST SIGHT and FIRST NIGHT.
    FIRST NIGHT complimentary valet service will be provided on the Flora Street side of the Winspear Opera House for all dinner guests.
    ~~~~

    She’s the woman no man can resist and, as performed by renowned French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine in her American debut, who would want to say “non”? Hailed as “Best Newcomer” in the 2011 French Classical Music Awards, Margaine will have her hands full with two head-turning, heart-melting Don Josés: tenors Brandon Jovanovich, who last captivated us as Pinkerton in the Dallas Opera’s 2010 production of Madame Butterfly, and Portuguese tenor Bruno Ribeiro making his eagerly anticipated company debut.
    This truly phenomenal cast, from American soprano Mary Dunleavy in the role of Micaëla to bass-baritone Dwayne Croft as Escamillo the Toreador, will bring on the sizzle—as well as the steak! Featuring classic Jean-Pierre Ponnelle scenery from the San Francisco Opera, this production conducted by Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Emmanuel Villaume, an artist of international stature, will make all the other good/bad girls of opera seem tame, if not lame, in comparison.
    CARMEN will be staged by American director Chris Alexander, The James R. Seitz, Jr., Stage Director in Honor of John Gage, who earned critical praise in his 2005 Dallas Opera debut for his staging of Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann, starring Mary Dunleavy and Marcus Haddock. Mr. Alexander was welcomed back in the spring of 2009 to direct the company’s final performances in the Music Hall at Fair Park: a delightful and daffy rendering of Rossini’s The Italian Girl in Algiers (L’italiana in Algeri).
    American tenor Brandon Jovanovich will sing the role of Don José on Oct. 25, 27, and 30, while TDO newcomer, Portuguese tenor Bruno Ribeiro will portray the obsessed lover on Nov. 2, 8 and 10, 2013.
    This outstanding international cast includes soprano Danielle Pastin in her company debut as Frasquita; mezzo Audrey Babcock in her Dallas Opera debut as Mercédès; bass Kyle Albertson (another company debut) as Zuniga; baritone Stephen LaBrie as the smuggler, La Dancaire; tenor William Ferguson in his Dallas Opera debut as Remendado and baritone John David Boehr in his TDO debut as Moralès.

    Mr. Jovanovich, who enthralled Dallas audiences in our 2010 production of Madame Butterfly (described by Huffington Post’s Rodney Punt as the definitive Pinkerton of our time) and who will perform the role on FIRST NIGHT, has been dazzling critics recently in the title role of Wagner’s Lohengrin. San Francisco Chronicle Classical Music Critic Joshua Kosman wrote: “Jovanovich combined sweet-toned lyricism and ardent heroism in just the proportions required for this tricky role. His singing was thrillingly pure and tireless, his stage presence simultaneously tender and aloof.”
    The season Opening Night Performance of Carmen receives endowed support from Linda and Mitch Hart.
    Additional support is provided by Alice W. and Richard D. Bass, Joy S. and Ronald Mankoff, Betty and Steve Suellentrop, Joanna and Peter Townsend and James R. Seitz, Jr.
    ~~~~
    Corporate Sponsorships

    FIRST NIGHT Presenting Sponsor
    NGP Energy Capital Management

    FIRST SIGHT Presenting Sponsor – J.P. Morgan

    FIRST SIGHT/NIGHT Media Partner – Modern Luxury

    Platinum Sponsor ($25,000)
    Deloitte

    Silver Sponsors ($10,000)
    Gardere Wynne Sewell, LLP
    Heritage Auctions
    KPMG
    Mary Kay
    Thompson and Knight

    Bronze Sponsors ($5,000)
    Weaver
    PT Petroleum, LLC

    Individual Sponsorships

    Platinum ($2,500 Individual to $25,000 Table)
    Alice and David Court
    Mary and Dick Covington
    Cindy and Charlie Feld
    Mary Beth and Jay Marshall
    Lynn and Presley Mock
    Elizabeth and Richard Naftalis
    Robert J. Vladem

    Gold ($1,500 Individual to $15,000 Table)
    Patti and John Cody
    Patsy Donosky
    Susan and Mark Geyer
    Bobbi and Richard Massman
    Tincy Miller
    Tanya Roberts
    Enika and Richard H. Schulze
    Anne and Steven Stodghill
    Betty and Steve Suellentrop
    Joanna and T. Peter Townsend
    Patty and Marty Weiland
    Ellen and Don Winspear

    Silver ($1,000 Individual to $10,000 Table)
    Alice and Richard Bass
    Hilary L. Roberts and J.B. Brinkmann in honor of
    The Dallas Opera Chorus Master, Alexander Rom
    Lucinda Councilman
    Jacqueline and Jim Deeken
    Bobbi and Leo Fields
    Lisa and David Genecov
    Carol and Don Glendenning
    Jack Harrod
    Kaki and Shelton G. Hopkins
    Myra and Robert L. Hull
    Elizabeth and Scott Kimple
    Mike and Barbara Lynn Philanthropic Fund of
    The Dallas Jewish Community Foundation
    Rhonda and Fraser Marcus
    Holly and Tom Mayer
    Joyce and Harvey Mitchell
    The Northern Trust Company
    Mildred M. Oppenheimer
    Katherine and Michael Phillips
    The Rosewood Corporation
    Gloria and Juan Ernesto Snead
    Sandra Tucker
    Agnes Whitley
    Stacie and Mark Whitley
    Marnie and Kern Wildenthal

    Bronze ($500 Luncheon to $7,500 Dinner Table)
    Catherine Ann Carr
    Linda Claycomb
    Mary Ann Cree
    Nick Even
    Harriett Gibbs
    Faye Gould
    Jolie D. Humphrey
    Don J. McDermett and Garry Cox
    Danna Orr
    Betty Secker

    FIRST SIGHT – FIRST NIGHT / KEY PERSONNEL

    Lynn Mock, Chair, FIRST SIGHT/FIRST NIGHT

    Jeffrey Horn FPLtd, Event Architect, Event Design Co-Chair

    Larry Leathers, Event Designer, Event Design Co-Chair

    Rhonda Sargent Chambers, Fashion Show Producer and Chair

    Mary Beth and Jay Marshall, Dinner Chairs

    Rhonda and Fraser Marcus, After Party Chairs

    Don McDermett and Garry Cox, Table Sales Chairs

    Patty and Marty Weiland, FIRST SIGHT Table Sales Chairs

    Elizabeth Z. Naftalis, Luncheon Chair

    Presley Mock, Underwriting Chair

    Debbie and David Burch, Mary and Dick Covington, Cindy Feld, Keith Laycock and Dawna Richter: Underwriting Vice-Chairs

    Stacie Whitley, Pre-Events Chair

    John Gage, Arrangements Chair

    Scott Chase and Greg McConeghy, Arrangements Vice-Chairs

    Kaki Hopkins, Advisory Committee Chair

    Advisory Committee: Diane Brierley, Patti Cody, Patsy Donosky, Carol Glendenning, Holly Mayer, Lynn McBee, Tincy Miller, Joyce Mitchell, Shannon Skokos, Anne Stodghill, Betty Suellentrop and Ellen Winspear
    ~~~~
    Single tickets for the 2013-2014 Season are subject to dynamic pricing (the earlier they are purchased, the lower the price) and are on sale now – for as little as $19. Subscriptions start at just $76. Boxes and Inner Circle seating may be priced higher.

    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, Director of Media & Public Relations
    214.443.1014 or suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org

    The Dallas Opera’s 2013-2014 “By Love Transformed” Season
    Is Sponsored 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

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2013-2014 SEASON INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Seventh 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 will 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. For more information or to make your ticket purchase, contact the friendly professionals at the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    CARMEN by Georges Bizet
    October 25 (special time, 8:00 p.m.), October 27(m), 30, November 2, 8 & 10(m), 2013
    The most irresistible bad girl in opera—How can you possibly say “non”?
    An opera in four acts first performed in Paris on March 3, 1875
    Text by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée
    Time: 19th century
    Place: Seville, Spain
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Chris Alexander
    Scenic Design: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
    Costume Design: Werner Iverke
    Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Children’s Chorus Master: Melinda Cotten
    Starring: Clémentine Margaine**(Carmen), Brandon Jovanovich (Don José Oct. 25, 27, 30), Bruno Ribeiro* (Don José Nov. 2, 8, 10), Mary Dunleavy (Micaëla), Dwayne Croft (Escamillo), Danielle Pastin*(Frasquita), Audrey Babcock*(Mercédès), Kyle Albertson*(Zuniga), Steven LaBrie (Le Dancaïre), William Ferguson* (Remendado), John David Boehr*(Moralès).

    DEATH AND THE POWERS by Tod Machover
    February 12, 14, 15 & 16(m), 2014
    Science fiction and poignant family drama combine in a major regional premiere!
    An opera in one act first performed in Monte Carlo, Monaco at the Salle Garnier on September 24, 2010.
    Text by Robert Pinsky, based on a story by Pinsky and Randy Weiner
    Time: Unknown time in the future
    Place: Earth, the home of billionaire Simon Powers
    Conductor: Nicole Paiement
    Stage Director: Diane Paulus*
    Associate Director: Andrew Eggert*
    Scenic Design: Alex McDowell*
    Costume Design: David Woolard*
    Lighting Design: Don Holder
    Choreography: Karole Armitage*
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Starring: Robert Orth (Simon Powers/Robot One), Joélle Harvey (Miranda/Robot Four), Patricia Risley(Evvy/Robot Three), Hal Cazalet*(Nicholas/Robot Two), Frank Kelley*(The United Way), David Kravitz*(The United Nations), Tom McNichols*(The Administration).

    DIE TOTE STADT (“THE DEAD CITY”) by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
    March 21, 23(m), 26, 29 and April 6(m), 2014
    The Hitchcock-like tale of one man’s dark obsession with the woman he loved and lost.
    An opera in three acts first performed in Hamburg & Cologne, Germany on December 4, 1920
    Text by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Paul Schott based on a novel by Georges Rodenbach, Bruges la morte
    Time: End of the 19th century
    Place: The city of Bruges in northwestern Belgium
    Conductor: Sebastian Lang-Lessing*
    Stage Director: Mikael Melbye
    Scenic Design: Mikael Melbye*
    Costume Design: Dierdre Clancy*
    Video Design: Wendall Harrington*
    Lighting Design: Mark McCullough
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Choreography: Matthew Ferraro*
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Anne Petersen**(Marietta) , Jay Hunter Morris (Paul), Morgan Smith (Fritz), Weston Hurt (Frank), Katherine Tier*(Brigitta), Andrew Bidlack (Albert), Jan Lund**(Victorin), Jennifer Chung (Juliette), Angela Turner Wilson (Lucienne).

    THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Gioachino Rossini
    March 28, 30(m), April 2, 5, 11 & 13(m), 2014
    Figaro, a scheming barber and jack-of-all-trades plots to release a headstrong girl from her gilded cage!
    An opera in two acts first performed in Rome on February 20, 1816
    Text by Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais, from his comedy Le Barbier de Séville
    Time: 18th century
    Place: Seville, Spain
    Conductor: Giuliano Carella*
    Stage Director: Herb Kellner
    Original Production: John Copley
    Scenic Design: John Conklin
    Costume Design: Michael Stennet
    Lighting Design: TBD
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Nathan Gunn (Figaro), Isabel Leonard*(Rosina), Alek Shrader*(Count Almaviva), Donato DiStefano (Dr. Bartolo), Burak Bilgili*(Don Basilio), Nathan De’Shon Myers (Fiorello), Christian Teague*(Ambrogio).

    DALLAS OPERA FAMILY PERFORMANCES
    Jack and the Beanstalk: October 26, 2013 and April 5, 2014
    Family Concerts: November 3, 2013 and February 1, 2014
    The Elixir of Love: November 9, 2013 and April 12, 2014

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

    ###

    2B or Not 2B – Off the Cuff

    Here’s General Director and CEO Keith Cerny’s latest edition of “Off the Cuff” from “Theater Jones” in which he tackles the split between the subscribing and single-ticket-buying public and its historical roots, as well as the short-term and long-term impact of evolving buying habits on the performing arts.

    Read it all right here.

    Suzanne Calvin, Director Media and Public Relations