Photo by Maxine Helfman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 or Celeste Hart 214.443.1071
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org celeste.hart@dallasopera.org
THE DALLAS OPERA PROUDLY PRESENTS ITS
61st INTERNATIONAL SEASON
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FIVE AMAZING PRODUCTIONS
INCLUDING THE U.S. PREMIERE OF
MICHEL VAN DER AA’S SUNKEN GARDEN
AND A DELIGHTFUL KORNGOLD RARITY:
THE RING OF POLYKRATES
2017-2018 Features Three Dazzling Classics
Samson & Dalila (Oct. 20-Nov. 5, 2017)
La traviata (Oct. 27-Nov. 12, 2017) and
Don Giovanni (April 13-April 29, 2018)
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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 20, 2017 AT 8:00 PM
The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
At the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas TX
DALLAS, JANUARY 26, 2017 –The Dallas Opera is proud to announce its ambitious 2017-2018 Season, “Motives Unmasked!” consisting of five entertaining and varied mainstage productions, including a dazzling U.S. premiere and a new Dallas Opera production of a very early opera by Viennese wunderkind Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
The 61st Season of The Dallas Opera mixes classics with the cutting edge in both unfamiliar and favorite productions.
Considered by many to be the ultimate art form, each opera will feature the powerful singing and acting of acclaimed international artists; outstanding conductors, directors and designers; The Dallas Opera Orchestra and The Dallas Opera Chorus; superb sets and costumes; imaginative technological enhancements and more.
In an effort to present each work in its truest form 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.
2017-2018 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
SAMSON & DALILA
By Camille Saint-Saëns
October 20, 22(m), 25, 28 and November 5(m), 2017
LA TRAVIATA
By Giuseppe Verdi
October 27, 29(m) and November 1, 4, 10 and 12(m), 2017
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D MAJOR, OP. 35
THE RING OF POLYKRATES
By Erich Wolfgang Korngold
February 9, 11(m), 14 and 17, 2018
SUNKEN GARDEN
By Michel van der Aa
March 9, 11(m), 14 and 17, 2018
DON GIOVANNI
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
April 13, 15(m), 18, 21, 27 and 29(m), 2018
“We have enlisted the talents of some of the finest composers, singers, conductors, directors and designers to create visually arresting, intellectually and emotionally satisfying performances filled with a wide range of extraordinary music and drama,” explains Keith Cerny, the Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO of The Dallas Opera.
“Our 61st International Season, “Motives Unmasked!” will include three beloved classics, a U.S. premiere, an exquisite concerto, and a delightful opera rarity so rare, that we believe it has only had two professional productions in this country since it originally premiered in Munich 100 years ago.”
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Subscription prices for the 2017-2018 Season start at $95 for all five mainstage opera productions and go on sale April 3, 2017. 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, go on sale to the public in July. For more information, please contact the friendly staff in The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214-443-1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org.
Notable company debuts in the 2017-2018 Season will include:
- Russian mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina as Dalila (Samson & Dalila)
- German director Bruno Berger-Gorski (Samson & Dalila)
- American baritone Michael Chioldi as Abimélech in Samson & Dalila
- Italian director Stefania Panighini (La traviata)
- American tenor René Barbera as Alfredo in La traviata
- American mezzo-soprano Abigail Levis as Flora Bervoix in Traviata
- Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro (La traviata)
- American tenor Brenton Ryan as Gastone in La traviata
- American baritone Daniel Armstrong as the Marchese D’Obigny (La traviata)
- French violinist Augustin Dumay (Korngold’s Violin Concerto in D major)
- American tenor Paul Groves as Wilhelm Arndt in The Ring of Polykrates
- American soprano Laura Wilde as Laura in The Ring of Polykrates
- American soprano Susannah Biller as Lieschen in The Ring of Polykrates
- American bass-baritone Craig Colclough as Peter Vogel in Polykrates
- Dutch composer/director Michel van der Aa (Sunken Garden)
- British baritone Roderick Williams as Toby Kramer in Sunken Garden
- English soprano Katherine Manley as Zenna Briggs in Sunken Garden
- Swedish soprano Miah Persson as Iris Marinus in Sunken Garden
- American director Robert Falls (Don Giovanni)
- American bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen as Leporello in Don Giovanni
Designer debuts next season will include:
- Peter Dean Beck and Carrie Robins (Samson & Dalila)
- Donald Eastman (The Ring of Polykrates)
- Theun Mosk and Astrid Schulz (Sunken Garden)
- Walt Spangler and Ana Kuzmanic (Don Giovanni).
Returning international artists in the 2017-2018 Season will include:
- French conductor and Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume leading performances of Samson & Dalila; Korngold’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 and The Ring of Polykrates; and Don Giovanni
- French conductor and Dallas Opera Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement conducting the U.S. premiere of Michel van der Aa’s Sunken Garden
- Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom (Samson, Traviata, Giovanni)
- American tenor Clifton Forbis as Samson in Samson & Dalila
- American baritone Richard Paul Fink as the High Priest of Dagon (Samson)
- American bass-baritone Ryan Kuster as Old Hebrew (Samson & Dalila)
- American soprano Georgia Jarman as Violetta in La traviata
- Belarus baritone Vladislav Sulimsky as Germont in La traviata
- American bass-baritone Dale Travis as Baron Douphol in La traviata
- British designer Desmond Heeley (La traviata)
- American director Peter Kazaras (The Ring of Polykrates)
- Costume designer Tommy Bourgeois and lighting designer Krista Billings for The Ring of Polykrates
- Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecie? as Don Giovanni
- American soprano Laura Claycomb as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni
- American tenor David Portillo as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni
- American soprano Ellie Dehn as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni
- French mezzo-soprano Virginie Verrez as Zerlina in Don Giovanni
- American baritone Craig Verm as Masetto in Don Giovanni
- American bass Morris Robinson as The Commendatore in Giovanni
- Lighting designer Duane Schuler (Don Giovanni)
“Great opera will always speak to us,” explains General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, “because it illuminates aspects of our nature and helps us define the times in which we live.
“It is my aim to give Dallas Opera audiences the opportunity to better understand their world through the powerful mediums of music and drama. I sincerely believe that the 61st International Season, filled with remarkable storytelling and unforgettable performances, will make good on that promise.”
The Dallas Opera continues to expand and increase its reputation for producing important, world-class opera and the 2017-2018 season will be no exception.
The company will also present internationally renowned conductors: Emmanuel Villaume, the Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director, at the podium for three operas, Nicole Paiement, the Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Principal Guest Conductor, and Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro.
Every mainstage production will be presented in the magnificent 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.
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The Dallas Opera’s 2017-2018 Season, begins with The Linda and Mitch Hart Season Opening Night Performance on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. (note the special time). Camille Saint-Saëns’ passionate and romantic SAMSON & DALILA will launch the new season by bringing the house down!
Tenor Clifton Forbis and Russian soprano Olga Borodina—in her eagerly awaited Dallas Opera debut!—portray the doomed twosome, trapped in a love affair of biblical proportions.
Samson is the only hope of his people, the Hebrews, in the oppressive grip of the Philistines. Enter Dalila, the calculating seductress capable of capturing men’s hearts with ease. Her temptation of Samson continues until she gets what she wants: the secret of his strength. Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera builds to the familiar, spectacular climax, taken straight from the Book of Judges.
Music Director Emmanuel Villaume will conduct the renowned Dallas Opera Orchestra in “one of the brightest jewels of French opera.”
Recently, Maestro Villaume triumphed in a revival of Jonathan Kent’s production of Tosca at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; prompting Hannah Nepil of The Financial Times to praise Villaume for “teasing out sultry, sumptuous playing from his orchestra.”
He also earned uniformly outstanding notices for his superb conducting of The Dallas Opera’s 2016 revival of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Moby-Dick, which prompted Gregory Sullivan Isaacs of Theater Jones to write, “…with Villaume on the podium, Heggie’s score comes across as much more neo-tonal, lush, magnificently constructed and neo-romantic opera than what I perceived in the score back then. Vocal lines soar, giving singers some great bel-canto phrases that are grateful for the voice.”
Dramatic tenor Clifton Forbis has sung some of the most challenging roles in the operatic repertoire. He has mesmerized Dallas Opera audiences as Siegmund in Die Walküre, as well as a “forceful and manly” Tristan. Samson is a signature role for Mr. Forbis, who has performed this part at Bilbao, San Francisco Opera and the Met.
He will star opposite the legendary Olga Borodina, the ultimate Dalila, according to London-based critic Rupert Christiansen of The Telegraph. Adam Wasserman of Opera News observed “…to watch Borodina is to see the masterful emergence of a truly human, fully formed character…buttressed by some of the most luxurious, thrilling vocalism that one can hope to encounter in an opera house.”
Other members of this cast include Grammy-winning baritone Richard Paul Fink as the High Priest of Dagon, baritone Michael Chioldi in his TDO debut as Abimélech (the Philistine provincial governor), and bass-baritone Ryan Kuster as the Old Hebrew.
This Pittsburgh Opera production was designed by Peter Dean Beck (sets) and Carrie Robins (costumes) in their company debuts.
The opera will be staged by German director Bruno Berger-Gorski in his house debut. As always, chorus preparation is by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
Performances continue on October 22(m), 25, 28 and November 5, 2017 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 our Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. There is no late seating.
SAMSON & DALILA will be performed in its original language, French, 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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Back by popular demand, the second production of The Dallas Opera’s 2017-2018 Season is Giuseppe Verdi’s heartbreaking 1853 masterpiece, LA TRAVIATA, opening on Friday, October 27, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. with an extraordinary cast.
Performed in Italian with English supertitles projected above the stage, the romance continues with additional performances October 29(m), November 1, 4, 10 and 12(m), 2017 with evening performances beginning promptly at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 2:00 p.m.
It is a story that has been told for thousands of years in millions of ways, but, in this case, the tale of a woman of questionable virtue sacrificing her own happiness for the man she loves is based on an actual person. The famed “Lady of the Camillias” comes to life on the Winspear stage, under the guidance of two dynamic Italians: conductor Carlo Montanaro and director Stefania Panighini in their company debuts.
Easily Giuseppe Verdi’s most romantic work, this revival of a magnificent Lyric Opera of Chicago production, originally directed by Frank Galati and designed by Desmond Heeley, is the perfect “Pretty Woman” night at the opera as well as a perennial crowd pleaser.
Soprano Georgia Jarman, who possesses “a show-stealing coloratura with immaculate style” (The New York Times) will sing the lead role of the fatally ill courtesan, Violetta Valéry. Praised by Opera magazine for her “crystalline tone and uncommon attention to expressive detail,” Ms. Jarman made her TDO debut in our steamy Don Giovanni opposite Paolo Szot.
This time around, she’ll be making sparks with tenor René Barbera, who is making his Dallas Opera debut. Mr. Barbera has swiftly established himself as one of today’s most exciting young artists. He has performed with San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, and Opéra National de Paris.
As Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont, The Dallas Opera is bringing back an extraordinary baritone: Vladislav Sulimsky from Belarus, bringing another of what Classical Music Critic Scott Cantrell of The Dallas Morning News describes as “deeply sympathetic” portrayals to the Winspear stage. His 2015 company debut as the mysterious Ibn-Hakia in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta was a show-stopper, even in the midst of a very strong cast.
Mezzo-soprano Abigail Levis makes her Dallas Opera debut as Flora Bervoix. Berkshirefinearts.com applauded her “warm and resonant mezzo voice” but went on to note: “She has the rare interpretive gift of using coloratura to highlight emotional truth rather than to simply show off.”
Tenor Brenton Ryan, “singing with a fresh, clarion tone and dramatic aplomb” (Corinna de Fonseca-Wollheim, The New York Times) will also be making his TDO debut as Alfredo’s friend, Gastone. Also featured in the ensemble cast are baritone Dale Travis as Baron Douphol, baritone Daniel Armstrong in his Dallas Opera debut as the Marchese D’Obigny, bass-baritone Ryan Kuster as the sympathetic Doctor Grenvil, and soprano Rachel Sterrenberg in her company debut as Violetta’s maid, Annina.
The chorus is a strong presence in this opera and will be prepared by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
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 61st Season is a unique pairing of two works by one of the great proponents of the early twentieth century “Viennese sound,” composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The Dallas Opera is proud to present Korngold’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 (1945) and The Ring of Polykrates (1916) opening Friday, February 9, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. in the Winspear Opera House.
Revered French violinist Augustin Dumay (with more than 40 recordings in his discography) will be the featured soloist with The Dallas Opera Orchestra. Dumay is considered “an absolute master of using changes in tone color as an expressive device” (Fanfare) and many of his recordings are considered the “gold standard” in their repertoire. Heather Kurzbauer of The Strad put it simply: “This is the stuff that dreams are made of.” As for his live concert hall performances, Geoffrey Norris of The Daily Telegraph writes: “Mr. Dumay is a violinist of remarkable individuality…excitingly musical, stimulatingly original, a marvelously fresh but idiomatic interpretation with a strength of personality that made it so powerfully communicative and memorable.”
Critically acclaimed Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume will conduct.
The concerto will be paired with Korngold’s very first opera, The Ring of Polykrates, a one-act domestic comedy composed in 1913 when he was just sixteen years old. The work premiered in 1916 on a double bill in Munich.
The plot revolves around a musician, Wilhelm Arndt, whose career is on an upswing, along with his finances. His happiness, he tells his wife, Laura, would be complete if only he could see his long-lost friend Peter Vogel again. But you’re aware of the old saying, right? “Be careful what you wish for!”
Conducted by esteemed Music Director Emmanuel Villaume, directed by Peter Kazaras, and starring tenor Paul Groves, soprano Laura Wilde and bass-baritone Craig Colclough in their TDO debuts. This really is a once-in-a-lifetime musical event!
Scenic Designer Donald Eastman will make his TDO debut. This new Dallas Opera production will also feature period costumes by Tommy Bourgeois and lighting by Krista Billings.
Performed in German with English translations projected above the stage, the Korngold program will have three additional performances on February 11(m), 14 (a romantic Valentine’s Day evening) and February 17, 2018.
Tickets are likely to go quickly; renew your Dallas Opera subscription today!
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The fourth production of The Dallas Opera’s 61st Season is SUNKEN GARDEN by Michel van der Aa with libretto by British novelist David Mitchell. This production opens on Friday, March 9, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. in the Winspear Opera House.
The U.S. premiere of this groundbreaking opera will be directed by the composer himself–-in both 2-D and 3-D. SUNKEN GARDEN will be performed in English with English supertitles projected above the stage.
Michel van der Aa’s critically acclaimed contemporary operatic masterpiece, SUNKEN GARDEN, has been applauded by both critics and audiences as “a fantastical tale to set the ears and eyes popping” (New York Times headline).
The work, described by its creator as an “occult mystery film opera,” fuses film and live performance (including 3-D and other visual effects) to deliver what Steve Smith of The New York Times called “a bold, rewarding venture” during its 2013 English National Opera world premiere at the Barbican. The production coming to Dallas was reworked for a successful 2015 relaunch of the production at Opéra de Lyon.
A film maker’s obsession with the disappearance of a young girl leads to the discovery of a walled garden, which is the barrier between life and death. Does this place actually exist or is it just a stunning journey of the imagination? Either way, it immerses audiences into a world of crime and mystery to create a one-of-a-kind production unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.
SUNKEN GARDEN was originally a co-production of ENO, Toronto’s Luminato Festival, Opéra de Lyon, the Holland Festival and London’s Barbican Centre. This opera also marked the first collaboration between the Dutch composer and British novelist David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas).
Heidi Waleson, reviewing for The Wall Street Journal described the experience: “The inventive and haunting music is acoustic and electronic, live and prerecorded, classical and pop…Film and music align seamlessly; neither would make sense without the other…When the live singers enter the 3-D garden, the music grows richer and more expansive…The images here are spectacular: the opulent trees and flowers; the quivering holograms of the two captives, Amber and Simon; and the vertical pool through which Zenna enters and departs, which explodes out toward the audience as a shower of droplets or a giant, whirling funnel.
“The fine singers—live and on film—adeptly captured the ferocity and pathos in Sunken Garden. And the lively actors…were completely believable…technical wizardry enhanced the humanity of the piece rather than overwhelming it,” Ms. Waleson added.
Antony Craig of Gramophone (UK) emphasized that SUNKEN GARDEN is a compelling theatrical work: “This is real drama and it works dramatically. The mystery is as complex as TV film noir. The spoken interviews work as film and the 3D successfully drew me right into the sunken garden. Crucially, Sunken Garden works as opera, with Van der Aa’s fusion of musical styles matching the fusion of mediums.”
And Andrew Clement of The Guardian added, “Van der Aa has directed the show as well as the often sumptuous-looking film sequences. As always he’s done it with immense technical skill, and both his orchestral writing and the electronic soundtrack are strikingly effective.”
SUNKEN GARDEN will star English baritone Roderick Williams as Toby Kramer,
British soprano Katherine Manley as Zenna Briggs, and renowned Swedish soprano Miah Persson as Iris Marinus. All will be making their Dallas Opera debuts in this production.
Williams has been praised for “his astonishing ability to perform highly emotional music…from the top of his vocal range (where he was clear as a bell and his diction impeccable) to rich, low notes that stirred the heart.” (Laura Kate Wilson, Bachtrack)
Set and lighting design for SUNKEN GARDEN is by Theun Mosk with costumes by Astrid Schulz, both in their company debuts.
SUNKEN GARDEN will be conducted by the Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement, who has developed an international reputation as a conductor of contemporary music and opera.
Wayne Lee Gay of D Magazine’s Front Row wrote of The Dallas Opera’s 2015 world premiere of Everest: “(Paiement) combined old-fashioned precision and discipline with up-to-the-minute insight into the complex modernity of the score.”
Three additional performances of Michel van der Aa’s SUNKEN GARDEN will take place on March 11(m), 14, and 17, 2018. Season subscriptions will go on sale to the public on April 3, 2017. 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 61st International Season is Mozart’s hell-raising operatic masterpiece, the comedy-drama, DON GIOVANNI, based on the exploits of the legendary Don Juan, opening Friday, April 13, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House.
After more than two centuries, the argument rages on as to whether DON GIOVANNI is the greatest of Mozart’s many masterpieces. Decide for yourself as Dallas Opera Music Director Emmanuel Villaume conducts an all-star cast in this boldly provocative, R-rated production from Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecie? stars as the insatiable womanizer who became a living legend. William Burnett of Opera Warhorses writes, “Kwiecien was extraordinary, an utterly charming but lethally sociopathic bad boy…his Giovanni is a masterpiece.” Added Michael White of The New York Times: “glamorous, handsome of voice and presence, (charismatic) and intelligent besides. It’s the whole package and explains why he’s in such demand to play the part.”
Soprano Laura Claycomb (Rigoletto) returns to the Winspear stage as Donna Anna, after captivating North Texas audiences as Gilda several seasons back, prompting Scott Cantrell of The Dallas Morning News to praise her “limpid tone, dazzling technique and eloquence.”
Tenor David Portillo is this production’s steadfast Don Ottavio, soprano Ellie Dehn will sing the bitter and betrayed Donna Elvira, bass Kyle Ketelsen is the irrepressible Leporello, with stars Virginie Verrez as the coquettish Zerlina, baritone Craig Verm (Everest) as her fiancé, Masetto, and bass Morris Robinson (Show Boat) as The Commendatore!
Disguises and deceptions abound in Lorenzo Da Ponte’s scathing and often humorous portrait of this jaded and unrepentant anti-hero, directed by Robert Falls (Artistic Director of the famed Goodman Theater) in his eagerly awaited Dallas Opera debut.
Critically acclaimed international conductor and TDO Music Director Emmanuel Villaume leads The Dallas Opera Orchestra in Mozart’s action-packed season finale.
“One of the most satisfying perks of being a music director,” says Maestro Villaume, “is the opportunity to conduct productions that I find of particular interest—musically, dramatically, or both. This season is no exception and I am thrilled to be conducting a masterpiece from the late Classical Period, a splendid example of 19th century French Romanticism, and a pair of works from the neo-Romantic Viennese School of the early 20th century.
“I sincerely hope, when you leave the performance, you will feel as passionate about these works as we do.”
Scenic Design for DON GIOVANNI is by Walt Spangler, with costumes by Ana Kuzmanic and lighting design by Duane Schuler.
Performed in Italian with English translations projected above the stage, this acclaimed period production will command centerstage for five additional performances, April 15(m), 18, 21, 27 and 29(m), 2018.
Don’t delay: mark your calendar, buy your tickets, and then padlock your doors—because there will be no “safe spaces” while Don Giovanni roams the streets of Seville.
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Evening performances during the 2017-2018 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 $75 for the 2017-2018 Season. Full Subscriptions begin at $95 for all five productions. New subscriptions will become available on April 3, 2017.
Single Tickets for next season will start at $19 and are expected to go on sale next July. Group rates are available.
For additional information about the “Motives Unmasked!” 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 kiddoes—in order to take advantage of budget-minded, kid-friendly performances offered by The Dallas Opera in the 2017-2018 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 (mostly if not entirely in English) that can be enjoyed by North Texans of every age, educational level and background.
The always popular Dallas Opera Family Performance Series is proudly presented by Texas Instruments, and made possible with additional generous support from the Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund and Lockheed Martin.
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.
2017-2018 FAMILY PERFORMANCE SERIES
Presenting Sponsor, Texas Instruments
DONIZETTI AND COMPANY
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Sunday, February 18, 2018
From sparkling, good-natured comedies to hanky-clutching tragedies, Gaetano Donizetti was one of the great masters of Italian bel canto. This incredibly prolific composer gave us 75 operas, including four that are highlights of the repertoire: Lucia di Lammermoor, The Daughter of the Regiment, The Elixir of Love and Don Pasquale. Gather up the children (and grand-children) to experience the music of Donizetti, a man who lifted himself out of poverty through hard work, generosity, and extraordinary talent. Featuring the acclaimed Dallas Opera Orchestra and a charismatic narrator, as well as outstanding young singers.
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
Saturday, November 4, 2017
Saturday, February 3, 2018
Based on scenes and music from operas by W.A. Mozart, this production is an operatic version of the beloved children’s fairy tale, with adaptations by John Davies. The story reinforces the virtues of reading as one of the little pigs, Despina, successfully reads up on building a “huff-proof, puff-proof” house at the library. As constructive as it is instructive!
PÉPITO by Jacques Offenbach
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Saturday, February 10, 2018
Vertigo, a jack of all trades (who introduces himself with a parody of Figaro’s entrance in The Barber of Seville) is rebuffed by the beautiful hostess of the local inn, Manuelita. She is waiting patiently for her fiancé Pépito to be released from military service. Miguel, a childhood friend, returns to their native village where he immediately falls for Manuelita’s charms. He gets Vertigo out of the way, in order to flirt with the girl, yet Miguel’s advances are rejected. In fact, Miguel is so impressed with Manuelita’s virtue and loyalty that he decides to take the young soldier’s place, so he can come home to marry. However, a letter from Pépito drops a stunning piece of news on Manuelita and Miguel! Learn who finally gets the girl in Offenbach’s charming, one-act comedy.
$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.
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2016-2017 SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7. VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG
FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org
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The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by
Texas Instruments and the Betty and Steve Suellentrop
Educational Outreach Fund.
TDO Family Performances are a part of the
Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs
TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2016-2017 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Single Tickets range from $19 to $275. Full Subscriptions (five opera productions) begin at $95; Flex Subscriptions (three-performances of your choice) begin at $75. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2016-2017 SPRING SEASON INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixtieth International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances excluding FIRST NIGHT of the season.
MADAME BUTTERFLY by Giacomo Puccini
March 10, 12(m), 15, 18, 24, & 26(m), 2017
The must see, heart-wrenching Italian opera!
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa & Luigi Illica
Time: 1904
Place: Nagasaki, Japan
Conductor: Donato Renzetti
Stage Director: John Copley
Set Designer: Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer: Anita Yavich
Lighting Designer: Duane Schuler
Wig & Make-up Designer: Stephanie Williams
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Hui He* (Cio-Cio-San), Gianluca Terranova* (B.F. Pinkerton), Manuela Custer (Suzuki), Lucas Meachem* (Sharpless), David Cangelosi (Goro), Reginald Smith, Jr.* (The Bonze), Will Hughes (Prince Yamadori), Mark McCrory (Imperial Commissioner), Samuel P.J. Lopez (Registrar), Angela Turner Wilson (Kate Pinkerton), Sorrow (TBD)
A classic, period production (new to Dallas) from the San Francisco Opera!
THE TURN OF THE SCREW by Benjamin Britten
March 17, 19(m), 22 & 25, 2017
A dark and gripping tale!
Libretto by Myfanwy Piper
Time: 1950s
Place: Bly, an English country house
Conductor: Nicole Paiement
Original Production: Jonathan Kent
Stage Director: Francesca Gilpin*
Set Designer: Paul Brown
Costume Designer: Paul Brown
Original Lighting Designer: Mark Henderson
Lighting Design Recreated by: David Manion
Wig and Make-up Designer: Stephanie Williams
Starring: William Burden (Prologue/Peter Quint), Emma Bell* (Governess), Oliver Nathanielsz* (Miles), Ashley Emerson* (Flora), Dolora Zajick* (Mrs. Grose), Alexandra LoBianco* (Miss Jessel)
An acclaimed production from Glyndebourne!
NORMA by Vincenzo Bellini
April 21, 23(m), 26, 29, May 7(m), 2017
A thrilling and suspenseful masterpiece!
Libretto by Felice Romani
Time: 50 B.C.
Place: Roman-occupied Gaul
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Stage Director: Nic Muni
Set Designer: John Conklin
Costume Designer: John Conklin
Lighting Designer: Thomas Hase
Wig & Make-up Designer: Stephanie Williams
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Elza van den Heever (Norma), Marina Costa Jackson* (Adalgisa), Yonghoon Lee* (Pollione), Christian Van Horn (Oroveso), Mithra Mastropierro* (Clotilde), Charles Karanja (Flavio)
An atmospheric production from Cincinnati Opera!
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
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The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Texas Instruments Foundation, TACA, City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. A special thanks to the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for its continuing support.
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