Virginia Opera's upcoming season offers laughter, tears

Press information from Virginia Opera

Virginia Opera’s 34th season boasts a healthy offering of Italian Opera, featuring titles straight from Opera America’s Top 20 Hit List, beginning with a new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s action-packed Il Trovatore (Oct. 3- 12 in Norfolk). The sweeping tragedy, most famous for its universally popular Anvil Chorus, opens the season Friday at the Harrison Opera House.

Three major talents return in starring roles for the opening production: Finnish-Canadian soprano Eilana Lappalainen (Carmen, 1992; Turandot, 1993; and La Traviata, 1994) as Leonora, Argentina’s Teatro Colón leading tenor Gustavo López Manzitti (Cavalleria Rusticana/I Pagliacci, 2007) as Manrico, and two-time Grammy Award winning baritone Nmon Ford (Salome, 1994; Otello, 1999; and Tristan & Isolde, 2005) as Count di Luna. Mezzo-soprano Jeniece Golbourne makes her company debut as Azucena.

New designs for the season opener include the set by Michael Ganio (Fidelio, 2004; Tristan & Isolde, 2006; and Agrippina, 2007) and lighting by Richard Winkler, who makes his design debut with the company. Returning in the director’s chair is Lillian Groag, acclaimed time and again for her inspired staging of Virginia Opera productions that include most recently Tales of Hoffmann, which opened the previous season in September, and the Virginia Premiere of Agrippina in the 2006-2007 Season. Artistic Director Peter Mark will conduct, marking his 100th production conducted for Virginia Opera and – when he conducts the final performance in Richmond on Oct. 26 – 700 performances in 34 seasons with the company.

In November, Virginia Opera toasts the holidays with Gaetano Donizetti’s intoxicating romantic comedy, The Elixir of Love (Nov. 14-23 in Norfolk)  in which a young farmer attempts to win the girl of his dreams by drinking a love potion that turns out to be just cheap wine. Starring as the dream girl Adina is returning soprano Jane Redding, whom audiences will remember from roles as Poppea in the 2007 production of Agrippina and Susanna in the 2006 production of The Marriage of Figaro. Making his debut is tenor Joshua Kohl as the love struck farmer, Nemorino. Returning to direct the production is Dorothy Danner (The Merry Widow, 2004; Die Fledermaus, 2003; La Traviata, 2005; Carmen, 2006; Susannah, 2006; and Lucia di Lammermoor, upcoming). Assistant Artistic Director and Associate Conductor Joseph Walsh will conduct.

In January 2009, Virginia Opera rings in the New Year with a quintessential production from the Italian repertoire: Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, (Jan. 30- Feb. 8 in Norfolk)  starring soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams as Floria Tosca in both her company and role debut. Debonair tenor Michael Hayes, who appeared as Calaf in the 2004 production of Turandot, returns as Mario Cavaradossi. Peter Mark will conduct the production; a tale of a fiery soprano whose lover’s life is jeopardized when captured by the malicious police chief who lusts after her.

The Barber of Seville (March 13-22 in Norfolk), Gioachino Rossini’s hilarious comedy, serves up laughter and mayhem as the season’s final opera follows the madcap adventures of an outrageous barber with matchmaking on the mind. Making her anticipated return as Rosina is French soprano Manon Strauss Evrard, who earned rave reviews during her company debut as all four leading ladies in last season’s Tales of Hoffmann, as well as in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor. Handsome baritone Jason Detwiler, who made his company debut in the title role of Eugene Onegin last season, returns as the barber whose name is the opera’s claim to fame: “Figaro, Figaro, Figaro!” Baritone Steven Condy and bass Mark McCrory also debut as Dr. Bartolo and Don Basilio. Greg Ganakas (Carousel, 1996; Oklahoma!, 1997) will direct and Peter Mark will conduct.

Virginia Opera performs in Norfolk at the Edythe C. & Stanley L. Harrison Opera House, at the Landmark Theater in Richmond and at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax.

All operas in the 2008-2009 Season will be sung in Italian, with English supertitles projected above the stage.