Press Releases Bellini Masterpiece NORMA Closes the Opera Company of Philadelphia 2007-2008 Season 02-22-2008 For Immediate Release:February 22, 2008 Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204 galligher@operaphila.org Bellini Masterpiece Norma Closes the Opera Company of Philadelphia 2007-2008 Season Starring Christine Goerke, Philip Webb, Kristine Jepson and Eric Owens Philadelphia, PA: The Opera Company of Philadelphia closes its 2007-2008 season with perhaps the ultimate bel canto masterpiece, Bellini’s Norma, running from April 4, 6m, 9, 13m, 16 & 18, 2008 at the Academy of Music. An opera lover’s dream, Norma is rife with music that scales the heights of operatic drama. Druid priestess Norma has broken her vows of chastity and mothered two children by opposing Roman consul Pollione. Norma urges her Druid people not to war against Rome – until she learns that Pollione is in love with the virgin Adalgisa. Tour-de-force arias such as “Casta Diva” make Norma an opera not to be missed. Norma stars powerhouse international soprano Christine Goerke in the title role, whom audiences first heard as Rosalinde in OCP’s 2005 production of Die Fledermaus and who returned last May as Alice Ford in Falstaff. The Seattle Weekly praised her debut as Norma, saying, “Christine Goerke.... turned up the emotional heat a bit higher in each act.” Her engagements this season have included Dvorak’s Stabat Mater at the Teatro Carlo Felice and Chrysothemis in Elektra with Maggio Musical Fiorentino, a role she will reprise with the Washington National Opera after leaving Philadelphia this spring. Goerke returns to kick off the Opera Company’s 2008-2009 Season as Leonore in Fidelio. Norma also features mezzo-soprano Kristine Jepson as Adalgisa. Jepson, whose season highlights include Sister Helen in Dead Man Walking with the Theater an der Wien in Austria, Adalgisa in Norma with the Metropolitan Opera, and the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos and Nicklausse in The Tales of Hoffmann with Royal Opera Covent Garden, makes her Opera Company debut. As Pollione, lyric tenor Philip Webb makes his Company debut. Opera Magazine said of a recent performance that Webb “…moved the audience to vociferous response with his glowing lyric tenor with its exciting squillo.” Recently he has appeared as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Vienna State Opera, Pollione in Opera Colorado’s production of Norma, and Calaf in Turandot with Atlanta Opera and New York City Opera. Starring as Oroveso is acclaimed bass Eric Owens, whose creation of the title role in Grendel with Los Angeles Opera and the Lincoln Center Festival during 2006 made headlines around the globe. This season Owens made his debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago as General Leslie Groves in John Adams’ Doctor Atomic, a role he originated in 2005 at the opera’s World Premiere with San Francisco Opera. Two talented young singers from the Curtis Institute of Music, mezzo-soprano Allison Sanders and tenor Dominic Armstrong, both of whom appeared on the Academy of Music stage earlier this season in Rigoletto, complete the cast. Sanders, who will return next season to sing the role of Bianca in the Opera Company’s production of The Rape of Lucretia, is Norma’s confidante Clotilde. And Armstrong, a 2008 Grand Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, who will be appearing in the title role of Candide with the Wolf Trap Opera this summer, is Pollione’s trusted friend Flavio. Music Director Corrado Rovaris returns to the podium, with Kay Walker Castaldo (The Pearl Fishers, ’04) directing a John Conklin-designed production. Lighting Designer Boyd Ostroff and Costume Director Richard St. Clair complete the creative team. NORMABy Vincenzo BelliniApril 4, 6m, 9, 13m, 16 & 18, 2008Performed in Italian with English translations Norma Christine Goerke Adalgisa Kristine Jepson* Pollione Philip Webb* Oroveso Eric Owens Clotilde Allison Sanders Flavio Dominic Armstrong Conductor Corrado RovarisDirector Kay Walker CastaldoSet Designer John Conklin*Lighting Design Boyd OstroffCostume Design Richard St. Clair * Opera Company debut Production from Cincinnati Opera ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION: All performances take place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets. Performance times: Wednesday at 7:30pm; Fridays at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees at 2:30pm. Ticket prices range from $7 - $205 and may be purchased by calling Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or visiting www.operaphila.org. ADVANTA is proud to be the Season Sponsor of the Opera Company of Philadelphia since 1993. Performance Sponors: Sunoco, April 4th. KPMG, TBA. Center City Film & Video, April 18th. US Airways is the official airline of the Opera Company. Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue is the official hotel of the Opera Company. YAMAHA is the official piano of the Opera Company. Burdumy Motors Incorporated is the official automotive dealership of the Opera Company. The Opera Company of Philadelphia is supported by major grants from The William Penn Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Lenfest Foundation, and the Annenberg Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Independence Foundation and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The Opera Company of Philadelphia receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. 2007-2008 Individual Performance Sponsors: Advanta, PNC Bank, Wyeth, Wachovia Wealth Management, KPMG, the Pennsylvania Trust Company, Sunoco, Inc. -##-
Press Releases
For Immediate Release:February 22, 2008
Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204 galligher@operaphila.org
Bellini Masterpiece Norma Closes the Opera Company of Philadelphia 2007-2008 Season Starring Christine Goerke, Philip Webb, Kristine Jepson and Eric Owens
Philadelphia, PA: The Opera Company of Philadelphia closes its 2007-2008 season with perhaps the ultimate bel canto masterpiece, Bellini’s Norma, running from April 4, 6m, 9, 13m, 16 & 18, 2008 at the Academy of Music. An opera lover’s dream, Norma is rife with music that scales the heights of operatic drama. Druid priestess Norma has broken her vows of chastity and mothered two children by opposing Roman consul Pollione. Norma urges her Druid people not to war against Rome – until she learns that Pollione is in love with the virgin Adalgisa. Tour-de-force arias such as “Casta Diva” make Norma an opera not to be missed.
Norma stars powerhouse international soprano Christine Goerke in the title role, whom audiences first heard as Rosalinde in OCP’s 2005 production of Die Fledermaus and who returned last May as Alice Ford in Falstaff. The Seattle Weekly praised her debut as Norma, saying, “Christine Goerke.... turned up the emotional heat a bit higher in each act.” Her engagements this season have included Dvorak’s Stabat Mater at the Teatro Carlo Felice and Chrysothemis in Elektra with Maggio Musical Fiorentino, a role she will reprise with the Washington National Opera after leaving Philadelphia this spring. Goerke returns to kick off the Opera Company’s 2008-2009 Season as Leonore in Fidelio.
Norma also features mezzo-soprano Kristine Jepson as Adalgisa. Jepson, whose season highlights include Sister Helen in Dead Man Walking with the Theater an der Wien in Austria, Adalgisa in Norma with the Metropolitan Opera, and the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos and Nicklausse in The Tales of Hoffmann with Royal Opera Covent Garden, makes her Opera Company debut.
As Pollione, lyric tenor Philip Webb makes his Company debut. Opera Magazine said of a recent performance that Webb “…moved the audience to vociferous response with his glowing lyric tenor with its exciting squillo.” Recently he has appeared as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Vienna State Opera, Pollione in Opera Colorado’s production of Norma, and Calaf in Turandot with Atlanta Opera and New York City Opera. Starring as Oroveso is acclaimed bass Eric Owens, whose creation of the title role in Grendel with Los Angeles Opera and the Lincoln Center Festival during 2006 made headlines around the globe. This season Owens made his debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago as General Leslie Groves in John Adams’ Doctor Atomic, a role he originated in 2005 at the opera’s World Premiere with San Francisco Opera.
Two talented young singers from the Curtis Institute of Music, mezzo-soprano Allison Sanders and tenor Dominic Armstrong, both of whom appeared on the Academy of Music stage earlier this season in Rigoletto, complete the cast. Sanders, who will return next season to sing the role of Bianca in the Opera Company’s production of The Rape of Lucretia, is Norma’s confidante Clotilde. And Armstrong, a 2008 Grand Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, who will be appearing in the title role of Candide with the Wolf Trap Opera this summer, is Pollione’s trusted friend Flavio.
Music Director Corrado Rovaris returns to the podium, with Kay Walker Castaldo (The Pearl Fishers, ’04) directing a John Conklin-designed production. Lighting Designer Boyd Ostroff and Costume Director Richard St. Clair complete the creative team.
NORMABy Vincenzo BelliniApril 4, 6m, 9, 13m, 16 & 18, 2008Performed in Italian with English translations
Norma Christine Goerke Adalgisa Kristine Jepson* Pollione Philip Webb* Oroveso Eric Owens Clotilde Allison Sanders Flavio Dominic Armstrong
Conductor Corrado RovarisDirector Kay Walker CastaldoSet Designer John Conklin*Lighting Design Boyd OstroffCostume Design Richard St. Clair
* Opera Company debut
Production from Cincinnati Opera
ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION:
All performances take place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets.
Performance times: Wednesday at 7:30pm; Fridays at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees at 2:30pm.
Ticket prices range from $7 - $205 and may be purchased by calling Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or visiting www.operaphila.org.
ADVANTA is proud to be the Season Sponsor of the Opera Company of Philadelphia since 1993. Performance Sponors: Sunoco, April 4th. KPMG, TBA. Center City Film & Video, April 18th. US Airways is the official airline of the Opera Company. Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue is the official hotel of the Opera Company. YAMAHA is the official piano of the Opera Company. Burdumy Motors Incorporated is the official automotive dealership of the Opera Company. The Opera Company of Philadelphia is supported by major grants from The William Penn Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Lenfest Foundation, and the Annenberg Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Independence Foundation and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The Opera Company of Philadelphia receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. 2007-2008 Individual Performance Sponsors: Advanta, PNC Bank, Wyeth, Wachovia Wealth Management, KPMG, the Pennsylvania Trust Company, Sunoco, Inc.
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