Press Releases Opera Company of Philadelphia Opens the Season With a New Production of Beethoven’s FIDELIO 09-01-2008 For Immediate Release:September 1, 2008 Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204 galligher@operaphila.org Opera Company of Philadelphia Opens the Season With a New Production of Beethoven’s FIDELIO from Director Robert B. Driver and Famed Visual Artist Jun Kaneko Christine Goerke, Anthony Dean Griffey and Greer Grimsley Star Philadelphia, PA: The Opera Company of Philadelphia opens the new season on October 10th with a stunning, contemporary production of Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera, conceived by Director Robert B. Driver and designed by renowned artist Jun Kaneko. Subsequent performances are October 12m, 15, 19m and 24, 2008 at the Academy of Music. The opera tells the story of Leonore, a wife who risks everything to disguise herself as the young man Fidelio and work at the prison where her husband is being held captive, pursuing justice and her true love’s freedom. From moments of serene beauty to orchestral and choral fireworks, Beethoven’s opera is wrought with passion, suspense and political intrigue. Driver engaged internationally-renowned ceramics artist Jun Kaneko – whose work is currently on exhibit on New York’s Park Avenue as part of the New York Public Parks Art Program – to realize a new production that marries Beethoven’s music with a striking design landscape. Kaneko stunned the opera world with his debut production of Madama Butterfly in 2006 in Omaha, and prompted Opera magazine to praise the production as “... a mixture of old traditions and modern aesthetic that was visually daring while remaining true to the essence of the music and drama.... a splendidly integrated work of art.” Kaneko’s large-scale art will also be installed at Philadelphia’s own Locks Gallery on Washington Square from October 4th through November 8th. For this production, stark black and white grids provide a backdrop for Kaneko’s intricately-designed projections, which have been created from countless hand-drawn sketches threaded into animation. The result aims to convey the spectrum of human emotion in Beethoven’s great work on love and liberation as a living, moving work of art which is unfurled before the audience. Returning star soprano Christine Goerke makes her role debut as Leonore. Goerke closed the 2007-2008 OCP Season in the title role of Norma before making her debut with the Washington National Opera as Chrysothemis in Elektra, which she recently performed at Maggio Musical Fiorentino as well. After leaving the Academy of Music stage, Ms. Goerke returns to the Metropolitan Opera later this season to perform the role of the Foreign Princess in Rusalka alongside Renée Fleming. Another Met regular, Anthony Dean Griffey stars as Leonore’s imprisoned husband, Florestan, in his Opera Company debut. The tenor was recently seen in the title role of the Met’s Peter Grimes, which was simulcast in movie theaters and recorded for future released on DVD. He spent the summer abroad performing the role of as Jim Mahoney in Kurt Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley completes the star trio in the role of Don Pizarro. Grimsley, whose last appearance with OCP was as Escamillo in 1992’s Carmen and who makes his home in Bucks County, has gained international recognition singing Wagnerian roles on prestigious stages in Berlin, Venice, Bologna, San Diego, and New York, among others. This past season he performed Amonasro in Aida with Portland Opera and the role of Scarpia in Tosca and the title role in Der Fliegende Holländer with the Seattle Opera. Greer will reprise his role of Don Pizarro twice this season after leaving Philadelphia, first with Portland Opera and then with Portuguese National Opera São Carlos. In her OCP debut, soprano Ailyn Pérez sings the role of the jailer’s daughter Marzelline. Peréz, who joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera this past season, recently performed the roles of the Four Heroines in The Tales of Hoffmann with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and made her debut as Juliette at the Salzburg Festival in August 2008. Also featured in Fidelio are basses Julian Rodescu as Rocco and Kirk Eichelberger as Don Fernando, returning after their appearances in Rigoletto in 2007, and tenor Brian Anderson makes his Company debut as Jaquino. Opera Company Music Director Corrado Rovaris takes to the podium to lead this spectacular season opener after spending his summer leading performances with Opera Theatre of St. Louis (Una cosa rara) and Glimmerglass Opera (Das Liebesverbot). The lighting design for Fidelio is by Drew Billiau and the chorus master is Elizabeth Braden. Costumes designed by Kaneko were built at the Opera Company of Philadelphia Costume Shop under the supervision of Costume Director Richard St. Clair, with sets constructed at the Opera Company Production Center in Philadelphia. FidelioLudwig van BeethovenOctober 10, 12m, 15, 19m & 24, 2008A NEW PRODUCTIONLast produced in 1989Sung in German with English translations Leonore Christine GoerkeFlorestan Anthony Dean Griffey*Don Pizarro Greer GrimsleyRocco Julian Rodescu Marzelline Ailyn Pérez * Jaquino Brian Anderson* Don Fernando Kirk EichelbergerFirst Prisoner Paul Vetrano*Second Prisoner Frank Mitchell Conductor Corrado RovarisDirector Robert B. DriverSet & Costume Designer Jun Kaneko*Lighting Design Drew BilliauChorus Master Elizabeth BradenWig & Make-up Design Tom Watson *Opera Company of Philadelphia debut ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION: An Opening Night Gala for Fidelio features a pre-opera dinner at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue’s Rose Garden and a post-party for attendees and the cast on October 10, 2008. Fidelio (October), The Italian Girl in Algiers (November), Turandot (February/March) and the double-bill of L’enfant et les sortilege and Gianni Schicchi (April/May) take place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets. The Kimmel Center Presents production of Curtis Opera Theatre’s Wozzeck, in association with Opera Company of Philadelphia (March) and OCP’s production of The Rape of Lucretia (June) take place at the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center. 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. 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 Connelly Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Independence Foundation and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The Wallace Foundation provides support for the Opera Company’s audience development initiatives. 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 Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, plus the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. -##-
Press Releases
For Immediate Release:September 1, 2008
Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204 galligher@operaphila.org
Opera Company of Philadelphia Opens the Season With a New Production of Beethoven’s FIDELIO from Director Robert B. Driver and Famed Visual Artist Jun Kaneko Christine Goerke, Anthony Dean Griffey and Greer Grimsley Star
Philadelphia, PA: The Opera Company of Philadelphia opens the new season on October 10th with a stunning, contemporary production of Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera, conceived by Director Robert B. Driver and designed by renowned artist Jun Kaneko. Subsequent performances are October 12m, 15, 19m and 24, 2008 at the Academy of Music.
The opera tells the story of Leonore, a wife who risks everything to disguise herself as the young man Fidelio and work at the prison where her husband is being held captive, pursuing justice and her true love’s freedom. From moments of serene beauty to orchestral and choral fireworks, Beethoven’s opera is wrought with passion, suspense and political intrigue.
Driver engaged internationally-renowned ceramics artist Jun Kaneko – whose work is currently on exhibit on New York’s Park Avenue as part of the New York Public Parks Art Program – to realize a new production that marries Beethoven’s music with a striking design landscape. Kaneko stunned the opera world with his debut production of Madama Butterfly in 2006 in Omaha, and prompted Opera magazine to praise the production as “... a mixture of old traditions and modern aesthetic that was visually daring while remaining true to the essence of the music and drama.... a splendidly integrated work of art.” Kaneko’s large-scale art will also be installed at Philadelphia’s own Locks Gallery on Washington Square from October 4th through November 8th.
For this production, stark black and white grids provide a backdrop for Kaneko’s intricately-designed projections, which have been created from countless hand-drawn sketches threaded into animation. The result aims to convey the spectrum of human emotion in Beethoven’s great work on love and liberation as a living, moving work of art which is unfurled before the audience.
Returning star soprano Christine Goerke makes her role debut as Leonore. Goerke closed the 2007-2008 OCP Season in the title role of Norma before making her debut with the Washington National Opera as Chrysothemis in Elektra, which she recently performed at Maggio Musical Fiorentino as well. After leaving the Academy of Music stage, Ms. Goerke returns to the Metropolitan Opera later this season to perform the role of the Foreign Princess in Rusalka alongside Renée Fleming.
Another Met regular, Anthony Dean Griffey stars as Leonore’s imprisoned husband, Florestan, in his Opera Company debut. The tenor was recently seen in the title role of the Met’s Peter Grimes, which was simulcast in movie theaters and recorded for future released on DVD. He spent the summer abroad performing the role of as Jim Mahoney in Kurt Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland.
Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley completes the star trio in the role of Don Pizarro. Grimsley, whose last appearance with OCP was as Escamillo in 1992’s Carmen and who makes his home in Bucks County, has gained international recognition singing Wagnerian roles on prestigious stages in Berlin, Venice, Bologna, San Diego, and New York, among others. This past season he performed Amonasro in Aida with Portland Opera and the role of Scarpia in Tosca and the title role in Der Fliegende Holländer with the Seattle Opera. Greer will reprise his role of Don Pizarro twice this season after leaving Philadelphia, first with Portland Opera and then with Portuguese National Opera São Carlos.
In her OCP debut, soprano Ailyn Pérez sings the role of the jailer’s daughter Marzelline. Peréz, who joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera this past season, recently performed the roles of the Four Heroines in The Tales of Hoffmann with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and made her debut as Juliette at the Salzburg Festival in August 2008.
Also featured in Fidelio are basses Julian Rodescu as Rocco and Kirk Eichelberger as Don Fernando, returning after their appearances in Rigoletto in 2007, and tenor Brian Anderson makes his Company debut as Jaquino.
Opera Company Music Director Corrado Rovaris takes to the podium to lead this spectacular season opener after spending his summer leading performances with Opera Theatre of St. Louis (Una cosa rara) and Glimmerglass Opera (Das Liebesverbot). The lighting design for Fidelio is by Drew Billiau and the chorus master is Elizabeth Braden. Costumes designed by Kaneko were built at the Opera Company of Philadelphia Costume Shop under the supervision of Costume Director Richard St. Clair, with sets constructed at the Opera Company Production Center in Philadelphia.
FidelioLudwig van BeethovenOctober 10, 12m, 15, 19m & 24, 2008A NEW PRODUCTIONLast produced in 1989Sung in German with English translations
Leonore Christine GoerkeFlorestan Anthony Dean Griffey*Don Pizarro Greer GrimsleyRocco Julian Rodescu Marzelline Ailyn Pérez * Jaquino Brian Anderson* Don Fernando Kirk EichelbergerFirst Prisoner Paul Vetrano*Second Prisoner Frank Mitchell
Conductor Corrado RovarisDirector Robert B. DriverSet & Costume Designer Jun Kaneko*Lighting Design Drew BilliauChorus Master Elizabeth BradenWig & Make-up Design Tom Watson
*Opera Company of Philadelphia debut
ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION:
An Opening Night Gala for Fidelio features a pre-opera dinner at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue’s Rose Garden and a post-party for attendees and the cast on October 10, 2008.
Fidelio (October), The Italian Girl in Algiers (November), Turandot (February/March) and the double-bill of L’enfant et les sortilege and Gianni Schicchi (April/May) take place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets.
The Kimmel Center Presents production of Curtis Opera Theatre’s Wozzeck, in association with Opera Company of Philadelphia (March) and OCP’s production of The Rape of Lucretia (June) take place at the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center.
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.
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 Connelly Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Independence Foundation and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The Wallace Foundation provides support for the Opera Company’s audience development initiatives. 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 Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, plus the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
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