Press Releases Puccini Masterpiece Turandot Returns to Opera Company of Philadelphia After Over 15 Years! 01-19-2009 For Immediate Release: January 19, 2009 Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204galligher@operaphila.org Puccini Masterpiece Turandot Returns to Opera Company of Philadelphia After Over 15 Years!Starring Francesca Patanè and Francesco Hong Philadelphia, PA: On February 20, 2009, the Opera Company of Philadelphia opens its first production of Puccini’s epic opera Turandot since 1992 at the Academy of Music. Running in five performances, Turandot is the story of a Mandarin princess who possesses dazzling beauty, but a heart of ice. As countless suitors attempt to answer the mystifying riddles she poses, they meet their ruin. Can one brave, noble man beat her at her own dangerous game and at last ignite her passions? Puccini's final opera and ultimate romantic masterpiece features a heartbreakingly-beautiful score anchored by the lavish melody "Nessun Dorma," one of the most famous arias in all of opera. In addition to the cast of principals, this grandscale production features over 100 chorus members and extras, over 65 musicians in the Orchestra pit and a backstage team of theatrical professionals from costume and make-up artists to technical crew who bring the opera to life. Unforgettable international star debuts are in store for this production, led by Francesca Patanè, a stunning soprano who has made her career throughout Europe. Her leading roles this season include Turandot in Rome and Verdi’s Lady Macbeth in Leipzig, and she makes her Opera Company of Philadelphia and professional, staged U.S. opera debut in the title role as Puccini’s princess. A second U.S. debut is in store with Francesco Hong, who sings the role of Calaf. The charismatic, Korean-born tenor resides in Italy, where he is a frequent Verdi and Puccini hero at leading companies such as Florence, Bologna and Palermo, alongside regular engagements at companies such as Frankfurt Opera and Teatro Reál in Madrid. Hong and Patanè paired up in the same roles in last summer’s Turandot at Italy’s Puccini Festival. Liù is sung by soprano Ermonela Jaho, whose performance as Mimì in the 2006 OCP production of La bohème won audience and critical acclaim. Last summer, Jaho made her debut at the renowned Glyndebourne Festival as Micaëla in Carmen. Bass Kevin Langan returns as Timur with his first OCP appearance since he sang the King of Scotland in 1990’s Ariodante. Rising star baritone Eric Greene, last seen as Jake in Porgy and Bess, which he then performed again with Los Angeles Opera, sings the role of Ping, with tenor John Easterlin as Pong, returning following his last OCP appearance as Don Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro (2006). In a Company debut as Pang, rising tenor William Ferguson sings the role during a season rife with concert performances for him, with Boston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, the National Symphony and New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, among others. Director Renaud Doucet makes his Opera Company debut leading this production, with sets and costumes designed by Allen Charles Klein for Dallas Opera. Lighting is designed by Drew Billiau. The Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus, under the direction of Chorus Master Elizabeth Braden, is joined by members of the Keystone State Boychoir, a member choir of Commonwealth Youthchoirs. Principal Conductor Emeritus Maurizio Barbacini, with recent engagements at San Francisco Opera, Munich Opera and New National Theatre in Tokyo, leads the Opera Company Orchestra for this Italian masterpiece. TURANDOTGiacomo PucciniFebruary 20, 22m, 25, March 1m & 6, 2009Sung in Italian with English translations Turandot Francesca Patanè* Caláf Francesco Hong* Liù Ermonela JahoTimur Kevin LanganPing Eric Greene Pang William Ferguson* Pong John Easterlin Madarin Michael Preacely*Emperor Frank Mitchell Prince of Persia Sang B. Cho*Two ladies Evelyn Santiago, Susan Polack Conductor Maurizio BarbaciniDirector & Choreographer Renaud Doucet*Set and Costume Design Allen Charles KleinLighting Design Drew BilliauChorus Master Elizabeth Braden *Opera Company of Philadelphia debut Supernumeraries: Richard Bartnik, Jim Conte, Johanna Dunphy, Jim Goff, Keith Henley, Jacqueline Karle, Gregory Kleiber, Bijan Makarechi, Eddie Morales, Lex Peters, Greg Pronko, Jack Schmieg, Rashad Scott, Johanna Smith, Allan Spulecki, Jonathan Steadman, Michael J. Tait, Lydia Thomas, Dave Tukey, Max Vasapoli. Dancers: Frances Gremillion, Joy Heller, Kathryn Murphy, Sara Nye, Nikiya Palombi, Mia Aiko Yamada. Featuring the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus and Orchestra, and members of the Keystone State Boychoir, a member choir of the Commonwealth Youthchoir. Sets and costumes from Dallas Opera. ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION:Turandot and the double-bill of Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges and Puccini’s 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. TURANDOT: February 20, 22m, 25, March 1m & 6, 2009Performance times: Wednesdays 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: January 19, 2009
Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204galligher@operaphila.org
Puccini Masterpiece Turandot Returns to Opera Company of Philadelphia After Over 15 Years!Starring Francesca Patanè and Francesco Hong
Philadelphia, PA: On February 20, 2009, the Opera Company of Philadelphia opens its first production of Puccini’s epic opera Turandot since 1992 at the Academy of Music. Running in five performances, Turandot is the story of a Mandarin princess who possesses dazzling beauty, but a heart of ice. As countless suitors attempt to answer the mystifying riddles she poses, they meet their ruin. Can one brave, noble man beat her at her own dangerous game and at last ignite her passions? Puccini's final opera and ultimate romantic masterpiece features a heartbreakingly-beautiful score anchored by the lavish melody "Nessun Dorma," one of the most famous arias in all of opera. In addition to the cast of principals, this grandscale production features over 100 chorus members and extras, over 65 musicians in the Orchestra pit and a backstage team of theatrical professionals from costume and make-up artists to technical crew who bring the opera to life.
Unforgettable international star debuts are in store for this production, led by Francesca Patanè, a stunning soprano who has made her career throughout Europe. Her leading roles this season include Turandot in Rome and Verdi’s Lady Macbeth in Leipzig, and she makes her Opera Company of Philadelphia and professional, staged U.S. opera debut in the title role as Puccini’s princess.
A second U.S. debut is in store with Francesco Hong, who sings the role of Calaf. The charismatic, Korean-born tenor resides in Italy, where he is a frequent Verdi and Puccini hero at leading companies such as Florence, Bologna and Palermo, alongside regular engagements at companies such as Frankfurt Opera and Teatro Reál in Madrid. Hong and Patanè paired up in the same roles in last summer’s Turandot at Italy’s Puccini Festival.
Liù is sung by soprano Ermonela Jaho, whose performance as Mimì in the 2006 OCP production of La bohème won audience and critical acclaim. Last summer, Jaho made her debut at the renowned Glyndebourne Festival as Micaëla in Carmen. Bass Kevin Langan returns as Timur with his first OCP appearance since he sang the King of Scotland in 1990’s Ariodante. Rising star baritone Eric Greene, last seen as Jake in Porgy and Bess, which he then performed again with Los Angeles Opera, sings the role of Ping, with tenor John Easterlin as Pong, returning following his last OCP appearance as Don Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro (2006). In a Company debut as Pang, rising tenor William Ferguson sings the role during a season rife with concert performances for him, with Boston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, the National Symphony and New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, among others.
Director Renaud Doucet makes his Opera Company debut leading this production, with sets and costumes designed by Allen Charles Klein for Dallas Opera. Lighting is designed by Drew Billiau. The Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus, under the direction of Chorus Master Elizabeth Braden, is joined by members of the Keystone State Boychoir, a member choir of Commonwealth Youthchoirs. Principal Conductor Emeritus Maurizio Barbacini, with recent engagements at San Francisco Opera, Munich Opera and New National Theatre in Tokyo, leads the Opera Company Orchestra for this Italian masterpiece.
TURANDOTGiacomo PucciniFebruary 20, 22m, 25, March 1m & 6, 2009Sung in Italian with English translations
Turandot Francesca Patanè* Caláf Francesco Hong* Liù Ermonela JahoTimur Kevin LanganPing Eric Greene Pang William Ferguson* Pong John Easterlin Madarin Michael Preacely*Emperor Frank Mitchell Prince of Persia Sang B. Cho*Two ladies Evelyn Santiago, Susan Polack Conductor Maurizio BarbaciniDirector & Choreographer Renaud Doucet*Set and Costume Design Allen Charles KleinLighting Design Drew BilliauChorus Master Elizabeth Braden
*Opera Company of Philadelphia debut
Supernumeraries: Richard Bartnik, Jim Conte, Johanna Dunphy, Jim Goff, Keith Henley, Jacqueline Karle, Gregory Kleiber, Bijan Makarechi, Eddie Morales, Lex Peters, Greg Pronko, Jack Schmieg, Rashad Scott, Johanna Smith, Allan Spulecki, Jonathan Steadman, Michael J. Tait, Lydia Thomas, Dave Tukey, Max Vasapoli.
Dancers: Frances Gremillion, Joy Heller, Kathryn Murphy, Sara Nye, Nikiya Palombi, Mia Aiko Yamada.
Featuring the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus and Orchestra, and members of the Keystone State Boychoir, a member choir of the Commonwealth Youthchoir.
Sets and costumes from Dallas Opera.
ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION:Turandot and the double-bill of Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges and Puccini’s 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.
TURANDOT: February 20, 22m, 25, March 1m & 6, 2009Performance times: Wednesdays 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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