Whimsical, Storybook Production of Rossini Comedy THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS Lights Up The Stage in November 10-28-2008 Gioachino Rossini proves once more to be the master of comic opera with the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s November production of the enchanting, effervescent The Italian Girl in Algiers. This original Opera Company production, first mounted in 2000, runs November 14, 16m, 19, 21 & 23m at the Academy of Music with an internationally-acclaimed cast. Ruxandra Donose and Lawrence Brownlee lend their star power to a remount of the acclaimed, original Opera Company of Philadelphia production of Rossini's The Italian Girl in Algiers. When last performed here in 2000, the opera was broadcast on PBS starring Stephanie Blythe and Juan Diego Florez. Bored with his harem, in this delightful, farcical romp, ruler Mustafà seeks a new challenge in the beautiful, shipwrecked Isabella – who has comically stumbled into his path in search of her missing lover, Lindoro. With the help of a jealous wife, a cast of meddling servants, and Rossini's boundless, escalating, exuberant melodies, audiences will enjoy an evening of musical theatre that will have them laughing from the overture to the happily-ever-after ending. The cast that starred in 2006’s rousingly success Cinderella returns, led by stunning mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose as the shipwrecked Isabella. Recent engagements include Elena in La donna del lago and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier in Berlin, Marguerite in Damnation de Faust in Munich, and Veronica Quaife in the World Premiere of The Fly in Paris. While here in Philadelphia, Ms. Donose also performed Hector Berlioz’s major choral-orchestral work Romeo and Juliet with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and headlined in the Richard Tucker Foundation Gala in New York alongside co-star Lawrence Brownlee, under the baton of Maestro Corrado Rovaris. Star tenor Lawrence Brownlee, returns to the Academy of Music stage to woo Donose once more, this time as Lindoro. The exciting young Rossini tenor began this season performing the role of Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville in three of Germany’s leading houses: at Dresden’s Sachsische Staatsoper, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, and at the Festspiele Baden-Baden. This summer Brownlee sang the role of Narciso in Il turco in Italia with Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and performed a recital of Rossini songs at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy. Buffo bass extraordinaire Kevin Glavin makes a triumphant return to Philadelphia as Mustafà. Since his last appearance with OCP, Glavin has continued to perform the comic roles that have delighted audiences in Philadelphia and abroad for years, including Dulcamara in The Elixir of Love with Pittsburgh Opera and Dr. Bartolo in The Barber of Seville with Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Florentine Opera. Glavin received rave reviews this summer with his portrayal of Brighella in Das Liebesverbot with Glimmerglass Opera. Baritone Daniel Belcher, returns as Taddeo following a season which took him to San Francisco Opera as Papageno in The Magic Flute, Houston Grand Opera for his title role debut in Billy Budd and Utah Opera to reprise the role of Dandini in Cinderella. Soprano Kiera Duffy, who was last seen as the Dew Fairy in last season’s Hansel and Gretel, sings the role of Elvira, Mustafà’s jealous wife. Duffy opened the 2008-09 season with her New York Philharmonic debut in Pierre Boulez’s Pli selon pli:Improvisation II sur Mallarmé under the baton of music director Lorin Maazel. Baritone Keith Phares makes his Company debut as Haly, and Curtis Institute of Music mezzo-soprano Tammy Coil makes her Company debut as Zulma. From the vibrant imagination that recently brought Philadelphia audiences Rigoletto and Falstaff, designer Paul Shortt's vivid scenery brings exotic Algiers to life – with dancing elephants in tow! – and Costume Designer Richard St. Clair brings Mediterranean flair to this exotic harem. Philadelphia welcomes the return of director Stefano Vizioli, a frequent director throughout Europe as well as with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Santa Fe Opera who led this production in its critically-acclaimed and televised debut from the Academy of Music in 2000. He teams up once again with Music Director Corrado Rovaris, who leads the Opera Company Orchestra after recent performances of Fidelio and a guest appearance leading New York’s prestigious Richard Tucker Music Foundation Gala. The Italian Girl in Algiers is musical champagne. Brilliant, sparkling, effervescent arias dance with precision and acrobatic agility. Choral works set your pulse racing with boundless, infectious energy, and raucous laughter erupts again and again, from the overture to the happily-ever-after ending -- don't miss it! BUY TICKETS NOW!
Gioachino Rossini proves once more to be the master of comic opera with the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s November production of the enchanting, effervescent The Italian Girl in Algiers. This original Opera Company production, first mounted in 2000, runs November 14, 16m, 19, 21 & 23m at the Academy of Music with an internationally-acclaimed cast.
Ruxandra Donose and Lawrence Brownlee lend their star power to a remount of the acclaimed, original Opera Company of Philadelphia production of Rossini's The Italian Girl in Algiers. When last performed here in 2000, the opera was broadcast on PBS starring Stephanie Blythe and Juan Diego Florez.
Bored with his harem, in this delightful, farcical romp, ruler Mustafà seeks a new challenge in the beautiful, shipwrecked Isabella – who has comically stumbled into his path in search of her missing lover, Lindoro. With the help of a jealous wife, a cast of meddling servants, and Rossini's boundless, escalating, exuberant melodies, audiences will enjoy an evening of musical theatre that will have them laughing from the overture to the happily-ever-after ending.
The cast that starred in 2006’s rousingly success Cinderella returns, led by stunning mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose as the shipwrecked Isabella. Recent engagements include Elena in La donna del lago and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier in Berlin, Marguerite in Damnation de Faust in Munich, and Veronica Quaife in the World Premiere of The Fly in Paris. While here in Philadelphia, Ms. Donose also performed Hector Berlioz’s major choral-orchestral work Romeo and Juliet with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and headlined in the Richard Tucker Foundation Gala in New York alongside co-star Lawrence Brownlee, under the baton of Maestro Corrado Rovaris.
Star tenor Lawrence Brownlee, returns to the Academy of Music stage to woo Donose once more, this time as Lindoro. The exciting young Rossini tenor began this season performing the role of Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville in three of Germany’s leading houses: at Dresden’s Sachsische Staatsoper, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, and at the Festspiele Baden-Baden. This summer Brownlee sang the role of Narciso in Il turco in Italia with Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and performed a recital of Rossini songs at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy.
Buffo bass extraordinaire Kevin Glavin makes a triumphant return to Philadelphia as Mustafà. Since his last appearance with OCP, Glavin has continued to perform the comic roles that have delighted audiences in Philadelphia and abroad for years, including Dulcamara in The Elixir of Love with Pittsburgh Opera and Dr. Bartolo in The Barber of Seville with Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Florentine Opera. Glavin received rave reviews this summer with his portrayal of Brighella in Das Liebesverbot with Glimmerglass Opera.
Baritone Daniel Belcher, returns as Taddeo following a season which took him to San Francisco Opera as Papageno in The Magic Flute, Houston Grand Opera for his title role debut in Billy Budd and Utah Opera to reprise the role of Dandini in Cinderella. Soprano Kiera Duffy, who was last seen as the Dew Fairy in last season’s Hansel and Gretel, sings the role of Elvira, Mustafà’s jealous wife. Duffy opened the 2008-09 season with her New York Philharmonic debut in Pierre Boulez’s Pli selon pli:Improvisation II sur Mallarmé under the baton of music director Lorin Maazel. Baritone Keith Phares makes his Company debut as Haly, and Curtis Institute of Music mezzo-soprano Tammy Coil makes her Company debut as Zulma.
From the vibrant imagination that recently brought Philadelphia audiences Rigoletto and Falstaff, designer Paul Shortt's vivid scenery brings exotic Algiers to life – with dancing elephants in tow! – and Costume Designer Richard St. Clair brings Mediterranean flair to this exotic harem. Philadelphia welcomes the return of director Stefano Vizioli, a frequent director throughout Europe as well as with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Santa Fe Opera who led this production in its critically-acclaimed and televised debut from the Academy of Music in 2000. He teams up once again with Music Director Corrado Rovaris, who leads the Opera Company Orchestra after recent performances of Fidelio and a guest appearance leading New York’s prestigious Richard Tucker Music Foundation Gala.
The Italian Girl in Algiers is musical champagne. Brilliant, sparkling, effervescent arias dance with precision and acrobatic agility. Choral works set your pulse racing with boundless, infectious energy, and raucous laughter erupts again and again, from the overture to the happily-ever-after ending -- don't miss it!
BUY TICKETS NOW!
