Opera Company of Philadelphia Announces 2009-2010 SeasonFeaturing Five Thrilling Operas 01-27-2009 View the 2009-2010 Season Now! Tan Dun's Tea: A Mirror of Soul. The Opera Company of Philadelphia is proud to announce a 2009-2010 Season line-up featuring five operas at the Academy of Music and Perelman Theater. Highlights of the upcoming season include the East Coast Premiere of Tan Dun’s acclaimed contemporary opera Tea: A Mirror of Soul, conducted by the composer during opening weekend at the Academy of Music; the Kimmel Center Presents Curtis Opera Theatre production of Antony and Cleopatra in celebration of Samuel Barber’s 100th birthday; and the Opera Company of Philadelphia premiere of Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice, which has not been seen in a professional production in Philadelphia since 1939. The season also includes the celebrated Jun Kaneko stage design for Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, and Verdi’s La traviata in a revival of the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s classic production. “The 2009-2010 Season provides a number of entry points for opera enthusiasts of all levels,” says General and Artistic Director Robert B. Driver. “We’re excited to bring classics like Madama Butterfly and La traviata to our audiences, and we’ve blended those with the major East Coast Premiere of Tea and the lesser-known gems Orphée and Antony and Cleopatra. Having two theaters in Philadelphia – the Academy of Music and the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater – that are so ideally suited for the varying types of opera we provide is an important part of the equation, and we’ve seen over the past year that audiences are embracing innovative programming at the Perelman.” Philadelphia’s two operatic venues: The Academy of Music and the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater. In an effort to make the season accessible for all opera enthusiasts, subscription prices for both theaters for the upcoming season will remain flat, and even see reductions in some areas. With three operas at the Academy of Music and two at the Perelman Theater, patrons may choose to subscribe to Opera at the Academy, Opera at the Perelman, or the full, five-opera season at a greater discount. Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris continues through 2011. The Opera Company is also pleased to announce the renewal of Maestro Corrado Rovaris’s contract as Music Director through 2011, in a role named in honor of the late Jack Mulroney. The new title of this vital institutional position commemorates the immeasurable contributions of Mr. Mulroney, who served for many years as president of the Opera Company Board of Directors before assuming the role of Executive Director from 1998 until his passing in 2004. It also recognizes a leadership gift made by Mr. Mulroney’s widow, Agnes M. Mulroney, which is a key source of support for Maestro Rovaris’ continued tenure. “Jack always understood and respected that delicate balance between the business and the artistic sides of opera,” shared General and Artistic Director Robert B. Driver. “He knew the important stride it represented for the company to bring an artist of Corrado Rovaris’s stature to Philadelphia in a consistent, key role. He was a steadfast supporter of nurturing outstanding artistry and musicianship, and so it is an extremely befitting legacy to name this position in his honor.” The Opera Company opens the 2009-2010 Season with Puccini’s beloved classic Madama Butterfly at the Academy of Music. The story of a beautiful and faithful Japanese girl who weds an American officer only to be met with heartache when he returns stateside and takes an American wife, Madama Butterfly features Puccini’s timeless, soaring, unforgettable melodies. The production is designed by famed, contemporary artist Jun Kaneko, whose Fidelio at the Opera Company of Philadelphia was hailed as “the most visually striking Jun Kaneko’s sets and costumes for Madama Butterfly.production in its recent history,” (City Paper) and called “enthralling” by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Butterfly production, originally designed for the opera company in Kaneko’s homebase of Omaha, was praised in Opera magazine for its “… mixture of old traditions and modern aesthetic that was visually daring while remaining true to the essence of the music and drama.” Starring in the title role as Cio-Cio San is soprano Ermonela Jaho, who made her Opera Company of Philadelphia debut as Mimì in La bohème (2006) and returns as Liù in Turandot. Jaho recently sang Violetta in La traviata at the Metropolitan Opera and Covent Garden. As Lieutenant Pinkerton, tenor Roger Honeywell returns to the stage after starring opposite Jaho in La bohème. After spending the fall of 2008 in the role of Captain Nolan in Doctor Atomic at the Metropolitan Opera, 2009 takes him to both l’Opéra de Montréal as Macduff in Macbeth and to Santa Fe Opera, where he sings Geoff Hammond in the World Premiere of The Letter. Baritone Troy Cook (La bohème, 2006) sings the role of Sharpless, following recent performances as Marcello in Bohème with Florida Grand Opera and concert performances in Bilbao, Spain. As Suzuki, Butterfly’s faithful handmaiden, mezzo-soprano Maria Zifchak makes her Company debut. Her spring 2009 season is comprised of a number of roles at the Metropolitan Opera, including Suzuki, Albine in Thaïs, and Inez in Il trovatore. Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris conducts and American director Cynthia Stokes makes her Opera Company debut with this dramatic and eye-pleasing season opener. The Opera Company is proud to partner once more with Locks Gallery on Washington Square. In February, the Opera Company of Philadelphia presents Tan Dun’s hypnotic opera Tea: A Mirror of Soul at the Academy of Music. Enter a world of tradition, a world where basic elements like water and wind meet the exotic to create a mesmerizing tale of a noble quest. Seikyo, a former prince, has become a monk following a bitter love loss. He recounts the story of Lan, the princess who stole his heart, and their search together for a single book – The Book of Tea. Filled with treasured secrets and ancient wisdom, the book spurs a journey with a deadly conclusion. Kelly Kaduce and Haijing Fu star in Tea: A Mirror of Soul. Chinese composer Tan Dun, winner of both an Oscar® and a Grammy® Award for his soundtrack to the film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” combines Asian motifs with Western lyricism to create a spectacular landscape of sound. “Perhaps since Puccini and Bernstein there has been no one to write such grateful lines for singers,” raved Opera magazine in London. The work, which had its World Premiere in 2002 in Tokyo, received its American Premiere at the Santa Fe Opera Festival in 2007 in a production which received audience and critical acclaim. The Santa Fe Opera creative team, featuring director Amon Miyamoto, scenic designer Rumi Matsui and costume designer Masatomo Ota, brings this breathtaking production to Philadelphia for its important East Coast Premiere. Tan Dun conducts the opening weekend performances, with Maestro David Hayes leading subsequent performances. Starring as Seikyo is baritone Haijing Fu, who created the role in Tokyo and then performed it in Amsterdam, Lyon and Santa Fe. He also created the role of the Chief Minister in Tan Dun’s The First Emperor at the Metropolitan Opera, where he has sung Germont in La traviata, Ford in Falstaff and Marcello in La bohème. Princess Lan is sung by luminous soprano Kelly Kaduce, last seen at Opera Company of Philadelphia as Caroline Gaines in the East Coast Premiere of Margaret Garner. Recent performances include the title role of Madama Butterfly at Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the title role of Suor Angelica in Santiago, Chile. Lan’s jealous brother The Prince is sung by tenor Roger Honeywell, who created the role for the American Premiere. As The Emperor, bass Kirk Eichelberger returns following his appearance as Don Fernando in Fidelio, with mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby in her OCP debut as the tea ritualist. Next up in March 2010 at the Perelman Theatre is the third annual collaborative presentation between Curtis Institute of Music, Kimmel Center Presents and Opera Company of Philadelphia. The love story of the ages, Antony and Cleopatra follows the tale of Marc Antony and Cleopatra as they weave their way through deception, political intrigue and passions as hot as the sands of Egypt. Premiered in 1966 at the Metropolitan Opera, Samuel Barber’s contemporary opera has garnered much praise in its 40-year performance history. With its melodic A scene from the Philadelphia Premiere of Ainadamar, the first collaborative opera between Curtis Opera Theatre, KimmelCenter Presents, and the Opera Company.lines and lush orchestration, it was called, “a sign of Mr. Barber’s exceptional gifts that he could express such eloquent things by such simple means.” (New York Times) The Curtis Opera Theatre produces this important 20th-Century work in 2010 to commemorate the year when the composer – and Curtis Institute of Music alumnus – would have turned 100. Director Chas Rader-Shieber and designer David Zinn create a new production for the Perelman Theater. “Samuel Barber, one of the great composers of the 20th century, was a Curtis alumnus,” shares Curtis Institute of Music Head of Vocal Studies Mikael Eliasen. “I am excited that the Curtis Opera Theatre and Orchestra will honor his centenary year of 2010 by presenting his opera Antony and Cleopatra in association with OCP and KCP.” April at the Academy of Music features Verdi’s superb romantic tragedy, representing the ultimate in grand opera and music theater experience. When Violetta, an elegant courtesan, falls in love with Alfredo, an Soprano Leah Partridge makes her OCP debut as Violetta.infatuated young aristrocrat, their affair is doomed by the judgment of Parisian society. With a lavish set and gloriously lyric musical moments, La traviata is a favorite on operatic stages around the world. As Violetta, soprano Leah Partridge makes her Opera Company of Philadelphia debut. Recent roles include Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare in Egitto with Florida Grand Opera and Gilda in Rigoletto with Deutsche Oper Berlin and Arizona Opera. Her Alfredo is dashing tenor Charles Castronovo, also in his Company debut. He recently performed the role of Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress with Royal Opera Covent Garden and Nadir in Washington National Opera’s The Pearl Fishers. His father, Germont, is sung by English baritone Mark Stone. In addition to taking the title role in the May 2009 Opera Company production of Gianni Schicchi, Stone also sang the role of Silvio in I Pagliacci and Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with English National Opera this season. La traviata will be a revival of the celebrated Opera Company of Philadelphia production by director Robert B. Driver and designer Paul Shortt. Maestro Corrado Rovaris leads the Opera Company Orchestra. The Opera Company’s original set for La traviata. The season closes in June with an Opera Company Premiere of Orphée et Eurydice at the Perelman Theater. Their love is so true and complete that not even death can come between the title characters in this hauntingly beautiful, age-old tale of the supernatural. When Eurydice leaves the living, Orphée is given the chance to bring her back from the Underworld with one condition – he must promise not to look at his beloved until they return to Earth. Opera Company of Philadelphia produces its second Perelman Theater production in June 2010 with this transcendent Gluck opera, orchestrated by Hector Berlioz. Mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose is Orphée. Making her role debut in the pants role of Orphée is mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose, last seen in the title role of The Italian Girl in Algiers this season. This spring is spent primarily at Deutsche Oper Berlin where she performs pants roles as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos before taking a female turn in the title role of Cinderella. In her debut as Eurydice is soprano Maureen McKay, whom Opera Company of Philadelphia audiences adored as Gretel in the 2007 production of Hansel and Gretel. Her recent performances include Lilla in Una cosa rara with Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro with Cleveland Opera. Director Robert B. Driver teams up with Mexican designer Philippe Amand to create a new production for the Perelman Theater. Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris conducts. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2009-2010 SEASONOR TO SUBSCRIBE NOW!
View the 2009-2010 Season Now!
Tan Dun's Tea: A Mirror of Soul.
The Opera Company of Philadelphia is proud to announce a 2009-2010 Season line-up featuring five operas at the Academy of Music and Perelman Theater. Highlights of the upcoming season include the East Coast Premiere of Tan Dun’s acclaimed contemporary opera Tea: A Mirror of Soul, conducted by the composer during opening weekend at the Academy of Music; the Kimmel Center Presents Curtis Opera Theatre production of Antony and Cleopatra in celebration of Samuel Barber’s 100th birthday; and the Opera Company of Philadelphia premiere of Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice, which has not been seen in a professional production in Philadelphia since 1939. The season also includes the celebrated Jun Kaneko stage design for Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, and Verdi’s La traviata in a revival of the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s classic production.
“The 2009-2010 Season provides a number of entry points for opera enthusiasts of all levels,” says General and Artistic Director Robert B. Driver. “We’re excited to bring classics like Madama Butterfly and La traviata to our audiences, and we’ve blended those with the major East Coast Premiere of Tea and the lesser-known gems Orphée and Antony and Cleopatra. Having two theaters in Philadelphia – the Academy of Music and the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater – that are so ideally suited for the varying types of opera we provide is an important part of the equation, and we’ve seen over the past year that audiences are embracing innovative programming at the Perelman.”
Philadelphia’s two operatic venues: The Academy of Music and the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater.
In an effort to make the season accessible for all opera enthusiasts, subscription prices for both theaters for the upcoming season will remain flat, and even see reductions in some areas. With three operas at the Academy of Music and two at the Perelman Theater, patrons may choose to subscribe to Opera at the Academy, Opera at the Perelman, or the full, five-opera season at a greater discount.
Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris continues through 2011.
The Opera Company is also pleased to announce the renewal of Maestro Corrado Rovaris’s contract as Music Director through 2011, in a role named in honor of the late Jack Mulroney. The new title of this vital institutional position commemorates the immeasurable contributions of Mr. Mulroney, who served for many years as president of the Opera Company Board of Directors before assuming the role of Executive Director from 1998 until his passing in 2004. It also recognizes a leadership gift made by Mr. Mulroney’s widow, Agnes M. Mulroney, which is a key source of support for Maestro Rovaris’ continued tenure.
“Jack always understood and respected that delicate balance between the business and the artistic sides of opera,” shared General and Artistic Director Robert B. Driver. “He knew the important stride it represented for the company to bring an artist of Corrado Rovaris’s stature to Philadelphia in a consistent, key role. He was a steadfast supporter of nurturing outstanding artistry and musicianship, and so it is an extremely befitting legacy to name this position in his honor.”
The Opera Company opens the 2009-2010 Season with Puccini’s beloved classic Madama Butterfly at the Academy of Music. The story of a beautiful and faithful Japanese girl who weds an American officer only to be met with heartache when he returns stateside and takes an American wife, Madama Butterfly features Puccini’s timeless, soaring, unforgettable melodies.
The production is designed by famed, contemporary artist Jun Kaneko, whose Fidelio at the Opera Company of Philadelphia was hailed as “the most visually striking
Jun Kaneko’s sets and costumes for Madama Butterfly.
Starring in the title role as Cio-Cio San is soprano Ermonela Jaho, who made her Opera Company of Philadelphia debut as Mimì in La bohème (2006) and returns as Liù in Turandot. Jaho recently sang Violetta in La traviata at the Metropolitan Opera and Covent Garden.
As Lieutenant Pinkerton, tenor Roger Honeywell returns to the stage after starring opposite Jaho in La bohème. After spending the fall of 2008 in the role of Captain Nolan in Doctor Atomic at the Metropolitan Opera, 2009 takes him to both l’Opéra de Montréal as Macduff in Macbeth and to Santa Fe Opera, where he sings Geoff Hammond in the World Premiere of The Letter.
Baritone Troy Cook (La bohème, 2006) sings the role of Sharpless, following recent performances as Marcello in Bohème with Florida Grand Opera and concert performances in Bilbao, Spain. As Suzuki, Butterfly’s faithful handmaiden, mezzo-soprano Maria Zifchak makes her Company debut. Her spring 2009 season is comprised of a number of roles at the Metropolitan Opera, including Suzuki, Albine in Thaïs, and Inez in Il trovatore.
Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris conducts and American director Cynthia Stokes makes her Opera Company debut with this dramatic and eye-pleasing season opener. The Opera Company is proud to partner once more with Locks Gallery on Washington Square.
In February, the Opera Company of Philadelphia presents Tan Dun’s hypnotic opera Tea: A Mirror of Soul at the Academy of Music. Enter a world of tradition, a world where basic elements like water and wind meet the exotic to create a mesmerizing tale of a noble quest. Seikyo, a former prince, has become a monk following a bitter love loss. He recounts the story of Lan, the princess who stole his heart, and their search together for a single book – The Book of Tea. Filled with treasured secrets and ancient wisdom, the book spurs a journey with a deadly conclusion.
Kelly Kaduce and Haijing Fu star in Tea: A Mirror of Soul.
Chinese composer Tan Dun, winner of both an Oscar® and a Grammy® Award for his soundtrack to the film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” combines Asian motifs with Western lyricism to create a spectacular landscape of sound. “Perhaps since Puccini and Bernstein there has been no one to write such grateful lines for singers,” raved Opera magazine in London. The work, which had its World Premiere in 2002 in Tokyo, received its American Premiere at the Santa Fe Opera Festival in 2007 in a production which received audience and critical acclaim. The Santa Fe Opera creative team, featuring director Amon Miyamoto, scenic designer Rumi Matsui and costume designer Masatomo Ota, brings this breathtaking production to Philadelphia for its important East Coast Premiere. Tan Dun conducts the opening weekend performances, with Maestro David Hayes leading subsequent performances.
Starring as Seikyo is baritone Haijing Fu, who created the role in Tokyo and then performed it in Amsterdam, Lyon and Santa Fe. He also created the role of the Chief Minister in Tan Dun’s The First Emperor at the Metropolitan Opera, where he has sung Germont in La traviata, Ford in Falstaff and Marcello in La bohème.
Princess Lan is sung by luminous soprano Kelly Kaduce, last seen at Opera Company of Philadelphia as Caroline Gaines in the East Coast Premiere of Margaret Garner. Recent performances include the title role of Madama Butterfly at Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the title role of Suor Angelica in Santiago, Chile.
Lan’s jealous brother The Prince is sung by tenor Roger Honeywell, who created the role for the American Premiere. As The Emperor, bass Kirk Eichelberger returns following his appearance as Don Fernando in Fidelio, with mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby in her OCP debut as the tea ritualist.
Next up in March 2010 at the Perelman Theatre is the third annual collaborative presentation between Curtis Institute of Music, Kimmel Center Presents and Opera Company of Philadelphia. The love story of the ages, Antony and Cleopatra follows the tale of Marc Antony and Cleopatra as they weave their way through deception, political intrigue and passions as hot as the sands of Egypt. Premiered in 1966 at the Metropolitan Opera, Samuel Barber’s contemporary opera has garnered much praise in its 40-year performance history. With its melodic
A scene from the Philadelphia Premiere of Ainadamar, the first collaborative opera between Curtis Opera Theatre, KimmelCenter Presents, and the Opera Company.
“Samuel Barber, one of the great composers of the 20th century, was a Curtis alumnus,” shares Curtis Institute of Music Head of Vocal Studies Mikael Eliasen. “I am excited that the Curtis Opera Theatre and Orchestra will honor his centenary year of 2010 by presenting his opera Antony and Cleopatra in association with OCP and KCP.”
April at the Academy of Music features Verdi’s superb romantic tragedy, representing the ultimate in grand opera and music theater experience. When Violetta, an elegant courtesan, falls in love with Alfredo, an
Soprano Leah Partridge makes her OCP debut as Violetta.
As Violetta, soprano Leah Partridge makes her Opera Company of Philadelphia debut. Recent roles include Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare in Egitto with Florida Grand Opera and Gilda in Rigoletto with Deutsche Oper Berlin and Arizona Opera.
Her Alfredo is dashing tenor Charles Castronovo, also in his Company debut. He recently performed the role of Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress with Royal Opera Covent Garden and Nadir in Washington National Opera’s The Pearl Fishers. His father, Germont, is sung by English baritone Mark Stone. In addition to taking the title role in the May 2009 Opera Company production of Gianni Schicchi, Stone also sang the role of Silvio in I Pagliacci and Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with English National Opera this season.
La traviata will be a revival of the celebrated Opera Company of Philadelphia production by director Robert B. Driver and designer Paul Shortt. Maestro Corrado Rovaris leads the Opera Company Orchestra.
The Opera Company’s original set for La traviata.
The season closes in June with an Opera Company Premiere of Orphée et Eurydice at the Perelman Theater. Their love is so true and complete that not even death can come between the title characters in this hauntingly beautiful, age-old tale of the supernatural. When Eurydice leaves the living, Orphée is given the chance to bring her back from the Underworld with one condition – he must promise not to look at his beloved until they return to Earth. Opera Company of Philadelphia produces its second Perelman Theater production in June 2010 with this transcendent Gluck opera, orchestrated by Hector Berlioz.
Mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose is Orphée.
Making her role debut in the pants role of Orphée is mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose, last seen in the title role of The Italian Girl in Algiers this season. This spring is spent primarily at Deutsche Oper Berlin where she performs pants roles as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos before taking a female turn in the title role of Cinderella.
In her debut as Eurydice is soprano Maureen McKay, whom Opera Company of Philadelphia audiences adored as Gretel in the 2007 production of Hansel and Gretel. Her recent performances include Lilla in Una cosa rara with Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro with Cleveland Opera.
Director Robert B. Driver teams up with Mexican designer Philippe Amand to create a new production for the Perelman Theater. Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris conducts.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2009-2010 SEASONOR TO SUBSCRIBE NOW!
