MADAME BUTTERFLY, THE PEARL FISHERS & More Set for Utah Opera's 2014-15 Season

Utah Opera Artistic Director Christopher McBeth today announced Utah Opera's 2014-15 season. The company's 37th season will feature four productions between October 2014 and May 2015, including the company premieres of Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers and Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. The season will also feature the debut of Utah Symphony's Music Director Thierry Fischer in his first Utah Opera conducting role, leading The Rake's Progress.

The upcoming season also includes the return of two beloved operas - Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Così fan tutte. Utah Opera will be building new sets and costumes for Madame Butterfly in its state-of-the-art Production Studios. All four productions will be staged at Capitol Theatre, which underwent renovations during the summer and fall of 2013.

"This will certainly be one of the most sensational seasons ever offered by Utah Opera," said Mr. McBeth. "I'm thrilled that our season includes the perennial favorite Madame Butterfly and Mozart's always-popular Così fan tutte. Additionally, Utah Opera will present two operas new to the company: Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, an opera our audience frequently requests,and the phenomenal Stravinsky masterpiece The Rake's Progress."

For a glimpse at Mr. McBeth's perspective on the 2014-15 Utah Opera season, visit www.utahopera.org and watch his opera preview.

Madame Butterfly

The season opens in October 2014 with Puccini's Madame Butterfly staring Korean-American soprano Yunah Lee making her Utah Opera debut in one of her signature roles, Cio-Cio San. Puccini's story of tradition, romance, yearning, and sacrifice between a Japanese geisha and American naval officer has been one of the world's most beloved operas for over a century. The opera also stars mezzo-soprano Nina Yoshida Nelson, as Cio-Cio San's servant Suzuki. Madame Butterfly will be directed by Garnett Bruce and conducted by Robert Tweten, who previously led Il Trovatore, Rigoletto and La Traviata with Utah Opera, returns to conduct. Utah Opera has presented Madame Butterfly five times, most recently in October 2008. For this production, Utah Opera will build new sets and costumes in its state-of-the-art Production Studio.

The Pearl Fishers

Utah Opera brings Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers to Capitol Theatre for the first time in January 2015. This lesser known Bizet opera encompasses heated desire in the exotic island of ancient Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. There, in a fishing village, two men re-affirm their friendship after their rivalry for the same woman had almost destroyed them. This scene is depicted in the famous duet, "Au fond du temple saint," music frequently heard in concerts but rarely experienced in the context of the full opera. But when she returns to the village, the reunited friends turn against each other in a terrifying and violent climax to the opera. French-music specialist, tenor Phillippe Talbot,will sing the role of Nadir, alongside soprano Andrea Carroll, who returns to Utah Opera in the role of Leila after a previous engagement as Rosalba in Daniel Catan's Florencia en el Amazonas in 2013. Bass-baritone Derrick Parker rounds out the cast as Nourabad. The Pearl Fishers will be conducted by Carlos Iscaray and directed by Kristine McIntyre.

Così fan tutte

In March 2015, Mozart's humorous satire Così fan tutte returns to the Utah Opera stage after two previous runs with the company, the last one in May 2005. Directed by Crystal Manich, the opera stars Karin Wolverton as Fiordiligi and Abigail Levis as the maid Despina. Set in Naples in the late 18th century, the comedic tale revolves around the question of women's fickleness and flirtation, and was written and composed at the suggestion of the Emperor Joseph II. The libretto was originally intended to be set to music by Mozart's colleague, and Imperial court composer, Antonio Salieri, who completed only parts of the first act and then broke off his work, supposedly due to the opera's themes of sexual infidelity.

The Rake's Progress

The 2014-15 season closes in May 2015 with Utah Opera's first performances of Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress in a vintage production designed by British artist David Hockney for Glyndebourne in 1975. Utah Symphony Music Director Thierry Fischer makes his Utah Opera conducting debut, leading a cast that includes tenor Norman Reinhardt and soprano Joélle Harvey, both making their company debuts as Tom Rakewell and Anne Trulove. Bass-baritone Mark Schnaible, who sang the role of Ferrando in Utah Opera's Il Trovatore, will appear as Nick Shadow. The three-act opera has a libretto in English by W. H. Auden, based upon William Hogarth's famous series of lithographs. The story concerns the decline and fall of Tom Rakewell, who deserts Anne Trulove for the delights of London in the company of Nick Shadow, who turns out to be the devil.

* Complete casting will be announced at a later date.

VIVACE, CADENZA AND UTAH SOL

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera offers three social and networking organizations for classical music enthusiasts, Vivace (young professionals who enjoy classical music performances and exciting after-parties with USUO musicians), Cadenza (single music-lovers who have reached their golden years but are still young at heart) and Utah Sol (Latino classical music and opera aficionados).

Vivace subscribers receive discounted tickets to select Utah Symphony | Utah Opera performances, special program notes, and after-parties with guest artists and musicians, catered by some of Salt Lake's best restaurants. Vivace subscribers will attend the Utah Opera season opening night performance of The Rake's Progress on May 9, 2015.

Cadenza members receive similar benefits and dine together at local restaurants before select Utah Symphony | Utah Opera performances. Cadenza subscribers will attend the opening night performance of The Pearl Fishers on January 17, 2015.

Utah Symphony Opera Latinos (Sol) is a group that connects Latino classical music aficionados in the Salt Lake City community through great live music, receives invitations to attend special monthly events, and shares the experience of attending Utah Symphony and Utah Opera performances together. Utah Sol members attend the Monday evening performance of each opera together.

Subscription renewals and purchases are available online at www.utahopera.org starting February 4, 2014. 2013-14 subscribers have until March 27, 2014 to renew their subscriptions or request seat changes for the 2014-15 season before seats will be released to new subscribers and subscribers requesting seat changes. Subscriptions may also be renewed or purchased by calling (801) 533-6683 or by visiting the Abravanel Hall Ticket Office (123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah).