NYC Opera Presents 'King Arthur,' 'Tosca' & 'Madama Butterfly'

Henry Purcell's King Arthur, with libretto by John Dryden, premieres on Wednesday, March 5 at 7PM, opening the company's spring season with a gala to follow.  King Arthur will be performed with the Mark Morris Dance Group, and conducted by Jane Glover, who last appeared at City Opera in 2002 leading Agrippina.  The production is directed and choreographed by Mark Morris, and features debuting soprano Mhairi Lawson along with Sarah Jane McMahon, and Heidi Stober; countertenor Iestyn Davies and tenor Steven Sanders, both in their debuts and baritones Daniel Mobbs and Alexander Tall.  Sets are by Adrianne Lobel, costumes by Isaac Mizrahi and lighting by James F. Ingalls.  Mark Morris and his production team previously collaborated with City Opera on Rameau's Platée in 2004.  King Arthur is a City Opera/English National Opera/Mark Morris Dance Group production, in association with Cal Performances, Berkeley.  The opera will be sung in English with supertitles. 

Shu-Ying Li and James Valenti, who were paired in City Opera's La bohème in 2006, return as lovers in Puccini's Madama Butterfly on Thursday, March 6.  Jennifer Tiller sings Suzuki; Jeffrey Picón is Goro, and Michael Chioldi sings Sharpless .  City Opera Music Director George Manahan and Steven Mosteller conduct the Mark Lamos production with sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Constance Hoffman and lighting by Robert Wierzel.

Jan Opalach sings the title role in Verdi's Falstaff for the first time in New York when the Leon Major production returns on Wednesday, March 19.  Pamela Armstrong, sings Alice Ford, Anna Skibinsky is Nannetta, Heather Johnson sings Meg Page and Ursula Ferri sings Mistress Quickly; John Tessier sings the role of Fenton, Joel Sorenson is Dr. Caius, Stephen Powell is Ford, Jeffrey Haili debuts as Bardolfo and Eric Jordan sings Pistola.  George Manahan conducts the production with sets and costumes by John Conklin and lighting by Pat Collins.  Falstaff was last presented by the company in 1999.

Puccini's Tosca, in the Mark Lamos production, returns to the repertory on Saturday evening, March 22, with Anna Shafajinskaia in the title role, Raúl Melo sings Mario Cavaradossi, Todd Thomas sings Scarpia and Branch Fields sings Angelotti.  George Manahan conducts the production with sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Constance Hoffman and lighting by Robert Wierzel.

New York City Opera performances take place at the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center (63rd St & Columbus).  Unless otherwise noted, Tuesday and Wednesday performances begin at 7:30 pm, performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings begin at 8:00 pm, and matinees begin at 1:30 pm.  Ticket prices range from $16 to $130.  Additional details of New York City Opera's 2007-2008 season, including a synopsis of each opera, audio samples, a video trailer featuring production images and design renderings, are available on City Opera's website at www.nycopera.com.  For more information or tickets, call CenterCharge at (212) 721-6500.

TWELFTH WEEK CASTING:

Wednesday, March 5, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm.  First performance of Purcell's King Arthur.  Mhairi Lawson (Soprano I), Sarah Jane McMahon (Soprano II), Heidi Stober (Soprano III), Iestyn Davies (Countertenor), Steven Sanders (Tenor), Daniel Mobbs (Baritone I), Alexander Tall (Baritone II), Jane Glover (Conductor), Mark Morris (Director/Choreographer), Adrianne Lobel (Set Designer), Isaac Mizrahi (Costume Designer), James F. Ingalls (Lighting Designer).  Sung in English with English supertitles.

Thursday, March 6, 8:00 pm - 10:50 pm.  First performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly.  Shu-Ling Li (Cio-Cio San), Jennifer Tiller (Suzuki), Erin Elizabeth Smith (Kate Pinkerton), James Valenti (B.F. Pinkerton), Jeffrey Picón (Goro); Michael Chioldi (Sharpless), Kyungmook Yum (Prince Yamadori), Young Bok Kim (The Bonze), William Ledbetter (Imperial Commissioner), Steven Mosteller (Conductor), David Grabarkewitz (Stage Director), Michael Yeargan (Set Designer), Constance Hoffman (Costume Designer), Robert Wierzel (Lighting Designer).  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Friday, March 7, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm.  Second performance of Purcell's King Arthur, with same cast as Wednesday, March 5. Sung in English with English supertitles.

Saturday, March 8, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm.  Third performance of Purcell's King Arthur, with same cast as Wednesday, March 5.  Sung in English with English supertitles.

Saturday, March 8, 8:00 pm - 10:50 pm.  Second performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly with same cast as Thursday, March 6.  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Sunday, March 9, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm.  Fourth performance of Purcell's King Arthur, with same cast as Wednesday, March 5.  Sung in English with English supertitles.

THIRTEENTH WEEK CASTING

Tuesday, March 11: No performance

Wednesday, March 12, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm.  Fifth performance of Purcell's King Arthur, with same cast as Wednesday, March 5.  Sung in English with English supertitles.

Thursday, March 13, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm.  Sixth performance of Purcell's King Arthur, with same cast as Wednesday, March 5.  Sung in English with English supertitles.

Friday, March 14, 8:00 pm - 10:50 pm.  Third performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly with same cast as Thursday, March 6.  Sung in Italian with  English supertitles.

Saturday, March 15, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm.  Seventh performance of Purcell's King Arthur, with same cast as Wednesday, March 5.  Sung in English with English supertitles.

Saturday, March 15, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm.  Eighth and final performance of Purcell's King Arthur, with same cast as Wednesday, March 5.  Sung in English with English supertitles.

Sunday, March 16, 1:30 pm - 4:20 pm.  Fourth performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly with George Manahan conducting same cast from Thursday, March 6.  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

FOURTEENTH WEEK CASTING:

Wednesday, March 19, 7:30 pm - 10:15 pm.   First performance of Verdi's Falstaff.  Pamela Armstrong (Alice Ford), Anna Skibinsky (Nannetta), Heather Johnson (Meg Page), Ursula Ferri (Mistress Quickly), John Tessier (Fenton), Joel Sorenson (Dr. Caius), Jeffrey Halili (Bardolfo), Jan Opalach (Sir John Falstaff), Stephen Powell (Ford), Eric Jordan (Pistola), George Manahan (Conductor), Leon Major (Production), Albert Sherman (Stage Director), John Conklin (Set & Costume Designer), Pat Collins (Lighting Designer).  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Thursday, March 20, 8:00 pm - 10:50 pm.    Fifth performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly with same cast as Sunday, March 16.  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Friday, March 21, 8:00 pm - 10:45 pm.  Second performance of Verdi's Falstaff with same cast as Wednesday, March 19.  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Saturday, March 22, 1:30 pm - 4:20 pm. Sixth performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly with same cast as Thursday, March 6 except Christopher Jackson (Pinkerton).  Sung in Italian with English supertitles

Saturday, March 22, 8:00 pm - 10:50 pm.  First performance of Puccini's Tosca.  Anna Shafajinskaia (Tosca), Raúl Melo (Cavaradossi), Todd Thomas (Scarpia), Peter Strummer (Sacristan), Branch Fields (Angelotti), Jeffrey Behrens (Spoletta), Ross Benoliel (Sciarrone), Don Yule (Jailer), Steuart Bedford (Conductor), Mark Lamos (Production),  Beth Greenberg (Stage Director), Michael Yeargan (Set Designer), Constance Hoffman (Costume Designer), Robert Wierzel (Lighting Designer).  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Sunday, March 23, 1:30 pm - 4:15 pm.   Third performance of Verdi's Falstaff with same cast as Wednesday, March 19.  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.