Opera Tampa Presents ROMEO AND JULIET, 1/20

The 22nd season of Opera Tampa gets into full swing with Charles Gounod's Romeo and Juliet. Performances are Friday, Jan. 20, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m., in Morsani Hall.

Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers find themselves trapped in the deadly Montague-Capulet family feud. Defying family honor, they choose each other, taking their lives into their own hands. In this daring dance with fate, Romeo and Juliet seal their future in a secret marriage before everything takes a turn for the worse. Verona may be fair, but life isn't. Gounod's dark, intense music meets a masterful libretto true to the Bard's first telling of this spellbinding tale of young love undone by foolish family pride.

Romeo and Juliet will be sung in French with English translations projected above the stage. Maestro Daniel Lipton will lead the Opera Tampa Orchestra and Chorus. The production is headlined by soprano and Opera Tampa New Voice Sarah Joy Miller (Juliet) and by tenor Richard Troxel (Romeo), who has delighted Tampa audiences in past productions as Rodolfo in La Bohéme and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. The international cast also includes Gabrielle Preisser (Mercutio), David Cushing (Frère Laurent), Won Cho (Capulet) and Robyn Rocklein (Gertrude). The production is directed by Bernard Uzan. This production is sponsored by Mary Ann and Brad Morse and Regenerative Orthopedic Institute/Dr. Erick Grana and Ms. Katherine Grana Knoll

The magnificent 2016-2017 Opera Tampa season that promises to dare, delight and defy, also includes Rossini's Cinderella (La Cenerentola) (Feb. 10 and 12, 2017) and Puccini's Tosca (April 7 and 9, 2017). There will be concerts by the Opera Tampa Singers (Dec. 2, 2016 and May 7, 2017) and a host of special events including the education series Discover Opera (Jan. 8, Feb. 5 and April 2, 2017), Open Rehearsals (throughout January, February and March 2017) and the just-announced return of Italian pop opera powerhouse group Il Volo (March 30, 2017). The Opera Tampa Gala (March 5) includes the presentation of the 2017 Anton Coppola Excellence in the Arts Award to famed American soprano Diana Soviero. And after the Gala that same day, the historic Centennial Celebration concert honors Founding Artistic Director Maestro Anton Coppola's 100th birthday.

Regularly priced tickets for Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan 22, 2017, 2 p.m. performances of Romeo and Juliet are $66.50-$117.50 and may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Sales Office or online at www.strazcenter.org. Handling fees will apply. For more information about the Straz Center for the Performing Arts and its upcoming events, please visit the Straz Center's website at www.strazcenter.org. For more information about Opera Tampa, please visit www.operatampa.org.