FGO Welcomes Award-Winning Conductor Anthony Barrese for THE PEARL FISHERS, Beginning Today

Anthony Barrese, award-winning conductor and composer, arrived in Miami yesterday to begin conducting rehearsals for Florida Grand Opera's (FGO) upcoming production of Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Les pêcheurs de perles). Barrese makes his company debut conducting this French masterpiece not even two weeks after the close of FGO's well-received production of Mozart's comic opera Così fan tutte. The Pearl Fishers will open on Saturday, February 28, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

Two life-long friends, Nadir and Zurga, survived a test when they fell in love with the same woman, Leïla. They vowed never to let the love for a woman destroy their friendship. Years later, when Leïla -- a ravishing temple virgin -- returns to bless their village, Nadir breaks the vow and professes his love to Leïla. The lovers are discovered and presented for justice to the village leader, Zurga. Enraged, he sentences them to death. However, his love for them both soon intervenes, and he is faced with the difficult decision to either give in to the demands of his village or save the only two people he loves.

"It's an absolutely beautiful production, and I know audiences will be amazed. The scenery and costumes are very lush and really give one the sense of being in ancient Ceylon," said Susan T. Danis, General Director and CEO of Florida Grand Opera. She continued, "It sets the background for some really glorious music that many audience members will know."

On his way to creating Carmen, which would become one of the world's most popular operas, Georges Bizet composed this atmospheric tale of love, friendship, and sacrifice in 1863.

The 1800s witnessed an infatuation in Europe with all things exotic, which deeply inspired The Pearl Fishers. The foreign locale and its colorful individuals, with their emotional turmoil, provided Bizet with a perfect opportunity to create this tuneful, compelling score. Audiences will see why the tenor-baritone duet, "Au fond du temple saint," has become one of the most famous in all of opera.

Full of rousing choruses and exotic music,The Pearl Fishers will transport audiences to a fantastical land with drama that resonates through the ages. Making his FGO debut conducting this romantic masterpiece is Anthony Barrese, who will lead the FGO orchestra. Barrese, who currently serves as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Opera Southwest, has earned accolades as both a composer and a conductor from such widely-regarded publications as The Washington Post, Financial Times, The New York Times, and Opera Now.

Barrese is the recipient of the 2007 Georg Solti Foundation U.S. award for young conductors. As a musicologist, Mr. Barrese rediscovered, prepared, and edited the critical edition of Franco Faccio's opera Amleto, in conjunction with Casa Ricordi. He is the only American in the Rediscovered Works Category to be nominated for an International Opera Award. The opera debuted in 2014 and will be performed at the Bregenz Festival in Austria in 2016.

"I am thrilled to welcome Tony to Florida Grand Opera. He is an outstanding musician and I look forward to his performance as he brings The Pearl Fishers to life," Danis comments.

Joining Barrese is a cast of both established and up-and-coming artists who are making headlines across the country.

Soprano Sydney Mancasola, who recently exploded into the opera scene with her 2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition regional win, will be making her FGO debut in the role of the beautiful Leïla on February 28. She was also a winner of the Young Patronesses of the Opera vocal competition in 2011. The Philadelphia Inquirer recently stated that "[Mancasola's] combination of deep-colored voice, solid technique, and general sense of fun was something any right-minded opera company would jump at," and FGO certainly did. Ms. Mancasola will perform the role of Leïla on February 28 as well as on March 1, 3, and 6.

Sharing the role with Mancasola is soprano Emily Birsan (Leïla: Mar 7, 12, 14). On the brink of an international career, and currently gracing the cover of Classical Singer Magazine, Birsan most recently finished her third year as a member of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and has recently returned for the Lyric's 60th anniversary season for a role in R. Strauss' Capriccio. Birsan has been praised by Madison Isthmus as having "...strong, clear, handsomely balanced and beautiful voice... an artist with a very great promise for the future."

The roles of Nadir and Zurga will be sung by French tenor Philippe Talbot (Nadir: February 28, March 3, 7, 12, 14) and American baritone Corey McKern (Zurga: February 28, March 3, 7, 12, 14), both of whom will be making their FGO debut. Talbot has been called a "clear, handsome tenor" by The Classical Review. McKern has also performed the same role with Syracuse Opera, which was met with critical acclaim.

Florida Grand Opera Young Artist Daniel Bates will return to the FGO stage as Nadir (March 1, 6) after a celebrated performance as Ferrando in the company's production of Così fan tutte. Bates will be joined by fellow Young Artist baritone Will Hughes, as Zurga (March 1, 6), who made his FGO debut this past fall as Prince Yamadori in FGO's production of Madama Butterfly.

Turkish bass Burak Bilgili will portray the high-priest Nourabad. From the time of his professional operatic debut at the Teatro alla Scala in 2002, to his 2003 win of Cardiff's "Singer of the World" Competition, Bilgili has enjoyed a highly successful international career. Bilgili is no stranger to South Florida, having performed at both Palm Beach Opera and Florida Grand Opera numerous times, including his performance as Nourabad in FGO's 2008 production of The Pearl Fishers.

SCHEDULE | The Pearl Fishers:

**Sung in French with projected titles in English and Spanish without amplification**

MIAMI
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County / Ziff Ballet Opera House

Saturday, February 28, 2015 7:00pm

Sunday, March 1, 2015 2:00pm

Tuesday, March 3, 2015 8:00pm

Friday, March 6 2015 8:00pm

Saturday,March 7, 2015 8:00pm

FORT LAUDERDALE
Broward Center for the Performing Arts / Au-Rene Theater

Thursday, March 12, 2015 7:30pm

Saturday, March 14, 2015 7:30pm

CAST | Così fan tutte

Leïla

Sydney Mancasola *

Feb 28, Mar 1, 3, 6

Emily Birsan *

Mar 7, 12, 14

Nadir

Philippe Talbot *

Feb 28, Mar 3, 7, 12, 14

Daniel Bates

Mar 1, 6

Zurga

Corey McKern *

Feb 28, Mar 3, 7, 12, 14

Will Hughes

Mar 1, 6

Nourabad

Burak Bilgili

Conductor

Anthony Barrese

Director

A. Scott Parry

Production

Sarasota Opera

* = FGO Debut

Tickets start at just $12 at the Arsht Center and $21 at the Broward Center.

Cost:

$21-$250 Opening Night at the Adrienne Arsht Center
$19-$225 Friday and Second Saturday Arsht Center performances
$12-$180 Sunday and Tuesday Arsht Center performances
$21-$200 all Broward Center performances

FGO's Box Office is located at the Doral Center on 8390 NW 25 St., Miami, FL 33122, and is open to the public from 10:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday during the season. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 800.741.1010 or online at www.FGO.org.

Florida Grand Opera is now asking all those who enjoy and support grand opera in South Florida to make their gifts or pledges today. Donations can be made online at www.tickets.FGO.org/contribution. For more information, or to make a gift or pledge, contact Senior Individual Giving Officer Max Kellogg at 305.403.3320 or mkellogg@fgo.org.

About Florida Grand Opera - Florida Grand Opera (FGO), the oldest performing arts organization in Florida, celebrates its 74th year of continuously producing grand opera during the 2014-15 Season. The mainstage operas of the season include: Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly, November 15 - December 6; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Così fan tutte, January 24 - February 14; Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Les pêcheurs de perles), February 28 - March 14; and Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul, May 9 - 16. Founded in 1941 as Greater Miami Opera and later merging with The Opera Guild Inc. in 1994, FGO presents a mixture of standard repertoire and contemporary works as well as commissions and new productions -- all featuring projected translations in English and Spanish.