Opera Company of Middlebury to Open 12th Season with TURANDOT

Puccini's final opera, Turandot, is generally seen in huge productions in grand opera houses. But how will it fare in the intimate confines of Middlebury's Town Hall Theater?

Local opera-goers will soon find out, as the Opera Company of Middlebury opens its 12th season with Turandot on May 29.

Since its humble beginnings in 2004, OCM has earned a national reputation. It was recently called the "most exciting opera company in the Northeast," and articles in Opera News and the Huffington Post have saluted the company's creative productions and high standards.

"We now have over 500 singers a year sending submissions to sing with our company," says OCM artistic director Douglas Anderson. "It's something of a miracle that we have this thriving professional opera company in the tiny market of Middlebury, Vermont."

Turandot was Puccini's final opera - he died before writing the final scenes - and for many it's considered the high point of the composer's career. The simple tale, set in China, of a princess who refuses all suitors is drenched in Puccini's sweeping romantic music, this time with haunting Asian overtones. Soprano Leah Crowne will play the title role, opposite tenor Alok Kumar as the Unknown Prince who risks his life for her love.

It is the Unknown Prince who sings the most famous tenor aria in all of opera, "Nessun dorma", made famous by Luciano Pavarotti.

The OCM production will be under the direction of Douglas Anderson, with musical direction by Maestro Emmanuel Plasson. Performances are May 29, June 4 and June 6 at 8 pm, with a 2 pm matinee on May 31. The cover performance is June 5.

Prior to the opening the community can meet the singers at Meet the Singers, a reception and recital in which the 15 visiting singers present their favorite arias. Meet the Singers will be presented at the Unitarian-Universalist Society on Sunday, May 17, at 5 pm.

A special recital for the 8 singers in the Young Artist Program is scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, at 8 pm at Town Hall Theater. "This is the first time we've had a Young Artists Program," says Anderson. "We're very proud of these young singers who are generally graduate students with terrific careers ahead of them."

Tickets for all of these events may be purchased at www.townhalltheater.org, at the THT Box Office (Mon-Sat, noon-5pm) by called 802-382-9222, or at the door, if available.

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