Opera Company of Middlebury to Present LA TRAVIATA, 10/3 & 5

Opera Company of Middlebury is known for taking chances with its full-scale productions in June, tackling less-seen works like Massenet's Thaïs and Puccini's La Rondine. In the fall it turns to the operatic "war horses," producing concert versions that are elegantly staged and dramatically incisive.

This year's choice is one of opera's most beloved works, Verdi's La Traviata, which will be presented in a staged concert version at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater on October 3 & 5.

Soprano Rochelle Bard stars in the role of the "fallen woman," Violetta. A winner of several international competitions, Ms. Bard recently made her debut at Carnegie Hall in Beethoven's C Minor Mass. A veteran Violetta - she reprises the role in November at Shreveport Opera - critics have hailed her "achingly gorgeous" voice and have called her "a poignant singing actress."

"There are a lot of fine singers out there," says OCM artistic director Douglas Anderson, "but we're always on the look-out for the singer-actor, the performer who can bring a character vibrantly to life. We saw a lot of Violettas when we held auditions in New York, but Rochelle's audition was genuinely moving."
Tenor Jamie Flora returns to the company as Alfredo. Flora was last seen as the decadent Nicias in the company's 2011 production of Thaïs. His wife, Olga Perez Flora, returns as well, playing the role of Flora.

"We like to create long-term relationships with singers we really admire," says Anderson. "Jamie and Olga have become mainstays of the company. I think audiences like to see a mix of new singers like Rochelle and old friends like Jamie and Olga." Other returning singers are Ricardo Rivera, Leroy Davis, and Vermonters Sarah Cullins and Erik Kroncke.

Maestro Emmanuel Plasson will once again conduct the OCM orchestra. He'll leave Middlebury moments after the curtain rings down on La Traviata to fly to London, where he will conduct the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden. The Middlebury College Choir will sing the famous chorus numbers, under the direction of Jeff Buettner. Douglas Anderson directs.

La Traviata will be presented at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater on Friday, October 3 at 8 pm, and on Sunday, October 5 at 2 pm. Tickets are $40-$50, and may be purchased at www.townhalltheater.org, 802 382-9222, at the THT box office (noon-5 pm, Mon-Sat), or at the door.

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