THE WICKED ADVENTURES OF COUNT ORY, THE MAGIC FLUTE and More Set for Seattle Opera's 2016-17 Season

Thrilling theater and unforgettable music -- that's what audiences can expect from Seattle Opera's 2016/17 Season. The company today announced the operas next up at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. They include: The Wicked Adventures of Count Ory, Hansel & Gretel, La traviata, Katya Kabanova and The Magic Flute.

This upcoming season will allow audiences to experience the full scope of General Director Aidan Lang's vision for Seattle Opera. It's the first year planned entirely by Lang since the 2014 leadership transition and departure of Speight Jenkins.

"I'm thrilled to present five operas this season -- including four experiences never before seen at McCaw Hall, ranging from high comedy to intense drama," Lang said. "Great opera is great theater, and I've chosen directors and designers who can speak to 21st century audiences, while maintaining the beauty, integrity and truth that we all love about these works."

Lang will also bring more than 40 artists, including singers, conductors and creative teams, to Seattle for the first time. This season, Seattle Opera unveils a new approach to casting. Introduced in the 1980s, the previous "Gold and Silver" casting system divided singers into teams based on experience and popularity. Going forward, casting will be equitable at all performances. No matter which performance you attend, Seattle Opera will provide a caliber of casting consistent with any of the world's greatest opera houses.

In August 2016, the season kicks off with a raucous bang -- The Wicked Adventures of Count Ory (original title: Le comte Ory) to be precise. Gioachino Rossini's story of a notorious skirt-chaser and his merry-making minions comes to Seattle Opera for the first time with the grandeur of opera and the pop of a Broadway musical. Australian stage director Lindy Hume has envisioned an outrageous mashup: the opera's medieval setting is getting a cheeky twist with a nod to Monty Python and Austin Powers, complete with psychedelic sets and costumes! Lawrence Brownlee and Sarah Coburn return to McCaw Hall following The Daughter of the Regiment (2013) to sing Count Ory and Countess Adèle. Barry Banks, a longtime Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera star, as well as Lauren Snouffer, one of the most highly sought-after sopranos on the international stage, will make company debuts in the same roles. Italian conductor Giacomo Sagripanti, a rising star who was profiled by KING5 TV during Cinderella in 2013, returns.

As summer turns to fall in 2016, audiences will be treated to Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel & Gretel, an atmospheric fable not seen at Seattle Opera for more than 20 years. This particular production by Laurent Pelly "speaks to the kid in all of us" (Gramophone) with refreshing humor and Wagnerian orchestration, and the hauntingly relevant story explores universal themes of poverty, consumerism, and the need for taking care of a shared Earth. In the end, there's happiness for all -- save for one very bad witch. Ashley Emerson (Young Amelia in the 2010 world premiere of Amelia) and Anya Matanovic (Fidelio, Falstaff, The Magic Flute, former Young Artist) share the role of Gretel opposite Grammy Award-winner Sasha Cooke and Sarah Larsen rotating as Hansel. Sebastian Lang-Lessing (who conducts The Flying Dutchman in May 2016) will take the podium.

Seattle Opera will ring in the New Year, 2017, with a production of Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata, a tale of moral hypocrisy, selfless sacrifice, and a worldly Parisian courtesan who must give up the man she loves. Said to have one of the most perfect scores in all of opera, La traviata comes to McCaw Hall in a gripping production directed by Peter Konwitschny that gets right to the heart of the story. Hailed by The New York Times as "an outstanding actress, as well as a singer of extraordinary grace and finesse," Corinne Winters sings Violetta opposite Stefano Secco as Alfredo. Angel Blue, a former titleholder in the Miss America Organization described by Plácido Domingo as "the next Leontyne Price," sings Violetta opposite Zach Borichevsky. Italian conductor Stefano Ranzani, a regular at La Scala, Vienna Staatsoper, and the Metropolitan Opera, makes his company debut.

February 2017 brings another Seattle Opera premiere to McCaw Hall. Leoš Janá?ek's Katya Kabanova weaves a visceral story of sheltered Katya, who longs to be free of her dull arranged marriage and dreary home life. Recently awakened to true love, she remains dominated by a monstrous mother-in-law. Can Katya's fragile world survive when her pent-up passions finally burst forth? Acclaimed Australian director Patrick Nolan's all-new production set in post-war Pacific Northwest dives deep into the emotional turbulence lurking beneath the surface of small town respectability. In the role of Katya, American soprano Melody Moore makes her Seattle Opera debut, sharing the role with Corinne Winters. Joseph Dennis and Scott Quinn will sing the role of Boris. Victoria Livengood returns as Kabanicha, and Slovak conductor Oliver von Dohnányi makes his Seattle Opera debut.

The season concludes with an all-time audience favorite: The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Fashion designer to the stars Zandra Rhodes has created the costumes for this colorful fantasy, which celebrates the power of love and music. A handsome prince and his comical sidekick are given enchanted musical instruments and are tasked with rescuing the Queen of the Night's daughter from a mysterious group of priests. Undergoing trials of virtue, discretion and charity, they realize all may not be as it seems in this magical land. Chris Alexander returns to direct. Making their company debuts are Maestra Julia Jones, Elliot Madore and Craig Verm as Papageno, and Christina Poulitsi as Queen of the Night.

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Seattle Opera's 2016/17 Season:

The Wicked Adventures of Count Ory (Le comte Ory)

Music by Gioachino Rossini

Libretto by Eugène Scribe & Charles Gaspard Delestre-Poirson

In French with English captions

Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

Performances: August 6, 7m, 10, 13, 17, 19, 20, 2016

Approximate Running Time: 2 hours and 35 minutes with 1 intermission

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., matinee at 2:00 p.m.

Premiere: August 20, 1828 at the Paris Opéra

Seattle Opera Premiere

Cast:

Count Ory Lawrence Brownlee† (Aug. 6, 13, 17 & 20)

Barry Banks* (Aug. 7m, 10 & 19)

Countess Adele Sarah Coburn† (Aug. 6, 13, 17 & 20)

Lauren Snouffer* (Aug. 7m, 10 & 19)

Isolier Hanna Hipp* (Aug. 6, 13, 17 & 20)

Stephanie Lauricella* (Aug. 7m, 10 & 19)

Raimbaud Rodon Pogossov* (Aug. 6, 13, 17 & 20)

Will Liverman* (Aug. 7m, 10 & 19)

Tutor Patrick Carfizzi

Ragonde Maria Zifchak

Conductor Giacomo Sagripanti

Director Lindy Hume*

Set & Costumes Dan Potra*

Lighting Design Duane Schuler

Choreographer Daniel Pelzig

Hair & Makeup Design Joyce Degenfelder

† Former Seattle Opera Young Artist

* Company Debut

Production Sponsor: Marks Family Foundation

#SOCountOry

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Hansel & Gretel

Music by Engelbert Humperdinck

Libretto by Adelheid Wette

In German with English captions

Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

Performances: October 15, 16m, 19, 22, 26, 28, 29, 2016

Approximate Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes with 1 intermission

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., matinee at 2:00 p.m.

Premiere: December 23, 1893 in Weimar, Germany

Previous Seattle Opera Performance: 1994

Cast:

Gretel Ashley Emerson (Oct. 15, 22, 26, & 29)

Anya Matanovic† (Oct. 16m, 19 & 29)

Hansel Sasha Cooke† (Oct. 15, 22, 26 & 29)

Sarah Larsen† (Oct. 16m, 19 & 28)

Witch John Easterlin (Oct. 15, 22, 26 & 29)

Peter Marsh* (Oct. 16m, 19 & 28)

Gertrude Marcy Stonikas†

Peter Mark Walters

Sandman/Dew Fairy Amanda Opuszynski†

Conductor Sebastian Lang-Lessing

Director Laurent Pelly*

Set Design Barbara de Limburg*

Costume Design Laurent Pelly*

Lighting Design Joël Adam

† Former Seattle Opera Young Artist

* Company Debut

Production Sponsor: Microsoft

#SOHanselGretel

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La traviata

Music by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

In Italian with English captions

Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

Performances: January 14, 15m, 18, 21, 25, 27, 28, 2017

Approximate Running Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes with no intermission

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., matinee at 2:00 p.m.

Premiere: March 6, 1853 at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Italy

Previous Seattle Opera Performance: 1973, 1996, 1980, 1988, 2009

Cast:

Violetta Corrine Winters* (Jan. 14, 21, 25 & 28)

Angel Blue (Jan. 15m, 18 & 27)

Alfredo Stefano Secco (Jan. 14, 21, 25 & 28)

Zach Borichevsky* (Jan. 15m, 18 & 27)

Germont Weston Hurt (Jan. 14, 21, 25 & 28)

Stephen Powell*(Jan. 15m, 18 & 27)

Flora Maya Lahyani†

Conductor Sebastian Lang-Lessing

Director Laurent Pelly*

Set Design Barbara de Limburg*

Costume Design Laurent Pelly*

Lighting Design Joël Adam*

† Former Seattle Opera Young Artist

* Company Debut

Production Sponsors: Ann P. Wyckoff and Lenore M. Hanauer

#SOtraviata

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Katya Kabanova

Music by Leoš Janá?ek

Libretto by Vincenc Cervinka

In Czech with English captions

Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

Performances: February 25 & 26; March 1, 4, 8, 10, 11, 2017

Approximate Running Time: 2 hours with 1 intermission

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., matinee at 2:00 p.m.

Premiere: November 23, 1921 at the National Theater in Brno, Moravia

Seattle Opera Premiere

Cast:

Katya Kabanova Melody Moore* (Feb. 25, Mar. 4, 8, & 11)

Corrine Winters (Feb. 26m, Mr. 1 & 10)

Kabanicha Victoria Livengood

Boris Joseph Dennis* (Feb. 25, Mar. 4, 8, & 11)

Scott Quinn*(Feb. 26m, Mar. 1 & 10)

Dikoj Stefan Szafarowsky*

Varvara Maya Lahyani†

Vanya Kudrjas Joshua Kohl

Tichon Nicky Spence*

Conductor Oliver von Dohnányi

Director Patrick Nolan*

Set & Costumes Genevieve Blanchett*

Lighting Design Mark Howett*

† Former Seattle Opera Young Artist

* Company Debut

Production Sponsors: Seattle Opera Foundation, Office of Arts & Culture | Seattle, and Kreielsheimer Endowment Fund

#SOKatya

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The Magic Flute

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder

In German with English captions

Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

Performances: May 6, 7m, 10, 13, 17, 19, 20, 2017

Approximate Running Time: 3 hours with 1 intermission

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., matinee at 2:00 p.m.

Premiere: September 30, 1791 at the Theater auf der Wieden in Vienna, Austria

Previous Seattle Opera Performances: 1978, 1987, 1999 and 2011

Cast:

Tamino Paul Appleby* (May 6, 13, 17 & 20)

Randall Bills (May 7m, 10 & 19)

Pamina Lauren Snouffer (May 6, 13, 17 & 20)

Amanda Forsythe (May 7m, 10 & 19)

Papageno Elliot Madore* (May 6, 13, 17 & 20)

Craig Verm* (May 7m, 10 & 19)

Queen of the Night Christina Poulitsi*

Sarastro Ante Jerkunica*

Monostatos Rodell Rosel

Papagena Amanda Opuszynski†

First Lady Jacqueline Piccolino*

Second Lady Nian Wang*

Third Lady Jenni Bank*

Speaker Adam Lau

Conductor Julia Jones*

Director Chris Alexander

Set Design Robert Dalstrom with Robert Schaub

Costume Design Zandra Rhodes

Lighting Design Duane Schuler

† Former Seattle Opera Young Artist

* Company Debut

Production Sponsors: Tagney Jones Family Fund at Seattle Foundation and ArtsFund

#SOFlute

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