The Utopia Opera Opens ARIADNE AUF NAXOS Tonight

Tonight, June 5 and June 6, 12, & 13 at 7:30pm, Utopia Opera presents Richard Strauss' ground-breaking and thrilling Ariadne auf Naxos in a staged production performed with an 18-piece orchestra at the Ida K. Lang Recital Hall at Hunter College (695 Park Avenue). Utopia founder and artistic director,William Remmers, conducts while the acclaimed Benjamin Spierman (Indianapolis Opera, Dayton Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, Bronx Opera) directs; costume stylings are by Eric Lamp. 18-piece orchestral reduction by Christopher Fecteau.

Ariadne auf Naxos (Ariadne on Naxos) is a two-act opera byRichard Strauss with a German libretto by the renowned Hugo von Hofmannsthal that originally premiered in its current version in 1916. The first act ('the Prologue') is a backstage comedy surrounding the back-to-back performances of a romantic opera written by 'the Composer' and a raunchy burlesque headed by the comic spitfire Zerbinetta. The wealthy man who commissioned the pieces (and is hosting the event in his own home) doesn't want to risk them running overtime and interrupting his planned fireworks display, so he asks, blithely and at the last moment, that the two incongruous pieces be performed simultaneously. The composer, singers, comedians, and dancers frenzy as they try to improvise with only minutes to go before showtime. The second act ('the Opera'), depicts the alternately comic, poignant, beautiful, and thrilling moments of the hybrid performance that results from the events of the Prologue.

Ariadne has stood the test of time as work of introspective genius that asks (and sometimes answers) challenging questions about the performance, composition, content, and sale of art. It is a work about breaching the gap between both high and lowentertainment, how the sway of bourgeoisie funding can surpass the will of the artists, and the persuasive but human beauty behind the holiest art: music. It is as much about the state of opera in 1916 as it is nearly 100 years later, and it especially relevant to a company like Utopia which has historically and intentionally sought to level the playing field between high and low and unify them in one genuine, breathing, and effervescent culture.

About Utopia Opera

Utopia Opera was founded in 2011 by artistic and musical director William Remmers. Striving to present the most entertaining operatic performances possible (for audiences and performers alike) while also maintaining a high standard of musical integrity, Utopia Opera is quickly establishing itself as a young and vibrant addition to New York City's vast operatic landscape.

In addition to providing young singers with performance opportunities, Utopia aims to share opera with a general audience and to reveal its modern relevance. A central part of that mission is realized through giving its audience and performers a stake in the direction of the company. Now in its fourth season, the Company's seasons are largely chosen through votes cast on its Facebook page. The 2014-15 season includes Carlisle Floyd's Susannah, Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri, a double bill of Arthur Sullivan's The Zoo with Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortileges, and Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos. The 2015-2016 season consists of Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, Arthur Sullivan's Princess Ida, a double-bill of Purcell's Dido & Aeneas and King Arthur, and Jules Massenet's Cendrillon.

Tickets ($20 minimum cash donation; $23 check) are available at the door. To reserve in advance, visit http://www.utopiaopera.org and click the reservation button on the home page.

The Cast:
(June 5 & 13 / June 6 & 12)
Composer: Elizabeth Bouk / Alison Cheeseman
Zerbinetta: Jessica Philpot / Halley Gilbert
Ariadne: Rebecca Paul / Alexandra Lang
Bacchus: Adam Klein / Shawn Thuris
Musicmaster: Richard Holmes / Jack Anderson White
Dancemaster/Brighella: Gilad Paz / Elliott Deasy
Scaramuccio: Samuel Themer
Harlekin: Jonathan Rohr
Truffaldin: Roman Laba (June 13: Brian Alvarado)
Najade: Jordanna Rose / Angela Dinkleman
Dryade: Jazmin DeRice / Monica Hershenson Thuris
Echo: Caroline Miller / Hannah Spierman
Wigmaker: Matthew Walsh
Officer: John Kim
Lackey: Benjamin Spierman
Major-Domo: David Seatter

Photo Credit: Brynne Morrice