Photo Flash: First Look at Long Beach Opera's MACBETH

An overwhelming lust for power, a manipulative wife, and witches' prophecies spur a Scottish general onto a tragic path of betrayal, murder and madness. Long Beach Opera (LBO) closes its 2013 season with Macbeth, Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch's re-discovered powerhouse, sung in English. Performances at the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, CA. began on June 15, 2013 and continue on June 22 and 23. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Bringing the role of Macbeth to life will be Panamanian-American baritone, Nmon Ford, whose rich voice and handsome good looks has him in demand across the Americas, Japan, and Europe. Classique News said of his recent performance as Jochanaan in Salome, "Mr. Ford's great physique and chilling charisma made him the perfect prophet, both seductive and unattainable. Because he possesses and amazing and powerful voice, he creates a character that burns with the fire of a blinding faith."

LBO Artistic and General Director Andreas Mitisek will conduct as well as direct an original concept for the staging at the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, California, the largest cruise port on the West Coast. Mitisek comments, "The young Bloch, inspired by the likes of Wagner, Mussorgsky and Debussy, created a fiery score that heightens the bloody story and provides spectacular insight into the dark soul of Macbeth."

Premiered at the Opéra Comique in Paris in 1910, Macbeth has only recently been rediscovered in Europe and hasn't been produced in the United States since 1973.

CAST:

Macbeth: Nmon Ford Lady Macbeth: Suzan Hanson
Banquo, Duncan: Doug Jones
1st Witch: Ariel Pisturino
2nd Witch: Danielle Marcelle Bond
3rd Witch: Nandani Sinha
Macduff, 1ST Murdrerer: Robin Buck
Chorus: Long Beach Camerata Singers LBO Orchestra

Long Beach Opera (LBO) is internationally known for cutting-edge interpretations of unconventional repertoire. LBO creates immediate, inventive and often boldly avant-garde productions for an adventurous audience and stands apart from most other companies in the number of world, American and West Coast premieres it has staged. Founded in 1979, LBO is one of the largest professional opera organizations in Southern California and the oldest in the Los Angeles/Orange County region. LBO's performance history includes more than 100 operas ranging from the earliest works of the 17th century to the new operas of the 21st. For more information, visit www.longbeachopera.org.

Photo Credit: Keith Ian Polakoff