Florida Grand Opera Announces Two Upcoming Operas

Florida Grand Opera (FGO) is kicking off the new year with two of the most beloved Italian composers of all time. It begins on January 21, 2012, with the opening of the company's first production of Puccini's La rondine, and continues with Verdi's widely popular tragedy, Rigoletto.

LA RONDINE

The work originated in 1913, when Puccini was approached in Vienna about composing a Viennese operetta. He produced the love story of a kept woman who leaves her protector in pursuit of true love, which she has never known.La rondine premiered at the opera house in Monte Carlo in 1917. Magda's aria "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" is one of Puccini's most beautiful and is justifiably famous. La rondine means "the swallow" and refers to a prediction made early in the opera that although Magda may spread her wings in search of love and romance, she, like the swallow, will return to the life she knows.

Although it never attained the popularity of many of Puccini's other works, La rondine has recently enjoyed considerable new interest, attracting leading singers in productions at major opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera (2009) and San Francisco Opera (2007). The production opening in Miami premiered with New York City Opera in 1984.

Opening at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County on January 21, 2011, La rondine will feature a company favorite - Cuban-born, Miami-raised soprano Elizabeth Caballero - in the role of Madga. Known for her "lustrous lyric soprano … strong, clean technique and vocal control," as written by South Florida Classical Review, her last appearances with FGO include Mimì in La bohème, the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, and Liu in Turandot, which South Florida Classical Reviewcalled a "meltingly effective vocal performance … [with] warm, middle-range tones and floating high notes."

She will be joined by Portuguese tenor Bruno Ribeiro as Ruggero andCorinne Winters as Lisette. Ribeiro has been praised for "courage, dedication and a well-projected lyrical voice with firm, sharp tones," according to the Spanish newspaper La Razon. Most recently, Winters made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in the 2010-2011 season as Countess Ceprano in Rigolettoand returned to the company shortly after for their new production of Das Rheingold.

FGO Music Director Ramon Tebar, who previously stood at the FGO podium for Lucia di Lammermoor and Turandot, will conduct this production. Nicola Bowie, who directed FGO's 2008 La bohème, returns as the Stage Director for La rondine. This production is made possible by a generous gift from the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation and the Adams Supporting Foundation. The Miami After Opera Party is sponsored by Gibraltar Private Bank.

 **Sung in Italian with English and Spanish projected translations**

SCHEDULE

MIAMI

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County
Ziff Ballet Opera House
1300 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33132

January 21, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. – Opening Night;
January 24, 27, February 1 & 4, 2012, at 8:00 p.m.;
January 29, 2012, matinee at 2:00 p.m.

CASTING

Magda, Elizabeth Caballero ‡
Ruggero, Bruno Ribeiro *
Lisette, Corinne Winters *
Prunier, Daniel Shirley †
Rambaldo, Craig Colclough †
Yvette, Brittany Ann Reneé Robinson †
Bianca, Lacy Sauter † *
Suzy, Courtney McKeown †
Périchaud, Ryan Milstead †
Crébillon, Joo Won Kang † *
A Singer, Lacy Sauter † *
Conductor, Ramon Tebar
Production Director, Nicola Bowie

* = FGO debut  ‡ = Former Young Artist  † = Current Young Artist

RIGOLETTO

Verdi's Rigoletto, one of the world's best loved operas, returns to the FGO stage since its last appearance there in 2006. Rigoletto is the story of a court jester who enables the Duke's philandering and mocks the husbands and fathers of the victims. When he finds his own daughter, whom he has kept a well hidden secret, to be the Duke's newest victim, he tries to repay evil with evil, and it goes horribly wrong.

Written in 1850 for a premiere at the opera house La Fenice in Venice,Rigoletto's creator fought a persistent battle with censorship. Based on Victor Hugo's Le roi s'amuse, the opera originally depicted a king as the cynical womanizer at center of the drama, which Verdi eventually changed to a duke in order to appease the Austrian Board of Censors.

Baritone Mark Walters returns to FGO in the title role, following critical and audience acclaim with the company as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor and as Escamillo in the 2010 production of Carmen. The young soprano Nadine Sierra, a South Florida native, makes her role and FGO debut as Gilda having played "a beguiling Tytania" in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Boston Lyric Opera last season, according to the Boston Globe.

Following a debut at the Metropolitan Opera last season in Verdi's Stiffelio,American tenor Michael Fabiano comes to FGO as the Duke of Mantua with a voice described by the New York Times as having "a warm sound, poignant colorings and pinging top notes." He is joined by FGO regular, Kevin Langan, in the role of the assassin Sparafulcile, returning for his 11^th performance with the company. FGO Associate Conductor Andrew Bisantz, who's recent Toscafor Boston Lyric Opera was highly praised, will conduct the production, directed by former FGO Young Artist Jeff Buchman.  This production is made possible by a generous gift from Stephen A. Keller and Lesleen Bolt in loving memory of Stephen. Ft. Lauderdale performances are sponsored by Mrs. Rose Miniaci. 

**Sung in Italian with English and Spanish projected translations**

SCHEDULE

MIAMI

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County
Ziff Ballet Opera House
1300 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33132

January 28, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. – Opening Night;
January 31, February 3, 8, & 11, 2012, at 8:00 p.m.;
February 5, 2012, matinee at 2:00 p.m.

FORT LAUDERDALE

Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Au-Rene Theater
201 SW 5th Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

February 16, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.;
February 18, 2012, at 8:00 p.m.
    
CASTING

The Duke of Mantua, Michael Fabiano *
Rigoletto, Mark Walters
Gilda, Nadine Sierra *
Count Monterone, Joo Won Kang †
Sparafucile, Kevin Langan
Maddalena, Dana Beth Miller *
Marullo, Ryan Milstead †
Matteo Borsa, Jason Ferrante *
Count Ceprano, Craig Colclough †
Countess Ceprano, Courtney McKeown †
A Page, Brittany Ann Reneé Robinson †
Conductor, Andrew Bisantz
Production Director, Jeffery Marc Buchman ‡

* = FGO debut  ‡ = Former Young Artist  † = Current Young Artist