Seattle Opera Presents Verdi's ATTILA 1/14-28

For six performances only, Verdi's Attila takes the stage at Seattle Opera from January 14 through 28, 2012. This melodious bel canto opera, new to the company, presents the barbarian invasion of a decadent, crumbling empire and a compelling love triangle. A fearsome warlord with a hidden tender side, the beautiful warrior woman who destroys him, a hot-headed refugee leader, and a two-faced general-plus chorus, dancers, and extras as crowds of soldiers, refugees, and slaves-square off for a two-hour feast of song and drama.

"I find Attila the most beautiful of Verdi's early operas," says Speight Jenkins, General Director of Seattle Opera. "The arias for all four principals and the great choral pieces were more than a suggestion of things to come; in the area of both solo and choral pieces he had arrived. This is the reAl Verdi. Attila will surprise a lot of people in its extraordinarily high quality."

Canadian bass-baritone John Relyea returns to Seattle Opera in the role of Attila, which he sang for the first time in concert this fall in Washington, D.C. Relyea's previous Seattle Opera credits include the title roles in Don Quichotte and Bluebeard's Castle, and Giorgio in I puritani. He won the 2005 Seattle Opera Artist of the Year award for his Four Villains in Les contes d'Hoffmann. Starring opposite Relyea is Venezuelan soprano Ana Lucrecia García as Odabella, the Italian woman who destroys the invading Hun. García, who made her company debut as Aida in 2008, recently sang Odabella at La Scala. 

Italian tenor Antonello Palombi portrays Odabella's lover, Foresto. No stranger to the Seattle Opera stage, Palombi has previously starred as Manrico in Il trovatore, Radames in Aida, and Canio in Pagliacci. Baritone Marco Vratogna makes his company debut as the sly Roman general Ezio. On January 22 only, Finnish bass Mika Kares makes his Seattle Opera debut as Attila, with American soprano Susan Neves also debuting as Odabella. Former Seattle Opera Young Artist tenor Russell Thomas makes his mainstage debut as Foresto, a role he sang in 2010 at the Metropolitan Opera.

Conductor Carlo Montanaro takes the lead in the pit, following a company debut with Don Quichotte. Bernard Uzan directs; Uzan's recent credits with Seattle Opera include Macbeth, Pagliacci, and this season's Carmen. The set, originally designed for Opéra national du Rhin by Charles Edwards, has been enhanced with new digital media by Seattle Opera.

Seattle Opera's production of Attila is sponsored by Nesholm Family Foundation and Debra Dahlen and Robert Fries. John Relyea's performances are sponsored by the James and Sherry Raisbeck Lead Singers' Fund. Seattle Opera's 2011/12 Season is sponsored by Microsoft.

Attila premieres Saturday, January 14, and runs through Saturday, January 28. Single tickets start at $25 and are available online at seattleopera.org, and by calling 206.389.7676 or 800.426.1619. Tickets may also be purchased at the Box Office by visiting 1020 John Street (two blocks west of Fairview), Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

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