Atlanta Opera Presents DON PASQUALE, 3/25

For the first time in its history, the Atlanta Opera presents Don Pasquale, Donizetti's comic masterpiece. Taking a new slant on the original, this production is transposed to the golden era of Hollywood in the 1950's.

The Atlanta Opera presents Don Pasquale on March 25, 28, 31 and April 2 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Single tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online atatlantaopera.org or by calling 404-881-8885. The opera will be performed in Italian with English supertitles.

The production follows Don Pasquale, an aging silent film star, in pursuit of finding a wife and heir to his fortune. Pasquale attempts to make a comeback in his career and encounters a widowed gold digger, Norina, who conspires with Pasquale's nephew Ernesto. The delivery of silent-film components and amusing visual gags - along with a rousing chorus of pop icons ranging from Elvis to Carmen Miranda - brings the fun and hilarity to a new level for this Bel Canto jewel.

This entertaining and uproarious opera will be directed by Chuck Hudson, the acclaimed disciple of the legendary Marcel Marceau. Marceau's craft of acting and miming has influential elements in Hudson's Don Pasquale, which he directed at Cincinnati Opera in 2015 and will direct again at Minnesota Opera later in 2017. The production debuted at Arizona Opera in 2014.

"My first take on it was very similar to doing Shakespeare. It's a rhythmic language that has a musicality all its own," Hudson said, on his process of producing his work. "There's just music underneath this all the time. So once I found ways of trusting the music to tell the story as much as the words do, or in a different way than the words do, I became very comfortable with it. And little by little I learned about staging traditions in opera."

Maestro Joseph Colaneri will conduct. Colaneri is the current music director of Glimmerglass Opera Festival and previously conducted productions at The Metropolitan Opera, including L'elisir d'amore and La bohème, as well as the NY City Opera.

Internationally acclaimed bass-baritone Burak Bilgili, last seen in Atlanta in 2016's production of Romeo and Juliet, returns to the Atlanta Opera's stage in the title role. Since his operatic debut in 2002 as Don Alfonso in Lucrezia Borgia at the Teatro alla Scala, his talent has taken him to the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Naples Opera, and Carnegie Hall to name just a few.

Soprano Georgia Jarman will return to the Atlanta Opera in the role of Norina. Jarman was last seen in 2011 playing the title role of Lucia in The Atlanta Opera's Lucia di Lammermoor. Jarman studied at Boston University and the Manhattan School of Music. Notable engagements include Gilda in Rigoletto at Santa Fe Opera, the Royal Opera House production of Written on Skin, and her recent highly acclaimed role as Roxana in Kasper Holten's new production of Król Roger at the Royal Opera House. The recording of this production, featuring Jarman as Roxana, was nominated for a Grammy Award under the Best Opera Recording category this year.

Making his Atlanta Opera debut, tenor Ji-Min Park will sing Ernesto, Pasquale's nephew. Park has obtained notable success at several international opera houses, including Alfredo in La Traviatawith Welsh National Opera, Rodolfo in La bohème for Opera North, and Ernesto in Don Pasqualewith Cincinnati Opera and Opera Australia.

Baritone Alexey Lavrov will reprise his role as Pasquale's confidante, Dr. Malatesta. Lavrov previously sung the same role at Cincinnati Opera. This will also be Lavrov's debut with the Atlanta Opera. Lavrov is a recent graduate of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.

In this whimsical opera, the chorus will bring to life the famous Hollywood icons of the 1950's. From Lucille Ball to John Wayne to Elvis Presley and more, the chorus will honor these Hollywood legends on stage.

About the Atlanta Opera

The Atlanta Opera is one of the finest regional opera companies in the nation. In 2013, the company recruited internationally recognized stage director Tomer Zvulun as its General and Artistic Director. In the 2014-2015 season, the company launched the acclaimed Discoveries series of operas staged in alternative theaters around Atlanta. The series was recognized by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as part of its Best of 2015 awards and the company was nominated for the International Opera Awards in London in 2016. In the 2016-2017 season, the company expanded its main stage season from three to four productions at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre while ushering the Discoveries series into its 3rd season for a total of six productions. The Opera works with world-renowned singers, conductors, directors, and designers who seek to enhance the art form and make it accessible for a sophisticated, 21st century audience. The Atlanta Opera was founded in 1979, and to this day adheres to its mission to enrich lives through opera.

Running time is approximately 2 hours and there will be 1 intermission.

The Atlanta Opera recognizes Coca-Cola as the opening night sponsor.

Don Pasquale

By Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto by Gaetano Donizetti and Giovanni Ruffini

Creative Team

Conductor - Joseph Colaneri
Production Director - Chuck Hudson
Scenery and Props - Peter Nolle
Costumes - Kathleen Trott
Projections - Doug Provost
Lighting Designer - Thomas C. Hase

Scenery, Props, Projection, and Costumes for this production are owned by Arizona Opera and were constructed by Arizona Opera Scenic and Costume Shop.

Cast

Don Pasquale - Burak Bilgili
Norina - Georgia Jarman
Ernesto - Ji-Min Park*
Dr. Malatesta - Alexey Lavrov*