Buffalo Opera Unlimited to Perform NOTES ON VIARDOT and CINDERELLA
Matt Marco, artistic director of the Buffalo-based company, announced the double production.
Buffalo Opera Unlimited has announced it will open its 2026–2027 season with the U.S. East Coast premiere of composer Michael Ching's Notes on Viardot, presented alongside Pauline Viardot's chamber opera Cendrillon (Cinderella). The production debuts in Buffalo as part of the organization's Fairy Tale Double Bill, two short operas presented together on a single program, on September 18 and September 20 at the Flickinger Performing Arts Center at Nichols School. The performance will mark Ching's fourth fully staged production.
Notes on Viardot features music and a libretto by Michael Ching that portray the life of Pauline Viardot, an international opera star, teacher, and influential figure in 19th-century European musical culture. The opera travels through Viardot's memories, with original music interwoven with her own compositions. Previous performances were at the University of South Dakota, Music on Site in Kansas, and Baylor University in Texas. Following Notes on Viardot is Viardot's own Cendrillon, a 1904 opera based on the Cinderella story. Originally written for performance in Viardot's Paris salon, Cendrillon blends French charm and Bel Canto lyricism into an intimate and witty retelling of the beloved fairy tale. Together, the two operas form a rare theatrical conversation across centuries, highlighting the artist and her art, and the woman and her legacy.
'Buffalo Opera Unlimited is thrilled to highlight one of classical music's most intriguing personalities with our fall double bill,' said Artistic Director Matt Marco. 'Viardot's own piece combines the vocal fireworks of Bel Canto, the lush harmonies of France, but in a style that's all her own. Even more, it's an honor to present one of the first performances of Michael Ching's Notes on Viardot. Michael has crafted a unique work which will introduce Pauline Viardot to audiences, shining a spotlight on her tremendous influence on vocal music.'
Fairy Tale Double Bill features a cast of 19 talented classical singers. Among them is Buffalo native and recent Music Education and Vocal Performance SUNY Fredonia graduate Mia Sorgi, making her Buffalo Opera Unlimited debut in the lead role of Cendrillon. Elise Walters also makes her Buffalo Opera Unlimited debut, returning home from Los Angeles to perform the role of La Fée, the fairy godmother whose magic transforms pumpkins, forest critters, and the evening itself. Andrea Bickford returns to the opera singing the role of Older Pauline. Other Buffalo cast members include Gino Thompson, Jackson Kelly, Jamie Gangemi, Kai Harrington, Ky Ver Hoef, and Tyler Huk.
Buffalo Opera Unlimited's presentation features a full orchestra and chorus conducted by Marco. Joelle Lachance directs the production. Both operas will be sung in French and English with projected translations, making the program accessible to first-time opera audiences and families alike. Performances for the Fairy Tale Double Bill are scheduled for:
