Florida Opera Festival Announces Principal Casting

Daniel Lipton, Opera Tampa's artistic director and conductor, has announced the principal casting for the productions in the Florida Opera Festival. Presented by Opera Tampa and serving as the company's 19th season, the festival will be an exciting, vibrant time filled with grand opera, beautiful music and an assortment of fun-filled events.

"We've gathered together a collection of artists of the very highest caliber," said Lipton. "Each one of them comes to the Florida Opera Festival with an impressive list of national and international credentials. There will be some Opera Tampa favorites and some new voices as well, all looking forward to sharing their talents with audiences in Tampa."

Season tickets for the main stage productions are still available. Seating for the three-show package begins at $103. Group tickets are now on sale. Individual tickets for all Florida Opera Festival events go on sale Sunday, Nov. 3, at noon.

Beginning his second season as artistic director and conductor, Lipton - who has led opera companies and orchestras in Germany, Canada, Columbia, Switzerland and Italy, among others - has assembled singers, directors and artists whose resumes boast acclaimed performances on the world's leading operatic stages. His international sensibility and years of worldwide experience will again be on vivid display during the Florida Opera Festival.

The festival format allows Opera Tampa to delve into a wide range of opera-centric events. With truly something for everyone, this winter months festival will draw opera-loving audiences from far and wide to the fun and sun of the Tampa Bay area.

Full biographies of the principal Florida Opera Festival artists may be found at http://www.operatampa.org/meet-the-artists. Casting for the main stage productions includes:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's

The Magic Flute

Friday, Feb. 7, 2014, at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, at 2 p.m.

Morsani Hall

Jonathan Boyd - Prince Tamino

Aaron St. Clair Nicholson - Papageno, a bird catcher

Sari Gruber - Princess Pamina

Sang-Eun Lee - Queen of the Night

James Moellenhoff - Sarastro

Follow the whimsical adventures of Prince Tamino and Papageno the Bird Catcher on their heroic quest to rescue the captured Princess Pamina. The Magic Flute blends myth and enchantment, and champions the fight between good and evil, confirming that love conquers all.

The Magic Flute will be sung in German with English translations projected above the stage. Maestro Lipton will lead an international cast along with the Opera Tampa Orchestra and Chorus. Arila Siegert directs the production.

L'amour Toujours, a Popera! Concert

Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, at 2 p.m.

Ferguson Hall

Jason Howard, baritone

Ola Rafalo, mezzo-soprano

Elizabeth de Trejo, soprano

Eduardo Villa, tenor

Opera Tampa's Artistic Director and Conductor Daniel Lipton presents opera's greatest hits -

breath-taking music from favorite operas sung by international artists with a full orchestra.

Georges Bizet's

Carmen

Friday, March 14, 2014, at 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 16, 2014, at 2 p.m.

Morsani Hall

Alessandra Volpe - Carmen, a gypsy girl

John Pickle - Don José, Corporal of Dragoons

Jason Howard - Escamillo, a toreador

Nathalie Paulin - Micaëla, a village maiden

Carmen packs all the sizzle of Spanish culture into a sexy thriller that traces Don José's ill-fated obsession with the seductive gypsy Carmen - the ultimate femme fatale. When the handsome toreador, Escamillo, captures Carmen's affections and Jose is cast aside, his jealousy and vengeance consume him.

Carmen will be sung in French with English translations projected above the stage. Maestro Lipton will lead an international cast along with the Opera Tampa Orchestra and Chorus. Frank McClain and Maestro Lipton will co-direct the production.

The performances of The Magic Flute, L'amour Toujours, a Popera! Concert and Carmen are presented by the Helen Torres Foundation.

Single tickets for Florida Opera Festival main stage productions go on sale Sunday, Nov. 3, at noon. Season ticket packages are still available. Single tickets and season packages may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Office or online at www.strazcenter.org.

For more information about Opera Tampa/Florida Opera Festival and its upcoming events,

visit www.operatampa.org.

Events, days, dates, times, performers and prices are subject to change without notice.