Lyric Opera of Kansas City Kicks Off 2019-2020 Season with Mozart's THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO

Lyric Opera of Kansas City opens its 2019-2020 season with a risqué screwball comedy, The Abduction from the Seraglio. This production transplants Mozart's glorious melodies to the golden age of Hollywood, evocative of the films It Happened One Night and Road to Morocco.

The production runs Sept. 21, 25, 27, and 29 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and will be sung in German with English subtitles.

The production will feature the Kansas City operatic debut of Prairie Village native, Ben Bliss. Singing the lead male role of Belmonte, which he performed previously at The Metropolitan Opera and at England's famous Glyndebourne Festival, Bliss is quickly making his mark in the operatic world. In what may be a first, Bliss will appear alongside his mother, Judy Bliss, who has been a Lyric Opera chorister for more than 30 years.

More Lyric Opera debuts include Bass Matt Boehler as Osmin and Conductor Michael Christie. Returning to Lyric Opera are sopranos Kathryn Lewek (Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, 2013) and Rachele Gilmore (Gretel in Hansel & Gretel, 2016) and Director Alison Moritz (Penelope, 2019). Detailed bios available at www.kcopera.org.

General Director and CEO Deb Sandler stated, "Our 2019-2020 season is designed to show the breadth and scope of not only the operatic canon but the continued commitment to quality that our Company has accomplished. Abduction is considered by most to be the first of Mozart's great works, written at a time when he begins to forge his own path to greatness. We bring together a superb cast and artistic team for this musically splendid - and funny - work."

Lyric Opera invites audience members at all performances to be part of the glitz and glamour of 1930s and 1940s Hollywood by getting dolled up, vintage-style, or coming in costume as one of your favorite Tinseltown stars. You may spot some ritzy celebrities, or you may need to sidestep a few paparazzi as you make your way to your seats! Follow Lyric Opera on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes fun.

The great screwball comedies such as It Happened One Night owe much to Mozart and his librettist Gottlieb Stephanie. While the feisty heroines Konstanze and Blonde endure forced labor in the Pasha's swanky nightclub, their sweethearts Belmonte and Pedrillo hatch an elaborate plan to rescue them. Hilarity ensues, including intricate ruses and misplaced affection. The quartet is captured during escape and sentenced to death - but the Pasha surprises everyone in the heartwarming finale.

Tickets start at $29 and availability varies by performance. To purchase tickets, call Ticketing & Patron Services (816) 471-7344. Patrons can select their own seat and print their tickets at home by visiting www.kcopera.org. Limited student rush tickets are available for $15 starting 90 minutes before the performances, with a valid student ID. Student rush tickets are subject to availability.