Opera in the Heights Will Present THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA Next Month

Opera in the Heights (OH) will present a new production of The Light in the Piazza, a Tony award-winning musical by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas. Performances will take place over one weekend, February 16, 17, 18 at Lambert Hall (1703 Heights Blvd.).

Known for its sophisticated score full of soaring lyricism fit for classically-trained voices, The Light in the Piazza, won six Tony Awards including for best score, ran for over 500 performances at Lincoln Center in 2005-2006, and aired on PBS Live from Lincoln Center drawing over 2 million viewers. It has since established itself as a rare, genre-defying piece of contemporary musical theater that thrives as a vehicle for opera singers as demonstrated by LA Opera in a 2019 production featuring Renée Fleming.

Based on the 1960s novella by Elizabeth Spencer, the show tells the story of an American mother and daughter pair, Margaret and Clara, traveling in Italy where their lives are changed when Clara falls in love with Fabrizio, youngest son of the Naccarelli family in Florence.

"Spencer's novella is illuminated off the page and transcended onto the theatrical stage as it explores the intricate dynamics between a mother and her daughter," said stage director Seamus Ricci, adding, "While the composition and story radiate with nuances of the complexities of relationships, it never veers from the simplicity of love and being loved."

Reflecting on Guettel's Tony-winning score, conductor Stephen W. Jones, said, "The Light in The Piazza, is a celebration of musical innovation; dipping into genres of both of musical theater and opera," calling the score "highly sophisticated in its harmonic and rhythmic complexities." Jones added, "Both the score and libretto support and celebrate the simplicity of life and the intricacies of human interactions. The chamber orchestration being used in this production, while still being incredibly lush and supportive, provides an intimate setting for this compelling story."

The cast will feature Christina Pezzarossi as Margaret, Catherine Goode as Clara, Benjamin Lurye as Fabrizio, as well as Scott Clark, Lisa Borik Vickers, Alejandro Magallon, and Megan Berti as members of the Naccarelli family, and Brad Goertz as Margaret's husband Roy.

Performance dates are February 16, 17, 18 at Lambert Hall (1703 Heights Blvd.). The performances will be sung primarily in English with portions in Italian with surtitles projected on monitors on the sides of the stage.

Opera in the Heights, a professional regional company, exists to provide a stage for emerging performers and bring affordable opera to the Greater Houston Area. All operas are fully staged with orchestra and presented in the original language with English surtitles projected above the stage.

Evening performances begin at 7:30 pm and the Sunday matinee at 2:00 pm at Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. in the Houston Heights. For tickets and more information, please click the button below or call 713-861-5303.                   

Graphic art by Padron & co.

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