Utah Opera's 40th Anniversary Season Continues with PAGLIACCI and GIANNI SCHICCHI

Utah Opera's 40th anniversary season continues with a celebratory double-score production of Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" and Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi." The shows will be performed five times at the Janey Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre on March 10, 12, 14, 16 at 7:30 PM, and March 18th at 2 PM. Tickets, priced from $15-$105, are available for purchase through www.utahopera.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.

Enjoy a sensational performance of some of opera's most beloved music, directed by Tara Faircloth. Under the baton of Timothy Myers, the performance begins with "Pagliacci," Leoncavallo's emotionally intense masterpiece of passion, infidelity, and murder featuring Canio the clown-a signature role of Utah Opera's founder Glade Peterson. Next, heartbreak turns to laughter as Utah Opera explores the lighter side of Puccini with "Gianni Schicchi." See what unfolds when a man of great wealth dies and leaves behind a secret will, a gang of scheming heirs, and a hilarious mess. Laura Hawkes set designs provides the perfect catalyst for misadventure.

"Continuing with this 40th Anniversary season," says Artistic Director Christopher McBeth, "we bring a pair of Italian operatic standards into one evening that reach from one end of the narrative spectrum to the other." Spectacular casts, sets, and two historic operas promise audience members a wild evening filled with comedy and tragedy.

The bass-baritone and "villain-you-love-to-hate..." ("Opera Today") Wayne Tigges makes his Utah Opera debut in both scores as Tonio and Gianni Schicchi. Tenor Scott Piper returns after his role in the 2008 production of "Madame Butterfly" to play Canio. Utah native and rising opera star Marina Costa-Jackson plays Nedda and Lauretta. Tenor and "vocal powerhouse" ("The Los Angeles Times") Aaron Blake returns to Utah Opera as Beppe and Rinucchio. Baritone Michael Adams returns after playing Marcello in the 2017 production of "La bohème" as Silvio and Betto. Melissa Parks returns to play Zita, and Patrick Blackwell returns as Simone.

Utah Opera Resident Artists Abigail Rethwisch, Christopher Oglesby, Melanie Ashkar, and Jesús Vicente Murillo take part in the performance as well. Ms. Rethwisch will play Nella, Mr. Oglesby Gherardo, Ms. Ashkar La Ciesca, and Mr. Murillo Ser Amantio di Nicolao. The two performances will also feature Choristers from The Madeline Choir School and the Utah Opera Chorus.

Tara Faircloth returns as stage director after the 2016 production of "Carmen." Timothy Myers makes his Utah Opera debut as conductor. Set designer Laura Hawkes too makes her Utah Opera debut.

This performance will last approximately 2 and a half hours with one intermission.

For more information, visit www.utahopera.org.

The Utah Opera 40th Anniversary Season Sponsor is the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation.