La Tosca Revival 00/00/0000 - Articles Page 26

Renowned Swedish-American soprano Erika Sunward will make her Tennessee debut in the role of Floria Tosca when Nashville Opera presents the first production of the 2009-10 season, Giacomo Puccini's Tosca.

Robert Lepage's imaginative production of Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust, which premiered last season to sold out houses, returns to the Met on October 23. Three stars sing their roles for the first time at the Met: Olga Borodina as Marguerite, Ramón Vargas as Faust, and Ildar Abdrazakov as Méphistophélès.

Renowned Swedish-American soprano Erika Sunward will make her Tennessee debut in the role of Floria Tosca when Nashville Opera presents the first production of the 2009-10 season, Giacomo Puccini's Tosca.

Baritone George Gagnidze will sing Scarpia in the premiere of the Met's new production of Puccini's Tosca, which opens the 2009-10 season on September 21, 2009. He replaces Juha Uusitalo, who has withdrawn due to illness.

ENO's 2009/10 Season includes new productions of Turandot and Tosca highlighting a commitment by the Company to refreshing core Puccini repertory, which has recently included Madam Butterfly and La Cohème. Olivier Award-winning theatre director Rupert Goold makes his ENO and London opera directing debut with Turandot.

Washington National Opera makes its DVD debut with its acclaimed 1998 production of Puccini's La Rondine (The Swallow), released and distributed internationally by Decca. Directedby Marta Domingo with direction for television by Brian Large, the production captures Puccini's bittersweetlove story with grand sets and costumes, and an internationally renowned cast led by Spanish soprano Ainhoa Arteta and American tenor Marcus Haddock.

El?na Garan?a sings the title role of La Cenerentola, Rossini's charming version of the Cinderella story, for the first time with the company beginning May 1. The Latvian mezzo-soprano made her highly acclaimed Met debut last season as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

Political intrigue, war, jealousy and love embroil the heroine Tosca as she fights to save her true love from dark forces. Timeless themes such as these are combined with powerful music, great singing, and fantastic staging and sets to bring the opera alive for contemporary audiences during two performances at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Florida.

Political intrigue, war, jealousy and love embroil the heroine Tosca as she fights to save her true love from dark forces. Timeless themes such as these are combined with powerful music, great singing, and fantastic staging and sets to bring the opera alive for contemporary audiences during two performances at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Florida.

Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Fl?rez, who created a sensation last season in La Fille du R?giment, star in a new production of Bellini's La Sonnambula opening March 2, directed by Mary Zimmerman and conducted by Evelino Pid?. Dessay takes the role of the sleepwalker Amina, with Fl?rez as her betrothed Elvino, and Michele Pertusi as the Count who almost ruins their wedding. Performances run through April 3, with Barry Banks singing Elvino at the final performance. Zimmerman returns with the creative team that collaborated on her hit production of Lucia di Lammermoor, which opened the 2007-08 season: Daniel Ostling, set designer; Mara Blumenfeld, costume designer; T.J. Gerckens, lighting designer; and Daniel Pelzig, choreographer.

Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Fl?rez, who created a sensation last season in La Fille du R?giment, star in a new production of Bellini's La Sonnambula opening March 2, directed by Mary Zimmerman and conducted by Evelino Pid?. Dessay takes the role of the sleepwalker Amina, with Fl?rez as her betrothed Elvino, and Michele Pertusi as the Count who almost ruins their wedding. Performances run through April 3, with Barry Banks singing Elvino at the final performance. Zimmerman returns with the creative team that collaborated on her hit production of Lucia di Lammermoor, which opened the 2007-08 season: Daniel Ostling, set designer; Mara Blumenfeld, costume designer; T.J. Gerckens, lighting designer; and Daniel Pelzig, choreographer.

Eight new productions, four of which are company premieres, will highlight the Metropolitan Opera's 2009-10 season. General Manager Peter Gelb and Music Director James Levine jointly announced plans that include: the Met premieres of Rossini's Armida, Verdi's Attila, Jan?ček's From the House of the Dead, and Shostakovich's The Nose; new productions of Bizet's Carmen, Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Thomas's Hamlet, and Puccini's Tosca; and 18 revivals from the company's repertory. The season is the first to be entirely planned under Gelb's leadership, in collaboration with Levine (the past three seasons were planned before Gelb became General Manager in 2006-07 but included some productions, repertoire, and casting changes made by Gelb).

After an absence of 82 years, Puccini's bittersweet romance La Rondine returns to the Met in a new production with a gala premiere performance on New Year's Eve. La Rondine stars Angela Gheorghiu as Magda, the Parisian socialite, and Roberto Alagna as Ruggero, her lover. Lisette Oropesa, Marius Brenciu, in his Met debut, and Samuel Ramey are the other principal singers. Marco Armiliato conducts.

Noted director Robert Lepage makes his Met debut with a technologically innovative new production of Hector Berlioz's masterpiece, La Damnation de Faust, opening on November 7. Music Director James Levine will conduct the first staging of the work at the Met since 1906, with Marcello Giordani in the title role, Susan Graham as Marguerite, and John Relyea as Méphistophélès.

Noted director Robert Lepage makes his Met debut with a technologically innovative new production of Hector Berlioz's masterpiece, La Damnation de Faust, opening on November 7. Music Director James Levine will conduct the first staging of the work at the Met since 1906, with Marcello Giordani in the title role, Susan Graham as Marguerite, and John Relyea as Méphistophélès.

Deborah Voigt takes on the title role in Ponchielli's grand, passionate drama, La Gioconda, for the first time in the United States and only the second time in her career. She is joined by Olga Borodina as her rival, Laura, and, in the role of La Cieca, Polish contralto Ewa Podleś, who returns to the Met for the first time since 1984. The cast also includes Aquiles Machado as Enzo, Carlo Guelfi as Barnaba, and, in his Met debut, Orlin Anastassov as Alvise. Conductor Daniele Callegari makes his Met debut. Performances run from September 24 through October 9, 2009.

American Conservatory Theater (ACT) kicks off its 'First Look 'new works series for the 2007-08 season with The Tosca Project, created by ACT Artistic Director Carey Perloff and choreographer Val Caniparoli. The piece, scheduled for a workshop presentation at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum October 26-28, will feature the talents of internationally renowned dancers and actors, many of them associated with San Francisco Ballet and ACT.