Arizona Opera announces their 2017 / 2018 Season!

from our friends at Arizona Opera:

President and General Director Joe Specter and Arizona Opera announce the 2017/18 Season.  The new season includes four main stage productions, including Puccini's beloved Tosca; the company premiere of Bernstein's Candide, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the composer's birth; Rossini's effervescent comedy, The Barber of Seville; and Arizona Opera's return to Wagner, with a stunning new projection-based production of Das Rheingold, featuring the Arizona Opera Orchestra on stage.   The season will also offer new ways to experience opera, with the special engagement of Hercules vs Vampires, a film and live music hybrid that combines a campy 1960s technicolor classic with performers singing on stage from an original, new score by Patrick Morganelli; and the Opera & Gelato Film Fest: a new summer film series of performances from the great opera houses of Italy, specially-geared toward families and newcomers to opera, and free to the community. "Today, opera companies are breaking through all sorts of barriers, from multi-media and site-specific works, to the incorporation of new technologies to create spectacular visual environments, all in support of telling both new and classic stories in the most compelling way possible.  This is an exhilarating and creative time for the art form, and at the center of it all is the beauty and power of the human voice, that communicates to us on such a primal, emotional level.  We look forward to sharing this vibrant and richly varied season with our community, who make all of it possible." - Joe Specter, Arizona Opera President and General Director Main stage performances will be held at Symphony Hall at 75 N. 2nd St in Phoenix and at the Tucson Music Hall at 260 S. Church in Tucson. The special engagement of Hercules vs Vampires will be held at Symphony Hall in Phoenix and Fox Theatre in Tucson. The Opera & Gelato Film Fest will be held at the Arizona Opera Center in Phoenix. Beginning with the 2017/18 Season, all Sunday Matinees will have a new start time of 3:00 pm to better serve Arizona Opera patrons. Ticket packages for the full season including the special engagement of Hercules vs Vampires, the main stage season, or a select-your-own mini pack of three shows are on sale now at www.azopera.org or by calling (602) 266-7464 (Phoenix) or (520) 293-4336 (Tucson).

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT HERCULES VS VAMPIRES Composer Patrick Morganelli, Composer Mario Bava, Filmmaker TUC:  October 15 at 3:00 pm in Fox Theatre PHX:  October 21 at 7:30 pm; October 22 at 3:00 pm in Symphony Hall Technicolor Opera Slays Bloodsuckers with Song! Hold on tight for an out of this world event! Hercules vs Vampirescombines operatic singing and 1960s pop culture, synchronizing live music with the 1961 cult classic film, Hercules in the Haunted World. Watch as the original film, starring bodybuilder Reg Park and horror legend Christopher Lee, is projected above a live orchestra and singers performing the music to a new, original score. You'll thrill as the mighty hero Hercules journeys through the underworld, battling fiendish monsters to rescue his beloved! Action packed, outlandish, and fun for the whole family, Hercules vs Vampiresoffers a fresh take on this gorgeously campy Technicolor world.

TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini TUC: November 11 at 7:30 pm and November 12 at 3:00 pm in Tucson Music Hall PHX: November 17 & 18 at 7:30 pm; November 19 at 3:00 pm in Symphony Hall The beautiful and fiery Italian diva Floria Tosca is passionately in love with the artist Mario Cavaradossi, dreaming of their life together. But soon, she is caught in the political intrigues of Rome and a sinister web spun by Baron Scarpia, the Chief of Police. Tosca is desperately looking for a way out, when Scarpia offers a solution: submit to him, and he will let the couple leave the city unharmed. But, of course, all is not what it seems in Puccini's high-stakes drama, and Tosca is forced to take matters into her own hands. Kara Shay Thomson and Marcy Stonikas alternate in the title role with Arizona favorite Gordon Hawkins returning to portray the role of Scarpia.  The production is set in 1800's Rome with sets and costumes from Seattle Opera. Kara Shay Thomson Tosca Nov 11, 17 & 19 Marcy Stonikas Tosca Nov 12 & 18 Rafael Davila Mario Cavaradossi Nov 11, 17 & 19 Marco Cammarota Mario Cavaradossi Nov 12 & 18 Gordon Hawkins Scarpia Nov 11, 17 & 19 Aleksey Bogdanov Scarpia Nov 12 & 18

CANDIDE by Leonard Bernstein TUC: January 27 at 7:30 pm; January 28 at 3:00 pm in Tucson Music Hall PHX: February 2 & 3 at 7:30 pm; February 4 at 3:00 pm in Symphony Hall Presented in Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Leonard Bernstein's Birth This production is generously sponsored by Jeannette J. Segel and is part of the Tucson Desert Song Festival. Fast-paced, funny, and philosophical, Arizona Opera joins nationwide celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein's birth with the company premiere of Candide. Based on the story by Voltaire, when the young man, Candide, sets off to explore the world after the loss of his fiancée, he and his companions are beset by an endless series of comedic disasters. With highlights such as "Glitter and Be Gay" and "Make Our Garden Grow", Candide provides audiences with the hope that "the best of all possible worlds" lies within their grasp. Andrew Stenson Candide Katrina Galka Cunegonde  Joseph Colaneri Conductor

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Gioachino Rossini TUC:  March 3 at 7:30 pm; March 4 at 3:00 pm in Tucson Music HallPHX:  March 9  & 10 at 7:30 pm; March 11 at 3:00 pm in Symphony Hall Gioachino Rossini's greatest masterpiece, The Barber of Seville, is brought to vivid life at Arizona Opera. When the handsome Count Almaviva falls in love with the beautiful Rosina, he solicits Figaro, the town's crafty barber, to help win her favor and make a fool of her ridiculous guardian, Dr. Bartolo. Audiences will delight in this plot, full of twists and turns, mistaken identities, and the triumph of young love, all wrapped up in Rossini's unmistakably masterful music. This production of The Barber of Seville is set in early 1800's Spain with sets from Minnesota Opera. Joo Won Kang Figaro March 3, 9 & 11 Stephanie Lauricella Rosina March 3, 9, & 11 Taylor Stayton Count Almaviva March 3, 9 & 11 Jared Bybee Figaro March 4 & 10 Katrina Galka Rosina March 4 & 10 Anthony Ciaramitaro Count Almaviva March 4 & 10

DAS RHEINGOLD by Richard Wagner PHX:  April 6 & 7 at 7:30 pm; April 8 at 3:00 pm in Symphony Hall TUC:  April 14 at 7:30 pm; April 15 at 3:00 pm in Tucson Music Hall Twenty years ago, Arizona Opera riveted our state with its acclaimed production of Wagner's epic Ring Cycle. In celebration of this special anniversary, we conclude our 2017/18 Season with the first chapter of this masterwork inspired by Norse mythology, Das Rheingold. When the dwarf Alberich steals the magical gold of the Rhinemaidens, he unleashes a power struggle with Wotan, ruler of the gods, that will shake the very foundations of the world. Driven by dark, powerful melodies and motifs, Das Rheingold brings the gods to life in this electrifying production, featuring the Arizona Opera Orchestra on stage, with stunning set design and concept created by Brian Staufenbiel and scenic projections designed by David Murakami.  Minnesota Opera's new production of Das Rheingold premiered in November 2016 and comes to Phoenix and Tucson in April.   Mark Delavan Wotan Rodell Rosel Loge Richard Paul Fink Alberich

OPERA & GELATO FILM FEST Arizona Opera Center Black Box 1636 N. Central Ave, Phoenix June 25 2017 at 2:00 pm The Magic Flute July 23, 2017 at 2:00 pm  La Fanciulla del West August 20, 2017 at 2:00 pm Aida Tickets:  Free, reservations required At Arizona Opera, it is our passion to provide fun and engaging community programming that enhances cultural awareness and quality of life for residents of Arizona, no matter the time of year. So prepare for an Italian Opera Summer!  The Opera & Gelato Film Fest features free film screenings of performances from Italy's most famous opera house, Teatro alla Scala, in Milan. This summer film series is a perfect opportunity to grab friends and family, enjoy a refreshing gelato and a glass of wine while experiencing HD films of these great Italian masterpieces. This new community-oriented media program is a novel partnership between Arizona Opera and independent distribution and marketing company, Abramorama, the exclusive distributor of RAI Com's 2017 All'Opera HD season in the United States. "Working with Joe Specter and the terrific program he's developing with the team at Arizona Opera is an unprecedented opportunity to bring some of the best opera in the world to audiences around the country, allowing regional opera companies to expand their work in the community beyond their mainstage seasons. We are thrilled that Arizona Opera has chosen to work with us and apply their curatorial gifts to the work we're doing with RAI in Italy." - Richard Abramowitz, President, Abramorama

2017/18 SEASON ROSTER HERCULES VS VAMPIRES Composer - Patrick Morganelli Filmmaker- Mario Bava (Hercules in the Haunted World) Artists from the Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio will sing the "soundtrack" to the film. TOSCA Conductor - Steven White Stage Director- Tara Faircloth Tosca - Kara ShayThomson/Marcy Stonikas Cavaradossi - Rafael Davila/Marco Cammarota Scarpia - Gordon Hawkins/Aleksey Bogdanov Angelotti - Zachary Owen Sacristan - Richard Lugo Spoletta - Anthony Ciaramitaro Shepherd Boy - Katrina Galka Jailer - Zachary Owen CANDIDE  Conductor - Joseph Colaneri Candide - Andrew Stenson Cunegonde - Katrina Galka The Old Lady - Cathy Cook THE BARBER OF SEVILLE  Stage Director - Joshua Borths Figaro - Joo Won Kang/Jared Bybee Rosina - Stephanie Lauricella/Katrina Galka Count Almaviva - Taylor Stayton/Anthony Ciaramitaro Dr. Bartolo- Calvin Griffin Don Basilio- Zachary Owen Berta - Stephanie Sanchez DAS RHEINGOLD Stage Director - Brian Staufenbiel Wotan - Mark Delavan Loge - Rodell Rosel Alberich - Richard Paul Fink Erda- Dana Beth Miller Fasolt - Harold Wilson Donner - Craig Colclough Freia - Laura Wilde Woglinde - Katrina Galka Flosshilde - Stephanie Sanchez