Music by Richard Strauss, Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
NEW PRODUCTION
December 2 - 4, 2022 at Herberger Theater Center
December 10 & 11, 2022 at Temple of Music and Art
Arizona Opera is at last delighted to present this Strauss masterpiece, which comes to the stage in a beautiful new production after its planned performances in Spring 2020, which were delayed due to the pandemic. Ariadne auf Naxos is an opera within an opera—a satirical farce that combines sumptuous music with hilarious antics.
A wealthy gentleman in Vienna commissions two pieces of entertainment as an after dinner treat for his guests—a dramatic opera and a lighted hearted theatrical comedy—to be performed by two separate group of artists. Unfortunately, the dinner is running late, and the two ensembles are forced by the host to perform on stage together, at the same time.
The heroine from the operatic story, Ariadne, has been abandoned by Theseus. She laments her lost love and yearns for death, as Zerbinetta and her four companions from the commedia dell’arte troupe attempt to cheer on Ariadne by singing and dancing, but without success. Zerbinetta insists that the best way to cure a broken heart is to find another love. Meanwhile, each of the four commedia men pursues Zerbinetta. High drama and great comedy ensue as Strauss’ exquisite score—which includes the popular Composer’s Aria and stratospheric Zerbinetta’s Aria—carries the action to an ecstatic and love-filled conclusion.
Arizona Opera is grateful to have reassembled many artists from the original 2020 cast, including soprano Rebecca Nash as Ariadne, a role which will be shared with newcomer Leah Hawkins. Ms. Nash was the inaugural winner of the Dame Joan Sutherland Singing Award and has an international career that includes performances at the Metropolitan Opera (the Met), Carnegie Hall, the Glyndebourne Festival, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
An alumna of the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Leah Hawkins will be making her company debut with Arizona Opera as Ariadne, coming off a dynamic 2021/22 Season that has included appearances at the Met in the acclaimed new Terrence Blanchard opera, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, as well as performances in both new and canonical work at companies such as Opera National de Paris, the Cleveland Orchestra, and Des Moines Metro Opera.
This new production of Ariadne auf Naxos will be led by director Chuck Hudson, whose recent Arizona Opera productions of Don Pasquale and Falstaff earned high critical and audience praise. Mr. Hudson has also directed productions at major companies including Cape Town Opera (South Africa), Cincinnati Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Minnesota Opera, Atlanta Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Austin Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Seattle Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, and the San Francisco Opera Center.
Conductor Steven White, whose career has spanned over sixty-five operatic titles at a wide range of opera houses, including the Met, returns to Arizona Opera after following numerous successful appearances with the company, including productions of Tosca, Rusalka, Don Giovanni, and others. Maestro White’s career has included performances with New York City Opera, L’Opera de Montréal, Vancouver Opera, Opera Colorado, Pittsburgh Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Baltimore Opera, New Orleans Opera, and many others.
Music: Richard Strauss
Libretto: Hugo Von Hofmannsthal
Conductor: Steven White
Stage Director: Chuck Hudson
Assistant Stage Director: Mario Pacheco
Ariadne: Rebecca Nash and Leah Hawkins
Bacchus: Corey Bix and Bille Bruley
Zerbinetta: Nicole Haslett and Véronique Filloux
Composer: Sarah Coit and Lauren Cook
Music Master: Kyle Pfortmiller
Dancing Master / Scaramuccio: Brad Bickhardt
Harlequin: Schyler Vargas
Brighella: David Margulis
Truffaldino: Peter Morgan
Naiad: Tiffany Choe
Dryad: Stephanie Sanchez
Echo: Kaitlyn Sabrowsky
Major Domo: Dale Dreyfoos
Wig Maker: Aaron Smith
Lackey: Greg Guenther
Officer: Paul Nicosia
Part of the McDougall Arizona Opera RED Series
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