Chautauqua Opera Announces Casting for 2016 Season
Internationally renowned Guest Artists round out the Chautauqua Opera Company’s 2016 season
The Chautauqua Opera Company’s 2016 season will include mainstage productions of Giuseppe Verdi’s beloved opera La Traviata in the Amphitheater (July 9), directed by Keturah Stickann; Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedic gem The Mikado in Norton Hall (July 29 & Aug. 1), directed by Ned Canty; and a concert performance of Missy Mazzoli’s Song From the Uproar, in Chautauqua Opera’s first ever collaboration with the Logan Chamber Music Series (Aug. 8).
“I am delighted that 2016 shows such a balance between debut artists, former Young Artists, featured roles for our current Young Artists, and even graduates of Marlena Malas’ voice program. I cannot wait to share the work of these thrilling artists with the Chautauqua community, ” says General and Artistic Director, Steven Osgood.
La Traviata
Saturday, July 9 in the Amphitheater, 8:15 p.m.
One of the most popular operas in the world, La Traviata tells the story of the forbidden love between Alfredo Germont and the glamorous Parisian courtesan Violetta Valéry, and her struggle to live life on her own terms. Making their Chautauqua Opera Company debuts, the “luminous” and “elegant” soprano Caitlin Lynch performs the role of Violetta, joined by tenor Dominic Armstrong, a 2005/2006 alumnus of Marlena Malas’ Chautauqua Voice Program, as the lovesick Alfredo. A former Chautauqua Opera Young Artist and a Chautauqua favorite, baritone Todd Thomas returns this season as Alfredo’s protective father. Additional roles will be performed by 2016 Chautauqua Opera Young Artists: mezzo-soprano Rachael Braunstein (Flora), tenor Dennis Shuman (Gastone), baritone Brian James Myer (Marchese), bass Hans Tashjian (Doctor Grenvil), tenor Heath Martin (Barone) and soprano Abigail Rethwisch (Annina). Stage director and choreographer Keturah Stickann brings her dynamic direction to this new production.
The Mikado
Friday, July 29 and Monday, Aug. 1 in Norton Hall, 7:30 p.m.
The second mainstage opera this season will be a modern manga-infused reimagining of Gilbert and Sullivan’s hilarious and zany operetta directed and conceived by Ned Canty. Canty’s Mikado, which received rave reviews in St. Louis and Memphis, infuses the operetta with references to modern Japanese animation, fashion and pop culture, including anime, Godzilla and Hello Kitty. Dubbed “the Robin Williams of opera” by The New York Times, bass Kevin Burdette will make his Chautauqua Opera Company debut as Ko-Ko, the town executioner tasked with executing himself. “Possessing a coveted combination of comic panache and vocal prowess,” (Boulder Daily Camera) baritone Daniel Belcher also makes his Chautauqua Opera Company debut as the haughty nobleman Pooh-Bah. 2016 Chautauqua Opera Young Artists round out the cast: soprano Chelsea Miller (Yum-Yum), mezzo-soprano Deanna Pauletto (Katisha), tenor Quinn Bernegger (Nanki-Poo), bass Hans Tashjian (The Mikado), baritone Brian James Myer (Pish-Tush), mezzo-soprano Rachael Braunstein (Pitti-Sing), and soprano Laura Soto-Bayomi (Peep-Bo).
Song From the Uproar
Monday, Aug. 8, in Norton Hall, 5 p.m.
Concert performance with film, in collaboration with the Logan Chamber Music Series
The final performance of the Chautauqua Opera Company’s 2016 season will be a concert performance of Missy Mazzoli’s chamber opera Song From the Uproar: The Lives and Deaths of Isabelle Eberhardt in collaboration with the Logan Chamber Music Series.With a libretto by Royce Vavrek, Song From the Uproar is inspired by the life and writings of the 19th-century Swiss adventuress Isabelle Eberhardt who, at the age of 20, traveled to North Africa by herself, where she dressed as a man, joined an all-male Sufi sect, married an Algerian soldier, and was drowned in a flash flood at the age of 27. Weaving together voice, live chamber music, electronics, and film created by Stephen Taylor, the piece was premiered by Beth Morrison Productions in 2012 and presented by LA Opera in October 2015. Song From the Uproar was written for the “riveting” mezzo-soprano Abigail Fischer (who performed the title role in the Chautauqua Voice Program production of Ariodante last season) and dynamic NOW Ensemble, who will perform the work this summer along with five Chautauqua Opera Young Artists: sopranos Laura Soto-Bayomi and Emily Michiko Jensen, mezzo-soprano Kelly Clarke, tenor Anthony Ciaramitaro, and baritone Ryan Stoll.
LA TRAVIATA
Music: Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave
Saturday, July 9 at 8:15 p.m. in Chautauqua’s historic Amphitheater
Performed in Italian with English supertitles
Tickets on sale now — order online or call 716-357-6250
| Cast Violetta Alfredo Germont Flora Gastone Marchese Doctor Grenvil Barone Annina | Caitlin Lynch+ Dominic Armstrong+ Todd Thomas** Rachael Braunstein* Dennis Shuman* Brian James Myer* Hans Tashjian* Heath Martin* Abigail Rethwisch* | Production Director/Choreographer Conductor Set Designer Lighting/Video Designer Costumer Wig & Makeup Designer | Keturah Stickann Steven Osgood Ron Kadri Michael Baumgarten B.G. FitzGerald Martha Ruskai |
** Former Chautauqua Young Artist *Chautauqua Opera Young Artist +Chautauqua Opera debut
THE MIKADO
Music: Arthur Sullivan
Libretto: W. S. Gilbert
Friday, July 28 and Monday, August 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Norton Hall
Performed in English with English supertitles
Tickets on sale April 4 · New: Youth Ticket $10, call for details.
| Cast Ko-Ko Pooh-Bah Yum-Yum Katisha Nanki-Poo The Mikado Pish-Tush Pitti-Sing Peep-Bo | Kevin Burdette+ Daniel Belcher+ Chelsea Miller* Deanna Pauletto* Quinn Bernegger* Hans Tashjian* Brian James Myer* Rachael Braunstein* Laura Soto-Bayomi* | Production Director Conductor Set Designer Lighting Designer Costume Designer Wig & Makeup Designer Original Choreography | Ned Canty Steven Osgood Mikiko Suzuki Michael Baumgarten Linda Cho Martha Ruskai Sean Curran |
*Chautauqua Opera Young Artist +Chautauqua Opera debut
SONG FROM THE UPROAR
Music: Missy Mazzoli
Libretto: Royce Vavrek
Monday, August 8 at 5:00 p.m. in Norton Hall
Concert performance with film, in collaboration with the Logan Chamber Music Series
General seating — included in your gate pass purchase
| Cast Isabelle Vocal Ensemble NOW Ensemble | Abigail Fischer+ Laura Soto-Bayomi* Emily Michiko Jensen* Kelly Clarke* Anthony Ciaramitaro* Ryan Stoll* | Production Conductor Film Lighting Designer Sound Designer | Steven Osgood Stephen Taylor Michael Baumgarten Garth MacAleavey |
*Chautauqua Opera Young Artist +Chautauqua Opera debut
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