A baritone who sang with New York’s Metropolitan Opera. A soprano who wowed audiences with The Boston Symphony. A tenor who has been described as a “rising star” whose performances are described as “laser focused.” Add costumes and sets from the Sarasota Opera, and casts that feature local, regional, national and international talent, and you have a glimpse of OperaDelaware’s 2013-2014 season.
The company unveiled what it described as a slimmed-down, amped-up new performance schedule announcing two main stage productions at The Grand in October and May. Last year’s schedule featured three main stage productions.
Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love) opens the season on Oct. 11 at 8 p.m., followed by a matinee on Sunday Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. OperaDelaware will then will present Verdi’s Il Trovatore, (The Troubadour) on May 2 at 8 p.m. and May 4 at 2 p.m. Each opera will be preceded by a free lecture one hour before curtain, sponsored in part by The Delaware Humanities Forum.
“We’re presenting world-class opera in your own back yard,” said Brendan Cooke, OperaDelaware’s general director. “We’ve designed a program of bright, bold, beautiful classics and an innovative Studio Series that will appeal to anyone who loves great performances. With the triumph of last season’s Macbeth, and the promise of our new lineup, we are on our way to becoming a destination city for great opera.” Cook took over the reins of the opera company from long-time director and executive Leland Kimball.
Opera Delaware also announced a new “Inside the Opera Studio” series planned at its headquarters on Poplar Street in Wilmington. The series will start on Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. (also Sept. 8 at 2 p.m.) with a tribute to opera legend Maria Callas.
On Nov. 8, Opera Delaware will present “Opera Undressed,” hosted by Music Director Jeffrey Miller. This program features “the greatest hits” of opera with English Supertitles, and will be sung by some of the stars featured in the main stage productions. On March 7 and March 9 at 2 p.m., Opera Delaware will present Bizet’s Les pecheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers). Never before presented by the company, the production will feature Lee Zimmerman, who will create silk-screen painting as part of the performance. Click here for further details and the full release from the opera company.
