Arizona Opera‘s exciting upcoming season is welcoming classic operas as well as more intimate, adventurous works. Kicking off the season on September 28 is Maria de Buenos Aires as part of Arizona Opera RED Series. The opera will be accompanied by a signature RED event at The Herberger Theater in Phoenix and the Temple of Music and Art in Tucson. The RED series will be followed up with Charlie Parker’s Yardbird before entering the Main Stage series which begins on January 25, 2019. The three operatic masterworks will take the stage of Phoenix’s Symphony Hall and Tucson Music Hall and will include Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, Kevin Put’s Silent Night and The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
“This is a thrilling season for us, as Arizona Opera deepens our commitment to presenting new and exciting opera, alongside beloved operas from the traditional cannon, all of which will feature international-caliber casts in compelling productions. Our new Arizona Opera RED Series will be seen in more intimate venues—the Herberger Theater in Phoenix and The Temple of Music and Art in Tucson—opening up powerful and vibrant new aural and visual realities, outside of our traditional larger venues,” says Joseph Specter, President and General Director.
Arizona Opera RED Series
Maria de Buenos Aires: Opening in Phoenix September 28-30 and in Tucson October 6-7, the only operatic piece of Astor Piazzolla — known as the grand master of tango writing — will hit the stage with fire and passion. Serving as the opening of the 2018-2019 season, the show will include Catalina Cuervo as Maria and will be directed by John de los Santos.
Charlie Parker’s Yardbird: Continuing the RED Series, Daniel Schnyder’s jazz-influenced masterpiece that origianlly opened at the Perelman Theater in Philadelphia will take the stage November 9-11 in Phoenix and November 17-18 in Tucson. Set in the famous “Birdland” jazz club, this operatic journey dives into the personal demons of the great American saxophonist. The opera will feature Joshua Steward and Martin Bakari as Parker and will be directed by Joshua Borths.
Arizona Opera Main Stage
La Traviata: Beginning in 2019, La Traviata will kick off the Main Stage season. Taking on the role of Violetta is Arizona’s own Vanessa Vasquez along with Sara Gartland. Alfredo will be played by Daniel Montenegro and David Blalock and it will be conducted by Timothy Myers.
Silent Night: This Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, as part of Arizona Opera’s “Modern Masterworks Series,” will open on March 1. The modern masterpiece recants the Christmas Eve truce of 1914 when 100,000 soldiers set aside their weapons to share a moment of common humanity during the throws of war. It will be conducted by Joseph Mechavich with music by Kevin Puts and a libretto by Mark Campbell. The role of Lt. Audebert will be taken on by Joseph Lattanzi.
The Marriage of Figaro: Closing out the season is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s classic. Countess Almaviva will be played by Leah Crocetto, Susanna will be played by Jeanine De Bique and Count Almaviva will be played by Zachary Nelson.
For more information, visit: azopera.org
