Photo Flash: First Look at Apotheosis Opera's LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

Apotheosis Opera presents its second production, a fully-staged English-language production of GIACOMO PUCCINI'S masterpiece LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST (The Girl of the Golden West), tonight, July 22 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, July 24, at 3pm at the theatre of El Museo del Barrio (1230 5th Avenue). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The cast of 26 will be led by STACEY STOFFERAHN (Carmen, La Bohe?me, Don Giovanni) as Minnie, NICHOLAS SIMPSON (Tannhauser, Die Tote Stadt, Silent Night) as Dick Johnson, and JOHN DOMINICK III (Tannhauser, Rigoletto, Street Scene) as Jack Rance; and will be directed by LUCCA DAMILANO (Good Mourning, this is not a play, Intermission). The production will also feature MELANIE ASHKAR as Wowkle, ETHAN FRAN as Nick, JOE PALARCA as Trin, MAX ZANDER as Harry, WALKER J. JACKSON as Joe, ROBERT GARNER as Sonora, MATTHEW CIUFFITELLI as Sid, JAY CHACON as Handsome, NICHOLAS CONNOLY as Happy, JOSEPH BECKWITH as Ashby, SCOTT KIPNIS as Jim Larkens, KOFI HAYFORD as Jose Castro, and BRYAN TYLER PARKER as Billy Jackrabbit; and will feature IGGY CARDOZO, JUANJO DELGADO, TIM DIFIORE, DAVID GLADSTEIN, JACOB PRESSLEY, MARK SEIDENSTEIN and MATTHEW TOLLEFSRUD in the chorus.

The production will feature a full 55-piece orchestra led by MATTHEW JENKINS JAROSZEWICZ (Tannha?user, The Pilgrim's Progress, Riders to the Sea), who will serve as musical director and conductor. Jaroszewicz is also the Artistic Director of Apotheosis Opera. Scenic design is by MIKE ZARAGOZA of DDG (with support from the DDG Foundation) costume design is by ALLYSON STEELE, and the English translation is by KELLEY ROURKE.

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST (The Girl of the Golden West) is a vibrant masterpiece in three acts with music by Giacomo Puccini and libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by David Belasco. Set during the California Gold Rush, crimes and passions collide when bandit Ramerrez and his gang intrude upon the colorful mining camp at the foot of the Cloudy Mountains, and Sheriff Jack is on the hunt. The loves and fortunes of a lifetime are at stake, and only one can ride off into the sunset with it all in this quintessential Wild West story of gold- diggers, gamblers, and gunslingers.

Tickets are now available at apotheosisopera.org, and can be purchased for $20, $35, and $50.

Photo Credit: Matthew Kipnis