North American Premiere Of LA FURA DEL BAUS Opera Sells Out At Artpark To 2,400+ Crowd

The North American premiere of La Fura del Baus's production of Carmina Burana performed to a sell-out crowd of 2,400 at Artpark on Saturday, July 29, 2023, marking the return of opera to the beloved performance venue after a three-decade hiatus.

Initial reviews of the production have been ecstatic:

 
“In an attempt to revive an opera program at Artpark in Lewiston, the artistic staff [Sonia Clark, President and Gil Rose, Conductor in Residence) have programmed a staged production of Carmina Burana that is one for the history books. Barcelona's La Fura Dels Baus has brought their production to Western  New York for its North American premiere in what can best be described as an intriguing avant garde theatrical event to tempt the senses. The overall experience became one that stimulated sight, sound and smell.”  “Nearly a half century ago, opera flourished at Artpark, under the direction of Christopher Keene,  bringing the North American premiere of Philip Glass' Satiagraha in 1981 and the famed four-year staging of Wagner's Ring Cycle in 1984-88.  Later in the 1990's, The Greater Buffalo Opera Company paired with Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts to present glorious productions of standards including La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, and La Traviata. Judging by this sold-out production of Carmina Burana…audiences are primed to see a return of summer opera offerings.” (Broadway World) 

“By all accounts, Saturday was a resounding success and turned a page in Artpark's history, where opera and multiple artistic disciplines can be celebrated on a global scale,” said Artpark President Sonia Clark. “We are grateful to our artists, staff, funders, and the public for the support. It takes a very special community to lift a program such as we are having for our 50th season.”

Barcelona-based theatrical troupe La Fura Dels Baus's production of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, one of the most beloved and recognizable pieces of music ever composed, involved more than 200 performers from Western New York and around the world, including members of the Catalan troupe and director Carluss Padrissa, Tanzen Dance, a youth choir, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, all under the baton of Artpark Opera Curator and Conductor in Residence Gil Rose.

“I can't think of a better way to bring back Opera in Artpark style than with Carmina Burana  á la Fura Dels Baus,” said Rose. “The energy was palpable and the evening one to remember.”

This production marked an unforgettable moment in the storied venue's 50th consecutive season of public art and performance. “This was a one-night-only, once-in-a-lifetime performance,” Clark added, “but now our guests and patrons can count on a permanent home for opera here at Artpark.”

Established in 1974 as a collaboration between New York State Parks and the nonprofit Artpark & Company, Artpark welcomes artists to enjoy and be inspired by the dramatic scenery and rich history of the Niagara River Gorge and welcomes visitors and locals to enjoy the art and experiences created on its 172 acres. Over the decades, Artpark has hosted tens of thousands of avant-garde visual artists, cutting-edge performers, beloved bands and musicians, poets, and writers, and more, earning a worldwide reputation as a special place to make and experience art. This living cultural legacy weaves into the area's history and present-day significance to Western New York's Indigenous population, the more recent history of investment in sustainable hydroelectric power that both shaped and funded the site, and the Niagara River and Gorge's extraordinary natural beauty. 

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