Cincinnati Opera Announces Updated 2023 Summer Festival Schedule and Casting
The festival runs June 11–July 29, 2023.
By: Blair Ingenthron Feb. 18, 2023
Cincinnati Opera announces updated schedule and cast information for the company's 2023 Summer Festival, taking place June 11-July 29, 2023.
As previously announced, the company will present four opera productions at Cincinnati's historic Music Hall, including Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor (June 22 and 24), the world stage premiere of Aleksandra Vrebalov and Deborah Brevoort's The Knock (June 23 and 27; July 2, 5, and 7), Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville (July 6 and 8), and a new production of Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly (July 22, 27, and 29). The season will kick off with Opera in the Park (June 11), a free, outdoor concert of opera favorites in Cincinnati's Washington Park, and the company will also launch a new event series, Studio Sessions (July 12 and 19), featuring intimate cabaret performances by opera artists at Music Hall's Wilks Studio.
All performance times are ET, and details are subject to change. Visit cincinnatiopera.org for more information.
CINCINNATI OPERA 2023 Summer Festival
Lucia di Lammermoor
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano
When:
Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 24, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Where:
Springer Auditorium, Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
In this operatic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands, a couple's secret love affair is thwarted by an age-old family feud, leading to deadly consequences.
Based on Sir Walter Scott's novel The Bride of Lammermoor, itself inspired by true events, this operatic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands shows how thwarted desire can lead to deadly extremes. At Lammermoor Castle, Lucia and Edgardo are engaged in a secret affair. Despite their families' age-old feud, they vow to give everything up for love. But Lucia's disapproving brother endeavors to undo the lovers' promise and marry Lucia off in a more lucrative union. The deception becomes a curse, and once hope for love is lost, Lucia and Edgardo make terrible new vows, culminating in one of opera's bloodiest finales.
Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus
Production from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Sung in Italian with projected translations
Cast:
Lucia ... Raven McMillon
Edgardo ... Santiago Ballerini
Enrico .... Anthony Clark Evans
Raimondo ... Griffen Hogan Tracy
Normanno ... Terrence Chin-Loy
Arturo ... Sahel Salam
Alisa ... Kayleigh Decker
Creative Team:
Conductor ... Renato Balsadonna
Stage Director ... Jose Maria Condemi
Scenic and Costume Designer ... Philip Witcomb
Lighting Designer ... Thomas C. Hase
Wig and Makeup Designer ... James Geier
Chorus Master ... Henri Venanzi
Tickets:
Subscriptions start at $106 and are available now. Tickets to individual performances go on sale April 10, 2023. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org or call the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.
Before the Performance:
Evans Mirageas, Cincinnati Opera's Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, hosts Opera Insights, an informative pre-curtain discussion on Lucia di Lammermoor, one hour before the performance in Music Hall's Wilks Studio. Opera Insights are free to all ticket holders; no reservations are required.
World Stage Premiere
The Knock
Music by Aleksandra Vrebalov
Libretto by Deborah Brevoort
When:
Friday, June 23, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 2, 2023, at 3 p.m.
Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 7, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Where:
Wilks Studio, Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Named for the expression military spouses use for notifications of death, The Knock is a moving new opera that sensitively explores what must be endured by the loved ones of those who serve.
"An evocative and beautifully woven piece" (Opera News), The Knock tells the story of a group of military wives awaiting news of their husbands who have been deployed to Iraq. As they wait, a young Army officer makes the long journey to their gathering place. Named for the expression used by military spouses for a death notification, The Knock is based on years of interviews with spouses of soldiers, resulting in a rare and sympathetic glimpse into the lives of America's military families. According to Opera News, "... The Knock manages to be many things at once, reverential and damning, internal and operatic, all while concisely portraying the complicated existence of those left behind."
A co-commission with The Glimmerglass Festival
New production created by Cincinnati Opera
Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Sung in English with projected titles
Cast:
Lt. Roberto Gonzalez ... Armando Contreras
Joella "Jo" Jenner ... Mary-Hollis Hundley
Aishah McNair ... Briana Elyse Hunter
Alto/Commanding Officer's Wife ... Stephanie Sanchez
Soprano 1 ... Felicity Tomkins
Soprano 2 ... Erin Keesy
Creative Team:
Conductor ... Stephanie Rhodes Russell
Stage Director ... Alison Moritz
Scenic Designer ... James Rotondo
Costume Designer ... Trevor Bowen
Lighting Designer ... Thomas C. Hase
Wig and Makeup Designer .... James Geier
Tickets:
Subscriptions start at $106 and are available now. Tickets to individual performances go on sale April 10, 2023. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org or call the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.
Before the Performance:
Evans Mirageas, Cincinnati Opera's Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, hosts Opera Insights, an informative pre-curtain discussion on The Knock, one hour before the performance in Music Hall's Wilks Studio. Opera Insights are free to all ticket holders; no reservations are required.
After the Performance:
Evans Mirageas will host a conversation with The Knock artists after each performance in Music Hall's Wilks Studio. Attendance is free to all ticket holders; no reservations are required.
The Barber of Seville
Music by Gioachino Rossini
Libretto by Cesare Sterbini
When:
Thursday, July 6, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Where:
Springer Auditorium, Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Supreme silliness ensues when Figaro, Seville's most beloved barber, plays matchmaker for a lovelorn nobleman and a clever young heiress.
Supreme silliness ensues when Figaro, Seville's most beloved barber, plays matchmaker for his former employer, Count Almaviva. The Count loves Rosina, but she's the ward of the devious Doctor Bartolo, who has designs on wedding her himself. To win Rosina's heart, the Count enlists Figaro to cook up disguises, double dealings, and deceits to fool old Bartolo and set Rosina free. Rossini's sparkling comedy reminds us that sometimes, on the path to true love, the last thing you should be is yourself.
Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus
Scenery from Minnesota Opera
Costumes from Washington National Opera
Sung in Italian with projected translations
Cast:
Figaro ... Rodion Pogossov
Rosina ... Emily Fons
Count Almaviva ... Alasdair Kent
Doctor Bartolo ... Peixin Chen
Don Basilio ... Nicholas Newton
Berta ... Kendra Beasley
Fiorello ... Thomas Dreeze
Officer ... Samuel Smith
Creative Team:
Conductor ... Christopher Allen
Stage Director ... Christopher Mattaliano
Scenic Designer ... Allen Moyer
Costume Designer ... James Scott
Lighting Designer ... Thomas C. Hase
Wig and Makeup Designer ... James Geier
Chorus Master ... Henri Venanzi
Tickets:
Subscriptions start at $106 and are available now. Tickets to individual performances go on sale April 10, 2023. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org or call the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.
Before the Performance:
Evans Mirageas, Cincinnati Opera's Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, hosts Opera Insights, an informative pre-curtain discussion on The Barber of Seville, one hour before the performance in Music Hall's Wilks Studio. Opera Insights are free to all ticket holders; no reservations are required.
New Production
Madame Butterfly
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
When:
Saturday, July 22, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 29, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Where:
Springer Auditorium, Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Puccini's heartrending opera about a young Japanese girl and her tragic love affair with an American serviceman has been reimagined from a groundbreaking new point of view by an all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team.
Cincinnati Opera presents Puccini's heartrending tragedy Madame Butterfly from a groundbreaking new point of view. As envisioned by an all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team, our new production reframes Puccini's opera from a wholly inventive perspective, transporting Butterfly's story to a modern-day realm where fantasy and reality intersect. Enter the world of naval officer B.F. Pinkerton, who treats Japan as his playground. He's taken a nearly thousand-year lease on a house there and will marry a young girl named Cio-Cio-San, known as Madame Butterfly. But is it merely a fantasy? For Butterfly, vows are not to be taken lightly, and as Pinkerton's intentions are revealed, her dreams become a tragedy of limitless depths with no going back.
A co-production of Cincinnati Opera, Detroit Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, San Diego Opera, and Utah Opera
Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus
Sung in Italian with projected translations
Cast:
Cio-Cio-San ... Karah Son
B.F. Pinkerton ... Adam Smith
Suzuki ... Nozomi Kato
Sharpless ... Nmon Ford
Goro ... Julius Ahn
Prince Yamadori ... Jacob Zhou
The Bonze ... Peixin Chen
Imperial Commissioner ... Randell McGee
Kate Pinkerton ... Kayleigh Decker
Creative Team:
Conductor ... Keitaro Harada
Stage Director ... Matthew Ozawa
Scenic Designer ... Kimie Nishikawa of dots
Costume Designer ... Maiko Matsushima
Lighting Designer ... Yuki Nakase-Link
Wig Master ... James Geier
Chorus Master ... Henri Venanzi
Tickets:
Subscriptions start at $106 and are available now. Tickets to individual performances go on sale April 10, 2023. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org or call the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.
Before the Performance:
Evans Mirageas, Cincinnati Opera's Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, hosts Opera Insights, an informative pre-curtain discussion on Madame Butterfly, one hour before the performance in Music Hall's Wilks Studio. Opera Insights are free to all ticket holders; no reservations are required.
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
Opera in the Park
When:
Sunday, June 11, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
Where:
Washington Park
1230 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Cincinnati Opera presents a free, family-friendly evening of opera and musical theater favorites in Washington Park, featuring stars from the company's 2023 Summer Festival, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Celebrate the opening of Cincinnati Opera's 2023 Summer Festival with a magical evening of music in Washington Park. This free outdoor concert in OTR features a selection of unforgettable opera and musical theater favorites performed by stars of the 2023 season, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs, and the whole family, and enjoy an evening of opera under the setting sun.
Admission:
Free; no tickets required. Visit cincinnatiopera.org for more information.
Studio Sessions
When:
Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. (featuring mezzo-soprano Emily Fons)
Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at 8 p.m. (featuring baritone Nmon Ford)
Where:
Wilks Studio, Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Cincinnati Opera artists take to the cabaret stage in these intimate, candlelit performances at Music Hall's Wilks Studio.
Cincinnati Opera artists take to the cabaret stage in these intimate, candlelit performances at Music Hall's Wilks Studio. Each performance spans a variety of musical genres and features artists from Cincinnati Opera's 2023 Summer Festival: mezzo-soprano Emily Fons (July 12), who also sings Rosina in The Barber of Seville, and baritone Nmon Ford (July 19), who appears as Sharpless in Madame Butterfly.
Tickets:
$45 general admission; $60 reserved seating. Cincinnati Opera subscribers will be invited to a pre-sale; remaining tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, April 10 at 12 noon. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org or call the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.
About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera's mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company's repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world's most dynamic performers and creative artists.
Season Presenting Sponsor is Chavez Properties. Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from the Ohio Arts Council, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Support for The Knock is provided by the Mellon Foundation. The Knock is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts; to find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov. Lead Sponsors for Madame Butterfly are Sheila and Christopher Cole. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America.
To learn more, visit cincinnatiopera.org.
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