Civic Theatre to Present 'Summer at La Scala' Opera Series

Civic Theatre of Allentown will present an extraordinary grand opera trio captured in performance at the famed La Scala Opera in Milan.

Projected in high definition and available through its partnership with Emerging Cinema, the "Summer at La Scala" is Civic's first foray into alternate content programming. Held in Civic's Theatre514, the opera series is designed to complement the Metropolitan Opera simulcasts that are screened at Miller Symphony Hall.

"For some time now we have partnered with Emerging Cinema to help bring us some of the latest art house and international film titles direct to our patrons," says Michael Traupman, Civic Theatre Managing Director. "Unfortunately, our schedule has not allowed us to exhibit their opera programming on a regular basis. This summer, however, we have been able to create room to show these extraordinary broadcasts and we couldn't be more pleased. The opera produced by La Scala is extraordinarily theatrical and we feel it should have a home here in the Lehigh Valley. We hope our audiences will enjoy the experience and it will continue to help raise the profile of Opera here in our own corner of the Valley."

"Over the past two years we have made significant upgrades to our Theatre514 facility. The lobby has been renovated and we have installed real theatre seats in the auditorium. We are going to continue to upgrade this facility, while we strive to also make improvements in our main 19th Street auditorium," says Traupman. "But as we have improved the comfort level in Theatre514, it seems like an optimal time to expand our programming and bring more unique cultural experiences to our audiences. Opera on screen certainly fits that bill."

Civic is offering the series as both a subscription series and for individual ticket sales. All screenings will be held at 11 am on Saturday mornings. Single tickets are $18 general admission ($16 for Civic Theatre members).

Subscription prices (all 3 operas) are also available ($50 general admission and $45 for Civic members).

The Civic Theatre 2013 Summer at La Scala Season includes:

Aida - Saturday, June 22 at 11:00 am

Tragic, passionate, and extravagant: this is the definitive production of Aida. Staged by legendary director Franco Zeffirelli, this captured-live performance from Teatro alla Scala brings the splendor and majesty of Verdi's drama to the big screen. Starring opera greats Roberto Alagna and Violeta Urmana. Set in ancient Egypt during the reign of the Pharaohs, "Aida" conforms to the notion that in the game of love and war, all is fair. Political intrigue, love, betrayal, passion, and vengeance conspire in a tragic love triangle that pits three people conflicted by their love for country, family, and each other. One of operas most revered classics, "Aida" delivers an intense, compelling drama highlighted by spectacular theatrical pageantry.

Don Giovanni - Saturday, July 13 at 11 am

Mozart's ultimate lady-killer villain meets his match in Anna Netrebko, the opera world's "hottest female star." Starring Peter Mattei as the philandering Don, with Bryn Terfel as his sidekick Leporello, the velvet-voiced Ms. Netrebko plays the much-abused Donna Anna. An audience favorite, for its surprisingly modern plot and soaring melodies, this opening night production at La Scala has Daniel Barenboim at the podium.

Carmen - Saturday, August 24 at 11 am

Lies. Lust. Murder. And brilliant music. Carmen, Bizet's masterpiece is one of the most popular operas of all time. With its titillating story and memorable melodies, this production from La Scala stars opera great Jonas Kaufmann and Erwin Schrott, with Anna Rachvelishvili making her wildly successful debut as Carmen. The New York Times raved about Rachvelishivili saying, "She triumphed...an unusual, concentrated focus, a fresh gravity."

Advanced sale tickets are available for all the operas online at www.CivicTheatre.com or by calling the Civic Theatre Box Office at 610-432-8943. Tickets are also available at the door.

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