Individual Tickets For Donizetti's THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT On Sale This Friday!

Opera Orlando concludes its 2022-23 Opera on the MainStage series on a high note-well, nine high C's, to be exact. Sung in French with English dialogue and supertitles, Donizetti's The Daughter of the Regiment comes to Steinmetz Hall at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts this April with equal parts comedy and romance. Individual Tickets start at only $19 and go on sale Friday, December 2 through the Dr. Phillips Center Box Office.

"The Daughter of the Regiment has come full circle for the Company. We, unfortunately, had to cancel our 2020 production of the work, but it will now make a fitting and fun end to our 2022-23 Opera Everlasting MainStage series at Dr. Phillips Center," says Opera Orlando general director Gabriel Preisser. "We are so happy to bring back the cast and creative team to finish what we started, but this time in Steinmetz Hall. Audiences will love this light-hearted romp that is perfect for the entire family. It's a perfect marriage of vocal fireworks and uproarious hijinx with a real musical theater feel for those Broadway fans out there."

Marie is the daughter of the regiment. Orphaned as an infant and not knowing about her noble past or family, she was adopted and raised by a French army regiment. Her military family and life suit her until she falls for the handsome peasant, Tonio. Love-struck for Marie, he must join the regiment to be near her and gain approval from her army of "fathers." To further complicate

matters, Marie is whisked away from the regiment by the Marquise of Berkenfield, who knows of her aristocratic lineage and wants to introduce her properly to society. This, of course, upends the regimental order of things and Marie must then choose between marrying for love or for social status.

Opera Orlando is collaborating with conductor Joshua Horsch and stage director Andrew Nienaber on this new production. "Apart from the ridiculous comedy and pure fun of the piece, the story has real heart," states Mr. Neinaber. "Marie, as an orphan, has lucked into this caring family of military men who have lovingly raised her. Even though they aren't blood, it isn't so easy for them to let her go, and vice versa. This is a really beautiful part of the story that I think will resonate with us, since we all have our real families and our chosen ones."

Mr. Horsch will be making his Opera Orlando debut, while audiences might remember Mr. Nienaber from his delightfully ridiculous production of Verdi's King for a Day at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando last season. Orlando native and Metropolitan Opera National Competition winner Carlos Enrique Santelli will also make his company debut, taking on the role of Tonio, with Puerto Rican soprano Camille Ortiz as Marie, the beloved daughter of the regiment. Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone Peter Strummer, last seen in the title role of the

Company's 2016 production of Don Pasquale, returns to Orlando in the buffo role of Sergeant Sulpice, with mezzo-soprano Jenni Bank making her Opera Orlando debut in the role of the Marquise de Berkenfield. The production, featuring the Opera Orlando Chorus, is another wonderful partnership with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and dancers from the Orlando Ballet.

Individual tickets start at just $19 and go on sale Friday, December 2 through the Dr. Phillips Center's Bill & Mary Darden Box Office (445 S. Magnolia Avenue, Orlando), online at www.DrPhillipsCenter.org, or by calling (407) 839-0119, ext. 0.

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