Lyric Opera Closes '09-'10 Season With DON GIOVANNI 4/24-5/2

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City closes the 2009-2010 season with Mozart's most famous opera, Don Giovanni, April 24, 28, 30 and May 2 at the Lyric Theatre. This production of Don Giovanni features an incredible cast of singers as well as an exceptional orchestra comprised of members of the Kansas City Symphony conducted by Lyric Opera Artistic Director Ward Holmquist.

With more than 2,000 names in his book of female conquests, Don Giovanni finds himself in a sticky situation and kills the father of his latest female interest. Will the main character, based on the legendary Don Juan, be able to get away with his devil-may-care lifestyle or will he finally get what he deserves? 

Don Giovanni has music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It will be performed in Italian with English subtitles projected above the stage at the Lyric Theatre, located at 11th and Central in downtown Kansas City. Don Giovanni will have four performances: Saturday, April 24 at 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 30 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, May 2 at 2 p.m.

Audiences are invited and encouraged to attend a free opera preview in the theatre one hour before curtain, presented by the Lyric Opera Guild. 

Ticket availability varies by performance. Limited student rush tickets are $10 one hour before curtain, with valid ID. To purchase tickets, visit www.kcopera.org, or call the ticket office at (816) 471-7344 or 1-800-OPERAKC (673-7252).

Keith Phares (baritone) returns to the Lyric Opera to play opera's ultimate bad boy Don Giovanni. Mr. Phares made his debut with the Company in 2003 in Romeo and Juliet followed by The Merry Widow in 2006. He sang the role of Maurice in the critically acclaimed production of The End of The Affair in 2007. Of that performance, critic Paul Horsley described Mr. Phares' voice as a "ringing, bronze baritone [that is] always pleasing to the ear."

In addition to Mr. Phares' Lyric Opera credits, he recently appeared with San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, Houston Grand Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, New York Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Florentine Opera, Glimmerglass Opera and Opera Company of Philadelphia. Following Mr. Phares' performances of Don Giovanni with the Company he will perform the role of Marcello in La bohème with Utah Opera, in Carmina burana with San Francisco Symphony and the role of Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Colorado. Mr. Phares is a graduate of the Juilliard Opera Center and was the winner of the 1998 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

Brenda Harris (soprano) will make her Lyric Opera debut as Don Giovanni's latest conquest, Donna Anna, a role she has performed with Washington National Opera. Ms. Harris has performed at The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Montreal Opera, Vancouver Opera, Spoleto (Italy), and Opéra national du Rhin (Austria). She is a regular at Austin Opera, Minnesota Opera and Portland Opera. Classical Singer Magazine hails Ms. Harris as "...a soprano of immense accomplishment and stunning technical control."

Kansas City resident Andrew Gangestad (bass), who was last seen in the Lyric Opera production of The Barber of Seville in 2007, will sing the role of Don Giovanni's comedic assistant Leporello, a role in which he has received critical acclaim.

Chad A. Johnson (tenor) and Christine Abraham (mezzo-soprano) also will return to the Lyric Opera stage for Don Giovanni. MR. Johnson will portray Don Ottavio, a role he has sung with numerous companies including Virginia Opera, New Orleans Opera and Florida Grand Opera. MR. Johnson was recently seen at the Lyric Opera as Frederik in The Pirates of Penzance (2009). Ms. Abraham will perform the role of one of Don Giovanni's scorned lovers, Donna Elvira, and previously was seen in the Company's production of Julius Caesar in 2008. She has received acclaim for her work at Opera Boston, Glimmerglass Opera, and Berkshire Opera.

Ellen Douglas Schlaefer, Director of Opera for the University of South Carolina, returns to direct Don Giovanni after her critically acclaimed production of La bohème in 2008. Ms. Schlaefer recently directed Le Nozze di Figaro at Green Mountain Opera Festival,
La bohème at National Symphony Orchestra and Wolf Trap Opera, Scott Joplin and Treemonisha at Opera Memphis and Die Entführung aus dem Serail at Connecticut Opera.

With more than 2,000 names in his book of female conquests, Don Giovanni finds himself in a sticky situation and kills the father of his latest female interest. Will the main character, based on the legendary Don Juan, be able to get away with his devil-may-care lifestyle or will he finally get what he deserves?

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City is a member of OPERA America, and this production is made possible with funding from the Lathrop and Gage, LLP, Bank of America, The Kansas City Star, Midwest Airlines, Missouri Arts Council and the Arts KC Fund.

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