Lyric Opera of Kansas City PREMIERE Rare Czech Opera Dvorak's Rusalka

Lyric Opera of Kansas City continues its 58th season with a Lyric Opera Premiere production of Anton Dvo?ák's rarely performed opera Rusalka, November 7, 11, 13 and 15 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The production will be sung in Czech with English titles. This is not only the first Dvo?ák opera produced by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City but the first Czech opera for the Company and Kansas City audiences.The production, directed by Academy-Award winning director Eric Simonson, will feature members of the Kansas City Symphony under the baton of Alexander Polianichko and a unique partnership with members of the Kansas City Ballet. One of the highlights of this lush production will be the spectacular lighting and video projections.

The story of the opera, which is about a water spirit's tragic romance with a human prince, is drawn from several folktale sources including Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid." A hauntingly poetic libretto matched with a lush score, Rusalka tells the story of a lovely yet lovelorn mermaid who yearns to become human. The soaring aria "Song to the Moon" is filled with longing as she prays for the prince to return her love. Her wish is granted, but she discovers that what we desire can also destroy and redemption is seldom granted. This production is appropriate for children 11+.

General Director and CEO Deborah Sandler stated, "Our desire to bring the best to Kansas City continues with this Lyric Opera PREMIERE of an infrequently performed Czech opera, Rusalka. This opera tells a tale familiar to many families: the enchanting legend of a mermaid's desperate quest for love. While there are elements that are certainly dark, this is a family-friendly opera that both adults who recall the charming Disney movie can revisit and children can fall in love with for the first time. Plus, this production is a lush spectacle of sight and sound with incredible sets and costumes. We think you will be pleased."

Rusalka is Dvo?ák's lush and enchanting legend of a mermaid whose desperate quest for love means sacrificing her very self. Academy Award-winning and Tony and Emmy Award-nominated director Eric Simonson will make his Lyric Opera of Kansas City debut as he brings his talents to the Muriel Kauffman Theatre stage to direct Rusalka. Ellie Dehn returns to play the tormented heroine of Rusalka after her highly lauded performance in the 2013 Lyric Opera production of La bohème as Musetta. Maxim Aksenov as the Prince and Robert Pomakov in the role of Vodnik will be making their Lyric Opera debuts.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City is especially pleased to welcome Academy Award-winning and Tony and Emmy Award-nominated director Eric Simonson, who brings his talents to the Muriel Kauffman Theatre stage to head Rusalka. Eric Simonson recently directed The Dream of Valentino, Silent Night, Wuthering Heights and Rusalka for Minnesota Opera and Rusalka for Opera Colorado. Other credits include The Grapes of Wrath at Minnesota Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and Carnegie Hall; numerous plays for Steppenwolf Theatre; and productions at The Huntington Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Primary Stages in New York, Court Theatre in Chicago, L.A. Theatre Works, The Kennedy Center, City Theater in Pittsburgh, Seattle Rep and San Jose Rep. His production of The Song of Jacob Zulu played on Broadway and received six Tony Awards including Best Director. His film directing credits include A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (Academy Award), On Tiptoe (Academy Award nomination) and Studs Terkel: Listening to America, all of which aired on HBO (Emmy Nomination). Playwriting credits include Lombardi, Magi/Bird and Bronx Bombers (all on Broadway), Bang the Drum Slowly, Work Song (co-written with Jeff Hatcher), Honest and Fake. Mr. Simonson is a member of Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Making his Lyric Opera debut conducting Rusalka, Alexander Polianichko was formerly a violinist in the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Philharmonic Orchestra under Evgeny Mravinsky. Mr. Polianichko studied conducting at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire with Prof. Iliya Musin. In 1988, he was awarded first prize in the Sixth All-Union Conducting Competition. He has been a House Conductor of the Mariinsky Theatre since 1989 and has toured with the Company to Europe, Asia, and the United States.

In 1994, Polianichko made his London debut conducting English National Opera's production of Eugene Onegin. Performances with the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden lead to his conducting two productions of Tchaikovsky's operas with the Royal Opera; a revival of Queen of Spades with Placido Domingo, and a new production by Francesca Zambello of Cherevichki (The Tsarina's Slippers). He has appeared with many of the world's leading opera companies including Bolshoi Theatre, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Gothenburg Opera, La Scala Milan, Nationale Reisopera, Norwegian Opera, Opera Australia, Opera Colorado, Opéra de Lyon, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Opéra National de Paris, Royal Danish Opera, San Francisco Opera, Stuttgart Opera, Welsh National Opera and Zurich Opera. In 1996 he was invited to take the Opera National de Paris to New York for their appearances at the MET.

Soprano Ellie Dehn returns to the Lyric Opera for her debut title role in Rusalka after her highly lauded performance in the 2013 Lyric Opera production of La bohème as Musetta. Opera

News wrote, "She has a luscious, silky voice and a pleasing stage presence." Ms. Dehn has sung in many of the world's finest opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, San Francisco Opera, and the opera houses of Geneva, Rome, and Bologna. Recent successes include the trio of Mozart/Da Ponte Heroines (Contessa, Donna Anna, Fiordiligi) with the San Francisco Opera, her Teatro alla Scala debut as Antonia in Les Contes d'Hoffmann and subsequent return as Musetta, Donna Elvira and Musetta at the Metropolitan Opera, and both Helena in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Musetta at Rome's Teatro dell' Opera. She has put her stamp on the Countess (Houston Grand Opera, Tulsa Opera and Opera Pacific), Donna Anna (with the Ravinia Festival, the Bayerische Staatsoper, Opera Colorado, Opera Pacific and PORT Opera), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) with the Spoleto Festival USA and Fiordiligi at the Academy of Vocal Arts. Ms. Dehn most recent season featured performances as Fiordiligi at the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, and Donna Elvira at Teatro Massimo in Palermo, as well as her debut in the title role of Weber's Euryanthe at the Bard SummerScape Festival.

Making his Lyric Opera debut is Russian tenor Maxim Aksenov as the Prince. He has distinguished himself as one of the most exciting young dramatic tenors today. His vast repertoire includes Herman (Pique Dame), Luigi (Il tabarro), Don Alvaro (La forza del destino), Don Jose (Carmen), Turridu (Cavalleria Rusticana), Vaudemont (Iolanta) and Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly). In 2012 he made a star-making debut as Prince Vsevolod Yuryevich in the acclaimed production of The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh at Dutch National Opera. "Russian tenor Maxim Aksenov brought good looks, good high notes and a theatrical savoir faire that reveals his foundation in music theatre and his grounding in the Slavic repertory." Opera Today

Also making his Lyric Opera of Kansas City debut, Canadian bass Robert Pomakov will portray Vodnik. His other engagements this season include Benoit (La Bohème) and Haly (L'italiana in Algeri) with Houston Grand Opera, Monterone at the Metropolitan Opera, and concert performances with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, and Calgary Philharmonic. Career highlights include the title role of Attila at the Metropolitan Opera, his Washington National Opera debut as Leporello (Don Giovanni), his debut at Madrid's Teatro Real as Nikitich (Boris Godunov), Varlaam (Boris Godunov) for his debut in Brussels, and the Chamberlain (Le Rossignol) in a co-production with the Canadian Opera Company and Brooklyn Academy of Music. "This young Canadian is clearly a talent to watch. "Pomakov's musicality stood out in this production. He found a deep, organic tone full of the mystery and tragedy of the Rusalka mythology." notedBachtrack.

Also making her Lyric Opera debut, soprano Kirsten Chambers will perform the role of the Foreign Princess. Kirsten Chambers has performed the dramatic repertoire of Strauss and Wagner all over the world. She made her European debut singing Elsa in Lohengrin in Finland and recently sang the title role in Salome in Hong Kong. Kirsten Chambers has had operatic roles with Opera New Jersey, Center City Opera, Shreveport Opera, Bronx Opera, Lake George Opera, Opera Illinois, Opera East Texas, The Living Opera and the Halifax Summer Opera. She has been recently hailed by the Dallas Morning News as "appealing...with nimble high notes," by the Philadelphia media for her "lovely color," and as "a standout," by the Toledo Blade.

Returning to the Lyric Opera of Kansas City after her lauded performance as Azucena in Il Trovatore in 2012, mezzo-soprano and native Kansan Nancy Maultsby will perform Ježibaba. A regular singer at The Metropolitan Opera, Ms. Maultsby also has sung with Lyric Opera Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Recent highlights features performances of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the San Antonio Symphony conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing, and Handel's Messiah with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Edward Polochick.

Ashley Yvonne Wheat, April Martin, both UMKC Apprentices and Samantha Gossard, former Lyric Opera apprentice who recently appeared as Zerlina in the Lyric Opera's Don Giovanni to critical acclaim, will perform the roles of Wood Sprites.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City is proud to partner with Kansas City Ballet to feature several Company dancers in the production. KC Ballet dancers include Elysa Hotchkiss , Whitney Huell, Lilliana Hagerman, Naomi Hergott, Logan Pachciarz, Geoff Kropp, Dillon Malinski, and Charlie Martin.

The design team for Rusalka includes Erhard Rom (Set Design), Kärin Kopischke (Costume Design), Robert Wierzel (Lighting Design), and Wendall K. Harrington (Projection Design).

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