Madison Opera's Annual Opera in the Park Goes Digital

Madison Opera's Opera in the Park will be moving on-line this summer, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the first Opera in the Park concert in 2002, it has become a Madison summer tradition, a free concert that draws over 10,000 people to Garner Park for selections from opera, Broadway, operetta, and zarzuela. The 19th anniversary of this concert had been scheduled for July 25, 2020.

"Opera in the Park is by far our most important performance," says Kathryn Smith, Madison Opera's general director. "Sharing music under the stars is a highlight of every summer, but the health and safety of our community is our first priority. After careful discussion with local officials and stakeholders, we have decided to take the necessary step of moving from an in-person performance this summer to a digital one."

Details on the digital performance will be solidified in the coming months and announced in early July. Soloists include soprano Karen Slack, who returns to Madison Opera as Leonora in Il Trovatore this fall; soprano Jasmine Habersham, who makes her Madison Opera debut in The Marriage of Figaro next April; and baritone Weston Hurt, who sang Germont in La Traviata last season and returns as Count di Luna in Il Trovatore next fall.

"While nothing will ever equal the magic of Opera in the Park when the hillside is full of people," Smith says, "I know we can create something special to share, using the power of music to connect us even when we cannot gather in person. We look forward to returning to Garner Park next summer, and seeing a full display of everyone's light-stick conducting skills."