Odyssey Opera to Host 3rd Annual Festival, 6/3-12

Odyssey Opera presents WHEN IN ROME, its third annual opera festival comprising fully staged productions of Christoph Willibald Gluck's Ezio and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Lucio Silla from June 3-12 at the Boston University Theatre. Ezio and Lucio Silla are both composed in the grand tradition of opera seria, with plots revolving around the timeless themes of honor, betrayal, and passion revealed in soul-baring arias. Both operas take place in Ancient Rome and are based on historical generals or dictators. Led by conductor Gil Rose, the Odyssey Opera Orchestra is joined by some of the nation's most extraordinary opera singers, including mezzo- sopranos Brenda Patterson and Jennifer Rivera, and countertenors Michael Maniaci and David Trudgen.

Hailed as "a formidable force in Boston's always-fragile opera culture" (Berkshire Fine Arts), Odyssey Opera continues its commitment to producing the finest rare operas with world-class artists. "Under-appreciated and overlooked in favor of subsequent trailblazers, Gluck's Ezio and Mozart's Lucio Silla stuck to the then well-established opera seria model," said Gil Rose, artistic director of Odyssey Opera. "It is a shame because these pieces contain a wealth of powerfully engaging music, and serve as important examples of gallant 'pre-reform' opera at its finest. We are thrilled to be reinvigorating them!"

A prolific composer of the classical period, Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714- 87) is best known for his reformation of opera dramaturgical practices away from the complexity of opera seria, but he was also a master of the style he later disavowed. Ezio, composed in 1750 for the Prague carnival, displays all of the intricacy and nuance of a classic opera seria. Set in 451 AD, Metastasio's story of the hot tempered Roman emperor Valentiano, wronged general Ezio, and scheming patrician Massimo is full of sudden plot twists and detailed portraits of Rome's volatile elite. Brenda Patterson sings the title role of Ezio (originally written for male castrato) opposite Jennifer Rivera's Fulvia.

In many ways Gluck's operatic successor, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756- 91), had already mastered the art of opera seria by the age of 16. In 1772, he composed Lucio Silla for the Teatro Regio Ducale in Milan. Lucio Silla depicts the pride, political cunning, and eventual transformation of a dangerous and flawed leader. Silla is determined to marry Giuna, who is wed to the exiled Cecilio, who is loved by Silla's sister Celia. Husband and wife battle brother and sister to stay together. Its premiere was fraught with disaster, and the work was largely forgotten until recent decades. Despite Lucio Silla's emotional depth and musical mastery, performances remain rare. Odyssey Opera welcomes back countertenor Michael Maniaci in the leading role of Cecilio.

About Odyssey Opera

Founded in 2013 by artistic director/conductor Gil Rose, Odyssey Opera presents adventurous and eclectic works that affirm opera as a powerful expression of the human experience. Its world-class artists perform the operatic repertoire from its historic beginnings through lesser-known masterpieces to contemporary new works and commissions in varied formats and venues. Odyssey Opera sets standards of high musical and theatrical excellence and innovative programming to advance the operatic genre beyond the familiar and into undiscovered territory. Odyssey Opera takes its audience on a journey to places they've never been before. odysseyopera.org

Gluck: Ezio

Valentiniano: David Trudgen (countertenor) Fulvia: Jennifer Rivera (mezzo-soprano) Ezio: Brenda Patterson (mezzo-soprano) Massimo: William Hite (tenor) Director: Joshua Major

Mozart: Lucio Silla

Cecilio: Michael Maniaci (countertenor) Giunia: Katy Lindhart (soprano) *Boston debut* Celia: Sara Heaton (soprano)Lucio Silla: Yeghishe Manucharyan (tenor) Cinna: Joanna Mongiardo (soprano) Director: Isabel Milenski

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