Opera Naples Hosts Exclusive Summer Opera Film Series Featuring MADAMA BUTTERFLY and More

Opera Naples, one of Naples' leading performing arts organizations, has announced tickets are on sale for HD at Opera Naples, a summer film series of classic European operas. Showings will take place on the first and third Wednesday of each month July 6 through Oct. 19, 2022, at the Wang Opera Center. All screening will begin at 3 p.m. Adult tickets are $22; student tickets are $10. To reserve tickets today, contact 239-963-9050 or visit OperaNaples.org.

"Opera Naples is devoted to bringing opera from around the world to our community," said Ramón Tebar, Artistic and Music Director at Opera Naples, and recently named a Cultural Ambassador of Naples. "This series of film screenings of some of the most internationally renowned performances of the most popular operas will give our patrons a taste of what's to come this season as we continue to expand our diverse artistic offerings."

HD at Opera Naples is generously underwritten by John and Nicky Pepe, and sponsored by YB Productions. "Like so many of our generation, our first exposure to opera was while sitting at the knees of our grandparents while they listened to recordings or Metropolitan Opera broadcasts," said John Pepe. "Since then, we have enjoyed opera performances around the world including La Scala, L'Arena di Verona, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Chicago Lyric Opera and many more, including, of course, Opera Naples. We are excited to invite all of you to enjoy these performances from famous opera houses around the world as much as we have over the years."

Featured films for the 2022 HD at Opera Naples series include:

• July 6: "Madama Butterfly" (Teatro alla Scala) with Maria Jose Siri - Riccardo Chailly masterfully restores Giacomo Puccini's two-act version to the La Scala stage, creating a new edition of the original score that offers continuous discoveries in the tragic love story between a young Japanese geisha and an American navy officer. Drawing inspiration from Japanese Kabuki theatre, this magical production delivers a perfect balance between traditional realism and "kitch orientalism" to present the mood, drama, romance and tragedy of this opera.
• July 20: "Turandot" (Teatro alla Scala) with Nina Stemme - Giacomo Puccini passed away prior to completing Turandot, leaving over 30 sketches for the ending and a note indicating a proposed dramatic shift into the realms of love with the words "and now Tristan." This version marked the first time the opera was performed in Milan with the finale devised by Luciano Berio, replacing the traditional ending. Berio worked closely with both the stage director Nikolaus Lehnhoff and La Scala's Music Director Riccardo Chailly, with Nina Stemme bringing her powerful, luxuriant voice to the title role.
• Aug. 3: "Ariadne auf Naxos" (Baden Baden Festpielhaus) with Renée Fleming - Filmed live in Baden-Baden by the veteran director Brian Large, this version features the talented trio of Renée Fleming, Sophie Koch and Christian Thielemann. Alongside her captivating castmates, Fleming dazzles in her role debut as the spurned "Ariadne," confirming her one-of-a-kind stage presence. Philippe Arlaud, producer and set designer, puts an accent on colors, humor and lovely set designs, staging the opera - with a brilliant palette of varied colors and contrasting effects.
• Aug. 17: "Faust" (Teatro Real) with Piotr Beczala - The Teatro Real opened its 2018-19 season with this new production of Charles Gounod's "Faust," inspired by the German legend of a man who sells his soul to the Devil in exchange for knowledge, power, wealth and youth, in a grand opera format. Piotr Beczała plays the part of the protagonist, the figure of relentless ambition par excellence, while Marina Rebeka sings the role of Marguerite. Àlex Ollé directs this captivating opera.
• Sept. 7: "Falstaff" (Staatsoper Hamburg) with Ambrogio Maestri - Director Calixto Bieito presents a surprise-packed production of Giuseppe Verdi's comic opera "Falstaff," which Bieito reinterprets as an apocalyptic satire on entertainment and prototype scenario of modern society. The new Hamburg production boasts a world-class cast with Ambrogio Maestri in the title role and Maija Kovalevska as Alice Ford. Bieito's take on "Falstaff" is a black comedy, exposing the tragicomic aspect of human existence.
• Sept. 21: "Der Rosenkavalier" (Festspielhaus Baden-Baden) with Renée Fleming - Soprano Renée Fleming heads "a galactic cast" in this bittersweet comedy of love as the Marschallin, using her velvety tones to complement the dynamic, youthful voice of Sophie Koch as her young lover Octavian. Diana Damrau's Sophie enhances the trio's range with her ethereal high notes. Next to Franz Hawlata as a swaggering Baron Ochs and the always impressive Franz Grundheber as Faninal, the Baden-Baden production rounds off its male leads with international tenor star Jonas Kaufmann as the "Italian Singer." Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal's masterpiece combines humor with genuine emotion and drama.
• Oct. 5: "Rusalka" (Teatro Real) with Asmik Grigorian and Eric Cutler - The libretto of the most well-known opera by Antonín Dvořak is inspired by the Czech version of the Central European folktale, Undine (1811) or The Little Mermaid (1837). The original story is perfectly translated into a musical score full of color and magic, expertly conducted by Ivor Bolton, while Christof Loy's stage direction and scenography by Johannes Leiacker beautifully complement Klevis Elmazaj's masterful choreography. The mesmerizing Asmik Grigorian brings vibrant life to the title role as Eric Cutler and Karita Mattila step smoothly into the royal personas of prince and princess.
• Oct. 19: "Elektra" (Salzburg Festival) with Aušriné Stundyté, Asmik Grigorian, and Tanja Ariane Baumgartner - In its 100th anniversary edition, the Salzburg Festival celebrates a real triumph with a mind-blowing new production of "Elektra," one of the most famous masterpieces of opera history, by the two festival founders Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The Lithuanian soprano Aušriné Stundyté as vengeful and traumatized Elektra turns the opening of the festival into a knockout performance, while Asmik Grigorian draws the audience into a spell as her sister Chrysotemis. Tanja Ariane Baumgartner as Klytämnestra, Derek Welton as Orest and Michael Laurenz as Ägisth complete an ensemble of top-notch singers. The staging by Krzysztof Warlikowski of this work about matricide, obsession, revenge and physical degradation is a deep psychological study of a broken family. Franz Welser-Möst brings his trademark flair to the pit where the brilliantly effervescent Wiener Philharmoniker creates gloriously exultant Strauss moments.

Dedicated to presenting high-quality opera productions and concerts featuring internationally renowned performers and directors, Opera Naples in Naples, Fla. is an artistic powerhouse. Since its inception, the company has presented such well-known grand operas as "La bohème," "Carmen," "Faust, "La Traviata," "Madama Butterfly," "Rigoletto," "Tosca" and more. An advocate of community service and education outreach, Opera Naples has introduced opera to more than 60,000 children since its inception through its various programs, including Lee and Collier County in-school programs and performances, the Resident Artists Program and Summer Youth Program. The company is also dedicated to nurturing the region's promising young talent through the Opera Naples Academy led by a faculty of revered opera luminaries who offer an immersive program of vocal instruction, lectures and masterclasses. The company has earned local, regional, and state government support.

For more information, visit OperaNaples.org or contact info@OperaNaples.org.

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