Opera San Jose to Continue Season with World Premiere of WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD

Opera San José continues its 31st season with the WORLD PREMIERE of Where Angels Fear to Tread by American composer Mark Lanz Weiser, libretto by Roger Brunyate. This bold new opera, based on the novel by E. M. Forster, unveils a collision of cultures that leads to a misunderstanding of horrific consequences, set in motion when a rich English widow marries a middle-class but handsome young Italian against the wishes of her family. Where Angels Fear to Tread will be sung in English with English supertitles. Six performances are scheduled February 7 through 22 at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street in downtown San José. Tickets are on sale at the Opera San José Box Office, online at operasj.org or by phone at (408) 437-4450. Performances are supported, in part, by a grant from the San José Office of Cultural Affairs.

Joseph Marcheso, Opera San José's music director and principal conductor, will conduct Where Angels Fear to Tread. Mr. Marcheso has conducted 12 productions for Opera San José, including, Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, Hansel and Gretel, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi, La traviata, Faust, La bohème, La Cenerentola, Manon, Carmen, The Elixir of Love, and Lucia di Lammermoor.

Nationally acclaimed playwright, theater director and actor Lillian Groag returns to Opera San José as stage director for the World Premiere of Where Angels Fear to Tread. Previously, Ms. Groag directed Opera San José's productions of Pagliacci (1996-97) and Of Mice and Men (1997-98). Ms. Groag has acted, directed and written for many regional theatres and opera houses throughout the United States.

Creating the roles in this WORLD PREMIERE production of Where Angels Fear to Tread are current members of Opera San José's resident company in the principal roles, as well as guest artists.

Guest artist Christie Conover sings the role of Caroline Abbott. Ms. Conover has performed leading roles with Minnesota Opera for the past three seasons, including Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Musetta (La bohème), Liù (Turandot) and others. She won Second Place and Audience Choice at the Irene Dalis Vocal Competition in 2013. In 2011, she claimed Third Place in the Rocky Mountain Region of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions followed by Regional Finalist in 2012.

Resident tenor Kirk Dougherty sings the role of Phillip Harriton. Mr. Dougherty is a member of the resident ensemble in 2014-2015 and recently made his debut as the Duke in Rigoletto, and is scheduled to sing Tamino (Magic Flute) in April. Recent engagements for Mr. Dougherty include Manrico (Il trovatore) with Sarasota Opera and Baltimore Concert Opera, Pollione (Norma), at St. Petersburg Opera, Arturo (Lucia di lammermoor) for Anchorage Opera, and Eremite (Sakuntala) for Teatro Grattacielo.

Baritone Matthew Hanscom sings the role of Gino Carella. Mr. Hanscom made his company debut recently as Rigoletto and followed that with Taddeo (The Italian Girl in Algiers). Mr. Hanscom has performed six seasons at Sarasota Opera, appearing as Comte de Toulouse in Verdi's Jérusalem and Schaunard in Puccini's La bohème, Slim in Carlisle Floyd's Of Mice and Men, and Ping in Puccini's Turandot.

Second year resident mezzo-soprano Lisa Chavez performs the role of Harriet Harriton. Ms. Chavez made her company debut last season as Meg Page (Falstaff). Other roles performed by Chavez for the company include Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) Maddalena (Rigoletto) and Isabella (The Italian Girl in Algiers). Awards received by Ms. Chavez include First Place and Audience Favorite in the Irma M. Cooper Competition (2013), and she was named the Third Prize Winner in the 2014 Irene Dalis Vocal Competition.

Resident soprano Isabella Ivy sings the role of Lilia Herriton. Ms. Ivy recently made her debut for the company as Gilda (Rigoletto), followed by Elvira (The Italian Girl in Algiers). Ms. Ivy has repeatedly been a featured artist with the AIMS Festival Orchestra in Graz. She has also premiered several works at the University of Nevada for both established and emerging composers, most notably Madame White Snake, the 2011 Pulitzer prize-winning opera, for the composer of the work, Dr. Zhou Long.

Jenny Lister returns to OSJ for the 2014-15 season appearing as the Opera Singer in Where Angels Fear to Tread, and is scheduled to sing Papagena (Magic Flute). For Utah Opera Ms. Litster took the stage as Giannetta in L'elisir d'amore, Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto, Erste Dame in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, and last April debuted the Queen of the Night (Magic Flute) with Opera San Luis Obispo.

Resident bass Silas Elash sings the role of the Cabman. Mr. Elash recently sang the role of Sparafucile in the company's production of Rigoletto, and Haly in The Italian Girl in Algiers. He has sung more than 25 roles with Opera San Jose, including appearances last season as the Commissioner (Madama Butterfly) and the Commendatore (Don Giovanni). Mr. Elash was winner of the "Wagner Society Award" in the 2010 Irene Dalis Vocal Competition.

Opera San José's production of Where Angels Fear to Tread includes set designs by Michael Ganio, costume designs by Elizabeth Poindexter, lighting design by David Lee Cuthbert, and wig and makeup designs by Vicky Martinez.

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