Opera Saratoga Announces DISCOVER!OPERA New Free Ticket Program For Students

Opera Saratoga announced DISCOVER!OPERA, a new program to introduce area high school and college students to opera by providing free tickets to select performances as part of the company's annual Summer Festival, as well as access to related programs. This summer, Opera Saratoga will provide free tickets to students for two performances through the DISCOVER!OPERA program.

College Students may sign up for free tickets to opening night of Opera Saratoga's double-bill on Saturday, June 30th, featuring the world premiere of Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera, and the American Premiere of Rocking Horse Winner.

In Vinkensport, we enter the world of finch-sitting, where the cheating scandals are as rampant as the rivalries between contestants in a battle to see who has the most melodious bird in this cheeky and chirpy bittersweet comedy. After intermission, the world of thoroughbred racing takes the stage in Rocking Horse Winner, a modern adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's short story in which ayoung manbecomes dangerously obsessed with solving the bad luck of his family. His pursuit awakens a strange magic that enables him to predict which horses will win at the track.

Prior to the performance, composers David T. Little and Gareth Williams, and librettists Royce Vavrek and Anna Chatterton, will participate in a Q&A, providing college students with the opportunity to meet four of the most exciting writers working in opera today.

High School Students may sign up for free tickets to the opening night of Opera Saratoga's new production of The Consul, on Saturday July 7th. This riveting thriller delivers a punch as powerful and timely as its subject matter - the struggle for freedom against oppression, and the maddening nature of unrelenting bureaucracy. Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critic's Circle Award when it first premiered on Broadway in 1950, The Consul's suspenseful and timely story surprises with several magical touches and is buoyed by a richly melodic score in which love, hope, and redemption all play their part. As the national conversation has recently become increasingly focused on the plight of immigrants and refugees, the contemporary relevance of The Consul is easy to see.

"We designed the DISCOVER!OPERA program to provide access to opera for both high school and college students," explained Opera Saratoga's Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson, " but in creating the program, we wanted to make sure we could challenge assumptions about opera that some people have and introduce students to some of the more adventurous and creative programming that Opera Saratoga offers. Our double-bill this summer features two one-act operas by living composers and librettists, with highly contrasting scores, providing students the opportunity to experience how opera is telling exciting stories today. And, The Consul is an American masterpiece that could not be more topical right now, providing us with the opportunity to explore the intersection between the performing arts, history and current events - a perfect way for students to discover that opera is very much a living, breathing, and exciting way to tell stories through music."

In order to obtain DISCOVER!OPERA tickets, students must sign up online, at least 48 hours in advance of each performance, at www.operasaratoga.org/discover-opera. The registration deadline for free tickets to the June 30th Double Bill for College Students is June 28th; and the registration deadline for free tickets to the July 7th performance of The Consul for High School Students is July 5th. There are limited free tickets available for each performance. Advance registrations are required and tickets will be provided on a first come first served basis until the student allotment for each performance is no longer available.

One ticket is available per student, and a valid student ID is required. In addition to free student tickets, a special 30% discount code is available for parents who wish to share the Opera Saratoga experience with their children. Complete program details are available online.

Opera Saratoga, formerly known as Lake George Opera, began with a production of Die Fledermaus at the Diamond Point Theatre on July 5, 1962, playing to an audience of 230. The Company now calls Saratoga Springs home and performs for more than 25,000 people annually. Opera Saratoga serves the communities of Saratoga Springs, the Lower Adirondack and New York State Capital areas by providing access to world-class opera through the production of an annual Summer Festival, as well as year-round activities including extensive educational programs, mentorship of emerging operatic artists, and unique opportunities for the public to experience opera in both our home theater and non-traditional venues that leverage and embrace the unique cultural, historic, and natural resources of the area.

To date, the Company has performed over 90 different fully-staged works by over 50 different composers, including thirty-three works by American composers and eight world-premiere productions. Throughout its history, the Company's success has been shaped by visionary leaders, talented artists, and critically acclaimed productions.

In July 2014, Lawrence Edelson became the new Artistic and General Director of Opera Saratoga. Edelson's leadership has marked a new chapter in the company's history, with increased emphasis on community partnerships throughout the year, diversification of the company's repertoire, and a reaffirmed commitment to both the presentation of American opera and the mentorship of emerging artists as core activities in the company's programs each season. The 2018 Summer Festival marks the fourth season under his leadership. For more information, visit www.operasaratoga.org.

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