Photo Coverage: 'Turandot' Opens at Dicapo Opera Theatre

The Dicapo Opera Theatre presents Puccini’s Turandot, directed by Michael Capasso and conducted by Pacien Mazzagatti. This production is the final presentation of Dicapo’s Puccini Project. Since its founding in 1981, the Dicapo Opera Theatre has been dedicated to the music of the great Italian composer. With this production, Dicapo will have performed every piece of music Puccini ever wrote- all his operas, as well as his instrumental and vocal works.
 
The performances run at the Dicapo Opera Theatre on East 76th Street through October before heading on tour. Excerpts from this production of Turandot will be performed for the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Puccini on December 22, 2008 at The Rose Theater in Lincoln Center.
 
Co-founded in 1981 by Michael Capasso and Diane Martindale, Dicapo Opera Theatre has long been known as “NewYork’s third opera company”. After the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Opera, Dicapo is the only non-profit opera company that presents an entire season of opera productions, musical theatre, concerts and other events in its own facility located on the lower level of St. Jean Baptiste Church on East 76th Street in NYC.
 
Dicapo Theatre’s repertoire ranges from the operatic classics such as masters Mozart, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, and Puccini to the 20th century works of Menotti, Barber, Britten, Robert Ward and Tobias Picker, among others.
 
In 1987 Dicapo Opera Theatre established its Resident Artist Program to assist aspiring singers to bridge the gap between their music studies and professional careers. Resident Artists perform all the supporting roles, are covers for leading roles and provide ensemble for the main stage productions.  Past resident artists have gone on to perform with The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera and regional operas.
 
The principal cast is:
Princess Turandot- Irina Rindzuner
Timur- Anthony Laciura
Calaf- Rafiel Davila
Liu- Anna Nogle
Ping-Chad Armstrong
Pang-Michael Boley
Pong- Ubaldo Feliciano-Hernandez
A Mandarin-Gary Ramsey
 
The Resident Artists and additional chorus for this performance includes: Maria Elena Armijo, Lynne Abeles, Bethany Marie Argiro, Brian Ballard, Paolo Buffagni, Shannon Capogreco, Lisa Chevez, Nicole Farbes-Lyons, Daniel Frost Hernandez, Ericka Hennings, matthew Klauser, Stan Lacy, Kirsten Lamb, Alllison Leaheey, Sanjay Merchant, Casey Molino Dunn, Selena Moretz, Molly Mustonen, Sara Petrocelli, Chad Reagan, Dane Reese, Matthew Rzomp, Gian-Carla Tisera, Jessica Tivens, Jennifer Valle, David Wahrmund, Junko Watanabe, Charlotte Chapman, James Chapman, Sophie Dornbaum, Katrina Fasulo, Emmanuelle Gourier-Shen, Leah Lane, Claudia Malpeli, Olivia Richert, Nicholas Sadnytzky, Jr., Zoe Soumkine, Nicholas Taylor, Brian Ward, Chloe Locaro, Sara Ptachik, Taylor Taverna and Cecelia Whitney
 
 For tickets and more information see www.dicapo.com

Irina Rindzuner as Princess Turandot

Chad Armstrong, Ubaldo Feliciano-Hernandez & Michael Boley as Ping, Pang & Pong

Irina Rindzuner as Princess Turandot and Rafiel Davila as Calaf

Children of the Royal Court - Claudia Malpeli & Leah Lane

Anthony Laciura as The Emperor with The Royal Court

Irina Rindzuner as Turandot & Anthony Laciura as The Emperor

The Royal Children

The Curtain Call

Photos by Rob Rich (www.societyallure.com)