Placido Domingo Returns in LA Opera's THAIS, Starring Nino Machaidze, Tonight
By: BWW News Desk May. 17, 2014
General Director Plácido Domingo returns to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage in the final production of LA Opera's 2013/14 season, Jules Massenet's Thaïs,starring soprano Nino Machaidze in the title role. Mr. Domingo will perform the baritone role of Athanaël, a monk whose determination to save the soul of a beautiful courtesan transforms into an unholy obsession. With these performances of Athanaël, Mr. Domingo will have sung 25 leading roles at LA Opera.
"Thaïs isn't as well known as it should be, but it is an incredibly beautiful opera and a wonderful star vehicle for a soprano with vocal virtuosity, physical beauty and stage charisma," said Mr. Domingo. "I am so excited to partner again with Nino Machaidze, one of LA Opera's favorite leading ladies, in a production that we first performed together in Seville in 2012. I love singing the part ofAthanaël; it's a dramatically challenging role with lots of beautiful music to sing. I'm very much looking forward to being a part of the Los Angeles premiere of this wonderful opera."
Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze has appeared with LA Opera as Adina in The Elixir of Love (2009), Fiorilla in The Turk in Italy (2011) and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, a production conducted by Mr. Domingo (2011). In September, they will appear together again inLa Traviata, the opening production of LA Opera's 2014/15 season, with Ms. Machadize as Violetta Valéry and Mr. Domingo as Giorgio Germont.
About the Opera
Thaïs is a glamourous courtesan whom all men find irresistible. The monk Athanaël vows to save her soul, but soon realizes that his devotion to her has unraveled into an unchaste obsession.
French audiences at the work's 1894 premiere thrilled to the exotic Byzantine setting, seductive melodies, and the conflict of religious and erotic subject matter. Thaïs is best known for an orchestral excerpt, the "Meditation," with its famous violin solo.
About the Composer
Although he is most famous today for two operas acknowledged as his masterpieces-Manon and Werther-Jules Massenet (1842-1912) was a prolific composer who was enormously popular during his lifetime. A superb melodist and highly imaginative orchestrator, he frequently tailored his operas for the unique talents of the greatest stars of his day. The extraordinary demands of these roles make Massenet's works notoriously difficult to revive, but opera's greatest artists continue to find success in Massenet's spectacular star vehicles.
Thaïs, written for the glamourous American soprano Sybil Sanderson, was initially popular, but faded from the stage in the early 20th century. After several decades of neglect, Thaïs proved to be a triumph for Beverly Sills in the 1970s and, more recently, for Renée Fleming. This production of Thaïs will only be LA Opera's third Massenet production, following Werther with Ramón Vargas in 1998 and Manon with Anna Netrebko in 2006.
Cast and Creative Team
In addition to Ms. Machaidze and Mr. Domingo, the principal cast will include tenor Paul Groves as Nicias and mezzo-soprano Milena Kitic as Albine. The cast also includes four members of LA Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program:
- Sopranos Hae Ji Chang (May 17 through June 1) and Rebecca Nathanson (June 4 and 7) sharing the role of Crobyle
- Mezzo-soprano Cassandra Zoé Velasco as Myrtale
- Bass Valentin Anikin as Palémon
French conductor Patrick Fournillier, a specialist in the operas of Massenet, leads a production directed by Nicola Raab; both are making their LA Opera debuts. The scenery and costume designer is Johan Engels and the lighting designer is Linus Fellbom. Grant Gershon is chorus master.
For complete casting, creative team, artist bios and ticketing information, click here.
Thaïs is performed in French, with simultaneous English translation projected over the stage.
Performance Dates, Times and Special Events:
There will be six performances of Thaïs at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, located at 135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012.
- Saturday, May 17, 2014, at 7:30pm (Opening Night)
- Sunday, May 25, at 2:00pm
- Thursday, May 29, 2014, at 7:30pm
- Sunday, June 1, at 2:00pm
- Wednesday, June 4, at 7:30pm (KCRW Night)
- Saturday, June 7, at 7:30pm (ARIA Night; Hispanics for LA Opera Night; Plácido Domingo Awards Dinner)
Tickets:
Tickets start at $19 and can be purchased in person at the LA Opera Box Office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, by phone at 213.972.8001 or online at www.LAOpera.org. For disability access, call 213.972.0777 or email laopera@laopera.org.
May 27 Concert Performance in Orange County
Segerstrom Center for the Arts will present a concert performance of Thaïs on May 27 at 7:30pm with the same soloists, as well as the LA Opera Orchestra and Chorus, under the baton of Maestro Fournillier. For more information about this performance, please click here.
Opera Month in L.A.
Thaïs is just one of several notable operatic performances taking place throughout Los Angeles County during the month of May. Additional highlights include the Company premiere of Andre Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire starring Renée Fleming, and a Dmitri Hvorostovsky recital presented by LA Opera; Così fan tutteproduced by the LA Philharmonic; The Gershwins' Porgy and Besspresented by Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson; An American Soldier's Tale and A Fiddler's Tale at Long Beach Opera; La Calistopresented by Pacific Opera Project; and spring concerts by the Verdi Chorus.
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