THAIS Replaces TRISTAN & ISOLDE in Florida Grand Opera's 2013-14 Season

The 2013-2014 season marks the start of a new vision for Florida Grand Opera (FGO) with provocative repertoire curated by Susan T. Danis, the company's General Director and CEO. With an unyielding commitment to bringing the highest artistic product to South Florida and limited availability of such productions, FGO has decided to postpone Tristan & Isolde for one season and present Jules Massenet's Thaïs in its place during the 2013-2014 season.

"Since I accepted the position of General Director of Florida Grand Opera I have stated repeatedly and unequivocally that my goal is to present great opera, including exciting productions with world-class singers and thought-provoking repertoire. This community deserves nothing less," said Danis. "We have had to postponeTristan & Isolde for one season due to the challenge of finding a production that fits the stages both in Miami and in Ft. Lauderdale. With the production team making it a priority to find a great production, we will be able to present Tristan & Isolde in all its glory in 2014-2015."

The French opera, Thaïs, is the tale of a seductive Egyptian courtesan and the monk who attempts to redeem her. It's a sensual story, in which the courtesan finds salvation, while the monk's erotic obsession compromises his virtue. The opera includes the moving aria "Dis-moi que je suis belle (Tell me that I am beautiful)" and one of the most beautiful orchestral pieces in opera - the Act II "Méditation," an intermezzo for violin and orchestra.

Please be aware that Florida Grand Opera is in the process of updating its website, social media channels, and collateral to reflect this change. A press release detailing casting and additional information will be made available shortly.

Florida Grand Opera (FGO), the oldest performing arts organizations in Florida, celebrates its 73rd year of continuously producing grand opera during the 2013-2014 season, celebrating the birthdays of two great operatic composers - Verdi and Wagner. The main stage operas of the season include: Marvin David Levy's Mourning Becomes Electra, Nov. 7 - 19, 2013; Verdi's Nabucco, Jan. 5 - Feb. 8, 2014; Puccini's Tosca, Mar. 29 - Apr. 12, 2014; and Massenet's Thaïs, May 3 - 17, 2014.

Founded in 1941 as Greater Miami Opera and later merging with The Opera Guild Inc. in 1994, FGO presents a mixture of standard repertoire and contemporary works as well as commissions new productions - all featuring projected translations in English and Spanish. FGO, recognized for funding by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding is also provided, in part, by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council. Program support is provided by the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council. Florida Grand Opera is a Resident Company of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and a member company of OPERA America. American Airlines is the Official Airline, Intercontinental Miami is the Official Hotel and Steinway & Sons is the Official Piano of Florida Grand Opera.

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