TOSCA, AIDA, MERRY WIDOW and MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Set for Utah Opera's 2015-16 Season

Utah OperaArtistic Director Christopher McBeth today announced Utah Opera's 2015-16 season. The company's 38th season will feature four productions between October 2015 and May 2016 that encompass some of opera's greatest tales of love and sacrifice.

The upcoming season includes the return of three operas beloved the world over - Giacomo Puccini's Tosca, Giuseppe Verdi's Aida, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Franz Lehàr's The Merry Widow, last performed by Utah Opera in May 2000, returns to the stage in January 2016. All four productions will be staged at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, which recently unveiled new renovations completed during the fall of 2014.

"We are about to embark upon one of the most exciting seasons of well-known opera hits and composers that Utah Opera has seen. There are no bigger names in opera than Verdi, Puccini and Mozart," said Artistic Director Christopher McBeth. "I'm thrilled to be featuring these heavy hitters of classic opera repertoire that are beloved by longtime opera goers and newcomers alike."

TOSCA

The season opens in October 2015 with Puccini's Tosca, which was last performed on the Utah Opera stage in January 2008 and is considered one of the most popular and frequently performed operas in the world. The tale portrays artists caught in a world of political intrigue, as well as some of Puccini's best-known lyrical arias.

The story revolves around fiery, young diva Floria Tosca, sung by soprano Kara Shay Thomson in her Utah Opera debut, who becomes trapped between her allegiance to her rebel lover and the scheming of a vicious police chief who will stop at nothing in his lust for her. The explosive triangle comes to a heart-stopping conclusion in one of opera's most intense dramas, against the backdrop of exquisitely painted scenic drops by Italian designer Ercole Sormani. Baritone Michael Chioldi returns to Utah Opera as Baron Scarpia following his starring role as Jochanaan in Salome. Long-time Utah Opera conductor Robert Tweten returns after Madame Butterfly to lead the orchestra. Utah Opera's production of Tosca also features the main stage directorial debut of Kathleen Clawson, who has collaborated with the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera Education department on Utah Opera Resident Artist programming.

THE MERRY WIDOW

Utah Opera brings Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow back to Capitol Theatre in January 2016 (last presented in May of 2000), with sets and costumes by Utah Opera. Librettists Viktor Léon and Leo Stein based the storyline - a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband - on an 1861 comedy play, L'attaché d'ambassade (The Embassy Attaché) by Henri Meilhac.

In her Utah Opera debut as Hanna (the 'merry' widow around whom the story revolves), soprano Caroline Worra is beautiful, wealthy, and attracts a lot of attention from suitors looking to cash in. A former love interest, Danilo, performed by Grammy Award-winning baritone Daniel Belcher, returns but does not seem interested in money or in competing with other men for Hanna's affection. Flirtations and accusations fly, swept along by Lehár's magical score, featuring the famous "Vilja" song, and the "Merry Widow Waltz." Singing the role of Valencienne is soprano Sharin Apostolou, who previously sang Nenita in Utah Opera's production of Falstaff. Stage Director David Gately returns to Utah Opera, and Utah's favorite pops conductor Jerry Steichen leads the orchestra.

AIDA

In March 2016, Giuseppe Verdi's grand opera spectacle Aida returns to the Utah Opera stage with a new production by San Diego Opera, after more than a decade since the last Utah Opera production in October 2004. Stage Director Garnett Bruce, who last directed Madame Butterfly with Utah Opera, will lead veterans of The Metropolitan Opera who have both previously performed with Utah Opera, soprano Jennifer Check in the title role after her last appearance in Il Trovatore, and bass-baritone Alfred Walker in his signature role as her father, Amonasro, following his last appearance in The Magic Flute. Mezzo-soprano Katharine Goeldner sings the role of priestess Amneris in her Utah Opera debut.

Modeled after classic grand opera with mass scenes involving large choruses, monumental scenery, pageantry, and special effects, the story is set in Ancient Egypt. A captive Ethiopian princess, Aida, is torn between her love for the Egyptian commander Radamès and her loyalty to her own father and country. The lovers must fend off the schemes of a fiercely jealous Egyptian princess and decide whether true love trumps honor and duty. Verdi's masterpiece proves that a pyramid may be the greatest love triangle of all. Conductor Ari Pelto returns after his most recent production with Utah Opera, Hansel and Gretel.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

The 2015-16 season concludes in May 2016 with Mozart's comedy, The Marriage of Figaro, under the baton of conductor Gary Thor Wedow, who most recently conducted The Abduction from the Seraglio at Utah Opera. Director Tara Faircloth, who directed Utah Opera's most recent production of The Barber of Seville, leads the cast in the comic masterpiece featuring sets from Florentine Opera Company in Milwaukee.

On the eve of Figaro's marriage to Susanna, sung by soprano Anya Matanovic who sang Pamina in The Magic Flute and Adina in The Elixir of Love, the Count's wandering eye has landed on the lovely bride-to-be. Servant and master go head to head, and even the Countess must spring into battle when she learns of her husband's plans. Singing the role of the Count is baritone Craig Irvin, who most recently debuted with Utah Opera as Zurga in The Pearl Fishers. From the breathless opening notes of the overture to the touching final curtain, Mozart's comic masterpiece brilliantly delivers an ageless message of love and forgiveness.

* Complete casting will be announced at a later date.

VIVACE, CADENZA AND UTAH SOL

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera offers three social and networking organizations for classical music enthusiasts: Vivace (young professionals who enjoy classical music performances and exciting after-parties with USUO musicians), Cadenza (single music-lovers who have reached their golden years but are still young at heart) and Utah Sol (Latino classical music and opera aficionados).

Vivace subscribers receive discounted tickets to select Utah Symphony | Utah Opera performances, special program notes, and after-parties with guest artists and musicians, catered by some of Salt Lake's best restaurants. Vivace subscribers will attend the Utah Opera season opening night performance of a special chamber opera, and five Utah Symphony performances.

Cadenza members receive similar benefits and dine together at local restaurants before select Utah Symphony | Utah Opera performances. Cadenza subscribers will attend the opening night performance of Aida on March 18, 2016, and six Utah Symphony performances.

Utah Symphony Opera Latinos (Sol) is a group that connects Latino classical music aficionados in the Salt Lake City community through great live music, receives invitations to attend special monthly events, and shares the experience of attending Utah Symphony and Utah Opera performances together. Utah Sol members attend the Monday evening performance of each opera together.

Subscription renewals and purchases are available online at www.utahopera.org starting February 3, 2015. 2015-16 subscribers have until March 27, 2015 to renew their subscriptions or request seat changes for the 2015-16 season before seats will be released to new subscribers and subscribers requesting seat changes. Subscriptions may also be renewed or purchased by calling (801) 533-6683 or by visiting the Abravanel Hall Ticket Office (123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah).

To request a 2015-16 Utah Opera season brochure, call Utah Symphony | Utah Opera Patron Services at (801) 533-6683, email info@usuo.org, or write to ATTN: USUO Patron Services, 123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101.

About Utah Opera - Utah Opera, established by Glade Peterson in 1978, has been part of the community for more than 35 years and engages Utah residents through inspiring operatic performances. The opera company presents four annual productions at the historic Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre. Utah Opera operates a full production studio where productions are rehearsed and costumes, props and set pieces are designed, made, rented out and stored. The opera currently has 17 full sets and costumes for 45 full productions in its inventory. Utah Opera also offers a Resident Artist Program, a nationally recognized young artist training program for professional singers and pianists who perform for more than 140,000 students each year through the organization's education and outreach activities. For more information, visit www.utahopera.org.

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