Grammy-Winning Tichina Vaughn to Lead Verdi's IL TROVATORE at Piedmont Opera in Winston-Salem

Piedmont Opera will open its 46th season with Verdi's Il trovatore on October 20, 22 & 24, 2023. Verdi's tale of forbidden love, jealousy, and vengeance is led by Grammy-winning soprano Tichina Vaughn. Vaughn, who will perform the role of Azucena, is a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA) and is an acclaimed interpreter of the dramatic mezzo-soprano repertoire. She has been a guest at renowned opera houses, concert halls, and theaters worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera. Ukrainian soprano Yulia Lysenko will return to the Piedmont Opera stage as Leonora.

The performance will be held at the Stevens Center of the North Carolina School of the Arts, 405 West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. Il trovatore will be the last performance at the Stevens Center of the UNCSA for at least three years while the center undergoes renovation. "We see this as an opportunity to expand our repertory into new and exciting venues in the Greater Piedmont Triad," said Piedmont Opera's Executive Director, Connie Quinn. The production will be presented in Italian with English captions.

On March 22 and 24, 2024, the company will travel to High Point to produce The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart's greatest comedy. The opera's beloved characters will come to life through a cast of longtime audience favorites, including UNCSA alum Richard Ollarsaba (The Count). Opera News described Ollarsaba as a "bass-baritone who didn't just have the tall-dark-and-handsome bit going for him, but also robust, flavorful, agile vocalism." Piedmont Opera favorite and UNCSA alum Jodi Burns (The Countess) and Brad Smoak (Figaro), who made his Piedmont Opera debut in last season's Don Pasquale, will also lead the cast. Bus transportation for the High Point performance to The High Point Theatre will be available from Winston-Salem.

For details about all Piedmont Opera performances and ticket information, visit the website at Piedmontopera.org or call the box office at 336-725.7101. Season tickets are on sale now. Single tickets are on sale August 10, 2023.

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