Dallas Opera Single Tickets for Spring Productions Go On Sale 11/19

The Dallas Opera has announced that single tickets for Giacomo Puccini's final masterpiece, TURANDOT, as well as a new production of the company's first world premiere commemorating the 25th anniversary of Dominick Argento's THE ASPERN PAPERS will go on sale Wednesday, November 14, 2012 beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Single tickets, starting at a new low price of $19, may be purchased at your convenience online, 24/7, at dallasopera.org or by contacting the friendly staff at the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000.
Single tickets are now available for all scheduled 2012-2013 TDO Family Performances at $5 apiece, including:
· TDO Family Concert on Saturday, February 2, 2013 with the Dallas Opera Orchestra and guest performers, directed by Maestro Anthony Barrese. Free family friendly activities start at noon, the performance will be at 2:00 p.m.

· Georges Bizet's Doctor Miracle in two performances with full orchestra on Saturday, November 10th followed by two additional performances on Saturday, April 27, 2013 in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (with lots of hands-on lobby activities in-between!)

· And a brand-new adventure: TDOpage2stage which consists of fun, free activities (starting at noon) and a free Kids Book Club presented in the Winspear lobby at 12:30 p.m. followed by a performance of John Davies' Jack and the Beanstalk at 2:00 p.m. (Saturday, January 26, 2013) in artistic collaboration with Dallas Children's Theater.

Season subscriptions for our mainstage productions begin at the low, low price of $75. The trio of mainstage productions for the 2012-2013 "Pursuits of Passion" Season presented by Texas Instruments Foundation consists of:

· AÏDA by Giuseppe Verdi, with Latonia Moore in the title role
(with remaining performances on Nov. 9 & 11m, 2012)
· TURANDOT by Giacomo Puccini, with Lise Lindstrom making her Dallas Opera debut in the title role
(April 5, 7m, 10, 13, 19 & 21, 2013)
· THE ASPERN PAPERS by Dominick Argento, with Susan Graham in her Dallas Opera debut as Tina. Supported by additional funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and Opera America.
(April 12, 14m, 17, 20 & 28m, 2012)

Two–pack season subscriptions for our mainstage productions begin at the low, low price of $44. Take your pick of any two mainstage productions for the 2012-2013 "Pursuits of Passion" Season presented by Texas Instruments Foundation.

"During this 'Pursuits of Passion' Season," explains Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, "we will build on the extraordinary success of last season's unbroken string of artistic triumphs (from Lucia di Lammermoor to The Lighthouse to Tristan & Isolde) to the unparalleled community interest in the first simulcast ever conducted in Cowboys Stadium. The Dallas Opera had well over thirty thousand ticket requests and, ultimately, around 15,000 trekked to the home of the Dallas Cowboys to experience a magical night of Mozart with a multi-generational crowd that spanned all ages, income and educational levels, and ethnic groups."
Added Mr. Cerny: "It was powerful testimony to grassroots interest in the performing arts in North Texas. For me, it was opera at its most inspiring. I'd like to see that momentum continue to build throughout this new season."

Attention-grabbing Dallas Opera debuts this season include:

· Orlin Anastassov, the offspring of two opera singers, this accomplished Bulgarian bass has been dazzling audiences since the age of 19 (He made his La Scala and Covent Garden debuts before his mid-20s). After singing the role of the high priest, Ramfis, in Dallas he will reprise the role next year at La Scala. Opera Britannia took note of his "handsome and firm basso cantabile tone" and energetic stage presence.
· Sasha Cooke, an American mezzo-soprano who caused a sensation as Kitty Oppenheimer in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of John Adams' Doctor Atomic, winner of the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. The New Yorker praised her "luminous tone…verbal nuance…and flair for seduction." She makes her TDO debut as Sonia, a young aspiring singer in Argento's The Aspern Papers.

· Susan Graham, the "peerless American mezzo" (New York Observer) and one of the world's most acclaimed singers will make her eagerly awaited Dallas Opera debut as Tina in our new 25th anniversary production of The Aspern Papers. "Sounding and looking fabulous," writes the Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco), "Graham sings with such surety, tonal allure, and technical panache as to make you wonder if she is the same singer who reigns supreme in slow, sensual French repertoire."

· Joseph Kaiser, an American tenor who starred in the Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of The Magic Flute (2007), will make his TDO debut as the composer, Aspern, in The Aspern Papers. Joshua Kosman of The San Francisco Chronicle wrote: "Here is a singer of unnerving ability, blessed with a muscular but flexible sound, plenty of tonal color and technical proficiency-not to mention a full helping of charismatic good looks."
· Nadia Krasteva, a native of Sofia, Bulgaria, now on the artistic roster of Vienna State Opera and in demand from Moscow to Chicago, will make her TDO debut as Amneris in our season opener, Aïda. Operagoers can't get enough of this "pure stage animal" (Opera Today) "sexy, beguiling, fiercely independent" (Splash) with "a warm rich mezzo" (ArkivMusic).
· Lise Lindstrom, an American soprano "who made a notable splash in the opera world (debuts at La Scala and the Met) with her portrayals of Giacomo Puccini's Turandot" (Opera Today) will bring the princess to life in her Dallas Opera debut. "The elegant Lise Lindstrom is an imposing presence as the title character and commands our attention…capable of delicate shadings and unmitigated power" (Kansas City Star).
· Christian Van Horn, an American who performs regularly in many of the world's great venues, has been praised for his "sonorous, rock-solid bass baritone" (John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune) as well as his "beautiful dark timbre" (Le Temps). His portrayal of Timur in Turandot will mark his TDO debut.

Among the notable artists returning to the Dallas Opera stage this year are:

· Alexandra Deshorties, a Canadian-born French soprano who made her TDO debut as Desdemona in the opera that opened the Winspear Opera House in October of 2009: Verdi's Otello. Now she returns as Juliana Bordereau-a secretive opera singer-in the 25th anniversary production of The Aspern Papers. A phenomenal actress, during Ms. Deshorties' "riveting…fearless" performances as Medea at last year's Glimmerglass Festival, "she had the audience hanging on every word" (CNY Café Momus).

· Nathan Gunn, considered one of the most exciting baritones onstage today, has charmed TDO audiences as Malatesta and Guglielmo but returns in the much darker role of The Lodger in Argento's The Aspern Papers. Most recently he triumphed in the Met's revival of Billy Budd, earning Anthony Tommasini's praise for his "robust, penetrating and warm (sound; Nathan Gunn is) a born actor, he sings as if speaking the words."

· Hei-Kyung Hong, a Korean-American lyric soprano who has enchanted audiences in sympathetic roles, including Lìu in Turandot, brings her "fresh and radiant (singing) distinguished by beautiful phrasing and refined pianissimos" (The New York Times) to our upcoming production of Puccini's final masterpiece.

· Lester Lynch, an African-American artist with a commanding stage presence and a "resounding baritone with…deep, resonant overtones and a hearty vibrato that bounces around the corners of a theater like a ball in a pinball machine" (musicalcriticism.com), makes a welcome return to TDO as the Ethiopian King, Amonasro, in our season opening production, Aïda.

· Latonia Moore, a Houston-born African-American soprano who recently triumphed at the Metropolitan Opera in her debut in the title role of Aïda, returns to Dallas in the same role this fall. She sang a memorable Micaela in our 2004 Carmen and won that season's Maria Callas Award as the "debut artist of the year." Of her Covent Garden debut, Hugh Canning wrote: "Moore's creamy, lyric soprano could take her to the top of her profession."

· Antonello Palombi, an Italian tenor who made an indelible impression as Canio in the Dallas Opera's acclaimed 2005 production of Pagliacci, returns in two leading roles this season: Radames in Aïda and next spring as Calaf in Turandot. Several seasons ago, he was the talk of the opera world after stepping into the role of Radames in mid-performance at La Scala when Roberto Alagna walked-off. Frankfurter Neue Presse calls his tenor "firm (and) breathtaking."

· Dean Peterson is a multifaceted American bass-baritone who will appear this season as Fafner in Siegfried at La Scala but will also portray the womanizing impresario, Barelli, in TDO's The Aspern Papers. Possessing a voice and stage persona of "splendid gravity" (BravaDiva.com), Peterson's chameleon-like ability to inhabit a wide variety of roles has fueled demand for his talents in opera houses around the world.

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The benefits of becoming a Dallas Opera subscriber are even more attractive this season. In addition to priority seating, lost ticket replacement, invitations to special events and a no-interest installment payment plan, the company has added these great incentives for 2012-2013:

· The first 800 subscribers received FREE seats to Cabaret@TDO, this season featuring the incredibly appealing American baritone, Rod Gilfry (Billy Budd, South Pacific). This one-night-only performance will be held in the acoustically acclaimed Winspear Opera House on November 8, 2012. SOLD OUT!

· Subscribers are eligible for a 20% discount on all additional single tickets purchased.

· A free Family four-pack to attend any of our TDO Family Series performances in the Winspear Opera House.

· TDO's Bring-a-Friend Program allows season ticket holders to bring a friend for free to select TDO performances. Quantities are limited for each performance.

· And last, but not least, priority access to TDO's educational and social events for one entire year. These include the Conversations with Keith; the TDO Experience Series; "Baritones and Beachballs" summer discussions, movie screenings and more; and TDO's Composing Conversations with the most fascinating creative minds at work in opera today.

ABOUT TURANDOT:

The pursuit of passion leads a barbarian prince to Beijing, China, where he is reunited with his long-lost father and a faithful servant before taking on his greatest challenge-answering three riddles to win the hand of Princess Turandot, although failure will cost him his life! This intriguing "Battle of the Sexes" also revolves around questions of family loyalty, faithfulness to duty, openness to emotion, and honesty to oneself.
The ensemble cast is led by acclaimed soprano Lise Lindstrom in her Dallas Opera debut and tenor Antonello Palombi who took us by storm in our opening opera of the season Aïda. Puccini's magnificent, marvelous, and extremely powerful drama proves love conquers all!

At the head of a spectacular cast, American soprano Lise Lindstrom in her Dallas Opera debut as Turandot, Italian tenor Antonello Palombi as Calaf, Korean-American soprano Hei-Kyung Hong as Liu, American bass-baritone Christian Van Horn in his Dallas Opera debut as Timur, American baritone Jonathan Beyer as Ping, Taiwanese-American tenor Joseph Hu as Pang, and American tenor Daniel Montenegro as Pong.
Conducted by Maestro Marco Zambelli (Romeo & Juliette) and staged by renowned director Garnett Bruce. Sung in Italian with English language supertitles on April 5, 7m, 10, 13, 19 & 21m, 2013.
Opera contains: Execution, torture, onstage suicide, adult themes
TDO rating: PG-13

ABOUT THE ASPERN PAPERS:

A stranger appears at a once-grand home on Lake Como, seeking a room to rent. Although suspicious of his motives, a long-retired opera star and her niece agree to take the man in. The lodger, obsessed with a composer who died suddenly and tragically, is convinced his final masterpiece is somewhere in this home belonging to this retired opera star. A game of cat-and-mouse ensues over possession of the Aspern Papers.

A star-studded cast has been ensemble including mezzo-soprano Susan Graham as Tina in her long-anticipated Dallas Opera debut, with soprano Alexandra Deshorties as a famous diva, and baritone Nathan Gunn as an obsessed music lover.

Conducted by Dallas Opera Music Director Graeme Jenkins and staged by celebrated director Tim Albery. Sung in English with English language supertitles on April 12, 14m, 17, 20, & 28m, 2013.
Opera contains: adult themes
TDO Rating: PG-13

Single tickets for the 2012-2013 Season are subject to dynamic pricing (the earlier they are purchased and the less-in-demand, the lower the price). Subscriptions are on sale now, starting at just $75 to $1,015. Inner Circle seating may be priced higher.

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