Fort Worth Opera Announces YouTube Premieres and Facebook Watch Parties Of FRIDA KAHLO and FEEL THE TANGO

Fort Worth Opera will host free YouTube Premieres and Facebook Watch Parties of the operas Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World on April 16 and 18, and Feel the Tango on April 23 and 25, 2020.

As the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to shape the lives of families across the United States, Fort Worth Opera is committed to bringing educational programs like its new FWO Arts-In-Place digital curriculum into homes, and sharing its love of opera and theater with the global community. Opera fans who missed these fantastic performances during our past seasons will now be able to enjoy them from the comfort of their couches.

In November of 2019, the company presented the world premiere of FWO Artistic Director and composer Joe Illick and Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Mark Campbell's Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World. Based upon the highly acclaimed book by award-winning English author and illustrator Laurence Anholt and directed by Octavio Cardenas, this charming new work with delightful pet puppets follows the real-life story of Marianna Morillo Safa and her friendship with famed painter Frida Kahlo. Through the magic of opera, Frida's parrot, dog, and monkey all sing, and the audience is invited to join in on the fun as well.

During the company's 2018 Festival, FWO presented Brief Encounters, a trio of 20-minute pocket operas about love and marriage by Jake Heggie, Mark Adamo, and Joe Illick. Later this month, we will show one of the three operas, Feel the Tango, composed by Illick, with a delightfully witty libretto by Susan Westfall. This one-act comedy paints the portrait of a jaded married couple whose Friday night takes an unexpected turn once they step into their favorite Spanish restaurant. Fort Worth Opera will be presenting the original world premiere from Performance Santa Fe's Festival of Song, featuring the same terrific cast as the company's 2018 production at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden auditorium.

Frida Kahlo AND THE BRAVEST GIRL IN THE WORLD

(35 minutes; Ages 3+)

• Thursday, April 16 from 4-5 PM; YouTube Premiere
• Saturday, April 18 from 2-3 PM; Facebook Watch Party

CAST:

• Robin Steitz (Marianna)
• Kayla Nanto (Frida)
• Christopher Curcuruto (Diego | Father | Parrot)
• Lwazi Hlati (Brother | Dog)
• Megan Koch (Grandmother | Monkey)

FEEL THE TANGO

(20 minutes; Ages 10+)

• Thursday, April 23 from 7-8 PM; YouTube Premiere
• Saturday, April 25 from 7-8 PM; Facebook Watch Party

CAST:

• Maren Weinberger (Sandy)
• Samuel Schultz (Joe)
• Javier Abreu (Carlos)
• Kate Tombaugh (María)

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