Opera Naples Third Annual Festival Under The Stars Kicks Off This Month

Opera Naples, one of Naples' leading performing arts organizations, will kick off the third annual Festival Under the Stars on March 21 at Cambier Park. This spectacular, multi-day outdoor opera festival will be conducted by Opera Naples Artistic & Music Director and Naples Cultural Ambassador Maestro Ramón Tebar, with a variety of exciting performances being held March 21 - April 5. Tickets start at just $23.

The Festival Under the Stars will also feature the Naples Festival Orchestra, four up-and-coming Resident Artists along with some of the best international opera artists in the world. The two-week Festival Under the Stars lineup features:

• March 21: Opera Stars Concert starring Soprano Jennifer Rowley - Acclaimed worldwide for her remarkable voice and stage presence and often described as creating "the most beautiful lyrical moments," Rowley's repertoire includes richly varied roles as many of opera's greatest heroines. Past titles include her signature role of Leonora in Verdi's "Il Trovatore," the title role of Verdi's "Aida," the title role of Puccini's "Tosca," Amelia Grimaldi in Verdi's "Simon Boccanegra," and Hanna in Lehár's "The Merry Widow."
• March 22: An Evening of Hope benefit concert featuring Jonathan Tetelman - A Chilean-born American tenor, Tetelman has been heralded as a "total star," "major talent" and "vocally magnificent, radiant and distinctive tenor." He has performed Rodolfo in Puccini's "La Bohème" at Semperoper Dresden, Loris in Giordano's "Fedora" in Las Palmas and Cavaradossi in Puccini's "Tosca" at the Deutsche Opera Berlin. This charity concert is presented in partnership with the Columbus Children's Foundation and Axcelerate Medical Foundation, with proceeds to support children's health.

• March 28 and 30: Carmen - One of the world's most beloved operas, Georges Bizet's "Carmen" is a four-act opera sung in French with English supertitles. Set in Spain's exotic countryside, Bizet's masterpiece burns with passion in the epic love story of the gypsy girl Carmen, a love-struck soldier and a handsome bull fighter. Hear the iconic Toreador Song, "Habanera and Seguidilla." The famed cast includes mezzo-soprano Maya Lahyani as Carmen, tenor Matthew White as Don José, soprano Jeanette Vecchione-Donatti as Micaëla and baritone Ethan Vincent as Escamillo. Maestro Ramón Tebar conducts the Naples Festival Orchestra with the Opera Naples chorus and a cast of International Artists in a fully-staged production directed by Malena Dayen.
• March 29: Zarzuela and Flamenco - Experience an evening of classic Spanish music and dance, featuring lush, romantic melodies of Zarzuela and authentic Spanish Flamenco. Mezzo soprano Maria Antúnez and tenor Martin Nusspaumer will perform exhilarating arias and duets, accompanied by Maestro Ramón Tebar on piano.
• April 2: A Night at the Opera - Opera Naples Resident Artists partner with the Southwest Florida Symphony for an evening of classical performances and popular arias featuring a full symphony orchestra and world-renowned guest artists.
• April 4 & 5: Frida - A revered opera celebrating the life, talents, and legacy of artist Frida Kahlo, with music by Robert Xavier Rodriguez, book by Hilary Blecher, lyrics and monologues by Migdalia Cruz. Soprano Catalina Cuervo will star in the lead role of Frida and bass-baritone Ricardo Herrera will perform as Diego Rivera. Maestro Ramón Tebar conducts the Naples Festival Orchestra with the Opera Naples chorus.

All performances will take place at the Cambier Park softball field. Tickets start at $23 with a variety of individual and table seating level options. Guests that purchase a five-event festival pass will receive a 15% discount. Assigned seats will be provided for all ticket levels. No outside food or coolers permitted. Advance meal packages from Three60 Market are available for purchase or guests can purchase light snacks during the event.

Additionally, Opera Naples will present a performance in collaboration with the Grand Piano Series on March 25 at 5 p.m. at Moorings Presbyterian Church featuring the duo of Dominic Cheli and the Milana Strezeva.

"What started as a way for us to continue to share opera performances during the pandemic, the Festival Under the Stars has blossomed into a major event that patrons look forward to each season," said Tebar. "This season, we want to take it to the next level and expand the cultural horizons of the Naples community and beyond. Our goal is to bring together the best opera artists and most popular opera productions from around the globe and create a new world of wonder and artistic appreciation in the scenic paradise of Southwest Florida."

The Festival Under the Stars is sponsored by PNC Bank and presented in collaboration with Naples Art Association and Grand Piano Series and will include the second Family and Community Day on March 26. Free to the public and underwritten by FineMark National Bank & Trust, the Family and Community Day will feature a performance of "The Ugly Duckling" by the Opera Naples Resident Artists, additional performances by Opera Naples youth, and a variety of activities to educate and inspire the children in our community.

To reserve tickets today, contact 239-963-9050 or visit OperaNaples.org.

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