IU Opera and Ballet Theater Announces 2011-2012 Season

Four new productions and a collection of classics, including a reprise of Puccini's La Bohème, will take the stage at Bloomington's Musical Arts Center and the Buskirk-Chumley Theater during the 2011-2012 Indiana University Opera and Ballet Theater season.

The six operas and three ballets, representing the 63rd season of the world's leading collegiate opera and ballet company, will be artistically led by IU Jacobs School of Music faculty and a number of guest artists.

A new production of W. A. Mozart's comedic Così fan tutte opens the season in September with guest stage director Tomer Zvulun and Jacobs faculty designer C. David Higgins partnering for their third IU Opera creation. They will be joined by music director Professor Arthur Fagen.

Arthur Miller's play A View from the Bridge will then come to life in William Bolcom's adaptation, led by Professor Vincent Liotta, director, and returning guest Constantine Kitsopoulos, conductor, with set and costume designs by retired faculty member Robert O'Hearn. A View from the Bridge received its collegiate premiere by IU Opera Theater in 2005.

Giacomo Puccini's immensely popular La Bohème -- a lavish production first presented to the public in 2007 -- will bring IU Opera Theater's fall semester to a close. Higgins' designs are being featured in this reprise, which will be guest-directed by Tito Capobianco and conducted by Professor and Conducting Department Chair David Effron.

The spring semester will commence with a new production of Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring, in the intimate setting of downtown Bloomington's Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Guest director James Marvel returns to join conductor Fagen, with set and costume designs by IU Opera Theater.

The third new production of the season is Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, a rarity in the collegiate realm and previously produced only once by IU Opera, in 1966. Director Liotta and conductor Effron will collaborate with guest designers William Forrester and Linda Pisano, head of the Costume Design Program at the IU Department of Theatre and Drama.

Leonard Bernstein's Candide, an entertaining operetta based on Voltaire's famous satire, draws the opera season to a close. Guest stage director Candace Evans will make her IU Opera debut, while frequent guest conductor Kevin Noe returns and Higgins provides set and costume designs.

IU Ballet Theater, directed by Ballet Department Chair Michael Vernon, will open its new season in October with "Steps in Time," the 2011 fall ballet.

The program will include Concerto Barocco, choreographed by George Balanchine and set to music by J. S. Bach; Dear Frédéric, with choreography by Dwight Rhoden and music by Frédéric Chopin and Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji; and Company B, featuring Paul Taylor's choreography set to songs sung by The Andrews Sisters.

IU's production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker returns in December, with choreography by Vernon and set and costume designs by Higgins.

The spring will offer a new production of one of the world's most famous ballets: Tchaikovsky's timeless fairytale The Sleeping Beauty. The original choreography by Marius Petipa, with additional choreography by Michael Vernon, will be featured along with set designs by Higgins.

For more information and subscription opportunities, visit http://music.indiana.edu/operaballet.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY OPERA AND BALLET THEATER 2011-2012 SEASON

OPERA

All performances begin at 8 p.m. at the Musical Arts Center unless otherwise indicated.

Così fan tutte by W. A. Mozart (New Production)
September 23, 24, 30, October 1
Conductor: Arthur Fagen
Stage Director: Tomer Zvulun
Set and Costume Designer: C. David Higgins

A View from the Bridge by William Bolcom
October 21, 22, 28, 29
Conductor: Constantine Kitsopoulos
Stage Director: Vincent Liotta
Set and Costume Designer: Robert O'Hearn

La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini
November 11, 12, 18, 19
Conductor: David Effron
Stage Director: Tito Capobianco
Set and Costume Designer: C. David Higgins

Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten (New Production)
February 9, 10, 11 at 8 p.m.; February 12 at 2 p.m.
at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater
Conductor: Arthur Fagen
Stage Director: James Marvel
Set and Costume Designs: IU Opera Theater

Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss (New Production)
February 24, 25, March 2, 3; all at 7 p.m.
Conductor: David Effron
Stage Director: Vincent Liotta
Set Designer: William Forrester
Costume Designer: Linda Pisano

Candide by Leonard Bernstein
April 6, 7, 13, 14
Conductor: Kevin Noe
Stage Director: Candace Evans
Set and Costume Designer: C. David Higgins

BALLET

Steps in Time: Fall Ballet
October 7, 8 at 8 p.m.
Concerto Barocco -- Choreography by George Balanchine, Music by J. S. Bach
Dear Frédéric -- Choreography by Dwight Rhoden, Music by Frédéric Chopin and Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji
Company B -- Choreography by Paul Taylor, Songs sung by The Andrews Sisters

The Nutcracker by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
December 2, 3 at 8 p.m.; December 3, 4 at 2 p.m.
Conductor: TBA
Choreographer: Michael Vernon
Set and Costume Designer: C. David Higgins

The Sleeping Beauty by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (New Production)
March 23, 24 at 8pm; March 24 at 2 p.m.
Conductor: TBA
Choreographer: Marius Petipa, with additional choreography by Michael Vernon
Set Designer: C. David Higgins

 

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