Frost Opera Theater and Frost Symphony Orchestra to Debut World Premiere of THE LEOPARD

The Frost Opera Theater in tandem with the Frost Symphony Orchestra are set to present the world premiere of The Leopard. The show is an opera in two acts with music by Michael Dellaira and a libretto by J. D. McClatchy. Gerard Schwarz will conduct, Jeffrey Buchman stage manages, Alan Johnson will music direct, Cameron Anderson designed the set, and Rosa Mercedes choreographed the production. John Cuff was the lighting designer and Camilla Haith costume designed.

The production is set for March 5th and 6th at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center in Cutler Beach, Florida. The work was commissioned and developed by AOP and made possible, in part, through generous funding by The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation and The Paul Underwood Charitable Trust.

In 1860, during the Risorgimento, Garibaldi has invaded Sicily and is sweeping the country towards a unified Italy. "For things to remain the same everything must change" declares the young and idealistic Tancredi to his uncle, Don Fabrizio Corbera, Prince of Salina. The Prince, known as The Leopard because of his commanding personality, is of the old school, and he now faces a society in upheaval, and is forced to choose between decay and progress, between the downfall of the nobility and the future of his family. Based on the internationally acclaimed 1958 novel Il Gattopardo by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, The Leopard will be Michael Dellaira's third opera with J. D. McClatchy and was the last completed full-length work by the famed librettist.

According to their website, the production will star Frost Opera Theater students with Kim Josephson (baritone), Robynne Redmon (mezzo-soprano), Frank Ragsdale (tenor) and guest artist, Kevin Short. For more information and tickets, visit the opera theatre's website here.