Intermountain Opera Bozeman Announces Casting For 2022-2023 Season 

Intermountain Opera Bozeman has announced its casting for their 2022-2023 season. This follows a landmark 2021-2022 season in which the London-based Opera Now magazine reviewed IOB as "a small but thriving opera company that is not constrained by convention." Building on its reputation of bringing world-class talent to the Gallatin Valley, IOB's 2022-2023 artists will feature a mix of returning favorites, exciting company debuts, and local familiar faces.

IOB's season opens with The Falling and the Rising - a new American opera premiered in 2018 by the U.S. Army Field Band & Chorus. It is based on interviews with wounded veterans conducted by librettist Jerre Dye and composer Zachary Redler and is meant to create an emotional connection between the public and the military that protects them. In less than 90 minutes, stories of service, sacrifice, and family are interwoven in a powerful, emotional, and inevitably uplifting statement. The Falling and the Rising is sponsored by Bridger Aerospace and Jereco Studios.

In the leading role of the Soldier, soprano Tess Altiveros returns to IOB following her celebrated company debut as Susanna in last season's The Marriage of Figaro. Her recent performance in Seattle Opera's The Falling & the Rising was described by the Seattle Times as "enthralling" and Classical Voice North America commented that Altiveros "melded a fine voice that resounded of inner strength with a sympathetic countenance that bespoke complete identification with her role."

Also returning to IOB is soprano Cristina María Castro (previously seen in The Montana Mikado) as Toledo and Bozeman favorite and tenor Ssgt Lukas Graf (USAF Veteran) as the Jumper. Baritone Yazid Gray and bass-baritone Héctor Vásquez make their company debuts as the Homecoming Soldier and Colonel, respectively. Ned Canty, general director of Opera Memphis and one of the original commissioners of The Falling and the Rising, stage directs the production while IOB artistic director Michael Sakir conducts, having previously conducted productions with Seattle Opera, Arizona Opera, and Opera Memphis. A Military Chorus of roughly two dozen real-life veterans and currently serving military members will also appear in the climactic finale to the opera singing a heroic hymn of sacrifice and service. In partnership with Montana State University Veteran Services, IOB will offer free tickets for this production to current and retired military and their family members.

IOB returns to The Ellen Theatre this winter for Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved twist on classic fairy tales, Into the Woods. Directed by Montana native Josh Shaw - last seen with IOB as stage director for 2019's Camelot and recently named as one of Musical America's Top 30 Innovators in Classical Music - and conducted by company favorite Kyle Naig, Into the Woods explores what happens, for better or for worse, when wishes come true.

Headlining the cast as The Witch is mezzo-soprano Briana Elyse Hunter who was hailed by Opera News as "a mesmerizing mezzo-soprano with a fiery theatrical presence and dynamic vocalism." Hunter recently made her wildly successful Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall debuts and performed the title role in Carmen with the Glimmerglass Opera Festival and Opera Idaho.

Soprano Abigail Paschke and tenor Quinn Bernegger return to IOB following last season's uproarious The Montana Mikado as Cinderella and Jack, respectively. Chicago-based actors Peter Sipla and Daniella Dalli (last seen in IOB's 2015 Man of La Mancha) appear as The Baker and The Baker's Wife. Several veterans of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will also join IOB's production including John Hosking as the Narrator and Mysterious Man and Erik Pearson as Cinderella's Prince and the Wolf. Other Montana favorites in the cast include Caitlin Cisler as Rapunzel, Kyrie Dawson as Little Red Riding Hood, Lukas Graf as Rapunzel's Prince, Emily Thrasher as Jack's Mother, Coco Douma as Cinderella's Stepmother, Julie Lemieux as Lucinda, Sam Pedersen as Florinda, and Jake Reisig as the Steward and Milky White.

The final production of IOB's 2022-2023 season will be a work not seen on Bozeman stages in over twenty years - Verdi's Rigoletto. This tragic masterpiece based on Victor Hugo's provocative play tells the story of a hunchbacked jester fighting against the powers around him for the good of his family. In the title role, baritone Grant Youngblood returns to Bozeman following last season's Circle of Resilience - the critically-acclaimed and nationally recognized recital of vocal works by Indigenous composers and performed by Indigenous opera singers. Also returning to Bozeman will be company favorite tenor John Riesen in his role debut as the Duke of Mantua following his recent appearances in IOB's Eugene Onegin (2019) and Kiss Me, Kate (2020). Praised by Opera News as "distinctive and outstanding," soprano Katrina Galka will make her company debut as Rigoletto's daughter Gilda. Bass Kenneth Kellogg - who has been lauded by Broadway World for his "deep and resonant bass," also makes his company debut as Sparafucile. Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Sanchez returns to IOB as Maddalena following 2019's Eugene Onegin. Canadian Brenna Corner - whose credits include the Glimmerglass Festival, Seattle Opera, San Diego Opera, and The Atlanta Opera - will make her company debut as stage director for the production. IOB's Artistic Director Michael Sakir will conduct.

Season and individual tickets are available for purchase at Intermountainopera.org or by phone at 406-587-2889. Intermountain Opera Bozeman's office hours are Monday through Friday 10am-2pm. The office is located at 2011 N. 22nd Ave., Suite 4B.

Intermountain Opera Bozeman's 2022-23 season is sponsored by Diane Brawner. Season underwriters include Doug & Jeanie Badenoch, Tim & Mary Barnard; The Gianforte Family Foundation; Chip & Lynn Rinehart, The Sheehy Family, The Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation, and Drs. Dennis & Anne Wentz.

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