2020/2021 SEASON REVEAL at Opera Omaha

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Submitted by Rebecca Brown, Opera Omaha

Opera Omaha has an outstanding 2020/2021 Season in store, filled with exhilarating productions and remarkable artists. We look forward to numerous exciting debuts as well as the return of some of Omaha's favorite artists who will thrill us once again.

The Orpheum Theater series begins in the fall with Mozart's iconic opera, The Marriage of Figaro, directed by Omaha-native Dean Anthony. Treasured around the world, this touching comedy contains some of Mozart's most well-known melodies and beloved music. The season continues in February with Tchaikovsky's masterpiece, Eugene Onegin, an achingly beautiful love story told through a new production for Opera Omaha by Director Rosetta Cucchi, Artistic Director of Ireland's Wexford Festival. Steven White (2019 Faust) returns to Opera Omaha to conduct both productions.

In the spring Opera Omaha returns to the world of music theatre for Stephen Sondheim's triumph, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This Broadway blockbuster of operatic proportions is no stranger to opera houses around the country and will be the first musical produced by Opera Omaha in over a decade. Conductor Hal France, Opera Omaha's Artistic Director from 1995-2005, and Director Susan Clement-Toberer, Producing Artistic Director at Omaha's BLUEBARN Theatre, will lead an outstanding cast of opera and music theater veterans.

OPERA OUTDOORS | AUGUST 21, 2020

The season begins with our eighth annual Opera Outdoors, a free concert for the community in Midtown Crossing's Turner Park on August 21st. Conducted by Opera Omaha's Head of Music, Sean Kelly, this fun summer evening, featuring some highlights of the season to come and rousing choral numbers, is for audiences of all ages and backgrounds: from those trying opera for the first time to those who have been fans for life. This year marks Midtown Crossing's Tenth Anniversary and Opera Omaha is planning some special surprises to help celebrate our partner and host!

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO | November 6 & 8, 2020

Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte

On the eve of his wedding to the lovely Susanna, Figaro must outwit his master, Count Almaviva, who has amorous designs on the bride-to-be. Conductor Steven White and DirectorDean Anthony team up to delight audiences, leading a stellar cast in this satire of the aristocracy, bringing back the characters from The Barber of Seville as they skillfully maneuver around each other to create this lively and romantic comedy. Vanessa Becerra (2019 Les Enfants Terribles) returns to Opera Omaha as Susanna and Brian Vu makes his company debut as the beloved barber, Figaro.

Conductor | Steven White

Director | Dean Anthony*

Figaro | Brian Vu*

Susanna | Vanessa Becerra

Cherubino | Annie Rosen

Count Almaviva | Zachary Nelson*

Countess Almaviva | Mary Feminear

EUGENE ONEGIN | February 26 & 28, 2021

Music and libretto by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin

When sensitive Tatyana bares her soul in a love letter to the dashing Eugene Onegin, he coldly rejects her and flirts with her sister, resulting in a deadly duel with his trusted friend, Lensky. Years later, Onegin returns to Russia, tortured by guilt and regret. Conductor Steven White and Director Rosetta Cucchi both return to Opera Omaha, transporting literary Russian romance to life in this achingly beautiful tale of longing, remorse, and love unfulfilled - with the breathtaking music by Tchaikovsky (The Nutcracker, Swan Lake). Michael Adams,in the title role of Eugene Onegin, joins Corinne Winters as Tatyana, both making their Opera Omaha debuts.

Conductor | Steven White

Director | Rosetta Cucchi

Eugene Onegin | Michael Adams*

Tatyana | Corinne Winters*

Vladimir Lensky | Arseny Yakovlev*

Olga | Hilary Ginther*

Filippyevna | Victoria Livengood

SWEENEY TODD | April 16 & 18, 2021

The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

A Musical Thriller

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Book by Hugh Wheeler

From an Adaptation by Christopher Bond

This dark, Tony Award-winner for Best Musical by Stephen Sondheim has thrilled opera audiences across the nation. Leading an all-star cast are two of Omaha's most dynamic and acclaimed artistic leaders, Conductor Hal France (Opera Omaha's Artistic Director from 1995-2005) and Director Susan Clement-Toberer (Producing Artistic Director, BLUEBARN Theatre), making her Opera Omaha debut.

After escaping an unjust life sentence in prison, Sweeney Todd uses a new alias to resume work in his London barber shop above Mrs. Lovett's struggling pie shop. Swearing vengeance against the corrupt Judge Turpin who sentenced him and tore his family apart, Todd and Lovett devise a deadly scheme that fulfills both of their needs. This all-star cast features Zachary James in the title role of Sweeney Todd and Emily Pulley (2019 Faust) returns to Opera Omaha in the role of Nellie Lovett.

Conductor | Hal France

Director | Susan Clement-Toberer*

Sweeney Todd | Zachary James*

Nellie Lovett | Emily Pulley

Johanna Barker | Ashley Emerson

Anthony Hope | Jonathan Johnson*

Judge Turpin | Rod Neiman

Originally Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince

Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick

Originally Produced on Broadway by Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards in Association with Dean and Judy Manos

Sweeney Todd is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIshows.com

* Opera Omaha Mainstage Debut

TICKETS AND INFORMATION

Season tickets for Opera Omaha's 2020/21 Season are available now. Visit www.TicketOmaha.com to purchase or call Opera Omaha at (402) 34OPERA (346-7372). Ticket Omaha's Box Office hours: Monday through Friday 10:00 am-5:00 pm; Saturday 10:00 am-6:00 pm during performance season.

ONE FESTIVAL

Led by Opera Omaha General Director Roger Weitz and ONE Festival Artistic Director James Darrah, ONE Festival is a multi-week event which amplifies the Omaha creative spirit by curating a yearly group of interdisciplinary, world-class artists and providing them the time, space and resources to create new opera collaborations on location with local partners. Each of the festival's creatives is an Artist-in-Residence, partnering across respective mediums to push beyond their own disciplines and craft multiple live performances and events during five intense residency weeks. This season, Opera Omaha will be announcing a new ONE Festival format, expanding on the innovation and accessibility that the festival brings to the community. Stay tuned for more details.

EXPLORE MORE

Opera Omaha's Community Programs offer a wide variety of opportunities that go beyond the stage. Each year, our programs reach thousands of individuals across the metropolitan area. Whether diving deeper into the opera, opening a door to view opera from a new perspective, or introducing opera to new audiences, our engagement programs strive to make opera accessible to everyone with offerings including Midday Music, Opera in Conversation, Free Community Concerts, Workshops and Masterclasses, Prelude and Post-Show Talkbacks and Student Dress Rehearsals. Learn more at operaomaha.org/community.

Holland Community Opera Fellowship

Through the Holland Community Opera Fellowship, Opera Omaha works collaboratively with community partners to co-create programming that helps individuals, organizations and communities reach their goals. In service to the community, we are bringing opera into new environments illustrating and promoting the value of creativity in both the arts and non-arts sectors. The Fellowship brings community-minded, entrepreneurial artists to live and work in Omaha, and throughout the season, you may see our Fellows around the city working with community partners in various ways and performing in Opera Omaha and partner events.

About Opera Omaha

Opera Omaha, the only professional opera company in Nebraska, began in 1958 as the Omaha Civic Opera Society, a volunteer association, and with tremendous community support became fully professional by 1970. Opera Omaha produces a season of original mainstage productions, presented at the historic Orpheum Theater, and smaller productions and musical events throughout the community. Opera Omaha is internationally known for its productions of eight world premieres and four American premieres of classical masterpieces and is highly regarded regionally for extensive community engagement and education programs. Opera Omaha also produces ONE Festival, an innovative spring festival, and facilitates a groundbreaking civic practice initiative, the Holland Community Opera Fellowship - work that is key to Opera Omaha's ongoing transformation from a performing arts organization to a cultural resource for the community. Visit www.operaomaha.org for more information.

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