Shawna Lucey To Direct All-New BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE For Opera San José
Bluebeard's Castle by Béla Bartók with a libretto by Béla Balázs, will be performed in English, with English and Spanish supertitles, February 15 – March 2, 2025.
Opera San José will present an all-new production of Béla Bartók's chilling one-act opera Bluebeard's Castle directed by OSJ General Director/CEO Shawna Lucey.
This psychological thriller follows Judith who uncovers terrifying corners of her new husband's dark past while unlocking rooms in his eerie home. Bluebeard's Castle will feature Emeritus OSJ Artist-in-Residence soprano Maria Natale whose recent acclaimed portrayals at OSJ include the title role in Tosca and The Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, as the unwitting bride who comes to live in the haunted realm of a mysterious duke. Acclaimed baritone Zachary Nelson will make his OSJ debut as Duke Bluebeard and OSJ Music Director Joseph Marcheso is set to conduct the powerful work.
Bluebeard's Castle by Béla Bartók with a libretto by Béla Balázs, will be performed in English, with English and Spanish supertitles, February 15 – March 2, 2025 (performance dates/times below) at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street, San José. For more information or to purchase tickets ($58 – $215), the public can visit operasj.org or call 408-437-4450 (open Monday through Friday, 11:00am - 5:30pm).
“I can't wait to bring this mesmerizing opera to our audiences,” said Opera San José General Director/CEO Shawna Lucey. “Besides its stunning orchestration, the work is emotional and unforgettable. From fierce brass sections to rich strings and sonorous woodwinds, the music and terrifically challenging vocals take us on a truly chilling thrill ride for a little over an hour. Fasten your seat belts for this memorable one-act work.”
Opera San José is collaborating with the Silicon Valley dance company New Ballet to feature three dancers as the previous wives of Duke Bluebeard: Delaney Ewert, Alysa Reinhardt, and Sorcha Tate.
The creative team for Bluebeard's Castle includes Opera San José Music Director Joseph Marcheso (Conductor), Opera San José General Director/CEO Shawna Lucey (Director), Steven Kemp (Scenic Designer), Michael Clark (Lighting Designer), Caitlin Cisek (Costume Designer), Christina Martin (Hair and Makeup Designer), Michelle Cuizon (Assistant Director), and Johannes Löhner (Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master).
“Classically Curious” night for Bluebeard's Castle will be held Friday, February 21, bringing together people who have a passion for deepening their involvement with opera. This Silicon Valley professionals program was created to introduce new audiences to opera, offering access to discounted tickets, exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunities, and social and community events that connect emerging opera lovers. More information can be found at go.operasj.org/ClassicallyCurious.
Composed by Béla Bartók with a libretto by Béla Balázs, Bluebeard's Castle is a one-act opera that premiered at the Royal Hungarian Opera House in Budapest in 1918. Based on, and departing from, the tale of Bluebeard from French folklore, the opera delves into psychological themes of love, trust, and the unknowable depths of the human soul. The work is acclaimed for its lush and evocative orchestration, which conveys the dark, mysterious atmosphere of Bluebeard's castle, and its dramatic vocal writing for the two characters, Bluebeard and Judith. Bartók's innovative use of Hungarian folk music influences and modernist techniques creates a gripping narrative soundscape and has remained a cornerstone of 20th-century opera, praised for its emotional intensity and symbolic depth.
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