Opera Theatre of St. Louis Presents Their 2010 Spring Season 5/22-6/27

Opera Theatre's 2010 spring season opens on Saturday, May 22 and continues for 28 performances through Sunday, June 27 with all-new productions of Mozart's brilliant comedy The Marriage of Figaro, Tchaikovsky's romantic masterpiece Eugene Onegin, Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, directed and designed by famed designer Isaac Mizrahi, and the world premiere of Peter Ash and Donald Sturrock's The Golden Ticket, based on Roald Dahl's beloved classic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

All OTSL performances are sung in English, performed with members of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and presented in the Virginia Jackson Browning Theater in the Loretto-Hilton Center at 130 Edgar Road at Webster University.

THE 2010 REPERTORY:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro (1786)

9 performances: May 22, 26, 28, June 3, 12*, 16 (matinee), 20, 23*, 26 (matinee)

Conductor: Timothy Long

Stage Director: James Robinson

Set and Costume Designer: Bruno Schwengl

Choreographer: Seán Curran

This new production of Mozart's great comedy The Marriage of Figaro is the first in OTSL's new cycle of Mozart operas with librettos by Lorenzo da Ponte, which will continue with productions of Don Giovanni and Cosí fan tutte in the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Christopher Feigum sings the title role (he appeared as the same character in OTSL's The Ghosts of Versailles in 2009), with Maria Kanyova as Susanna and Edward Parks making his OTSL debut as the Count.

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin (1881)

Seven performances: May 29, June 2, 10, 19 (matinee), 23 (matinee) 25, 27

Conductor: David Agler

Stage Director: Kevin Newbury *

Set Designer: Allen Moyer

Costume Designer: Martin Pakledinaz

Choreographer: Seán Curran

Tchaikovsky's romantic score sets Pushkin's masterpiece - the most beloved work of Russian fiction - to dazzling waltzes and mazurkas. Baritone Christopher Magiera* makes an important OTSL debut in the title role, as does soprano Dina Kuznetsova* as the young Tatiana. Tenor Sean Panikkar returns as the ill-fated poet, Lenski.

This new production is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Stephen Sondheim: A Little Night Music (1973)

Six performances: June 6, 9, 11, 15 (matinee), 17, 19

Conductor: Stephen Lord

Stage Director: Isaac Mizrahi *

Set and Costume Designer: Isaac Mizrahi *

Lighting Designer: Michael Chybowski *

Opera Theatre's first production of a work by Stephen Sondheim features the directorial debut of famed designer Isaac Mizrahi, who will also design the sets and costumes. OTSL music director Stephen Lord will conduct. Renowned actresses Amy Irving and Siân Phillips will appear as the beautiful Desiree Armfeldt and Madame Armfeldt, her mother, and acclaimed baritone Ron Raines, an alumnus of Opera Theatre's early seasons, will return as Desiree's former lover.

The production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International and made possible with a leadership gift from Mrs. Walter F. Brissenden and with generous support from Whitaker Foundation. Special thanks to lead corporate sponsor Centene Corporation.

Peter Ash and Donald Sturrock: The Golden Ticket (2010) World premiere

Six performances: June 13, 16, 18, 22 (matinee) 24, 26

Conductor: Timothy Redmond *

Stage Director: James Robinson

Set Designer: Bruno Schwengl

Costume Designer: Martin Pakledinaz

Choreographer: Seán Curran

Lighting Designer: Paul Palazzo

Commissioned by American Lyric Theater and Felicity Dahl

Co-producers: American Lyric Theater and Wexford Festival Opera

OTSL is happy to present the world premiere performances of The Golden Ticket, a new opera for families based on Roald Dahl's classic novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with music by American composer Peter Ash and text by British librettist Donald Sturrock, staged by OTSL Artistic Director James Robinson. "The Golden Ticket is the ideal opera for family audiences," says James Robinson. "It is a strikingly beautiful, sophisticated score about the power of imagination, based on a novel which is enormously popular with adults and children alike."

Returning OTSL favorites featured in the cast are Susanne Mentzer, Tracy Dahl, and David Kravitz; celebrated bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch makes his OTSL debut as Willy Wonka.

The world premiere production is made possible with a leadership gift from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and with generous support from The Saigh Foundation and the Fred M. Saigh Endowment at Opera Theatre and the National Endowment for the Arts. Family ticket pricing and promotional events are made possible with a generous gift from Campbell-Avery Fund of the Greater St. Louis Community Foundation. Special thanks to lead corporate sponsor MasterCard Worldwide.

Developmental support in the United Kingdom was provided by the Royal National Theatre Studio and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts. The opera is presented by arrangement with American Lyric Theater in partnership with Music Link International.

Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges 2010 Season Presenting Sponsor Wells Fargo Advisors.  MasterCard is the official credit card of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

Opera Theatre is a sustaining member of the Arts & Education Council of Greater Saint Louis, and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Regional Arts Commission, and the Missouri Arts Council.

For more information on the company and the 2010 season visit www.ExperienceOpera.org. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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