Garde Arts Center Announces 2009-2010 Opera Series
May 12, 2009 4:00 PM -
GARDE ARTS CENTER ANNOUNCES 2009-10 OPERA SERIES
Presented by Teatro Lirico d’Europa, Mozart Festival Opera and Connecticut Lyric Opera
(NEW LONDON, CT) Eastern Connecticut’s premiere showplace for the performing arts, the Garde Arts Center, proudly announces its 2009-10 Garde Opera Series. The Garde is the region’s sole presenter of fully staged opera productions by international opera companies. The 2009-10 Garde Opera Series will continue the tradition of three first-class productions brought to life by international casts, beautiful costumes and sets, full orchestras and English supertitles.
The series opens with the acclaimed Mozart Festival Opera’s production of DON GIOVANNI on Friday, October 23, 2009 at 7:30 pm. This world-class opera company presents what is widely known as one of the best operas ever written, combining comedy, drama, and the supernatural elements. Filled with mistaken identities, festive nuptials, elegant parties and ghostly powers, this production features breathtaking and brilliant music.
Teatro Lirico d’Europa returns to the Garde Arts center after last year’s productions of Carmen and Aida to present Verdi’s RIGOLETTO on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 7:30 pm. Featuring Verdi at his best, this opera, sponsored by Olde Mistick Village, presents fast-paced and powerful music that tells a story of seduction, love, ridicule, and tragic death. When a hunch-backed jester’s jokes and tricks go too far, he inadvertently brings a curse on the only one he loves, his daughter Gilda. In no other opera are horror and humor intertwined so tightly.
The series concludes on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 7:30 pm with the local Connecticut Lyric Opera’s night of two one-act operas. I PAGLIACCI, composed by Leoncavallo, is the quintessential Italian verismo, referring to its exuberant, dramatic, poignant, lyrical, and realistic style. The second of the two one-acts is a Garde premiere production of Puccini’s GIANNI SCHICCHI. This satirical farce, recently directed by Woody Allen, is one of the funniest operas ever written. Packed with comedic elements such as money-grubbing relatives, fake deaths, and a frantic family, audiences will delight in this opera’s hysterical characters and one of the best-known and most beloved arias, “O mio babbino caro.”
Subscription is the best way to experience Garde events with affordable and flexible options. Subscribers for the 2009-10 season get priority purchase and seating for subscription packages and single tickets until single tickets go on sale to the general public. Subscription packages offer savings of up to 15%, and subscribers are guaranteed their same seats for each performance in the subscription series. Additional benefits include discounts on all other performances in the Garde season, advance notice and purchase periods for added events, and free exchanges within the series.
2009-10 Garde Opera Series subscriptions are $135 (Orchestra), $150 (Loge), and $108 (Balcony). For more information or to subscribe, call the Garde Box Office at (860) 444-7373 extension 1 or download the Opera Series Subscription Form from the Garde’s website at www.gardearts.org.
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CALENDAR LISTINGS
Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI
Friday, October 23, 2009 • 7:30 PM
Known for its endless stream of exquisitely beautiful melodies, while ingeniously combining comedy with tragedy, Mozart’s opera recounts the adventures of the dashing Don Giovanni, a young seducer constantly in search of a new conquest. Mistaken identities, festive nuptials, elegant parties and ghostly powers combine with breathtaking music in one of the greatest works of the Classical repertoire in a world-class presentation by the acclaimed European-based Mozart Festival Opera.
Verdi’s RIGOLETTO
Thursday, February 4, 2010 • 7:30 PM
The lecherous Duke of Mantua seduces wives and daughters while his hunchbacked Jester, Rigoletto, adds insult to injury by ridiculing their husbands and fathers. Finally, the joke goes too far and a furious father’s curse on Rigoletto leads to tragic mistaken identities and …murder. Teatro Lirico d’Europa presents Verdi at his best, with fast paced, powerful, and simply wonderful music including the famous melodies "La donna è mobile" and "Caro nome". Sponsored By Olde Mistick Village
Leoncavallo’s I PAGLIACCI
& Puccini’s GIANNI SCHICCHI
Saturday, May 8, 2010 • 7:30 PM
I Pagliacci, the first of two one-act operas presented by Connecicut Lyric Opera, is the quintessential Italian verismo, or realistic style - exuberant, dramatic, poignant, and lyrical. The immortal play-within-a-play, where the clown Pagliaccio makes others laugh while his own heart is breaking. "Tell me your lover's name," he rages at his young actress-wife both onstage and off -- and the fatal consequences of a real-life tragedy unfold. In a Garde premiere, Gianni Schicchi, recently directed by Woody Allen, is a satirical farce and one of the funniest operas you'll ever experience, packed with comedic elements such as money-grubbing relatives, fake deaths, and a frantic family, with one of the best-known and most beloved arias, “O mio babbino caro.”
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Where: Garde Arts Center, 325 State Street, New London, CT 06320
Subscription Series Prices: Orchestra $135, Loge $150, Balcony $108
Box Office: (860) 444-7373
Online Ticketing: http://www.gardearts.org/
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MEDIA INFO
For photos and interviews, please contact Jeanne Sigel, jsigel@gardearts.org.
WEBLINKS
http://www.jennykellyproductions.com
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Now in its eighty-second season, the Garde Arts Center is southeastern Connecticut’s non-profit center for the performing arts. The Garde owns and operates the historic Garde Theatre where it presents musicals, opera, orchestras, contemporary music, dance, and family events. The Garde produces the annual New London Film Festival, and provides after-school programs and matinee performances to more than 10,000 young people. Under the leadership of Steve Sigel, Executive Director, since 1988, the Garde has become a major catalyst for the cultural and economic revitalization of New London.
