Max and Ruby: Bunny Party at The Byham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: February 10, 2012

Contact:
Veronica Corpuz
(412) 471-6082
corpuz@trustarts.org

Diana Roth
(412) 471-8717
roth@trustarts.org

Electronic artwork is available upon request.

Max & Ruby: Bunny Party

Friday, March 9, and Saturday, March 10, 2012, Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street


The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents Max & Ruby: Bunny Party on Friday, March 9, at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 10, at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m., at the Byham Theater. This performance is part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series. Produced by Koba Entertainment, this live children’s musical is an adaptation from the book by internationally-acclaimed children’s author and illustrator, Rosemary Wells. The popular children’s book also was made into a television series that has been seen around the globe.

Featuring colorful stage sets and costumes, and original songs, Max & Ruby: Bunny Party was conceived and directed by Patti Caplette, artistic director for Koba, along with a dynamic creative team of artists including Juno Award-winner Norman Foote (music and lyrics), Beth Kates (scenic design), Shaun Kettner and Peter Harrison (puppets), Annie Armit and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet wardrobe (costume design), and Kristen Sawatsky and Laura Kolisnyk (associate choreographers).

Tickets are $21.25 - $29.25 and may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square
(655 Penn Avenue), online at www.trustarts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. To purchase 10 or more tickets at special discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930.

In the live stage production of Max & Ruby: Bunny Party, a surprise party is being planned for someone special, and bunny siblings Max and Ruby have a-million-and-one things to do before the big event. Join in the fun as they embark on a musical bus ride to the East Bunnyhop General Store, where they decide on what to buy for the Super Duper Special Birthday Guest. Back at home, Louise arrives with her beauty kit and everyone gets a makeover – even Max! When everything is all set for the party, Ruby discovers some uninvited guests including an engaging Robot, a giant Spider, and an adorable Slug. Celebrate the universal nature of sibling relationships with Max & Ruby: Bunny Party!

Since 2004, Koba Entertainment, co-founded by Gilles Paquin, executive producer of Paquin Entertainment, and Patti Caplette, artistic director of Koba, has produced creative musical theatre based on literary and television characters for children and families: Toopy and Binoo and the Marshmallow Moon, The Backyardigans, Sea Deep in Adventure, and more. Koba’s productions have toured throughout America and around the world. In 2011, with the addition of a contemporary theatrical division, the scope of Koba has expanded from comedy to musical to grand theatrical presentations.

Patti Caplette has graced the world stages with two of Canada's foremost ballet companies: Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, performing in Fernand Nault's renowned rock-opera ballet Tommy; Peter Wright's Giselle; Agnes De Milne's Fall River Legend; and Van Danzig's Romeo & Juliet. She is an award winning creator; directing, writing and choreographing in the entertainment fields of dance, musical theatre, film cabaret and special events.

Since 1985, Gilles Paquin, founder of Paquin Entertainment Group, has managed a diversified entertainment enterprise with four distinct divisions: Artist Management, Agency, Special Events and Film & Television. Gilles has worked with many notable entertainers, such as Alabama, David Bowie, Jim Carey, Christopher Plummer, Bill Cosby, and B.B. King.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

World Premiere of Detroit Dealers Features Wunderbaum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date:
February 13, 2012

Contact:
Veronica Corpuz
(412) 471-6082
corpuz@trustarts.org

Electronic images are available upon request.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents Wunderbaum in the world premiere of Detroit Dealers

February 23-25, 2012, 8:00 p.m., Trust Arts Education Center

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents—with the support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Fund for the Performing Arts, the Carol R. Brown Performance Fund, Joan Humphrey, an Anonymous Donor, Gemeente Rotterdam – dienst Kunst en Cultuur, Fonds Podiumkunsten, and Norma Fonds—Wunderbaum’s world premiere of Detroit Dealers February 23-25, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. at the Trust Arts Education Center. This premiere is part of the Pittsburgh-based Distinctively Dutch Festival.* Detroit Dealers features Wunderbaum theater-makers Walter Bart and Maartje Remmers, as well as a special appearance by Rosemarie Wilson.

Walter Bart opens Detroit Dealers with the story of his grandfather, Arie Bart. Set in the 1950s Dutch town of Hilversum where Arie owns a car dealership, the story follows him on a business trip to the mother company General Motors in Detroit. There he becomes romantically involved with an American soul singer. In a cross-over of dramatized documentary, theatre, and music, Arie Bart’s remarkable life is juxtaposed with the romance of the American Dream and the transience of the car as a sex symbol.

Wunderbaum is a Dutch-Flemish group of actors who create drama using location-based themes and an exploration of sub-cultures in society. Previously they have delved into the roles of a family on social security (Eindhoven de gekste, 2003), would-be religious fanatics (Kamp Jezus, 2008), romantics with a great urge for self-sacrifice (Magna plaza, 2006), and British football supporters on a booze-up holiday in Odessa (Beertourist, 2008). Most common of the Wunderbaum repertoire is the tension between ideologies and the difficult transition thereof to the actual daily reality. Critically acclaimed, Wunderbaum has received the Proscenium prize (2010) and the Mary Dresselhuys prize (2007) for its work. Additionally, they have been selected for the annual Dutch/Flemish Theatre festival for Natives II (2011), Rail Gourmet (2010), Tien Geboden (2009), and Kamp Jezus (2008).

Credits and Biographies for Detroit Dealers


Credits

Actors, Makers Walter Bart, Maartje Remmers (Wunderbaum) With Rosemarie Wilson; Music Bo Koek; Musicians Jens Bouttery, Andrew Claes; Film, Set Design Gerbrand Burger; Light Design, Technician Manuel Boutreur; Sound Technician Danny Hoogveld; Costume Advise Lotte Goos; Cameraman Film Tibor Dingelstad; Production Wunderbaum; Co-production Rotterdamse Schouwburg, NTGent, Holland Festival, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust – as part of its 2012 Distinctively Dutch Festival.

With the support of Gemeente Rotterdam – dienst Kunst en Cultuur, Fonds Podiumkunsten, Norma Fonds, Stichting DOEN

Special thanks to: Mimi Bart, Charyse Bailey, Cory Cope, Bob Fitzgerald, Heijmans NV, Elsbeth Kasteel, Rachel Lutz, Bobby Moore, Cameron Moore, Markita Moore, Omari Moore, Andrew Newton, Jennifer Owen, Doc Richey, Lydia Widing, Jean Wilson and The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust team.

Detroit Dealers is supported by the Performing Arts Fund NL.


Biographies

Wunderbaum – actors / makers

Based in Rotterdam, Wunderbaum is a Dutch-Flemish group of five actors who work collectively, together with a designer and a dramaturge, as well as musicians, writers, photographers and film producers. Chameleonic, collaborative, and often site-specific, the performances of Wunderbaum take on many shapes resulting in newly discovered theater forms combined with a fresh look at humankind and society. Wunderbaum tours internationally on a regular basis, also in the U.S. In 2010, they created the performance Looking for Paul in REDCAT in Los Angeles. This spring, the music theatre performance Songs at the end of the World will be touring to Los Angeles (REDCAT) and Austin, Texas (Fusebox Festival).

Detroit Dealers actors Walter Bart and Maartje Remmers are members of Wunderbaum. Apart from their work with Wunderbaum – for more than 10 years now – they have been involved in other projects in theatre, as well as in film and television.

For the performance Detroit Dealers, Wunderbaum invited several guests, including Detroit-based Rosemarie Wilson.

Rosemarie Wilson

Rosemarie Wilson, also known as One Single Rose, is a Detroit native who has become an award-winning poet, writer, advice columnist, singer, actress, and advocate for integrity and fidelity. For the past 20 years, Wilson has been employed at top law firms in Michigan and she freelances in her spare time. She is the proud parent of a miniature dachshund, Remy Black. In November 2010, she was named “Poet of the Month” in From a Writer’s Point of View magazine. She also is listed in the fourth edition of Who’s Who in Black Detroit. Also in 2010, she was named Poetry Author of the Year and New & Upcoming Poet of the Year at the 1st Annual National Poetry Awards ceremony in Raleigh, North Carolina. (www.onesinglerose.com/about-the-author.php)

Gerbrand Burger - set design and film

Gerbrand Burger is an artist based in Amsterdam, initiator of WAAR (www.waarprojects.org), and is owner of Gerbrand Burger Studio. Central themes in his work are mutual perception of cultures, notions of place and location, migration and identity. These themes are explored in various media such as film, photography, drawing, installation and objects. Gerbrand Burger studied fine arts at Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam and Cooper Union in New York, and took part in the studio program of De Ateliers and several artist residencies around the world. Gerbrand Burger Studio integrates the development and production of artistic projects with a wide range of services for galleries, museums, collectors, artists and art institutions.

Bo Koek - music

After graduating cum laude from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, Bo played in several bands including Track and Kopna Kopna. With the last he worked together with Tom Pintens (Zita Swoon) and Wunderbaum (Lost Chord Radio) and released the album Like You (2004). Together with Rik Elstgeest and John van Oostrum, he founded music theatre group Touki Delphine, under the wings of Veenfabriek. Bo wrote Six Parts for an Imaginary Movie for Veenfabriek’s Sirene Orchestra and film music (including for the movie Geboren en Getogen that won the Grand Prix at the Very Short Film Festival in Paris). Besides that, he worked and performed with Mocky, We'll Make It Right, Gerry Arling and Wunderbaum.

Jens Bouttery - musician

Jens Bouttery started off a musical and theatrical career in academies at the Belgian seaside. He finished his Masters Degree in jazz drums with greatest distinction at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. In the meantime, Jens played and composed for theatre productions such as Kamp Jezus and Rail Gourmet by theatre collective Wunderbaum, Hete Tenen with his sister actress Lise Bouttery, and Concerto by performance artist Ivo Dimchev. Jens created soundtracks for short-films such as Gerrits Kerstige Katharsis by Daan Milius and the multiple award-winning Misschien Later by Moon Blaisse. His current bands and projects are Winchovski, Tsu Tsu Trio, Les Chroniques de l’Inutile, as well as dance performance Alpha Boys by Club Guy & Roni, Caligula by Mokhallad Rhasem, and Detroit Dealers by Wunderbaum. With Franka’s Poolparty, Jens won the title for best solo player at the Brussels Jazz Marathon XLJazz Contest 2011. In 2011, Jens also won the Toots Thielemans Jazz Award for his latest audiovisual project, The Dubtapes, a collaboration with Daan Milius and played by the Jens Maurits Orchestra.

Andrew Claes - musician

Andrew Claes is an Antwerp (Belgium)-based musician focusing on mainly saxophones, EWI, digital percussion and modular software. His main groups are BRZZVLL, STUFF and his solo/visual performance Internal Sun. Exploring various musical styles and media, Andrew performed in many jazz clubs and festivals worldwide and made appearances on national television and radio stations. He recorded and co-produced several tracks and records with his bands, has projects ranging from techno to free jazz, and occasionally works for theatre and film productions.

Individual tickets ($30) can be purchased online at www.trustarts.org/dutchfestival, by calling (412) 456-6666, or in person at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue. Group tickets can be purchased by calling (412) 471-6930.

A CONVERSATION WITH WUNDERBAUM

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in partnership with Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

Thursday, February 16, 8 p.m., Trust Arts Education Center

Join director Walter Bart and members of Wunderbaum in a creative conversation about the collaborative and interdisciplinary process of theater making and performance.

Based in Rotterdam, Wunderbaum is a group of actors who work collectively, together with a designer and a dramaturge, as well as musicians, writers, photographers and film producers. Chameleonic, collaborative and often site-specific, the performances of Wunderbaum take on many shapes resulting in newly discovered theatre forms combined with new interests in humankind or social themes. Through the examination of literature, documentary, people and place, the group explores the friction between group interests or individual interests, interests that might be public or strictly personal. Call 412-394-3353 to register for this free event.

* The Distinctively Dutch Festival is presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, in collaboration with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. From February through May, 2012, throughout downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, the Festival will feature a range of contemporary work that is reflective of today’s Dutch culture, including dance, jazz, visual art, film, theater, children’s theater and literature. The Festival is part of the Cultural Trust’s mission to present a wide variety of art forms, as well as companies and artists who represent our world’s rich cultural heritages. The Cultural Trust seeks to present artists of the highest quality and caliber in each discipline, particularly artists who would not normally have an opportunity to be seen in Pittsburgh or the United States. For more information, visit www.trustarts.org/dutchfestival.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Opera Announces 2012-2013 Season of Classics

February 12, 2012


Contact:
Debra L. Bell, Director of Marketing and Communications
Office: (412) 281-0912 ext 214
E-mail: dbell@pittsburghopera.org

Pittsburgh Opera Announces 2012-2013 Season of Classics

Three new productions among Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, Il matrimonio segreto, Madama Butterfly, and La cenerentola

Pittsburgh, PA… Pittsburgh Opera announces a season of classics in 2012-‘13, featuring three new productions. The season opens Saturday, October 6, 2012 with Verdi’s Rigoletto, featuring Mark Delavan (Falstaff, 2009) in the title role, along with Lyubov Petrova (Ariadne auf Naxos, 2006) as Gilda, in a production from Utah Opera. The fall schedule continues with a new production of Mozart’s late masterpiece, Don Giovanni, opening November 3. Starring Michael Todd Simpson (The Marriage of Figaro, 2010) as the amoral scoundrel, the ensemble cast includes Hao Jiang Tian as the Commendatore, Sari Gruber as Zerlina, former Resident Artists Sean Panikkar and Jennifer Holloway as Don Ottavio and Donna Elvira, respectively, and Erin Wall as Donna Anna.

The Resident Artists of Pittsburgh Opera will star in the Company’s annual production at CAPA Theater: Cimarosa’s charming comedy Il matrimonio segreto (The Secret Marriage), opening January 26, 2013, also a new production by Pittsburgh Opera. In another new production from Boston Lyric Opera, a Puccini favorite arrives “as the robins make their nests”: Madama Butterfly, opening March 16, 2013 with Maria Luigia Borsi and Bryan Hymel in their Pittsburgh Opera debuts as Cio-Cio San and Pinkerton, Dwayne Croft (Eugene Onegin, 2009) as Sharpless, and Mika Shigematsu as Suzuki, also in a company debut. Opening April 27, 2013, Rossini’s La cenerentola (Cinderella), that fairy tale with a message of forgiveness, brings back former Resident Artist Arthur Espiritu (Pagliacci, 2006) as Prince Ramiro in a colorful Minnesota Opera production. Pittsburgh Opera Music Director Antony Walker conducts three of the season’s operas: Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, and La cenerentola. Jean-Luc Tingaud (Dialogues of the Carmelites, 2011) returns to conduct Madama Butterfly.

SPECIAL EVENTS

No Pittsburgh Opera season would be complete without the Company’s signature gala events: Diamond Horseshoe Ball and Maecenas. The 58th annual Diamond Horseshoe Ball kicks off the 2012-‘13 season September 22, 2012 at Omni William Penn Hotel; Maecenas XXIV will carry on the tradition of Pittsburgh Top Ten parties on May 11, 2013, closing the season with panache at Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters. After three unforgettable New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2009, 2010, and 2011, Pittsburgh Opera will again present the Auld Lang Syne New Year’s Eve Gala on December 31, 2012. In late February 2013, the annual Cabaret returns in not one, but four performances, featuring the Resident Artists in a free-wheeling, funny, and sometimes naughty revue that always holds delightful surprises.

FREE EVENTS

Pittsburgh Opera strives to bring opera to all members of the community and is pleased to continue offering free events in the 2012-‘13 season. The Company will introduce its Resident Artists to the community in Rising Stars, September 29, 2012 in the George R. White Opera Studio of Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue). Brown Bag concerts will continue monthly from October 2012 to April 2013; the insightful Opera Up Close returns five times per season on selected Sundays prior to each production’s opening. The community is also invited to Art Song Recitals in the 2012-‘13 season, starring the Resident Artists; these free recitals are generously hosted by the Pittsburgh Opera Guilds. Also, the Company continues Meet the Artists with Pittsburgh Opera General Director Christopher Hahn, immediately following each Tuesday opera performance at the Benedum and at CAPA Theater. Pittsburgh Opera also collaborates for a third season with Point Park University for the Pittsburgh Opera Film Series, held on Thursday evenings in the George R. White Theatre on the Point Park campus Downtown. Guests enjoy films inspired by the season’s operas and a reception hosted by Point Park University’s student film club, the John P. Harris Society.

OPERA BROADCASTS/PREVIEWS

Pittsburgh Opera partners with Classical WQED FM 89.3 to broadcast its opera performances on the airwaves and via the station’s website. Beginning September 8, 2012 with La traviata, WQED FM 89.3 will broadcast the 2011-12 operas at 1:30 PM on consecutive Saturdays, through October 6. WQED also produces half-hour previews of each upcoming opera; check the Pittsburgh Opera website for specific dates.

TICKETS/SUBSCRIPTIONS

As part of Pittsburgh Opera’s continued efforts to make opera accessible to all members of the community, single tickets for the 2012-‘13 season will again start at just $10, with subscriptions starting at just $43 for four operas. New subscription sales begin April 20, 2012 and single ticket sales begin August 27, 2012. To purchase a subscription or for additional information, call (412) 456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

Rigoletto
by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, after Victor Hugo’s play Le roi s’amuse
Sung in Italian with English texts projected above the stage

Four performances at the Benedum Center

Performances

Saturday, October 6, 2012 at 8:00 PM Friday, October 12, 2012 at 8:00 PM

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 7:00 PM Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 2:00 PM

Overview of Rigoletto

Verdi was in an ideal position to choose his own projects in 1850 when La Fenice commissioned a work from him. His selection of Victor Hugo’s Le roi s’amuse riled the authorities, though, who took offense at the characterization of King Francis I, a Restoration-era monarch. After changing the royal character from a king to a duke with no living descendants, Verdi and Piave renamed the opera (previously The Malediction), and the jester’s name changed from Triboulet to Rigoletto. The opera was a resounding success from its premiere, with “La donna e mobile” being sung and whistled in the streets: an instant classic.

Pittsburgh Opera is pleased to bring back Mark Delavan in the title role, who appeared as Falstaff in 2009, and also sings Scarpia in Tosca (March 2012). Lyubov Petrova (Ariadne auf Naxos, 2006) returns as Gilda; her most recent appearance here was as Lucia di Lammermoor (2010), stepping in for an ailing Laura Claycomb. The production, currently on stage at Utah Opera, is traditional. Music Director Antony Walker conducts.

Cast and Artistic Team: Rigoletto

Rigoletto Mark Delavan
Gilda Lyubov Petrova
Duke of Mantua TBA
Sparafucile Raymond Aceto +
Count Monterone Joseph Barron *
Maddalena Samantha Korbey *
Giovanna Nicole Rodin *
Matteo Borsa Juan José de León *
Marullo Kyle Oliver *

Conductor Antony Walker
Stage Director TBA
Set Designer John Michael Deegan and Sarah J. Conly
Costume Designer Susan Memmott Allred
Asst. Conductor Glenn Lewis
Chorus Master Mark Trawka
Associate Coach/Pianist James Lesniak
Hair & Makeup Designer James Geier
Sets and costumes from Utah Opera

+ Pittsburgh Opera debut
* Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
** Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni


Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni
(The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni)
By Wolfgang Mozart

Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte
Sung in Italian with English texts projected above the stage

Four performances at the Benedum Center
Performances

Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 8:00 PM Friday, November 9, 2012 at 8:00 PM
Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 7:00 PM Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 2:00 PM

Overview of Don Giovanni

Blending comedy, drama, and the supernatural, with a moral lesson at the end, Don Giovanni was nonetheless entered into Mozart’s catalog as opera buffa, and was a hit from its premiere in Prague in 1787. A popular classic, it was unabashedly admired by the likes of Kirkegaard, who wrote an essay about it, E.T.A. Hoffmann, who wrote a short story based on the opera, and Flaubert, who called it “one of the three finest things God ever made” (along with Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and the sea). Tchaikovsky’s Mozartiana and Chopin’s Variations on “Là ci darem la mano” are also homages.

Pittsburgh Opera welcomes back Michael Todd Simpson (The Marriage of Figaro, 2010) in the title role, along with Hao Jiang Tian (Turandot, 2011) and former Resident Artists Sean Panikkar (The Pearl Fishers, 2011) as Don Ottavio and Jennifer Holloway (Romeo & Juliet, 2006) as Donna Elvira. Sari Gruber (The Marriage of Figaro, 2010) joins the cast as Zerlina, while Erin Wall makes a company debut. In this new production, Justin Way debuts as Stage Director. Music Director Antony Walker conducts.


Cast and Artistic Team: Don Giovanni

Don Giovanni Michael Todd Simpson
Leporello TBA
Commendatore Hao Jiang Tian
Donna Anna Erin Wall +
Don Ottavio Sean Panikkar **
Donna Elvira Jennifer Holloway **
Zerlina Sari Gruber
Masetto Joseph Barron *

Conductor Antony Walker
Stage Director Justin Way +
Set Designer TBA
Costume Designer TBA
Lighting Designer Cindy Limauro
Asst. Conductor Glenn Lewis
Chorus Master Mark Trawka
Associate Coach/Pianist James Lesniak
Hair & Makeup Designer James Geier

New production by Pittsburgh Opera
+ Pittsburgh Opera debut
* Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
** Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni


Il matrimonio segreto (The Secret Marriage)
By Domenico Cimarosa

Libretto by Giovanni Bertati, based on the play The Clandestine Marriage
by George Colman the Elder and David Garrick

Sung in Italian with English texts projected above the stage

Four performances at CAPA Theater, 111 Ninth Street, Downtown
Performances

Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 8:00 PM Friday, February 1, 2013 at 8:00 PM
Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 7:00 PM Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 2:00 PM

Overview of Il matrimonio segreto

In 1792 Vienna, the first performance of Cimarosa’s appealing comedy Il matrimonio segreto was followed immediately by supper for the company and an encore of the entire opera, as Emperor Leopold II was so enamored by the work: an utterly charming classic.

In this new production, Pittsburgh Opera once again features its Resident Artists in major roles: Meredith Lustig is the secret bride Carolina; Samantha Korbey will appear as the lovestruck aunt Fidalma, Juan José de León portrays the young clerk Paolino, and Kyle Oliver takes the role of Count Robinson. The sets and costumes for this new production will be designed by Carnegie Mellon University students; Resident Artist Stephanie Havey directs.

Cast and Artistic Team: Il matrimonio segreto

Carolina Meredith Lustig *
Elisetta TBA
Fidalma Samantha Korbey *
Paolino Juan José de León *
Count Robinson Kyle Oliver *
Geronimo TBA

Conductor TBA
Stage Director Stephanie Havey *
Set Designer TBA
Costume Designer TBA
Hair and Makeup Designer James Geier

New production by Pittsburgh Opera
+ Pittsburgh Opera debut
* Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
** Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni

Madama Butterfly
by Giacomo Puccini

Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Sung in Italian with English texts projected above the stage

Four performances at the Benedum Center
Performances

Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 8:00 PM Friday, March 22, 2013 at 8:00 PM
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 7:00 PM Sunday, March 24, 2013 at 2:00 PM

Overview of Madama Butterfly

American John Luther Long wrote a short story in 1898 that had a long life: David Belasco’s play (based on Long’s story) caught the attention of Puccini and he turned it into the 1904 opera; there are myriad films based on Puccini’s opera, 21st-century pop songs based on the famous aria “Un bel di”, and a ballet based on the opera, to name a few. The unassuming “Tragedia Giapponese” produced a versatile classic.

Maria Luigia Borsi, Mika Shigematsu, and Bryan Hymel make company debuts as Cio-Cio San, Suzuki and Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, respectively; Dwayne Croft (Eugene Onegin, 2009) returns as Sharpless, and Joseph Gaines (Turandot, 2011) returns as Goro.

Jean-Luc Tingaud (Dialogues of the Carmelites, 2011) returns to conduct.

Cast and Artistic Team: Madama Butterfly

Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly) Maria Luigia Borsi +
Suzuki Mika Shigematsu +
B. F. Pinkerton Bryan Hymel +
Sharpless Dwayne Croft
Goro Joseph Gaines
Prince Yamadori Kyle Oliver *
Kate Pinkerton Nicole Rodin *

Conductor Jean-Luc Tingaud
Stage Director TBA
Set Designer John Conklin
Costume Designer TBA
Asst. Conductor Glenn Lewis
Chorus Master Mark Trawka
Associate Coach/Pianist James Lesniak
Hair & Makeup Designer James Geier

New production by Boston Lyric Opera
+ Pittsburgh Opera debut
* Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
** Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni


La cenerentola ossia La bontà in trionfo (Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant)
By Gioachino Rossini

Libretto by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the fairy tale Cinderella
Sung in Italian with English texts projected above the stage

Four performances at the Benedum Center
Performances

Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 8:00 PM Friday, May 3, 2013 at 8:00 PM
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 7:00 PM Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 2:00 PM

Overview of La cenerentola

Premiering in 1817, a year after The Barber of Seville and when Rossini was just 25 years old, La cenerentola was nearly as popular as Barber, until writing for the coloratura contralto voice went out of fashion. Rossini’s music experienced a resurgence in the 1960s, though, and the work has enjoyed more frequent performances and recordings. Because there were so few special effects available at the time, Rossini’s version of the Cinderella story has no magical elements, but this tale of true love and forgiveness makes it an enduring classic.

Vivica Genaux (The Italian Girl in Algiers, 2009) makes a much-anticipated return as Angelina; she reunites with her Italian Girl co-star Paolo Pecchioli (The Marriage of Figaro, 2010), as he also returns to sing the role of Don Magnifico. Former Resident Artist Arthur Espiritu (Pagliacci, 2006) will appear as the charming prince Ramiro, and Daniel Mobbs (Turandot, 2001) returns as Dandini. Kristine McIntyre (The Marriage of Figaro, 2010) returns as stage director. Music Director Antony Walker conducts.

Cast and Artistic Team: La cenerentola

Angelina (Cinderella) Vivica Genaux
Prince Ramiro Arthur Espiritu **
Dandini Daniel Mobbs
Don Magnifico Paolo Pecchioli
Alidoro Joseph Barron *
Clorinda Meredith Lustig *
Tisbe Samantha Korbey *

Conductor Antony Walker
Director Kristine McIntyre
Set Designer Erhard Rom
Costume Designer James Schuette
Asst. Conductor Glenn Lewis
Chorus Master Mark Trawka
Associate Coach/Pianist James Lesniak
Hair & Makeup Designer James Geier
Sets and costumes from Minnesota Opera

+ Pittsburgh Opera debut
* Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
** Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni


Tickets and Group Discounts

Pittsburgh Opera strives to make opera intellectually and financially accessible to a diverse audience and this season is proud to continue offering single tickets starting at just $10. In addition to single tickets, the Opera has a wide range of season subscription options, starting at just $43 for four mainstage operas.

Subscribers enjoy the benefits of:

¡ The best seats at the best prices
¡ Easy, FREE ticket exchanges
¡ Reserved parking at Theater Square Garage: $8 for each performance
¡ 15% discount on additional single tickets to mainstage operas
¡ 25% subscriber discount on the Resident Artist opera
¡ Priority invitations to the 2012-13 film series
¡ Money-Back Guarantee: – if subscribers are not satisfied with their first opera,
Pittsburgh Opera will refund the balance of the subscription


For tickets, call (412) 456-6666 or visit www.pittsburghopera.org.

Pittsburgh Opera is committed to making opera accessible to all groups in the Pittsburgh area by providing great discounts and special services to group ticketholders. Unlike the large numbers required by many other organizations, a group at Pittsburgh Opera can be as few as 6 people! For more information about group ticket services and discounts, contact Randy Adams at (412) 281-0912 ext. 213 or groups@pittsburghopera.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS

The 58th annual Diamond Horseshoe Ball
Saturday, September 22, 2012, 6:30 PM
Omni William Penn Hotel

Pittsburgh Opera special events have developed a reputation for elegance and excitement in the Company’s history. The annual Diamond Horseshoe Ball is its signature season kickoff event, where guests enjoy an evening of dinner, dancing, special entertainment, and cocktails. Each year, one lucky guest is selected at random to receive a diamond-encrusted pendant in the shape of a horseshoe. The 58th annual Diamond Horseshoe Ball will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2012, at the Omni William Penn Hotel. Call Samuel Badger at (412) 281-0912, ext. 225 for more information about Diamond Horseshoe Ball.

Rising Stars
Saturday, September 29, 2012, 6:00 PM
George Rowland White Opera Studio, Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue)

Pittsburgh Opera hosts its annual Rising Stars on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 6:00 PM in the Opera’s Strip District headquarters. Rising Stars is the community’s first opportunity to meet the incoming Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artists, using the opera audition process to introduce the singers. This performance is free and open to the public. At Rising Stars, each Resident Artist first performs a selection of his or her own choosing, followed with one chosen by General Director Christopher Hahn and Music Director Antony Walker. A final aria to conclude the concert is selected by audience members via texting technology. Specific details about the event will be released at a later date. Visit www.pittsburghopera.org or call (412) 281-0912 for more information about the Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Program.

Auld Lang Syne IV – New Year’s Eve Celebration
Monday, December 31, 2012, 6:00 PM
Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland (4400 Forbes Avenue)

Pittsburgh Opera continues its newest tradition, Auld Lang Syne, in the 2012-‘13 season.

Building on the success of the inaugural Auld Lang Syne in 2009, this season’s festivities are sure to ring in the New Year in style. The fourth annual Auld Lang Syne will be held on Monday, December 31, 2012. Specific details will be released at a later date.

Cabaret
February 22, 23, 24, 26, 2013
George Rowland White Opera Studio, Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue)

Showcasing the talents of the Resident Artists, the annual Pittsburgh Opera Cabaret continues to delight with a free-wheeling revue of favorites from Broadway and musical theater, plus novelty tunes, in the intimate George Rowland White Opera Studio in Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters, 2425 Liberty Avenue, in the Strip.

Cabaret will be offered on subscription series in 2012-‘13, with shows Friday and Saturday, February 22 and 23 at 8:00 PM; Sunday, February 24 at 2:00 PM; and Tuesday, February 26 at 7:00 PM. More specific details about the event will be released at a later date. Visit www.pittsburghopera.org or call (412) 281-0912 for more information about the Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Program.

Maecenas Gala – Maecenas XXIX
Saturday, May 11, 2013, 6:00 PM
Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue)

Consistently hailed as one of Pittsburgh “Top Ten” parties, Pittsburgh Opera's Maecenas is the social event not to be missed! Named for Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, the wealthy Roman statesman whose name has become a byword for patrons of the arts, the Maecenas Gala has developed a reputation for a spectacular environment and great entertainment. Maecenas XXVIII will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters. Specific details about the event will be released at a later date. Call Samuel Badger at (412) 281-0912, ext. 225 for more information about Maecenas Gala.

Art Song Recitals
George Rowland White Opera Studio, Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue)

In the 2012-‘13 season, Pittsburgh Opera continues to present Art Song Recitals free and open to the public. Each recital offers one-hour performances of art song literature from a variety of composers and styles, featuring Pittsburgh Opera’s Resident Artists. Art Song recital dates, programs, and performers for 2012-‘13 will be released at a later date. Call (412) 281-0912 for more information about the Art Song Recitals.

Brown Bag Concerts
Selected Saturdays, October 2012 - April 2013, 12:00 PM
George Rowland White Opera Studio, Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue)

Pittsburgh Opera is proud to continue its popular and free Brown Bag Concerts. Attracting 200+ each month, these performances feature the Resident Artists of Pittsburgh Opera as well as the Opera’s artistic collaborators. Beginning at 12:00 PM on selected Saturdays of each month, October 2012 – April 2013, these one-hour performances are free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to bring a lunch and enjoy a concert of some of opera’s most popular arias as well as a mix of Broadway, musical theater and other selections. In the George Rowland White Opera Studio at Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue), these concerts are a wonderful opportunity for an informal introduction to opera.

Brown Bag Performance Dates 2012-‘13
October 13, 2012 February 9, 2013
November 10, 2012 March 2, 2013
December 8, 2012 April 20, 2013
January 12, 2013

Visit www.pittsburghopera.org or call (412) 281-0912 for more information about the Brown Bag Concerts.

Additional Events

Pittsburgh Opera 2011-2012 Season Performances on WQED-FM 89.3

Pittsburgh Opera, in collaboration with Classical WQED-FM 89.3, will broadcast the 2011-2012 season productions, giving listeners an opportunity to enjoy the operas all over again. For more information, call (412) 281-0912.

Pittsburgh Opera 2011-‘12 Opera Broadcast Dates 2012-‘13

La traviata – September 8, 2012 Tosca – September 29, 2012
The Pearl Fishers – September 15, 2012 The Abduction from the Seraglio –
Hansel & Gretel – September 22, 2012 October 6, 2012

Pittsburgh Opera Previews on WQED-FM 89.3

Hosted by WQED’s Stephen Baum, these previews are heard twice before each production opens, giving listeners an in-depth introduction to the singers, music and production of each of the season’s operas. Specific dates and details for each preview will be released at a later date. For more information, call (412) 281-0912.

Opera Up Close

Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue)
Selected Sundays, 2:00 PM

Pittsburgh Opera is proud to host another season of its popular and free Opera Up Close presentations. These entertaining and insightful programs are offered five times per season in Pittsburgh Opera’s headquarters (2425 Liberty Avenue) in the Strip District. Each Opera Up Close begins with an in-depth musical analysis of the opera with Maestro Antony Walker or a guest conductor, followed by a lively panel discussion.

Opera Up Close Dates 2012-‘13
Rigoletto – September 23, 2012 Madama Butterfly – March 3, 2013
Don Giovanni – October 21, 2012 La cenerentola – April 14, 2013
Il matrimonio segreto – January 13, 2013

Opera Up Close is free and open to the public. Visit www.pittsburghopera.org or call (412) 281-0912 for more information about Opera Up Close.

Pre-Opera Talks

Ticketholders are invited to attend a Pre-Opera Talk one hour before each performance’s curtain in the Main Floor/Orchestra section of the Benedum Center. Learn about the composer, the story and some juicy details about the opera! These talks are free to all ticketholders. Visit www.pittsburghopera.org or call (412) 281-0912 for more information about Pre-Opera Talks.

Meet the Artists

Ticketholders for each Tuesday opera performance are invited to join General Director Christopher Hahn immediately following the performance to enjoy light refreshments and repartee, as Mr. Hahn interviews the stars of the production. This event is free to all Tuesday opera ticketholders, and is held in the Lower Lobby for Benedum performances and in the Black Box for CAPA performances.

Rigoletto – Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Don Giovanni – Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Il matrimonio segreto – Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at CAPA Theater
Madama Butterfly – Tuesday, March 19, 2013
La cenerentola – Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Visit www.pittsburghopera.org or call (412) 281-0912 for more information about Meet the Artists.

Pittsburgh Opera/Point Park University Film Series
George R. White Theatre/University Center, 414 Wood Street

A popular event in 2011-‘12, the Pittsburgh Opera Film Series returns, hosted in collaboration with Point Park University and the John P. Harris Society. Guests enjoy films inspired by the season’s operas and get to know other opera lovers with an interest in film. The 2012-‘13 series includes the recently-restored Yiddish film “The Jester” as a companion to Rigoletto, and the fantastical “Donkey Skin (Peau d’Ane)” to go along with La cenerentola, among others. Specific dates and details for each film screening will be released at a later date. Call (412) 281-0912 for more information about the Pittsburgh Opera/Point Park University Film Series.

Pittsburgh Opera’s 2011-2012 season continues a 73-year tradition of excellence in opera. As part of the Company’s continued efforts to make opera accessible to all members of the community, single tickets for the 2011-2012 season again start at $10.

 2011-2012 Season

La traviata October 15, 18, 21, 23, 2011
The Pearl Fishers November 12, 15, 18, 20, 2011
Hansel & Gretel January 28, 31; February 3, 5, 2012
Tosca March 24, 27, 30; April 1, 2012
The Abduction from the Seraglio April 28; May 1, 4, 6, 2012


For ticket information visit our website www.pittsburghopera.org or call (412) 281-0912

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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh