Florida Grand Opera Announces Casting for 2015-16 Season

    MIAMI, FL, May 24, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Florida Grand Opera (FGO) with its new artistic vision, is proud to announce casting for the four productions of its 2015-16 Season, which include Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Vincenzo Bellini's Norma, Mieczysaw Weinberg's The Passenger (Passazhirka), and Gaetano Donizetti's Don Pasquale.

"If there was ever a season to look forward to, this would be it! This season speaks to the diversity of our community while bringing some of the most spectacular productions to South Florida" says Susan T. Danis, General Director and CEO of Florida Grand Opera.

"In addition, we are absolutely thrilled to have so many wonderful artists making their FGO debut during this anniversary year," she continues. "FGO has a long history of debuting world-class talent, with Luciano Pavarotti having made his American debut in 1967, and we are excited to continue this tradition throughout our 75th year."

The casting for each production are detailed below. Please note that most artists' names have been hyperlinked to their professional websites, which will provide biographical information and additional resources.

FGO is currently accepting subscription renewals and new subscriptions online or at FGO's Box Office. FGO's Box Office is located at the Doral Center on 8390 NW 25 Street, Miami, FL 33122, and is open from 10am to 4pm, Monday through Friday during the season. Subscriptions may also be purchased by phone at (800) 741-1010.

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The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia)
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FGO will open its 75th season of continuous production with a beloved opera classic, The Barber of Seville, or Il barbiere di Siviglia. Although composed 30 years after Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Rossini's The Barber of Seville is based on the first of Beaumarchais' trilogy of "Figaro" plays, serving as a "prequel" to Mozart's Nozze, and considered one of the greatest comic operas ever composed.

This opera traces the adventures of handsome young Count Almaviva as he courts the lovely Rosina in spite of her jealous guardian's attempts to thwart him.  Of course, he would never have succeeded without help from the crafty Figaro, who is much more than just a barber.

Witness the delicious unfolding of comic opera at its best: energetic young lovers foiling the grand schemes of a buffoon; mistaken identities; a plot that turns and twists--all wrapped up in Rossini's unmistakably masterful music.

"This is a visually-stunning interpretation of the beloved comedy," says Danis. "And with so many new artists to look forward to, some of whom will have their Met debuts this and next year we know our South Florida audiences are in for a treat!"

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SCHEDULE | The Barber of Seville
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**Sung without amplification in Italian with projected translations in English and Spanish**

MIAMI  ◙  Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County / Ziff Ballet Opera House
November 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 2015

FORT LAUDERDALE ◙ Broward Center for the Performing Arts / Au-Rene Theater
December 3, 5, 2015

CAST | The Barber of Seville
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ROSINA

Megan Marino ♦
Nov 14, 17, 21

Hilary Ginther ♦
Nov 15, 20, Dec 3, 5

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COUNT ALMAVIVA

Andrew Owens
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FIGARO

David Pershall
Nov 14, 17, 21

Brian James Myer
Nov 15, 20, Dec 3, 5

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DR. BARTOLO

Kevin Short
Nov 14, 17, 21, Dec 5

Kevin Glavin
Nov 15, 20, Dec 3

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DON BASILIO

Alex Soare

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BERTA

Eliza Bonet

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FIORELLO

Nicholas Ward

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AN OFFICER

TBD

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CONDUCTOR

Ramón Tebar

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DIRECTOR

Marc Astafan

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PRODUCTION

Central City Opera

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FGO Debut

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Norma
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Bellini was famously recorded saying, "If I were shipwrecked at sea, I would leave all the rest of my operas and try to save Norma." Although a failure at its premiere, out of all of Bellini's operas Norma  is the one that has consistently remained an audience favorite and has been among the most-requested operas by FGO audience members over the past decade. Florida Grand Opera is proud to announce that it will be producing this masterpiece after a 26 year absence from South Florida stages.

"This has been, by far, the most requested opera during my tenure at FGO, and we are thrilled to give our subscribers what they've been asking for," says Danis.

This opera  tells the story of a supposedly chaste Druid priestess who has convinced her followers not to go to war with their Roman captors. In secret she has borne children of the Roman leader, Pollione. But when Pollione grows tired of Norma and falls in love with Adalgisa, Norma is driven to murderous jealousy by her lover's inconstancy and vows to make the guilty atone for their crimes.

This work has its scenes of pageantry and moments of ringing grandeur, but it by far rises to its greatest lyrical heights in the celebrated aria, "Casta diva." The simplicity and directness of this work was celebrated by Wagner, who later conducted the piece at Riga in 1837, remarking that Norma  was "indisputably Bellini's most successful composition."

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SCHEDULE | Norma
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**Sung without amplification in Italian with projected translations in English and Spanish**

MIAMI  ◙  Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County / Ziff Ballet Opera House
January 23, 24, 26, 29, 30, 2016

FORT LAUDERDALE  ◙  Broward Center for the Performing Arts / Au-Rene Theater
February 11, 13, 2016

CAST | Norma
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NORMA

Mlada Khudoley
Jan 23, 30, Feb 11, 13

Mary Elizabeth Williams
Jan 24, 26, 29

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ADALAGISA

Dana Beth Miller
Jan 23, 24, 26

Catherine Martin
Jan 29, 30, Feb 11, 13

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POLLIONE

Giancarlo Monsalve
Jan 23, 30, Feb 11, 13

Frank Porretta
Jan 24, 26, 29

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OROVESO

Burak Bilgili

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CONDUCTOR

Giuseppe Finzi
Jan 23, 24, 26, 29

Anthony Barrese
Jan 30, Feb 11, 13

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DIRECTOR

Nic Muni

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PRODUCTION

Cincinnati Opera

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FGO Debut

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The Passenger (Passazhirka)
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As one of only five communities in the United States with the opportunity to experience this piece, Florida Grand Opera is honored to present Weinberg's The Passenger as the third installment of the company's "Made for Miami" series.

"I believe with absolute certainty that this will be the artistic highlight of 2016 in Miami," says Danis. "In addition, having chosen nearly a full roster of artists who have performed these roles before in Houston, Chicago, or Detroit, these singers are sure to give moving, unforgettable performances."

The horrors of World War II, still raw today, were fresh in 1959 when Auschwitz survivor Zofia Posmysz wrote a play titled The Passenger from Cabin 45 for Polish radio. The play became the basis of the opera by Mieczysław Weinberg in 1967. The action of the drama takes us from the stylish gentility of a luxury liner's deck to the squalor of a death camp, where cruelty, despair, and unspeakable courage are evident in equal measure.

En route to a new post with her husband, a German diplomat, Lisa is unnerved by the sight of a woman--another passenger--who eerily resembles Marta, one of the inmates Lisa oversaw when she was a prison guard at Auschwitz. The opera moves back and forth in time, alternating the experience of her tortured present, as she struggles to explain her past to her horrified husband, with flashbacks of life at Auschwitz and her manipulative interactions with Marta.

Suppressed for more than 40 years, Weinberg's gripping opera has emerged anew, electrifying audiences at Austria's Bregenz Festival and again in Houston, New York, Chicago, Detroit, and London. Unique to this production is that it is a polyglot, meaning it is performed in multiple languages, including German, English, Polish, Yiddish, French, Russian, and Czech. This South Florida premiere will be one of the most important musical events of the year.

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SCHEDULE | The Passenger
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**Sung without amplification in multiple languages with projected translations in English and Spanish**

MIAMI  ◙  Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County / Ziff Ballet Opera House
April 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 2016

CAST | The Passenger
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MARTA

Adrienn Miksch

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LISA

Daveda Karanas

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WALTER

David Danholt
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KATJA

Anna Gorbachyova

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BRONKA

Kathryn Day

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TADEUSZ

John Moore

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YVETTE

Elena Galván

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KRYSTINA

Eliza Bonet

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VLASTA

Hilary Ginther

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HANNAH

Agnieszka Rehlis

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SS MAN 1

Alex Soare

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OLD WOMAN

Robynne Redmon

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OLDER PASSENGER/STEWARD

Tony Dillon

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KAPO/OVERSEER

Geraldine Dulex

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CONDUCTOR

STEVEN MERCURIO

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DIRECTOR

David Pountney

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ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Rob Kearley

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PRODUCTION

Bregenz Festival
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FGO Debut

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Don Pasquale
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As a long-standing audience favorite, Donizetti's delightful Don Pasquale is one of the pillars of Italian comic opera, and its scintillating coloratura and spirited ensembles make it a richly rewarding musical experience, from its lyrical arias to its punchy patter and sparkling humor. This revival of a comedic classic will finish out FGO's 2015-16 Season on a high note.

There's no fool like an old fool, particularly when it comes to love and money. Don Pasquale, worried that his wealth will be squandered by his scheming nephew Ernesto, sets out to find himself a wife. When a distinctly feline young lady conveniently turns up, he is smitten... but he soon finds out that marriage is not quite as straightforward as he expected.

"We're eager to end 2015-16 Season on a high note with Don Pasquale,"  says Danis. "I am happy to welcome back Kristopher Irmiter (Athanäel, Thaïs  2014) after his unforgettable performances during the last few years. It is also great to have the dynamic duo of Doucet and Barbe back in Miami to delight us once again!"

With endearingly eccentric characters, fabulous music, and plenty of laughs, director Renaud Doucet and designer Andre Barbe return to South Florida with their colorful and quirky style after their 2013-14 Season triumph, Thaïs. Set in Rome at the cusp of the Swinging Sixties, it's the perfect setting for a titanic clash of the generations.

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SCHEDULE | Don Pasquale
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**Sung without amplification in Italian with projected translations in English and Spanish**

MIAMI  ◙  Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County / Ziff Ballet Opera House
May 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 2016

CAST | Don Pasquale

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DON PASQUALE

Kristopher Irmiter

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NORINA

Sydney Mancasola
May 7, 10, 14

Elena Galván
May 8, 13

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ERNESTO

Jesús Álvarez
May 7, 10,14

Daniel Bates
May 8, 13

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DR. MALATESA

Marco Nisticò

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CONDUCTOR

Ramón Tebar

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DIRECTOR

Renaud Doucet

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PRODUCTION

Scottish Opera

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SET & COSTUME DESIGNER

Andre Barbe

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FGO Debut

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About Florida Grand Opera

Florida Grand Opera (FGO), the oldest performing arts organization in Florida, celebrates its 74th year of continuously producing grand opera during the 2014-15 Season. The mainstage operas of the season include: Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly, November 15 - December 6; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Così fan tutte, January 24 - February 14; Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Les pêcheurs de perles), February 28 - March 14; and Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul, May 9 - 16.

Throughout the fall of 2014, Florida Grand Opera (FGO) announced the launch of "Say YES! to Opera, South Florida," a $17.5 million comprehensive campaign to fund the future of the company. FGO is now asking all those who enjoy and support grand opera in South Florida to make their gifts or pledge today. For more information, or to make a pledge please visit our website.

Founded in 1941 as Greater Miami Opera and later merging with The Opera Guild Inc. in 1994, FGO presents a mixture of standard repertoire and contemporary works as well as commissions and new productions - all featuring projected translations in English and Spanish. FGO is recognized for funding by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding is also provided, in part, by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council. Program support is provided by the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council. Florida Grand Opera is a Resident Company of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and a member company of OPERA America. Intercontinental Miami is the Official Hotel and Steinway & Sons is the Official Piano of Florida Grand Opera.

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