Rogue Opera presents "The Marriage of Figaro"

Rogue Opera, 22.04.2010 15:45

Rogue Opera will present "The Marriage of Figaro" at 3pm on Sunday, May 9 (Mother's Day!) at the Grants Pass Performing Arts Center, Grants Pass High School; and at the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater in Medford at 8pm on Friday, May 14 and at 3pm on Sunday, May 16. A pre-production talk will be given at 7pm on May 14.

Image courtesy of Opera Theater Pittsburgh

Matrimony, Mayhem, Mozart!

“The Marriage of Figaro includes the characters we loved in The Barber of Seville, all grown up with grown-up problems that have to be resolved in one crazy day,” says Rogue Opera’s new General and Artistic Director, Noel Koran, who is also directing Figaro.

“Throw in a teenager with a major crush, a tipsy gardener, schemers and dreamers looking for love, and you have one of Mozart's finest and funniest operas!

Conducted by Samuel McCoy, this production of Figaro will feature professional opera singers from across the country, a full orchestra and chorus, and beautiful costumes and sets. And it will be sung in the original Italian with English supertitles.

Tickets for the Grants Pass performance are $35, $30, and $10 for youth up to 22 years, and can be purchased at Larry’s Music, 211 NE Beacon Drive in Grants Pass, 541-476-4525.

Tickets for the Medford performances are available at the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater Box Office or online at  http://craterian.org/tickets.html, and are $43, $35, $27. Tickets for youth up to 21 years are $22, $15 and $10. Senior discounts are available at 10%, and a 20% discount is available for groups of 10 or more. A pre-performance talk will be offered at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 14 upstairs in the Sjolund Studio at the Craterian.

Koran is excited about starting out his Rogue Opera experience with this perennial operatic favorite.

“As someone who has been involved with opera professionally for over thirty years,” Koran says, “I’ve had a lot of experience with Figaro. I’ve performed in it several times, and this production will be the fifth time I’ve directed it.

“It’s still one of my favorite operas and I’m as excited to work on this perfect musical gem as I was the first time I directed it.”

Koran has assembled an engaging cast for Figaro. A “brilliant, young international baritone,” Kreshnik Zhabjaku, will perform the title role of Figaro. Originally from Albania, Kreshnik now resides in New York and is beginning to capture the hearts and minds of opera lovers all over the United States and Europe, says Koran.

Dawn Clare, also from New York, will be singing the role of the Countess for the production.

“Ms. Clare is a young singer with a beautifully clear voice that has the ideal mix of delicate warmth and clear decisiveness required for the role,” Koran says. “We in the valley will have the honor of hearing her sing the Countess for the first time. It’s going to be wonderful.
“On the local front, Don Matthews, a regional personality and favorite, will be joining the production to sing the comic role of Bartolo. He should be fabulous.”

Dan Gibbs, a Southern Oregon University student who has previously performed in Rogue Opera productions, will sing the part of Antonio.

McCoy will join Rogue Opera for the first time to conduct The Marriage of Figaro. He recently conducted Cosi Fan Tutte and Cendrillon for the Puget Sound Concert Opera, and has conducted Puget Sound Concert Opera's productions of Suor Angelica and Simon Boccanegra. A recent transplant to Seattle, McCoy was recently chosen to be the assistant conductor for the Seattle Bach Choir.

“This is definitely an operatic event you won’t want to miss,” says Koran.

For more information about The Marriage of Figaro, the performers and cast, visit www.rogueopera.org or call the Craterian Box Office at 779-3000 or Rogue Opera at 541-608-6400.

e-mail:: office@rogueopera.org
Homepage:: www.rogueopera.org

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