Contact Lee Kimball
lkimball@operade.org
302-658-8063 ext. 3256
For immediate release
OBERTODISPLAYS THE BRILLANCE OF A 20-SOMETHING MUSICAL GENIUS
(Wilmington, DE—Jan. 4) Joining forces for the first time, Philadelphia’s internationally acclaimed Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) and OperaDelaware will present Oberto, the first opera by Italian master Giuseppe Verdi. The concert performance of this rarely heard opera features AVA soloists, the OperaDelaware chorus, and full orchestra, and will take place at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.
A grand prize winner of the 2011 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Michelle Johnson, who recently sang in OperaDelaware’s Studio Series, heads the cast as Leonora. Ms. Johnson will sing the title role in Verdi’s Aida this summer at Glimmerglass Opera. Oberto, which premiered at La Scala in 1839, will be performed under the baton of AVA music director Christofer Macatsoris. Mr. Macatsoris has appeared with Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company, Pennsylvania Opera Company,San FranciscoOperaCenter, and many American regional opera companies. He has also taught and conducted at the Curtis Institute of Music.
“The signs of Verdi’s greatness are all there in this debut opera,” says OperaDelaware Executive Director Lee Kimball. “This performance is a one-time opportunity to hear this stunning work performed live on stage with full orchestra and top young talent. Oberto displays the beginning of brilliance from a 20-something genius, whose many later operas include Aida, La Traviata, Rigoletto, and Macbeth.”
Set in 13th century Italy, Oberto centers around Leonora, who was courted, seduced and then betrayed by Count Riccardo, who chooses to marry the wealthy Cuniza instead. In her desperation, the abandoned Leonora decides to show up at the wedding. In typical Verdi fashion, her angry father, Oberto, joins her and goads Riccardo into a duel. The opera ultimately ends in tragedy.
The Academy of Vocal Artshas been called the world's premier institution for training young artists as international opera soloists. More than 30 alumni have joined the ranks of the Metropolitan Opera, including Stephen Costello, Joyce DiDonato, Angela Meade, James Morris, Ailyn Perez and Ruth Ann Swenson.
“This is a chance to see the next crop of opera stars before the rest of the world,“ says Mr. Kimball. “Finding and developing young artists is part of OperaDelaware’s mission. That’s one reason this collaboration is so exciting.”
The opera will be preceded by a free lecture by Mr. Kimball at 1 p.m., one hour before curtain.
The Grand is located at 818 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE19801. Tickets are $15-$45: call 1-800-37-GRAND or go to www.operade.org.
OperaDelaware, the nation's 14th-oldest professional opera company, celebrates its 67th season in 2011-2012. Opera, with its lavish costumes, glorious sets, soaring voices and heart-stopping librettos and dance, is the intersection of all the arts. Our mission is to enrich the cultural life of people in the Mid-Atlantic region by producing opera, and opera education programs at the highest artistic level. The company presents new and traditional operas using a unique blend of nationally known stars and rising talent.
Experience OperaDelaware! Discover why we are a vital part of the greater Delaware community and why we are considered to be one of the region’s major cultural institutions.
The year was 1945 when a group of local artisans gathered under Chick Laird to present classic opera with the finest voices in Wilmington at affordable prices. Much has changed over the years, but the concept we value, “Opera for Everyone”, remains the same. Today, we are a professional opera company that retains its grassroots spirit and core of volunteers to produce the “best traditional opera in the region.” Our patrons, geographically and culturally as diverse as ever, come from all over the state of Delaware as well as from Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. We employ more than 250 local artisans each season, and we are a source of arts education for many schools that otherwise have none. Over the years, we have launched the careers of more than 100 artists, nationally and internationally. We influence the future of opera throughout the world, the future of Delaware and, most importantly, we give Delawareans a sense of pride and joy.
This program is made possible, in part, by grants from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
Our Main Stage Opera Lectures are funded, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Humanities Forum, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
OperaDelaware and its many programs for the 2011-2012 season are also supported by Amtrak, AstraZeneca, Bank of America Foundation, Bernard A. Bernard and Rebecca S. Bernard Foundation, DCANet, Delaware Arts Stabilization Fund, Delaware Community Foundation, Delaware Diagnostic Group, DuPont, EDIS Company, ING Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, The Longwood Foundation, Moore Brothers Wine Company, PNC Bank Foundation, The Presser Foundation, Welfare Foundation, Wilmington Trust, and WSFS Bank.