Announcing the Florentine Opera's 2011-2012 Season

The ultimate Italian blockbuster, two operas new to the Florentine repertory and a Valentine’s Day concert comprise upcoming season

 

Turandot / Susannah / Idomeneo / Isn’t It Romantic?: Love Songs from Vienna to Broadway

MILWAUKEE, Wis.—February 20, 2011— Florentine Opera Company General Director William Florescu announces the Florentine Opera’s 2011-2012 season: Puccini’s beloved Turandot, Carlisle Floyd’s compelling Susannah, and Mozart’s epic Idomeneo.  The Florentine will also expand subscription packages to include a forth offering, a concert performance entitled Isn’t It Romantic?. 

“Once again, my goal as we planned the offerings next season was to combine blockbuster audience favorites and newer works,” noted Mr. Florescu. “Idomeneo and Susannah will both be produced for the first time, and I strongly feel that re-visiting established classics like Turandot in combination with lesser-performed operas can allow the beauty of the masterworks to truly shine.”

The season opens at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts on November 4 & 6, 2011 with Turandot, Puccini’s final opera, which contains some of his best-known melodies including the show-stopping tenor aria, “Nessun Dorma.” Soprano Lise Lindstrom will make her Milwaukee debut as Princess Turandot, a role she has performed to international critical acclaim in venues including the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala. Tenor Renzo Zulian returns to the Florentine Opera as Calaf in a production directed by Eric Einhorn, as Principal Conductor Joseph Rescigno leads the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

On February 10, 11 & 12, 2012 in Vogel Hall of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, the Florentine Opera Studio Artists perform “Isn’t It Romantic?”, a musical concert revue of love songs from Vienna to Broadway.  The concert features popular love songs such as “The Merry Widow Waltz” by Austrian composer Franz Lehar and popular standards from the American songwriting teams of the 20^th-century from works such as Carousel, Camelot, Showboat and Babes in Arms. The live performances include piano accompaniment by Eileen Huston on piano, and four concert performances will be offered.

“Our Studio Artist program will enter its fourth year in the 2011-2012 Season,” notes Florescu. “I think it very appropriate that our subscription packages be expanded to showcase the extremely talented young artists that participate in our residency program. It’s inspiring to glimpse the up-and-coming singers that are the future of the opera art form.”

On March 16 and 18, 2012, the season continues with Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, one of the 20^th century’s most widely performed American operas. Betty Wayne Allison in the title role and Wayne Tigges as Blitch will make Florentine Opera debuts, while additional principal roles including Jonathan Boyd as Sam and Rodell Rosel as Little Bat bring audience favorites from past productions back to the Florentine stage. Joseph Mechavich conducts the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in a production directed by William Florescu.

On May 18 and 20, 2012, at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, the season concludes with Idomeneo, considered Mozart’s first successful major opera. Written in Italian, the work tells an epic tale from mythical times, set in the waters of Ancient Crete. The creative team behind 2009’s acclaimed production of Semele, including stage director John La Bouchardiere, will reunite to create a production as visually stunning as Mozart’s glorious melodies. Tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz returns to perform the title role, and soprano Georgia Jarman makes her role debut as Princess Elettra, as Joseph Rescigno conducts the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.  

 

2011-2012 SEASON AT A GLANCE

Turandot – Giacomo Puccini 

November 4 & 6, 2011

Marcus Center for the Performing Arts – Uihlein Hall

Featured Cast

Conductor  - Joseph Rescigno
Director – Eric Einhorn
Turandot – Lise Lindstrom
Calaf - Renzo Zulian
Liu – Rena Harms
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra & The Florentine Opera Chorus

 

Isn’t It Romantic?
A Concert of Love Songs from Vienna to Broadway

February 10, 11 & 12, 2012
Marcus Center for the Performing Arts – Vogel Hall 

Featuring the Florentine Opera Studio Artists and Eileen Huston, pianist

Susannah – Carlisle Floyd

March 16 & 18, 2012

Marcus Center for the Performing Arts– Uihlein Hall

Featured Cast
Conductor – Joseph Mechavich
Director – William Florescu
Susannah – Betty Waynne Allison
Blitch – Wayne Tigges
Sam - Jonathan Boyd
Little Bat - Rodell Rosel
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra & The Florentine Opera Chorus

 

Idomeneo – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

May 18 & 20, 2012

Marcus Center for the Performing Arts– Uihlein Hall

Featured Cast

Conductor - Joseph Rescigno
Director – John La Bouchardiere
Scenic Relization – Noele Stollmack
Idomeneo – Arturo Chacón-Cruz
Idamante– Cynthia Hanna
Elettra - Georgia Jarman
Ilia - Marie-Eve Munger
Arbace – Ryan MacPherson
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra & The Florentine Opera Chorus

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