2012-2013 SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE ONLINE TODAY!

Single Tickets for the 2012-2013 Festival Season

On Sale Online TODAY

Sarasota, FL – Single tickets go on sale online at www.sarasotaopera.org to the general public Wednesday, August 1^st, 2012 for Sarasota Opera’s 2012-2013 Fall and Winter Festival seasons, the company’s 54^th consecutive season.  Sarasota Opera continues its tradition of assembling casts of international talent to perform a mixture of classic favorites paired with rarely performed works of artistic excellence in the beautiful historic Sarasota Opera House.                  

The fall 2012 season opens with the return of the acclaimed Sarasota Opera production of Verdi’s Rigoletto (Oct. 26 – Nov. 12), last seen in 2008 as the opera chosen to commemorate the re-opening of the newly renovated Sarasota Opera House.  Interspersed between the final two performances of Rigoletto will be the Sarasota Youth Opera world premiere of their fifth commissioned opera Little Nemo in Slumberland (Nov. 10 – 11), music by Daron Hagen and story by J.D. McClatchy. 

Title page of the score of Puccini's Turandot(Ricordi, Milan),
c. 1926 (akg-images)

Opening the 2013 Winter Festival on February 9^th will be Giacomo Puccini’s vocally extravagant Turandot, the largest production ever mounted at Sarasota Opera.  Immediately following will be Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers, Verdi’s second opera A King for a Day (the 29^th installment of Sarasota Opera’s ongoing Verdi Cycle) and Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men (the third opera presented in the company’s ongoing American Classics Series).  The Winter Festival will close on March 24^th with The Verdi Concert: Celebrating the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Verdi featuring Sarasota Opera soloists, chorus and orchestra conducted by Maestro Victor DeRenzi. 

Additional concerts available for ticket purchase will be the Apprenctice & Studio Artists Concert: Verdi’s Times on March 8, 2013 and the Artists Choice Concert on March 17, 2013.  Also available will be Sarasota Opera’s ongoing lecture series entitled Meet the Artists where patrons are offered an insider’s perspective as Maestro DeRenzi interviews the singers, directors and designers of all 6 of the Sarasota Opera productions. 

Due to the overwhelming popularity of our matinee performances, Sarasota Opera will continue to offer weekday matinees during the fall and winter season for specific performances of Rigoletto, Turandot and The Pearl Fishers.  All matinee performances begin at 1:30pm.  Check www.sarasotaopera.org or call the box office for specific dates. 

And patrons travel from around the world for Sarasota Opera’s “Opera Lovers’ Weekend”!  Perfect for those with a tighter travel schedule, Sarasota Opera offers three consecutive weekends in March where anyone can see all 4 operas in 3 days!  Dates for the 2013 Season are March 8-10, March 15-17, or March 22-24.  Log on to www.sarasotaopera.org for more information. 

Single tickets go on sale in the Box Office on September 4, 2012.  Subscription packages are still available for purchase in four and five show packages through the Box Office as well. 

2012 Fall Season

Rigoletto

Opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

Based on the play Le Roi s’amuse by Victor Hugo

Sung in Italian with English supertitles

Sarasota Opera House

Performances (6):   Oct. 26, 28(m), Nov. 1, 3, 7, 12(m)

Little Nemo in Slumberland  

Sarasota Youth Opera World Premiere

An opera in two acts by Daron Aric Hagen and Libretto by J.D. McClatchy

Based on the comic strips by Winsor McCay

Sung in English with English supertitles  

Sarasota Opera House

Performances (2): Nov. 10 and 11

2013 Winter Festival

Turandot  

Sarasota Opera Premiere

Opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini

Libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni

Sung in Italian with English supertitles

Sarasota Opera House

Performances (11):  February 9, 12, 17(m), 20, 23, 28, Mar. 3(m), 10, 15, 19(m), 23

The Pearl Fishers (Les Pěcheurs de perles)

Opera in three acts by Georges Bizet

Libretto by Michel Carré and Eugène Cormon

Sung in French with English supertitles

Sarasota Opera House

Performances (9):  Feb. 16, 19, 21, 24(m), 27, Mar. 1, 8(m), 16(m), 22

A King for a Day (Un giorno di regno)

World Premiere of a New Critical Edition

Opera in two acts by Giuseppe Verdi

Poetry by Felice Romani

Sung in Italian with English supertitles

Sarasota Opera House

Performances (7):  Mar. 2, 5, 7, 10(m), 13, 16, 24(m)

Of Mice and Men  

Sarasota Opera Premiere

Opera in three acts

Music and libretto by Carlisle Floyd after the novel and play of the same name by John Steinbeck

Sung in English with English supertitles

Performances (6):  Mar. 9, 12, 14, 17(m), 20, 23(m)

"The Last Exam was Over" by Michael Gula, Opera Camper

Today's installment in our continuing series of reports from the front lines of Sarasota Opera Youth Summer Camp is courtesy of one of our campers.  Michael Gula is a first time participant who will be entering the 10th grade this fall at Cardinal Mooney High School.   

The last exam was over. School was done for this year. After a week of sleeping late I was off to another boring few weeks of camp. Not this year! Camp at the Sarasota Opera was anything but boring.

Not knowing anyone I anticipated being alone the few first days, especially since everyone seemed to know each other from Youth Chorus. That wasn't the case at all. The people in my group were friendly and welcoming.

We spent the first day getting to know our teachers ( Yes, teachers, not counselors ). The second day was all business. Classes in vocals, chorus, props, make-up, costumes, wigs, movement, acting and Opera 101, are just some of the courses we were taking. I was trying not to get lost in the maze of rooms that make up the Opera buildings

The teachers are all professionals from the opera. They share their experiences and their expertise with all of the students. Their dynamic personalities draw you into each class making learning a truly enjoyable experience. Rehearsals both in the classroom and on the stage of the opera house are exciting.

Three weeks have literally flown by. My experience has been like no other that I have ever had. But, the best part , was meeting new friends that I can share my love of opera with. I could never do that with my school friends and I am so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you Sarasota Opera Camp.

Michael G

My Time with Sarasota Opera: An Intern's Retrospective

MY TIME WITH SARASOTA YOUTH OPERA:  An Intern's retrospective on his time with Sarasota Youth Opera. 

Tyler Leppek served as a teaching assistant and administrative intern for SYO during the months of May and June. He is currently entering his Sophomore year at FSU, double majoring in instrumental music education and creative writing.  We asked Tyler to sum up his experience working with the Youth Opera program and we thought you would enjoy reading what he had to say. 

Sarasota Youth Opera Intern Tyler Leppek

Coming away from interning with the Sarasota Youth Opera has left me not only with a numerous number of new skills as a College student, in school trying to garner as much from his experiences as possible, but also with an immeasurable amount of affection directed towards the staff, students, and direction of the Sarasota Opera as a whole. I know of no better example of an institution that caters more to the needs of its diverse students background while still harvesting such amazing product as an outcome.

It was during the rehearsals and over the span of Summer camp that I saw many students grow and blossom in the short time I spent with the company. Nestled in this organization is a passion for excellence and through the directors orchestration it was easy to see the impact that we were making on today’s youth in a place that mattered.




Tyler with two Youth Opera Summer Campers


The SYO fuels not only the arts, but academics as well as their curriculum incorporated elements of Linguistic Skills, Language Arts, History Lessons, paired with Social Techniques, all pieces that will later make for a more convincing and well rounded performer and student. I can say quite candidly as I worked in the rehearsals for the upcoming production of Little Nemo in Slumberland, I will be making the five hour drive from Florida State University to Sarasota to see this production, having witnessed so much of the stunning preparation already as they incorporate even local young performers from outside their organization, creating more ties and connections through the arts as they work with anyone who shares the common denominator of a love for music.

It was this shared similarity that made my experience so gratifying, and such a valuable facet of my education.

"Why I sent my kids to Youth Opera Camp" A Parent's Perspective by Nanette Almeter

With the 2012 Sarasota Youth Opera Camp well underway, we thought it would be fun to let you hear about it from the perspective of those involved.  Over the next couple of weeks, watch out for posts from teachers, administrators, parents and even the campers themselves. 

Today's post comes from Nanette Almeter, a Youth Opera parent whose kids are first time campers, talking about why she decided to send her kids to camp. 

My daughter, Natalie, appeared in the youth chorus of Carmen this past winter season at the Sarasota Opera. It was certainly one of the most special and memorable times in her life thus far. Her little brother, Grayson, came to one of her performances and enjoyed it so much - as I think most children would if given the opportunity. The opera is truly magical, whether you're in the production or in the audience. After such a great experience, we all thought that joining the Youth Opera and becoming part of that magic would be a wonderful idea. Since the Youth Opera season doesn't start up again until August, the Summer Camp sounded like a good way to fill in the gap, have some fun, and really delve into the world of opera, behind the scenes.

After only three days into this summer's Sarasota Youth Opera Camp, I can say that we're so glad to have signed up and joined in the fun! Already, the children are learning about the history of opera and it's composers and librettists, toured the Opera House, and taken part in acting and improvisation classes. Each day, they're continuing to learn the art of singing in a chorus and also rehearsing music from the upcoming children's opera production of Little Nemo in Slumberland, a world-premiere commissioned piece to be presented at the Sarasota Opera House this November. Add to that, a trip to the library to discuss writers, poets and the inspiration for operatic works and a trip to a nearby bookstore to peruse the latest offerings for ideas.

Each day holds new surprises and adventures: today included a trip to the wig and make-up department, where the children observed one of the "campers" being transformed into an elderly man before their eyes. They've also begun watching a recorded Met performance of Rigoletto, an opera which will also be featured at the Sarasota Opera House this Fall. With all of this and more in just the first few days of camp, I can't imagine how much more they will learn and grow in appreciation of great music, acting and singing in the remaining two and a half weeks! Each member of the staff is an exceptional artist, aside from being fun, kind and truly caring. The only thing that would improve this years Opera Camp for me is if my daughter had been able to attend, but she had a previous obligation out of state. She's still keeping up with the daily camp events, however, through her brother and other friends at camp, but she'd love to be there!

Thank you, Sarasota Youth Opera, for this fantastic opportunity. Sincerely, Nanette Almeter

Artists Corner: Baritone Marco Nisticò

Artists Corner:  Artistic Administrator, Greg Trupiano, interviews baritone Marco Nisticò and his thoughts on making his role debut as the jester Rigoletto this fall. 

Greg Trupiano, Artistic Administrator of Sarasota Opera, here.  I recently had the pleasure to chat with one of Sarasota audiences’ favorite singers, baritone Marco Nisticò. Marco returns for the fall production as the title character in Rigoletto, having last been heard with the company as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. Since last year, he has appeared as Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore at the Landestheater Bregenz in Austria, as well as singing Guglielmo in Così fan tutte at Italy’s Teatro Regio di Torino.



Baritone Marco Nisticò

I asked Marco about his thoughts as he prepared to sing the role of Rigoletto for the first time. Here are some of the things that Marco says about his next assignment at Sarasota Opera.

“For a baritone, the title role of Rigoletto is as good as it gets. Vocally it’s a very rewarding opera but also challenging because of its dramatic intensity and length. There are qualities in Rigoletto’s character that I can relate to. Rigoletto loves his daughter, and even though I don’t have children myself, I can identify with this feeling through my love of my own family. Also, Rigoletto sings lovingly about his deceased wife who felt such pity for him and loved him despite his deformity. Rigoletto is a complex character. I do not think he is evil at all. Whatever he does he does because he is trying to protect his daughter from a serious threat to her honor.”

Marco continues, “Performing Rigoletto is a personal achievement, a place I arrive at after having performed a number of Verdi roles. Maestro DeRenzi has taught me to sing Verdi by producing a strong vocal line. When I work with Maestro DeRenzi, I trust what is going on because artistic decisions come from a place of respect for the opera and respect for me. When you work on an opera by a great composer, a crazy staging doesn’t work. You must go with the music and not against it. With a great composer, 90% of the work is done for you. It’s your job to believe in it.”

Because it is such a challenging role, Marco has been working on the music for months, long before arriving in Sarasota. But even before then, he started to learn the role of Rigoletto; it’s a dream role for any baritone.

I concluded my conversation with Marco by asking him what other roles he would like to perform after Rigoletto. He said, “I would love the chance to sing the roles of Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. Please note that these are major characters, sung by baritones—not tenors-- that have the operas named after them!”

Don't miss your chance to see Marco make this important debut this season.  Performances run October 26 through November 12, 2012.  More information can be found at http://www.sarasotaopera.org/.

Learn all about Carlisle Floyd's OF MICE AND MEN



                                                                                        

Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. in the 1939 movie

As part of the Sarasota Opera 2013 Winter Festival, and as a continuation of the American Classics Series, Sarasota Opera will be presenting the opera Of Mice and Men by Carlisle Floyd based off the novella by John Steinbeck.  Premiering in 1970 at Seattle Opera, Of Mice and Men has been received worldwide to great acclaim and has become standard repertoire for opera companys today.  

Drawing from his southern roots (Carlisle Floyd was born and raised in the heart of the southern bible belt in Latta, South Carolina, and grew up around traveling preachers, revival meetings and a tight religious community) Carlisle Floyed effectively preserved Steinbecks protrayal of of two workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, struggling for work during the depression era as they puruse their collective hope of achieving their American dream of owning their own farm one day.  However, when a hard and cruel world forces them down a different path, George and Lennie are forced to say goodbye to the bright horizon they had envisioned for themselves.

   

This first video offers musical clips of the opera from Kentucky Opera's 2009 production of Of Mice and Men as well as a brief interview with the composer, Carlisle Floyd, in which he discusses the theme of the opera.   



Secondly, San Diego Opera and UCSD-TV forged a unique partnership to bring all the drama, excitement, passion and artistry of opera into informative videos through their program San Diego Opera Talk! with Nick Reveles.  Take a break from your day and watch this 29 minute program which includes background information, musical samples and general insight into the opera Of Mice and Men.  

We say goodbye to our season intern, Lilli Markle!

Today we are sad to bid farewell to our season intern Lilli Markle. Lilli has been an invaluable asset to the Sarasota Opera team over the past four months, both administrative and artistic, and she will be greatly missed. Below, Lilli gives us a taste of what life is like for a Sarasota Opera intern.

Since the start of my internship here at Sarasota Opera, I have continued to learn invaluable lessons in building relationships, fundraising, event execution, marketing, organization and data analysis.  Over the course of four short but exhilarating months, I was lucky enough to share artistically beautiful experiences with patrons as well as administratively demanding moments with colleagues and friends.



Lilli Markle, Sarasota Opera intern

Before I even arrived in Sarasota from the small city outside Toronto, Ontario where I am studying Cultural Management at the University of Waterloo, I was given my first assignment.  I made a stop at Severance Hall where the renowned Cleveland Orchestra performs.  Meeting up with my new development colleague, and soon-to-be great friend and mentor Andrea Gartner, we were trained by a professional research analyst who shared with us her wisdom and strategies in prospect research so I would be equipped with the skills to tackle projects already waiting for me in Sarasota.

I arrived in Sarasota at midnight the Sunday before I would start my new job as a cultural administrator. I did not even feel the exhaustion from traveling as there was so much to take in from the very start.  From my first goal of learning all the names of the administrative staff to my final work report analyzing the current volunteer program at the Opera; I grew and learned as I archived season marketing promotions and activities, prepared marketing meeting agendas, executed qualification research on donor prospects, assisted with a medley of high-end social events, conducted patron market research during the busiest weekends of the Winter Festival season and countless other tasks.  

Some of my personal highlights included the opportunity to be a peasant supernumerary on stage in Vanessa and my debut as Carmen in a promotional commercial which aired all season long on local television.  



Lilli Markle as Carmen while filming the Sarasota Opera Season Commercial

I am grateful to the Sarasota Opera staff, especially Sarasota Opera’s Executive Director, Susan Danis, who was determined to make my experience here at Sarasota Opera an educational one which has ultimately opened me to the wonderful world of opera and the American arts industry overall. 

-Lilli Markle, Sarasota Opera intern