On May 19, at a VIP party/performance of Madame Butterfly, the company will toast its history and celebrate the opening of its 2007 inaugural Festival Season.
The 60th Anniversary season highlights Fort Worth Opera's first major world premiere commission, Frau Margot by Thomas Pasatieri, scheduled for June 2, 8 and 10, 2007. (In 1981 Fort Worth Opera commissioned a children's opera, also by Pasatieri.) Frau Margot marks composer Pasatieri's return to opera after 20 years of orchestrating major Hollywood movie scores. Frank Corsaro wrote the libretto from an original play he authored and will also be directing the production.
In an unusual turn of events in the opera world, Frau Margot was completed in time for the company to conduct two separate workshops, including one with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the resident orchestra for the Festival. "The workshops allow us to work out the kinks and problems before we actually get to rehearsals,"Â explains Darren K. Woods, Fort Worth Opera's General Director. "We also invited some neutral audience members to give us feedback and the reaction was very, very good."Â
In addition to Puccini's Madame Butterfly (May 19, 27, June 1 and 7), and Frau Margot (June 2, 8 and 10), the festival will include Verdi's Falstaff (May 25, June 3 and 9) and a joint production with the Van Cliburn Foundation of Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle (May 26). Additional events include a Marilyn Horne Foundation Recital on June 2, featuring Andrew Garland at the Modern Museum of Art of Fort Worth, followed by a "Diva Luncheon"Â inspired by events in the opera Frau Margot (opens June 2 as well).
Fort Worth boasts an unusual mix of western culture, urban sophistication and fine art. The city is home to worldrenowned art organizations such as the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Amon Carter Museum and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. On the other end of the spectrum, the city sponsors daily cattle drives through its "Stockyards"Â district, hosts equestrian and livestock events throughout the year, and is home to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Downtown Fort Worth is a lively spot for residents and tourists; activities include fine dining, shopping, nightclubs and the opera house, Bass Performance Hall.
Fort Worth Opera was founded in 1946 and is the oldest continually performing opera company in Texas and one of the 14 oldest opera companies in the United States. In recent years, under the leadership of Darren K. Woods, the company has been gaining attention from critics and audiences alike for its artistic quality and willingness to take risks. The company reports that sales for the 2005/06 Season have exceeded expectations for both season and single tickets, including its recent production of Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites. Darren K. Woods, who began his operatic career in 1982 as a character tenor, joined Fort Worth Opera as General Director in 2001. -- www.fwopera.org
Posted February 27th, 2007 by ruzik_tuzik
