Fort Worth Opera Will Continue Festival Format

The 2008 Festival will run May 16 – June 8, 2008 and will include ancillary events along with opera performances.

The repertoire for the 2008 Fort Worth Opera Festival includes Puccini’s Turandot, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men, which will all be staged at Bass Performance Hall in downtown Fort Worth. The fourth opera will be a new production of Angels in America by Peter Eötvös, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tony Kushner. Angels in America will be produced in conjunction with More Life: The Art & Science of AIDS.

More Life: The Art & Science of AIDS, a community wide effort designed to bring more attention and focus on the current U.S. AIDS epidemic, will be held May 10 – June 7, 2008 and will feature multiple performing and visual arts, as well as educational opportunities from AIDS service organizations. Most associated activities will take place in the Community Arts Center of Fort Worth, which includes the Scott Theatre, where Angels in America will be performed. Participating social service organizations include AIDS Outreach Center, AIDS Resources of Rural Texas, Tarrant County AIDS InterFaith Network and Samaritan House. In addition to Fort Worth Opera, participating arts groups include Stage West, Contemporary Dance Fort Worth, Open Door, Amphibian Stage Productions, Fort Worth Poetry Slams, Hip Pocket Theater, and Q Cinema. Other arts and social groups are expected to announce their participation soon.

Of Angels in America, General Director Darren Woods said, “We realize that while it’s not the opera for everyone, it is an important work socially, historically and artistically. It’s a very modern, synthesized piece, which we wanted to perform in an intimate space such as the Scott Theatre. We are very happy to be doing this in conjunction with More Life.”

Fort Worth boasts an unusual mix of western culture, urban sophistication and fine art. The city is home to world renowned 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” 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 Keith Woods, the company has gained national attention from critics and audiences alike for its artistic quality and willingness to take risks. The 2007 season featured the company’s first major world premiere, Frau Margot by composer Thomas Pasatieri. Darren Keith Woods, who began his operatic career in 1982 as a character tenor, joined Fort Worth Opera as General Director in 2001. -- www.fwopera.org