This once in a lifetime black-tie event will start Sarasota Opera's 49th season and open the 2008 Opera Festival. Sarasota opera-lovers have been eagerly anticipating the reopening, which promises to be a unique evening in the history of the city.
The Renovation
Following the conclusion of Sarasota Opera's 2006-07 season last March, the historic Sarasota Opera House has been undergoing a dramatic transformation. The auditorium was gutted to the bare walls and support structure. The entire interior has been completely and lovingly renovated to recreate and enhance the beauty of the 1926 theater while creating a memorable performance experience for Sarasota Opera audiences. The lobby has been expanded with additional public spaces, dominated by a dramatic three-story atrium. Decorative details have been carefully restored and enhanced by dedicated craftspeople. Amenities for audience members have also been augmented to include more concessions and significantly upgraded and increased restroom facilities.
Inside the auditorium the entire seating area has been redone with a new layout and new seats that recreate the look of the original 1926 theater. More boxes and wheelchair accessible positions have been added. The size of the orchestra pit has been nearly doubled and updated technical facilities have been installed backstage. The theater exterior has also been repainted and is being fitted with new decorative lighting. Every surface within the theater has been re-decorated and painted with historically respresentative decorative finishes.
The Grand Re-Opening Gala Celebration
The festivities will kick-off at 3 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the Sarasota Opera House. Dignitaries and donors who made the renovation possible will join Executive Director Susan Danis and Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi to cut the ribbon to reopen the Opera House. For the next hour ticket holders to the opening night performance will have the opportunity to explore the expanded lobbies, new concession areas, and beautifully appointed amenities of the Opera House.
An on-stage presentation and acknowledgement of the people who made the renovation possible will begin at 4 p.m. The architect, consultants, contractors, and the artisans who did the work on the building will also be recognized. This will be followed by a performance of one of Giuseppe Verdi's most well-known operas, Rigoletto. Baritone Michael Corvino will sing the title role, with Erica Strauss as his daughter Gilda, and Rafael Dávila as the licentious Duke of Mantua. The team responsible for Sarasota Opera's critically acclaimed productions of Puccini's Tosca (2004), La bohème (2006), and Madama Butterfly (2007) will also be in charge of this new production of the Verdi favorite. The stage director will be Stephanie Sundine, David P. Gordon has designed the sets, and Howard Tsvi Kaplan is responsible for the costumes. Sarasota Opera Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi will conduct.
During the intermissions audience members will partake of complimentary buffet stations which will be situated throughout the lobbies.
Following the final applause, those holding reservations to the Gala Celebration will adjourn to an elaborate tent behind the Opera House. Featuring chandeliers and vaulted ceilings, this will be a unique venue for the sumptuous opening night feast to follow. Catered by Michael's On East and consisting of a four-course gourmet meal, dancing, and other special highlights this celebration will cap off a truly remarkable evening in the history of Sarasota and usher in a new era for the Sarasota Opera House.
The co-chairs for the Grand Re-Opening Celebration are Ed and Jane Bavaria and Larry and Carol English. The Private Client Group of National City Corporation is the corporate sponsor and SRQ Magazine is the media sponsor. -- www.sarasotaopera.org
