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The eleven performances of Seattle Opera’s Aida take place on August 2, 3m, 6, 8, 9, 10m, 13, 15, 17m, 22, and 23, 2008 at McCaw Hall. Elektra runs for eight performances on October 18, 19m, 22, 25, 26m, 29, 31, and November 1, 2008. Ticket prices for Aida and Elektra start at $25.
Not seen here since 1992, Aida features a new-to-Seattle design. Set in Egypt at the time of the pharaohs and presented in the classic style, Aida will feature lavish sets by Tonyaward winner Michael Yeargan (The Light in the Piazza), opulent costumes by Peter J. Hall (I Puritani), stage direction by Met veteran Robin Guarino (Julius Caesar), ballet by Seattle-based choreographer Donald Byrd (Julius Caesar), and the Seattle Opera debut of Italian maestro Riccardo Frizza on the podium.
Aida also marks the return of soprano Lisa Daltirus in the title role. Daltirus made her company debut this February as a Puccini heroine, Tosca, earning critical acclaim and prolonged audience applause for her interpretation of the role. Lisa Daltirus sings Aida in the Opening Night cast opposite Antonello Palombi as Radames. Palombi made his famed La Scala debut as Radames and was most recently heard here as Canio in Pagliacci in the company’s highly popular January production. A Seattle Opera audience favorite, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe sings Amneris, the Egyptian princess. Blythe has sung Fricka and the Second Norn in all Seattle Ring performances since 2000 (in the 2009 Ring, she still sings Fricka, but will switch to the First Norn and add the role of Waltraute in Gotterdammerung). She has also appeared in Seattle as Carmen and as Isabella in Rossini’s Italiana in Algeri. This cast will perform on August 2, 6, 9, 13, 17 (matinee), and 23, 2008.
The young Venezuelan soprano Ana Lucrecia Garcia will make her American debut at Seattle Opera as Aida on August 3 (matinee), 8, 10 (matinee), 15, and 22, 2008. She received an enthusiastic reception in Madrid in the same role. This cast also includes Rosario La Spina (Rodolfo in the 2007 La Boheme at Seattle Opera) as Radames and mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee (most recently seen in Seattle as Mary in The Flying Dutchman) as Amneris.
Two special events will take place at McCaw Hall during the run of Aida. As previously announced, tickets are currently on sale for a concert recital with renowned tenor Ben Heppner and Maestro Asher Fisch on piano on August 14 and the eagerly awaited 2008 International Wagner competition on August 16. As with the popular 2006 IWC, a select group of young singers drawn from around the world will sing Wagner’s greatest arias before a full orchestra conducted by Seattle Opera Principal Guest Conductor Fisch. Two $15,000 prizes will be awarded to the winners of the IWC at the end of the evening. The second International Wagner Competition is once again made possible by a generous contribution from the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences. -- www.seattleopera.org
Posted June 27th, 2008 by ruzik_tuzik
