PLACIDO DOMINGO ANNOUNCES THE 2007-2008 SEASON OF THE LOS ANGELES OPERA
The General Director of the Los Angeles Opera, Maestro Placido Domingo, has revealed the operas that will be performed by his Company next season in a Press conference reserved for the critics of Southern California newspapers, TV and Radio, attended also by members of the Board, among whom Music Director James Conlon.
There will be ten operas next season, four of which of Italian paternity, three “premieres” and two resurrections of works affected by the Holocaust.
Next season, which begins on September 8 and concludes on June 28, 2008, includes the only operatic work of Beethoven, “FIDELIO”, with Anja Kampe and Klaus Florian Vogt debuting with the Los Angeles Opera.
Maestro James Conlon will conduct, and Pier Alli will stage the work that will be performed six other times.The second offering will be a Los Angeles Opera’s “premiere” of Leos Janacek’s “JENUFA”, which will be performed six times, the first of which scheduled next September 27. Musical direction of Maestro Conlon, staging of Olivier Tombosi and debut of the celebrated soprano Karita Mattila as Jenufa.
The third will be Mozart’s “DON GIOVANNI” (November 24 and eight other performances) directed by Maestro Conlon and staged by Mariusz Trelinsky. The title role will be essayed by young bass-baritone Erwin Schrott, while for that of Don Ottavio the Los Angeles fans await the return of Los Angeles-based tenor Charles Castronovo.
And then, in time for Christmas and Café’ Momus, comes Puccini’s “LA BOHEME” (November 25 and nine other performances), unfortunately in the tired old and inexact version of the late Herbert Ross. Maestro Hartmut Haenchen and Placido Domingo will share the directorial baton while Stanley M. Garner will provide the staging. The great novelty will be the debut in Los Angeles of the young Italian tenor Massimo Giordano, who generated enthusiasm at the Met last season.
2008 will be ushered in by Richard Wagner’s “TRISTAN UND ISOLDE” (January 19 and six more performances) led by Maestro Conlon and staging by Thor Steingraber. Tristan will be interpreted by tenor James Treleaven in his debut here, while Isolde will be sung by soprano Linda Watson.
The ship of “OTELLO” will land in Los Angeles on February 16, 2008, followed by six more performances. The debuts of tenor Ian Storey (Otello), and South American soprano Cristina Gallardo-Domas are awaited here. Musical direction of Maestro Conlon and staging of John Cox.
And later, on March 1, 2008, will arrive in Los Angeles for the first time and for four performances Alexander Zemlinsky’s ”DER ZWERG” (The Dwarf), and Viktor Ullmann’s “DER ZERBROKENE KRUG” (The Broken Jug) directed by Maestro Conlon and staged by Darko Tresnjak.
These two works are dedicated to reviving the music affected by the Holocaust.
Puccini’s “TOSCA” returns to Los Angeles on May 17, 2008, and for eleven other performances staged by Ian Judge and conducted by Sir Richard Armstrong and Placido Domingo. Very much awaited will be the Cavaradossi of tenor Neil Shicoff (heard a few years ago in the same opera), and the baritone, Juan Pons, who sojourns to Los Angeles for the first time.“LA RONDINE” of Puccini lands here in Los Angeles on June 7, 2008, and for six other performances conducted by Maestro Keri-Lynn Wilson and staged by Marta Domingo. Puccini’s light opera will be interpreted by soprano Patricia Racette and tenor Marcus Haddock.
Other events of great interest will be “PLACIDO DOMINGO AND FRIENDS GALA” on Sunday afternoon, September 9, 2007, at 2:00, and, moreover, a recital of Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel on Sunday, April 20, 2008, at 7.30 p.m. as well as the announcement that KUSC FM 91.5 will broadcast 11 of the Company’s main stage performances from the current 2006-2007 season, beginning May 12, 2007.
Luigi Smaldino
10631 Vinedale Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 - Phone (818) 767-3413 - Fax: (818) 767-1410