Photo: Despina: Roxana Constantinescu / Image Los Angeles Opera
James Conlon to Conduct / September 18 through October 8, 2011
Plácido Domingo, LA Opera’s Eli and Edythe Broad General Director, announced that LA Opera will present Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Così fan tutte, opening at 2pm on Sunday, September 18, 2011, and running for six performances through Saturday, October 8. “Così fan tutte is one of the most popular of all operas, but it has been absent from our repertory since 1996,” said Mr. Domingo. “I am particularly pleased to welcome the long overdue return of Mozart’s delightful comedy to our stage this season, with an exceptional cast hand-picked by James Conlon, who will conduct.” In Così fan tutte’s cleverly constructed plot, two young men go undercover to test the fidelity of their lady loves. What could possibly go wrong? Filled with ravishingly beautiful music, Così fan tutte [“Woman are all alike”] features a clever plot that was bracingly politically incorrect even for Mozart’s day. A period staging by director Nicholas Hytner deftly blends elegance and farce to emphasize the very real human emotions embedded throughout Mozart’s miraculous score.
World-Class Cast Featured in Nicholas Hytner Production
James Conlon, LA Opera’s Richard Seaver Music Director, conducts a brilliant sextet of world-class young performers. Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak makes her LA Opera debut as the steadfast Fiordiligi, joined by Romanian mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose (The Fly, 2008) returning as her more susceptible sister Dorabella. As their lovers, Albanian tenor Saimir Pirgu (Gianni Schicchi, 2008) returns as Ferrando with Italian bass-baritone Ildebrando D’Arcangelo in his first Company appearance as Guglielmo. Italian bass Lorenzo Regazzo and Romanian mezzo-soprano Roxana Constantinescu round out the ensemble as the scheming Don Alfonso and Despina. The production was originally created by internationally acclaimed director Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys and The Madness of King George on film and in their original stage productions; West End and Broadway productions of Carousel and Miss Saigon) for the Glyndebourne Festival, and will be staged in Los Angeles by Ashley Dean. The scenery and costume designer is Vicki Mortimer and lighting designer Andrew May will recreate the original lighting designs of Tony Award-winner Paule Constable. The Associate Conductor and Chorus Master is Grant Gershon.
Live Broadcast of Opening Night on KUSC
Mr. Domingo also announced that the September 18 performance of Così fan tutte will be broadcast live on Classical KUSC 91.5fm as part of an expanded “LA Opera on Air” radio series. For six consecutive seasons, LA Opera and Classical KUSC have partnered to bring the excitement of live performances to KUSC listeners. The live broadcast of Così fan tutte, co-hosted by Duff Murphy and Kimberlea Daggy, will also be streamed online live at www.kusc.org. This season’s “LA Opera on Air” series begins with a live broadcast of LA Opera’s season-opening performance of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin on September 17 at 7:30pm.
LA Opera’s performances of Così fan tutte will take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012, on the following dates: •Sunday, September 18, at 2pm •Thursday, September 22, at 7:30pm •Saturday, September 24, at 7:30pm •Sunday, October 2, at 2pm •Wednesday, October 5, at 7:30pm •Saturday, October 8, at 2pm
Tickets range from $20 to $270 and can be purchased at the LA Opera Box Office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, by phone at (213) 972-8001 or online at www.laopera.com. For disability access, call (213) 972-0777 or email wehelpyou@laopera.com.
Così fan tutte will be sung in Italian with projected English translations. The production originated at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.
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