Arizona Opera Brings Sparkling Comedy for its 2014/15 Season Finale
Arizona Opera concludes its 2014/15 season with Gaetano Donizetti's whimsical and hilarious romp, The Daughter of the Regiment, a bright, sparkling comedy following Marie, a feisty young girl raised by a regiment of French soldiers high in the Alps. Peppered with exhilarating melodies, astonishing high notes and outrageous fun, Marie grappels between her patriotic loyalty to her "dear brothers" and the expectations of "polite" society.
This hilarious comedy kicks off in the sprawling Tyrolean mountains and features coloratura soprano Susannah Biller in the title role of Marie. Biller, whose recent engagements have included Daisy in Harbison's The Great Gatsby and Eurydice in Glass's Orphée, has a voice described by San Francisco Classical Voice as "light, sweet, and gorgeous." Andrea Shokery, a dynamic young performer quickly garnering attention for her magnetic stage presence, will play the role of Marie on Saturday, April 11.
This accomplished cast also includes rising star David Portillo, who will make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera this December in Barber of Seville. Here, Portillo portrays Marie's love interest Tonio, a role famed for its tenor hitting an incredible nine high C's in one aria. Stefano de Peppo performs as Sulpice, the sergeant of the French army. Playing the role of Duchess Krakenthrope is beloved actress and comedienne Didi Conn, best known for her starring role as Frenchy in the film Grease. The Daughter of the Regiment will be directed by John de los Santos and conducted by Keitaro Harada.
Performances are April 10 & 11 at 7:30pm and April 12 at 2:00pm at Symphony Hall in Phoenix, and April 18 at 7:30pm and April 19 at 2:00pm at Tucson Music Hall in Tucson. Tickets for The Daughter of the Regiment start at $25, and are available at www.azopera.org or by calling 602.266.7464 (Phoenix) or 520.293.4336 (Tucson). Tickets are also on sale at the Arizona Opera Center Box Office at 1636 N. Central Ave, Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
In addition, Arizona Opera will offer several community events in anticipation of the performances, including:
OPERA DELL'ARTE
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 - 10:30am (Phoenix)
A free music and lecture series at the Kerr Cultural Center. Get a detailed look at each opera and receive exclusive, behind-the-scenes information about our productions. This lecture series is ideal for all opera lovers- of all ages. Lectures begin at 10:30am at the ASU Kerr Cultural Center, located at 6110 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85253.
480.596.2660.
OPÉRATIF
Friday, April 3, 2015 - 6:30pm (Phoenix)
Enjoy a glass of wine and discuss details of a main stage opera with General Director Ryan Taylor. Guests are invited "behind the scenes" to view a portion of the opera's final rehearsal at Arizona Opera Center. Registration is required. $25 per person, per event. Call 602.266.7464 for reservations or click below to purchase
SAY HELLO TO OPERA
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - 3:00pm (Tucson)
Enjoy University of Arizona vocal arts students singing key arias from shows in Arizona Opera's 2014/15 season. A narrator will give the libretto and a brief biography of the composer. "Say Hello to Opera" is held at 3:00 pm in the Oro Valley Library, located at 1305 W. Naranja Ave., Oro Valley, AZ.
520.594.5580.
STUDENT NIGHT AT THE OPERA
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - 7:00pm (Phoenix)
Special tickets are available for the final dress rehearsal of every mainstage opera. These nights are reserved specifically for students to get swept away by great music and stories while enhancing classroom learning with pre and post-show presentations. Located at Symphony Hall, 75 N. 2nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85004. Registration required. Email Education Manager Joshua Borths at jborths@azopera.org for more information.
BROWN BAG OPERA
Friday, April 10, 2015 - 12:00pm (Tucson)
Audiences are invited to bring a sack lunch and enjoy a second performance of "Say Hello to Opera" on Fridays. The Opera Guild of Southern Arizona (OGSA) provides free cookies, coffee, and tea. Brown Bag Opera is held at 12:00 pm in the Grace St. Paul Episcopal Church, located at 2331 E. Adams St., Tucson, AZ 85719. 520.327.6857.
For additional information on Arizona Opera performances and events, please visit www.azopera.org or call 602-266-7464 (Phoenix) or 520-293-4336 (Tucson)
About Arizona Opera
Arizona Opera, now in its 44th season, is our state's only professional opera company that produces fully-staged opera performances, concerts, in-school touring productions, educational and outreach programs that reach over 70,000 school-children and adults annually. Since its inception, Arizona Opera has produced over 180 fully-staged operas and concerts. The company's artistic history is rich with a blend of opera's traditional repertoire featuring baroque, bel canto, and verismo works, turn-of-the-century masterpieces, operettas, and American operas. Arizona Opera has also presented Wagner's complete Ring Cycle twice, a feat that has been accomplished in North America by only five other companies. Founded in 1971, Arizona Opera is among only a handful of companies in the United States that regularly performs in more than one city.