Boston, MA – On March 12, 2010, Boston Lyric Opera will introduce the North American premiere of Welsh National Opera’s acclaimed production of R. Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos at Boston’s City Performing Arts CenterSM Shubert Theater. The comedy about creating an opera with a touch of Greek mythology will be conducted and sung by artists who have been making headlines recently in the classical music community. Aligning such talent with an international production reflects BLO’s new artistic vision that has unfolded during the Company’s 2009-2010 Season.
«We are especially pleased with our selection of such stellar artists to perform in this production,» says Esther Nelson, BLO’s General & Artistic Director.
Ariadne auf Naxos will be conducted by Erik Nielsen, who was selected by James Levine in 2008 to conduct Tanglewood’s The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. The Metropolitan Opera has already contracted Mr. Nielsen for its 2010-2011 Season. Most recently, he has been the conductor for Frankfurt Oper, where he has been hailed as a promising Wagnerian conductor.
Marjorie Owens will take on the title role, last sung at BLO in 1991 by Deborah Voigt, whose performance put her on the map following a review by New York Times critic John Rockwell. Ms. Owens is presently on the radar of Times critic Anthony Tommasini, who described her as «a 28-year-old American soprano with a big, gleaming voice that suggests that she is a Wagnerian in the making… a gifted soprano.» («New Talent Meets a Confirmed Master,» December 15, 2009) She will sing opposite tenor Brandon Jovanovich’s Bacchus, who recently performed the role of Don José at the Met’s new Carmen. An Associated Press review called him a «young and rising star [who] possesses one of the most potent …voices to come along in some time.» Fans can also hear him in Tosca on the soundtrack of the 2009 James Bond film, «Quantum of Solace.» Mr. Jovanovich returns to BLO after debuting in 2005 as Bill in Flight. A third Met connection is soprano Rachele Gilmore, who will sing Zerbinetta. Ms. Gilmore took the stage in New York as Olympia last December in the Met’s new Les contes d’Hoffmann. She is an alumna of Boston University’s Opera Institute.
Additional Boston connections abound with Ariadne auf Naxos. Concord resident Mara Bonde, (Echo), has performed with the Boston Pops, Boston Baroque, and Handel & Haydn Society. She is a graduate of BU’s Opera Institute, as is Jesse Blumberg (Harlekin), who recently debuted with the Boston Early Music Festival as Mercurio in L’incoronazione di Poppea and Adonis in Venus and Adonis. He was awarded Third Prize at the 2008 International Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau, becoming its first American prizewinner in over 30 years. Fellow Opera Institute alum Tracy Wise (Scaramuccio) is trained in Commedia dell’Arte, Theatrical Clown, and ballet with the Boston Ballet. Other Opera Institute graduates include Wellesley native Joanna Mongiardo (Naiad) and South Dartmouth resident Anton Belov (Wigmaker). Mr. Belov also graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, as did Bostonian Julius Ahn (Tanzmeister/ Brighella), Andrea Coleman (Dryad) of Jamaica Plain, and Newburyport resident Neil Ferreira (Officer). John Whittlesey (Lackey) of Boston has performed over 40 roles with BLO, and appears frequently with Intermezzo Opera, which he founded. This production will be the eleventh time David Cushing (Truffaldino) of Milford has sung with BLO at the Shubert. He recently made his Symphony Hall debut in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Finally, BLO is pleased to introduce Polish mezzo-soprano Edyta Kulczak (Komponist) and baritone Jake Gardner (Music Master) in their Boston debuts. Ms. Kulczak has sung in several opera houses around the world and numerous productions at the
