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Opera on the Lake
Wichita’s Unique Summer Tradition Continues
Saturday, May 22nd, 6:30pm
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With the Picturesque setting of the Lake at Bradley Fair as a backdrop, the WGO singers perform operatic and popular favorites
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Since the famed Carmen on the Lake in 2003, the Wichita Grand Opera continues to begin every summer with the annual Opera on the Lake at Bradley Fair concert gala. This year’s outdoor extravaganza, on Saturday, May 22nd at 6:30pm, will feature a grand gala concert to celebrate the closing of the 2009-2010 season.
The Opera on the Lake tradition, patterned after opera festivals in Europe such as the Bregenz Festival, is unlike any other event in the United States. This performance will bring together every aspect of the “Season on a Grand Scale” as the WGO showcases audience favorites Michael Nansel, Patrick Greene, Mary Ellen Swords, Jennifer Weiman, Paul Smith, Dustin Peterson and Lindsay Ohse. Joining them on stage will be the WGO Adult Chorus, Children’s Chorus, and Corps de Ballet, all accompanied by the WGO Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Mark Laycock.
The opera portion of the evening’s program will feature selections from the 2009-2010 season and other well-known arias, duets, and ensembles from the operatic repertoire: the soloists will spin a web of love and deceit with excerpts from Bizet’s Carmen, touch every heart with the tender romance of The Elixir of Love, and portray romantic entanglements, friendly camaraderie, and soaring passion drawn from such renowned operas as Faust, Pearl Fishers, and Romeo and Juliet.
As the concert continues, WGO’s own version of “The Three Tenors” will take the stage to perform the heart-stopping “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot in tandem, followed by their rivals, “The Three Sopranos,” who make their debut in a performance of “Una voce poco fa” from Barber of Seville. In celebration of WGO’s summer island home on the lake at Bradley Fair, the first act will close with a medley from the unforgettable operetta South Pacific.
In the second act of the concert, the Wichita Grand Opera soloists will let their hair down and show their versatility by delivering their renditions of popular jazz and big band favorites, such as “It had to be You,” “The Way You Look Tonight” and “Over the Rainbow.” After a brief intermission, the Wichita Swing Dance Society, accompanied by the Boeing Jazz Band, will provide an exciting dance demonstration, followed by open dancing for all – so be sure to bring your dancing shoes!
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Enjoy the unique setting and relaxed atmosphere of Opera on the Lake
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“There's nothing like hearing opera on the lake at Bradley Fair, since the ambiance is so unique, the setting is so beautiful, and the program is so exciting and diverse,” says Parvan Bakardiev, WGO General Director. “Through this event, we are able to fuse the magic of our season performances with the phenomenal atmosphere of a live, outdoor performance. The incredible ambiance of this picturesque setting and the power of the music will provide a wonderful jump-start to the summer. We invite old and young alike to fall in love with the ultimate art form of Western Culture: Opera!”
While the WGO typically welcomes more than 3,000 audience members to Opera on the Lake, we also offer reserved seating and VIP treatment throughout the evening with the “Dinner on the Plaza Patio.” Yia-Yia’s will begin serving a three-course dinner beginning at 5:30, with a choice of four entrées:
- Beef Tenderloin with Peppercorn-Cognac Demiglaze
- Fresh Atlantic Salmon in Chardonnay Shrimp Cream
- Wood Oven-Roasted Chicken in Lemon Caperberry Sauce
- Smoked Chicken Mostaccioli in Parmesan Cream Sauce
As dessert is served, the dinner guests will then sit back and enjoy the concert from their tables on the patio. Single tickets for the “Opera on the Lake Dinner on the Patio” are $150 per person, and tables of six are $750. A portion of all ticket sales is tax-deductible. Seating on the patio for the dinner and concert can be reserved by calling the Wichita Grand Opera Box Office at (316) 262-8054 before May 19th.
General Admission for Opera on the Lake is free and open to the public. A prize drawing will be held for two $100 Bradley Fair gift cards at the event. Registration forms for the drawing will be available in The Wichita Eagle and at the event. The general public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for the event.
This program is sponsored in part by Laham Family Foundation, the Wichita Eagle, Dr. & Mrs. Alif Hourani, and the K.T. Wiedemann Foundation.
The Evening’s Schedule
5:30pm: Dinner on the Plaza Patio
6:30pm: Opera on the Lake Gala Concert
8:00pm: Dancing under the Stars
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