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(The Bat)
by Johann Strauss
Sponsored in part by:
Galichia Heart Hospital and Laham Family Foundation
November 11, 2005
7:30 PM, Century II Concert Hall
The season opens in grand style on Friday, November 11 at 7:30 PM with the cunningly comedic Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, a co-production with the Czech Opera Prague, performed in German with English surtitles. Composed in 1874 by the Viennese “king of waltz”, Die Fledermaus is the most popular and performed work of Johann Strauss. This co-production features principal soloists of the Prague State Opera, and the WGO Resident Artist’s. Back by popular demand, WGO brings Maestro Martin Mazik, chief conductor of the Slovakia National Opera, who conducted magnificently last season’s opening production of Don Giovanni and the season finale of La Boheme. With more than 500 performances under his baton in Europe, Maestro Mazik was invited to the United States by Parvan Bakardiev to make his symphonic debut with the Palm Beach Symphony in 2000, and his U.S opera debut with Wichita Grand Opera in 2004.
Starring in Die Fledermaus is Jan Jezek as Gabriel Von Eisenstein, Jitka Svobodova as Rosalinde, Oldrich Kriz as Frank, Anna Janotova as Adele, and Marian Rehor as Dr. Falke. The Stage Director is Martin Otava, from the Prague State Opera, and co-founder of the annual Opera Festival in Prague’s Lichtenstein Palace. His directing credits include opera companies in Japan, Germany, Spain, and Austria. Wichita Grand Opera soloists featured in the production are David Camp as the Italian tenor, Charleen Ayers as the Kansas Prima Donna, and Rachel Priest-O’Hara as Ida. The audience will also enjoy spotting their favorite local celebrities as cameos in the ball scene. |
