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(The Clowns)
by Ruggiero Leoncavallo
Sponsored in part by:
Dr. and Mrs. Dennis Ross, the Dean O. Smith Family (in honor of their mother, Mary Elizabeth Stokes Smith), and Cessna Aircraft Company.
Hotel accomodations for visiting artists are provided by Holiday Inn Downtown-Convention Center, the official hotel of the Wichita Grand Opera for the 2005-2006 Season.
March 18, 2006
7:30 PM, Century II Concert Hall
The powerful drama of Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci takes the stage on March 18, 2006 at 7:30 PM. This WGO new production will showcase the extended version of this popular verismo opera. I Pagliacci offers the unique perspective of a play within a play. Each character struggles to define the line between reality and fantasy in this epic story of love, jealousy, and vengeance.
Renowned Italian conductor Federico Cortese returns this season after his WGO triumphant debut last year in The Barber of Seville. Maestro Cortese's work as a conductor has been widely praised throughout the world. The Maestro conducts at the Boston Lyric Opera, Spoleto Festival in Italy, and the Oslo Philharmonic to name a few.
Young Italian opera director and choreographer, Marco Pelle will stage this production. Mr. Pelle has collaborated with the New York City Opera, Detroit Opera, Parma Opera in Italy, American Ballet Theatre, and the Metropolitan Opera House. He also directs and conducts master classes at Yale University.
Rising Italian soprano, Tiziana Bellavista will make her U.S. and WGO debut singing the role of Nedda. She is the winner of the international competitions of Voci Verdiane in Busseto and Voci Liriche di Sanremo. She has made her opera debut under the direction of Giancarlo Del Monaco and the baton of Maestro Gustav Kuhn. Miss Bellavista is a frequent guest at German and Italian opera houses.
" Wichita Grand Opera is pleased to give David Camp, a Kansas native, his operatic debut in a leading role, singing the pivotal role of Canio," says Artistic Director Margaret Ann Pent. "I discovered this magnificent talent last season when he auditioned to sing in the WGO Chorus. Since then WGO has been grooming him through its Resident Artist Program to take center stage in the world of opera."
American baritone William Andrew Stuckey will sing the role of Tonio. Mr. Stuckey has appeared in leading roles at the Chicago Lyric Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and Palm Beach Opera, among others. Argentinean baritone, Gustavo Ahualli, makes his debut with the WGO in the role of Silvio. Tenor Richard Novak returns to the WGO as Beppe after winning the Metropolitan Opera Regional Competition.
The 60 voice Pagliacci chorus directed by Clint Dunn will include members of the WGO Resident and Young Artist Programs and Chorus, members of the WGO Children's Chorus directed by Clarissia Prater, members of the Highland Community College Choir directed by Shayna Leahy, members of the Central Community Church Chorus directed by Clint Dunn, and members of Newton's Community Youth Choir directed by Diane Fast. |
