News for November 2001:

COSTA MESA, CA

Opera Pacific will present its production of Verdi's RIGOLETTO Nov. 6 & 8-11 at Segerstrom Hall in the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Elijah Moshinsky directs a cast that includes Christopher Robertson and Louis Otey alternating in the title role, with Elena Kellessidi and Jan Grissom sharing the role of Gilda, and Misha Didyk and Andrew Richards portraying the Duke on an alternating basis.

Artistic Director John DeMain will conduct the production, which opens Opera Pacific's 2001-2002 season. OCPAC is located at 600 Town Center Drive. Call (714) 556-ARTS or Ticketmaster (714) 740-7878 or (213) 365-3500, or visit www.ocpac.org

LOS ANGELES

Los Angeles Opera and K-Mozart (105.1 FM) have teamed to present OPERA NOTES ON THE AIR, a new weekly opera-themed program broadcast on Sunday nights from 7-8 PM.

Each week the show features music, interviews and commentary about the contemporary opera world. Music selections are drawn from both historical and recent opera recordings.

Hosting the show are two of Los Angeles Opera's most popular performers, mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzman and baritone Rodney Gilfry. Both are Los Angeles natives and continue to make southern California their home.

Opera Notes On Air offers a new theme each week exploring selections from both traditional and lesser-known operas and the composers who wrote them. Guzman and Gilfry share their expertise as well as their experiences on and off the stage.

Guzman's Los Angeles Opera productions include Giulio Cesare, Peter Grimes, Le nozze di Figaro and Faust, among many others. She recently appeared in the first Russian opera to be presented by Los Angeles Opera, The Queen of Spades.

Gilfry received his Master's degree from USC. He created the role of Stanley Kowalski in the world premiere of Andre Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire for San Francisco Opera. His L.A. credits include the title role in Billy Budd and Madama Butterfly, La Boheme and The Barber of Seville, among others.