News for
September/October 2008
HOLLYWOOD DOES PUCCINI
LOS ANGELES
-- Academy Award-winning movie directors William Friedkin and Woody Allen
have joined forces this fall to give the Hollywood touch to IL TRITTICO,
Giacomo Puccini's trio of one-act operas. Produced by Los Angeles Opera,
IL TRITTICO will be performed Sept. 6-26 at the Chandler Pavilion in a
company premiere.
Allen, in his first-ever operatic venture, will direct Gianni Schicchi,
a romantic comedy that "takes a page from Dante." Thomas Allen
stars as the charming scoundrel Gianni Schicchi, Laura Tatulescu and Saimir
Pirgu make their company debuts as the star-crossed young lovers, Lauretta
and Rinuccio.
Friedkin will oversee the other two short operas, Il Tabarro and Suro Angelica. Among the lead singers are Mark Delavan, Anja Kampe, Sondra Radvanosky, Jennifer Black and Tichina Vaughn.
James Conlon will conduct all three Puccini operas, backed up by lighting designer Santa Loquasto and chorus master Grant Gershon.
IL TRITTICO will be followed Sept. 7-27 by a new production of Howard Shore's THE FLY, directed by yet another film auteur, David Cronenberg, with a libretto by David Henry Hwang. Cronenberg, who directed the cult-classic movie of the same name, is--like Allen--making his opera debut. The same holds true for Hollywood set designer Dante Ferretti. Placido Domingo conducts.
October will see the return of Puccini's Madama Butterfly to the Music Center, starring Liping Zhang as Cio-Cio-San. Direction, design and lighting is by Robert Wilson.
Call 213-971-8001 or visit laopera.com for tickets and information. Listen to a musical preview of LA Opera's 08/09 season online on the same website.