LOS ANGELES NEWS
LOS ANGELES OPERA
L.A. Opera
will have a busy winter season, with three productions scheduled for January/February,
commencing with the U.S. premiere of Stefano Landi’s landmark 1619
opera, THE DEATH OF ORPHEUS. Performances (with a dinner and drinks option)
will take place Jan. 17-19 at El Cid, the entertainment hideaway located
at the heart of Silver Lake, 4212 Sunset Boulevard.
Presented as part of the Eurydice Found celebration, this baroque rarity
shows how Orpheus deals with his grief by renouncing wine and women. This
incurs the wrath of Bacchus, who has his rowdy female followers, the Maenads,
destroy Orpheus. But the gods have a different destiny in mind for the
tragic hero.
Baroque specialist Stephen Stubbs conducts the opera, which is directed
by Sara Widzer. The cast is comprised of singers from the Domingo-Colburn-Stein
Young Artists Program, including tenor Anthony Ciaramitaro as Orpheus.
Tickets (show only; food and drinks are billed separately) are available
at elcidsunset.com
Next up for L.A. Opera will be EURYDICE, a brand-new opera by composer
Matthew Aucoin and playwright Sarah Ruhl. It re-imagines ancient mythology
for a modern age by focusing on the heroine’s experience.
photo: Craig T. Mathew/LA Opera
Performances are Feb. 1-23 at the Music Center. EURYDICE will be conducted
by Aucoin and features such singers as Danielle de Niese (Euryidice),
Joshua Hopkins (Orpheus), and Rod Gilfry (Father). Mary Zimmerman directs;
the set designer is Daniel Ostling. Costumes are by Ana Kuzmanic.
EURYDICE was originally commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera/Lincoln
Center Theater New Works Program, with support from The Opera America
Repertoire Development Grant. It is a co-production of LA Opera and The
Metropolitan Opera.
Gaetano Donizetti’s ROBERTO follows (Feb. 22-March 14).
For tickets and information call 213-972-8001 or visit laopera.org.