CONTACT:
Loriana De Crescenzo
401-331-6060
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OPERA PROVIDENCE
ANNOUNCES
THE 2005-2006 SEASON
Opera in Rhode Island
is alive and well and you’ll find it
at the Columbus Theatre in Providence
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, SEPTEMBER 21, 2005: The
2005-2006 season of Opera Providence promises to be one with something special
for everyone as the company returns to staged productions of opera. Opera fans throughout the state of Rhode Island, Southeastern
Massachusetts and nearby
Connecticut have been following closely the exciting progress
made by the company as it re-shapes and re-builds its future. Last year’s season provided innovative
performances which included collaboration with the Rhode Island International
Film Festival and even a Rhode Island premiere of a Spanish opera, Fiesta
de la Zarzuela. Now, Opera
Providence is ready to take the next step to offer the community opera
productions that are accessible and which bring attendees straight to the core
of the art form.
Building on the huge
success of the summer’s “Opera on the Hill” free concert series, Opera
Providence will bring the entire 2005-2006 season to the historic Columbus
Theater on Broadway in Providence. Connecting to a core
component of the company’s mission to provide access to opera for children and
youth, Opera Providence will open the season with Humperdinck’s opera, “Hansel and Gretel.” This opera, based on the Grimm Brothers
fairytale of the same name, will tickle the funny bone with the antics of the
brother and sister team, cause attendees to reflect on
family values, tantalize with the goodies of the witch’s spell and soothe with
the lulling melodies of the Dew Fairy and The Sandman. All performances will be sung in English and accompanied on piano by Dr. Matthew Larson.
“Hansel & Gretel”
Saturday,
November 19, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday,
November 20, 2005 at 3:00 p.m.
(Additional performances will take place on Saturday and Sunday,
November 26-27 at 3:00 p.m. at Linden Place in Bristol, RI.)
Opera Providence
Announces 2005-2006 Season
Page Two
When opera comes to mind,
many people think Italian and over-the-top emotion. The second production of the 2005-2006 season – “Cavalleria rusticana” and “Suor Angelica”
- will fill the individual’s appetite for passion, deceit and scandal. These are two, highly celebrated, one-act
operas lasting about one hour each.
“Cavalleria rusticana” tells the story of
illicit love and revenge on a dramatic Easter morning. “Suor Angelica” is a story
of faith, injustice and grace. Both will be sung in Italian.
“Cavalleria rusticana” and “Suor Angelica”
Friday,
February 3, 2006 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday,
February 5, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.
In April, a dozen of
Opera Providence’s most amazing voices will delight audiences with a semi-staged
performance of non-stop operatic favorites in “Opera Spectacular.” This
production promises to be a fun-filled afternoon or evening
for everyone, as attendees are sure to hear some of their most beloved
and favorite pieces from many of the world’s most famous operas.
“Opera Spectacular”
Saturday,
April 1, 2006 at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday,
April 2, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.
All performances (with
the exception of the Thanksgiving weekend shows of “Hansel & Gretel” at Linden Place in Bristol) will be held at the Columbus Theatre, 270
Broadway in Providence. Single
tickets will be available through Art Tix (www.ArtTixRI.com) or by calling
401-621-6123. Ticket prices range from
$15 to $50. Season subscriptions are
available by calling 401-331-6060. The
subscription series offers a 10% discount on tickets in the $25-$50 range.
Opera Providence is located at 83 Park St., Providence, RI 02903. The
Company’s web site is www.operaprovidence.org