08 MAY 2019 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: EMILY DOYLE MOORE | [email protected] | 505-986-5908 FIRSTS AND FAVORITES IN 2020 AT THE SANTA FE OPERA ROSSINI’S THE BARBER OF SEVILLE AND MOZART’S THE MAGIC FLUTE OPEN THE 64TH SEASON ON JULY 3 & 4 COMPANY PREMIERES & NEW PRODUCTIONS OF WAGNER’S TRISTAN UND ISOLDE AND DVOŘÁK’S RUSALKA HUANG RUO AND DAVID HENRY HWANG’S M. BUTTERFLY HAS ITS WORLD PREMIERE AUGUST 1 IN BRIEF The Santa Fe OPera’s 2020 SeasoN, ruNNiNg July 3 through August 29, PreseNts 37 Performances of five oPeras, iNcludiNg the world Premiere of Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s M. Bu8erfly, two comPany Premieres (WagNer’s Tristan und Isolde and Dvořák’s Rusalka), Steven Barlow’s inveNve new producon of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, the revival of Tim Albery’s much-loved ProduchoN of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and two APPreNhce SceNes Performances. The 64th SeasoN celebrates the iNclusioN of works New to the world stage aloNgside audieNce favorites by RossiNi and Mozart, and features some of oPera’s most excihNg taleNt. Diversity iN hme Period and language is also rePreseNted, with Pieces and PersPechves dahNg from 1791 to 2020, suNg iN Czech, ENglish, German and Italian. The future seasoN Perfectly fits the hme-tested ProgrammiNg model PioNeered by Santa Fe OPera fouNder JohN O’Hea Crosby: a balanced and varied rePertory of New, rarely Performed and standard works Portrayed iN a New light. 2020 SEASON TICKETS ON SALE MAY 8, 2019 | VISIT SANTAFEOPERA.ORG OR CALL 800-280-4654 Page 1l of l12 SANTA FE, NM — The Santa Fe OPera’s GeNeral Director Robert K. Meya today anNouNced rePertory and cashNg for the comPany’s excihNg 64th SeasoN iN 2020. ON the Panel joiNiNg Meya for the anNouNcemeNt were the PresideNt of the Board of Directors Susan G. Marineau, Andrea Fellows Walters, Director of CommuNity ENgagemeNt, and Cori Ellison, the comPany’s first, receNtly apPoiNted Dramaturg. THE 2020 SEASON The Santa Fe OPera’s 2020 SeasoN, ruNNiNg July 3 through August 29, PreseNts 37 Performances of five oPeras, iNcludiNg the world Premiere of Huang Ruo and David HeNry Hwang’s M. Bu'erfly, two comPany Premieres (WagNer’s Tristan und Isolde and Dvořák’s Rusalka), SteveN Barlow’s iNveNhve New ProduchoN of RossiNi’s The Barber of Seville, the revival of Tim Albery’s much-loved ProduchoN of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and two APPreNhce SceNes Performances. The 64th SeasoN celebrates the iNclusioN of works New to the world stage aloNgside audieNce favorites by RossiNi and Mozart, and features some of oPera’s most excihNg taleNt. Diversity iN hme Period and language is also rePreseNted, with Pieces and PersPechves dahNg from 1791 to 2020, suNg iN Czech, ENglish, German and Italian. The future seasoN Perfectly fits the hme-tested ProgrammiNg model PioNeered by Santa Fe OPera fouNder JohN Crosby: a balanced and varied rePertory of New, rarely Performed and standard works Portrayed iN a New light. THE BARBER OF SEVILLE The 2020 SeasoN oPeNs with RossiNi’s most PoPular comedy, The Barber of Seville, iN a New ProduchoN whose Playful eNergy sPriNgs directly from his ebullieNt music. In StePheN Barlow’s winy New ProduchoN, Seville and Santa Fe, and 18th and 21st ceNturies, meet and merge iN a suNNy and whimsical world where anythiNg can hapPeN. Based oN Le Barbier de Séville (1775), the first Play of the ‘Figaro Trilogy’ by the French Revolutionary-era author Pierre CaroN de Beaumarchais, RossiNi’s oPera traces the efforts of clever Figaro to wiN for his master CouNt Almaviva his choseN bride. But Figaro meets his match iN that craqy would-be bride, RosiNa, who is already Plong to escape her guardian Dr. Bartolo. “NapoleoN is dead,” wrote SteNdhal, RossiNi’s first biographer, “but a New coNqueror has already showN himself to the world!” By the hme he was 21, RossiNi had already become an oPerahc idol. Three years later, he dashed off the brilliant Il barbiere di Siviglia withiN a mere three weeks and was well oN his way to domiNahNg and defiNiNg Italian oPera for the first half of the 19th ceNtury. Corrado Rovaris Presides over 11 Performances by an accomPlished youNg cast that iNcludes Emily D’ANgelo (RosiNa), former Santa Fe OPera APPreNhce Jack SwansoN (CouNt Almaviva) and AuduN IverseN iN his comPany debut (Figaro). THE MAGIC FLUTE Is it a fanciful fairy tale or an arcane allegory? A dreamy romance or an achoN adveNture? Mozart’s The Magic Flute, the second show to open in 2020, is all of these thiNgs and more. In this revival of Tim Albery’s acclaimed Page l2 of l12 ProduchoN, origiNally seeN oN the Santa Fe OPera stage iN 2006 and revived iN 2010, the clowNs of PoPular VieNNese musical theater miNgle with the Noble ProtagoNists of Italian serious oPera, the earthy Peasants of opera buffa and the magical wizards of folk fantasy, iN a seamless syNthesis of Mozart’s life’s work. “In Tim Albery's PeNetrahNg stagiNg,” wrote the Santa Fe Reporter, “The comPany briNgs a Midas touch to Mozart's mythic valedichoN iN oNe of the warmest, truest and most affechNg shows iN its history.” Music Director Harry Bicket coNducts NiNe Performances of this revival starriNg Joélle Harvey (PamiNa) and James Creswell (Sarastro) iN their comPany debuts, Joshua HoPkiNs (PapageNo), and former Santa Fe OPera APPreNhces Audrey LuNa (QueeN of the Night) and Manhew DiBasta (MoNostatos). Former Santa Fe OPera APPreNhces Eric FerriNg (TamiNo) and Erik Van HeyNiNgeN (SPeaker) will also make comPany debuts. TRISTAN UND ISOLDE WagNer’s Tristan und Isolde, a comPany Premiere and the first Piece by Richard WagNer to be seeN oN the Santa Fe OPera stage iN over 30 years, will be PreseNted iN a New ProduchoN. DebuhNg director Zack WiNokur coNjures a mesmeriziNg ProduchoN of eloqueNt, elemeNtal simPlicity which emPhasizes character, emohoN and ideas. “OPera is the field where all disciPliNes collide,” he observes, “…and I want to smash these differeNt methods of Performance and exPressioN together to Produce a thiNg of Power, meaniNg, maner and beauty.” WagNer wrote Tristan und Isolde uNder the twiN iNflueNces of Arthur SchoPeNhauer and his gloomy PhilosoPhy, and of Mathilde WeseNdoNck, his married lover — both of whom taught him a thiNg or two about uNfulfilled loNgiNg. The comPoser Now had No use for Plot-driveN romanhc oPera, PreferriNg to create a metaphysical reverie oN the very Nature of existeNce. He coNveyed his musiNgs oN love, sex and death iN iNteNsely chromahc music of deferred resoluhoN, coNveyed iN hdal waves of full-throated siNgiNg and lush orchestral souNd. James Gaffigan returNs to the Podium for WagNer’s masterPiece to lead a stellar cast that iNcludes SimoN O’Neill (Tristan) iN his comPany debut, Tamara WilsoN (Isolde) iN her comPany debut, Jamie BartoN (Brangäne), Ryan McKiNNy (KurweNal) and Eric OweNs (KiNg Marke). Tristan und Isolde will be oNly the secoNd oPera by WagNer ever to be Produced by the Santa Fe OPera, with the first beiNg The Flying Dutchman last PreseNted iN 1988. Its Prelude’s oPeNiNg souNd, the famous yearNiNg “Tristan chord,” is oqeN cited as the birth of moderN music, uNleashiNg an uNstoPPable wellsPriNg of musical Possibility. Its uNPrecedeNted chromahcism, toNal ambiguity and stuNNiNg orchestral color changed every comPoser who came aqer, imPachNg everythiNg from ExPressioNism to film music to Heavy Metal. In order to best accommodate audiences, all performances of Tristan und Isolde will begin at 8:00 pm. RUSALKA AN electrifyiNg New ProduchoN of Rusalka, directed by David PouNtney, will be the first-ever Piece by Dvořák to grace the Santa Fe OPera stage. Dvořák began wrihNg Rusalka late iN his career, wheN he had turNed his aneNhoN almost exclusively to mythical themes. With echoes of Hans Chrishan ANderseN’s The Li'le Mermaid, the oPera weaves the tale of a water NymPh who Pays the highest Price for the chance to love a human beiNg. Page l3 of l12 ResPoNdiNg with sharPly coNtrashNg vocal styles and souNd worlds for the oPera’s mortal and suPerNatural characters, Dvořák vividly Portrays the imPossibility of mergiNg the two worlds and the desPair of the iNdividual caught betweeN them. Santa Fe OPera Music Director Harry Bicket coNducts AilyN Pérez iN the htle role of Rusalka, accomPanied by Alexandra LoBianco (ForeigN PriNcess), Michaela MarteNs (Witch), Eric Cutler (PriNce) and James Creswell (Vodnik). The htle character’s well-kNowN “SoNg to the MooN” Provides a mere taste of Rusalka’s vast musical riches. The oPuleNtly scored Rusalka has oqeN beeN called Dvořák’s most WagNerian work, Not oNly for its equal treatmeNt of orchestra and voices and for its subtle use of leitmohfs, but also for its shimmeriNg, Nearly imPressioNishc iNstrumeNtahoN, evokiNg the lapPiNg of waves oN water, NocturNal forest souNds and eveN the reflechoN of mooNlight oN the lake. M. BUTTERFLY RouNdiNg out the Santa Fe OPera’s 2020 SeasoN will be Huang Ruo and David HeNry Hwang’s New oPera, M. Bu'erfly, based uPoN Hwang’s ToNy Award-wiNNiNg and Pulitzer-Prize fiNalist Broadway Play of the same Name. The oPera is the Santa Fe OPera’s 17th world Premiere, further buildiNg uPoN the comPany’s legacy of commissioNiNg New works. Both the oPera and the Play oN which it is based were iNsPired by the true story of a FreNch diPlomat who carried oN a 20-year love affair, with an astoNishiNg secret at its heart, with a star of the PekiNg OPera. The story’s many Parallels with PucciNi’s well-kNowN Madama Bu'erfly are echoed iN the New oPera’s music.