Union Avenue Opera: 15th Season Overview

Union Avenue Opera's 15th season commences this Friday evening with Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore.

THE PRODUCTIONS

Audiences this season at UAO embark on a journey to Spain, France, India, and eventually Bethlehem. Opening the season is Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore. Franz Lehár's Die lustige Witwe ("The Merry Widow") and Léo Delibes' Lakmé will follow. The season concludes in December with a holiday-inspired production of Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors.

THE CREW

Chicago-based director Mark Meier stages the upcoming Il Trovatore. UAO Principal Stage Director Jolly Stewart returns this month to stage The Merry Widow. Kostis Protopapas, of Tulsa Opera, will be guest conductor of Lakmé, which will be staged by Scott Schoonover.

THE SINGERS

UAO is pleased to welcome back several singers of seasons past. Among them are Patricia Johnson (title role, Lakmé), Scott Levin (Baron Zeta, Merry Widow), Clark Sturdevant (Ruiz, Il Trovatore), David Dillard (Cascada, Merry Widow & Nilakantha, Lakmé), Patrick Blackwell (Ferrando, Il Trovatore), James Harr (Saint Brioche, Merry Widow), Roderick George (Gerald, Lakmé), Ian Greenlaw (Danilo, Merry Widow), Veronica McHale (Azucena, Il Trovatore), Eric Ashcraft (Manrico, Il Trovatore), Ann Hoyt (Valencienne, Merry Widow), Joy Boland (Ines, Il Trovatore) and Sylvia Stoner (Hanna Glawari, Merry Widow).

Singers making their debut with Union Avenue Opera this summer:

• Mezzo-soprano Crystal Philippi (Mallika, Lakmé)
• Baritone Thomas Beard (Conte di Luna, Il Trovatore)
• Baritone Nathan Wentworth (Frédéric, Lakmé)
• Soprano Alexandra LoBianco (Leonora, Il Trovatore)
• Tenor Thomas Wazelle (Camille de Rosillon, Merry Widow)

THE EVENTS

This season, UAO offers two new exciting events in conjunction with its productions of The Merry Widow and Lakmé: Kaffee und Kuchen and High Tea. These events are informal educational opportunities for patrons to meet UAO principal artists, take tours of sets, see costumes up close, hear musical excerpts, listen to presentations on the operas and enjoy refreshments. For more information, visit the UAO Website (linked below) and visit this blog in the coming weeks.

TICKETS & PRODUCTION INFO

Il Trovatore runs July 10, 11, 17 & 18. All performances begin at 8pm and take place at Union Avenue Christian Church located at 733 N. Union Blvd in St. Louis. Sung in Italian with projected English supertitles.

To purchase tickets or find more information about UAO, please call 314.361.2881 or visit http://www.unionavenueopera.org/