Union Avenue Opera: 20th Anniversary Season

Union Avenue Opera celebrates 20 years of bringing compelling, vibrant performances of opera to the St. Louis community from the sanctuary of Union Avenue Christian Church. UAO's 20th Anniversary Festival Season is full of excitement: the sets will be grander, the costumes more opulent, and our largest chorus to date will grace the stage as the company returns to a three opera summer to mark this milestone year. This season is not to be missed! Join us for the romance and tragedy of Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata presented by Raymond James, the passionate family drama of Andre Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire and the heroic adventure of Siegfried, the third part of Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle. On November 8th, Union Avenue Opera will celebrate 20 years and toast its friends, patrons, supporters and cheerleaders with a 20th Anniversary Concert featuring international opera singers Lise Lindstrom and Jordan Shanahan.

THE REPERTOIRE

La Traviata, one of the most beloved tragedies in opera, tells the story of a worldly courtesan, Violetta, who decides to leave her life of glamour and frivolity behind for the love of one man, Alfredo. Returning to Union Avenue Opera after twelve years, La Traviata depicts the ultimate operatic life, one filled with grand parties, grander sacrifices, and some of Verdi's most memorable music, including the drinking song "Libiamo" and Violetta's virtuosic "Sempre libera." Both long time opera lovers and first-timers will be captivated by this irresistible classic. La Traviata will be performed in Italian with projected English supertitles on July 11, 12, 18 & 19 at 8:00pm.

Desire is taking on a new rhythm as Tennessee Williams' play sizzles onto the stage in the St. Louis Premiere of André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire. Set against the backdrop of steamy New Orleans, this scintillating Streetcar adds a new level of drama and excitement to Williams' enduring portrait of sex, class and secrets. Southern belle Blanche DuBois moves to her sister's cramped apartment, creating all the wrong kinds of sparks with her brutish brother-in-law Stanley. When dark truths about her past begin to emerge, Blanche's world comes apart at the seams in a spiral of violence and madness. A Streetcar Named Desire will be performed in English with projected English supertitles on August 1, 2, 8 & 9 at 8:00pm.

Wagner's epic Ring Cycle continues with the penultimate opera, Siegfried. Swords are re-forged, dragons slain, a sleeping maiden awakened, treasures reclaimed, and justice dispensed as the power of the gods continues to dwindle. The fearless hero Siegfried, grandson of Wotan, is destined for greatness as he faces a multitude of challenges, including winning the love of Brünnhilde. Siegfried is a wonderful fairytale with the requisite happy ending ... for the moment at least. Siegfried is reduced and adapted by English composer Jonathan Dove. His masterful cuts condense the opera in length to under three hours and will be enhanced by video projections befitting the magnificent grandeur of the Ring Cycle. Siegfried will be performed in German with projected English supertitles on August 22, 23, 29 & 30 at 8:00pm.

20th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

Mark your calendar to join us on November 8th, when UAO alumni Lise Lindstrom and Jordan Shanahan return to our stage in a 20th Anniversary Concert. Since her debut as Turandot with UAO in 2004, Lindstrom has performed the role in over 30 productions world-wide and has sung leading roles in most of the world's great opera houses including: Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro alla Scala, The Metropolitan Opera, De Nederlandse Opera, Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin, San Francisco Opera and many more. She will be joined onstage by Baritone Jordan Shanahan, an emerging international singer whose roles at Union Avenue Opera include Joseph DeRocher in Dead Man Walking and Alberich in 2012's Das Rheingold and this season's Siegfried. Soloists and a chorus will be backed by UAO's orchestra, whom has graciously donated its time and services to perform on this momentous occasion.

BEFORE THE FOOTLIGHTS

Union Avenue Opera welcomes back artists from seasons past:

La Traviata: Robert Garner (Germont), Debra Hillabrand (Flora), Mark Freiman (Barone Douphol), Robert Reed (Dottore Grenvil), Anthony Heinemann (Gastone), Jon Garrett (Giuseppe) and Philip Touchette (Messenger). A Streetcar Named Desire: Jimmy Stevens (Young Collector). Siegfried: Marc Schapman (Mime), David Dillard (The Wanderer), Jordan Shanahan (Alberich), Nathan Whitson (Fafner), Alexandra LoBianco (Brünnhilde), Cecelia Stearman (Erda) and Kate Reimann (Forest Bird).

Several artists make their UAO stage debut:

• Soprano Zulimar Lopez-Hernandez (Violetta)
• Tenor Riccardo Iannello (Alfredo)
• Baritone Phillip Bullock (Marquis D'Obigny).
• Soprano Lacy Sauter (Blanche DuBois)
• Baritone Bernardo Bermudez (Stanley Kowalski)
• Soprano Katherine Giaquinto (Stella Kowalski)
• Tenor Anthony Webb (Harold "Mitch" Mitchell)
• Mezzo-soprano Johanna Nordhorn (Eunice Hubbell)
• Tenor Robert Norman (Steve Hubbell)
• Mezzo-soprano Natanja Tomich (Flower Woman)
• Tenor Clay Hilley (Siegfried)

Twenty artists--local professional singers and members of UAO's Crescendo young artist program-- comprise the chorus of La Traviata.

IN THE PIT AND BEHIND THE SCENES

UAO Artistic Director and Conductor Scott Schoonover is set to conduct La Traviata and Siegfried this season. Guest Conductor Kostis Protopapas, who last conducted 2010's La fille du Régiment, returns to conduct A Streetcar Named Desire. Stage director Tim Ocel, who last staged Union Avenue Opera's critically-acclaimed Dead Man Walking in 2011, returns to stage La Traviata. Accomplished actor, theatre teacher and stage director Christopher Limber makes his UAO debut staging A Streetcar Named Desire. Stage director Karen Coe Miller, who helmed last season's Die Walküre, returns to stage Siegfried. MK Jacobi (Traviata), Claire Stark (Streetcar) and Allyson Ditchey (Siegfried) serve as Stage Managers. Sean Savoie serves as UAO Production Manager. The company welcomes back several designers to collaborate on the 2014 season including Patrick Huber (set, Traviata; set and lighting, Siegfried), Teresa Doggett (costumes for entire season) and Michael Perkins (projections, Siegfried).

Designers making their UAO debut: Maureen Berry (lighting, Traviata), Kyra Bishop (set, Streetcar) and Sean Savoie (lighting, Streetcar).

TICKETS & INFORMATION

La Traviata runs July 11, 12, 18 & 19 at 8:00pm. A Streetcar Named Desire runs August 1, 2, 8 & 9 at 8:00pm. Siegfried runs August 22, 23, 29 & 30 at 8:00pm. Our 20th Anniversary Concert takes place on November 8th. All performances take place in the sanctuary of Union Avenue Christian Church at 733 Union Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63108. Single tickets and Season tickets (at discounted prices) are available by calling the UAO Box Office at 314-361-2881 or visiting unionavenueopera.org