Magic of Mozart

It's always engaging to talk with TDO's Music Director, Graeme Jenkins, about one of his favorite topics: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Graeme has a wide-ranging and extensive repertoire and is particularly known for his interpretations of the seminal works of Mozart (among other great Western composers).

"Where to begin...." writes Maestro Jenkins, "The first opera I ever saw was Don Giovanni. It's a work that many critics and music writers consider the most musically phenomenal opera ever composed. My interest in the genius who produced such a powerful piece has never waned and, although each of his operas is a distinct work of art, it's the last six operas Mozart composed that have become cornerstones of the modern operatic repertoire.

"Each of the six embody a signature message and sound: In Idomeneo the forces of love conquer all, in Entfuhrung the constancy of Constanze is the key, as is the arrogance of the Count in Figaro, the forces of darkness are confronted and marked for destruction and death in Don Giovanni, Mozart's wit and the complexity of young love colors Così fan tutte, the tensions of Imperial Rome dominate Tito, and, finally, we get the culmination of everything Mozart stood for in his incomparable Magic Flute.

"Then, of course, there are the piano concertos, the piano sonatas, the other twenty Mozartean operas, the string quartets, and his unbelievably great Quintet for piano and winds.

"How did he do it all in 35 brief, action-packed years?  His letters to his father, Leopold and his wife, Constanze, many of which have survived, hold vital clues to his work habits and character.  Trust me, they are well worth exploring - as are the many letters by Mozart's contemporaries containing stories about and references to his genius.

"Perhaps the simplest explanation of the mystery of Mozart is contained within the text of his last masterpiece, The Magic Flute: ?Consider Well. He is a Prince - More! - He is a Man!'

Truly, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a prince among men, and a giant among the geniuses this world has ever, or will ever, produce."

See complete calendar & event details!

Rodelinda and The Magic Flute

Rodelinda opens January 27th (next Friday)! With each Rodelinda single ticket purchase, receive 20% off a ticket to The Magic Flute, Mozart's zaniest opera. Call the Ticket Office at 214.443.1000!

Did You Know?

As you enjoy the dramatic voice of Ewa Podles as Bertarido (Rodelinda's husband) in Rodelinda, imagine how it would sound if a man performed the role. George Frideric Handel originally intended the role to be sung by males known as castrati.

During the 18th century, up to 4,000 prepubescent boys were castrated each year in Italy alone. Their voices grew powerful and could hit higher notes than fellow male performers. Castrati became superstars of the opera world and were paid more than anyone else, including the composer.

Handel worked with many of the most famous castrati. The Handel House Museum in London, will open the world's first exhibition on these singers this March.

George Clooney, Paris Hilton, MacGuyver, or your spouse/significant other...

Our last poll asked you to fantasize about who you would prefer to be stuck with on a desert island. Most of you snapped back to reality, if only for a moment, to make your choice. See the poll results.

Mozart's Birthday Bash!

Radio Disney and The Dallas Opera are throwing a birthday party for Mozart and YOU are invited!

The party begins at 12:30 pm on Saturday, February 18th at the Music Hall with activities for everyone!

Try on costumes, have your face painted, and have your picture taken as an opera star; meet real opera performers and your favorite Radio Disney personalities and take a backstage tour! The Dallas Opera Orchestra will play a selection of Mozart music starting at 2:00 pm. We'll cut the birthday cake at 3:00 pm.

Register at the event to win a Grand Prize of 4 tickets to Saturday's (February 25th) performance of The Magic Flute with LIMOUSINE transportation, autographed pictures and a PRIVATE backstage tour!

Mozart's Birthday Bash Presented by John Eagle Dealerships.

*Keep an Eye on the Calendar!

The Dallas Opera is celebrating Mozart's 250th birthday year with activities everyone can enjoy!

Jan 21 - TDO Orchestra's Birthday Concert for Mozart at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth (3333 Camp Bowie Blvd.)

Jan 28 - TDO Orchestra's Birthday Concert for Mozart at the Dallas Museum of Art's Horchow Auditorium (1717 North Harwood)

Feb 6 - Free Screening of "Amadeus" at Angelika Film Center in Plano with introduction by WFAA-TV's award-winning film critic Gary Cogill (pictured above)

Feb 16 - Amici Night at the Nasher (2001 Flora St.)

Events continue through the end of February and we don't want you to miss a thing. So, keep an eye on the calendar and we'll keep you up to speed on the month-long birthday celebration!

Audiences are raving about Ariadne auf Naxos, starring Lyubov Petrova (Zerbinetta) and Turid Karsen (Ariadne) pictured here with TDO longtime donor Margaret McDermott at the OnStage dinner.

From the Critics

"Performances, acting and vocal, are top-flight all around; Petrova's expressive eyes are especially memorable. Stage director John Lloyd Davies also conceived the ingenious scenic design. With the island as centerpiece, a wonderland of floating chairs, French doors and a gilded frame is backdropped by a frescoed opera-house rotunda. The comedy players' cartoon set pieces add another level." Star-Telegram

"Norwegian soprano Turid Karlsen is a glorious Ariadne, her tone spun gold, effortlessly strung out, elegantly draped around every phrase. Russian-born Lyubov Petrova isn't the usual tweety-bird Zerbinetta, but a sensible girl with a voice of warmth as well as fire and flash." Dallas Morning News

"...people are wrong to think that just because it may be presented in a foreign language, they won't get it. The opera is as easy to understand as a Bruce Willis movie or any LMN vehicle starring Tori Spelling...Now go." Dallas Observer (January 5-11, 2006, p. 28)

Opera Scholars - Meet the New Class

The 2005-2006 Opera Scholars program is in full swing, introducing about two dozen local high school students to opera as an art form and providing a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to stage world-class productions, Dallas Opera-style!

The students have been studying each opera and attending a dress rehearsal or performance of each one. Like most high school students involved in activities, the students' daily schedules are hectic. Take a look at "A Day in the Life of an Opera Scholar"....