DANGEROUS DESIRES

Desires, insatiable longings,
Invade our thoughts,
Shape our dreams,
And shatter our lives.

Some are fleeting.
A few, easily satisfied by a smile,
a sonnet, or a sapphire.

Now and then, our deepest desires
Take on a life of their own;
Threatening to unmask us,
Consume us,
Or destroy what we hold most dear.

Beyond reason, beyond obsession,
Dangerous Desires,
In five stunning operas
We're dying to share... with you.

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DON GIOVANNI by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

October 22, 24(m), 27, 30, November 5, 7(m) 2010

Mozart's masterpiece will sweep you off your feet with its unparalleled combination of comedy, drama, glorious music and a climactic, supernatural finale! Based on the Spanish legend of Don Juan, the world's most successful womanizer, Mozart's classic anti-hero and his equally conniving servant keep the men on their toes and the ladies on their... guard! Overflowing with memorable characters and unforgettable musical and theatrical highlights, this production boasts a phenomenal international cast led by Tony Award-winning baritone Paulo Szot, who dazzled Broadway audiences as the romantic Emile De Becque in the recent revival of South Pacific and who will perform in Dallas just months after his much-anticipated Metropolitan Opera debut! Dazzling, deeply thrilling and chilling!

Starring: Paulo Szot*, Georgia Jarman*, Claire Rutter, Bruce Ford, Mirco Palazzi**, Ailyn Perez*, Ben Wager*, Morris Robinson*
Conductor: Nicolae Moldoveanu
Stage Director: John Pascoe
Production Designer: John Pascoe
Lighting Designer: Jeff Davis *
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

* Dallas Opera Debut
* * American Debut

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ANNA BOLENA by Gaetano Donizetti

New Dallas Opera Production
October 29, 31(m), November 3, 6, 12, 14(m) 2010

Anne Boleyn. Courtier, seductress, queen. This chapter of Donizetti's famed "Tudor Trilogy" allows us to witness the final, destructive days of the woman whose ambitions altered the course of European History. The doomed second wife of England's King Henry VIII, once secure in her husband's affections, must now endure being supplanted by a younger and more beautiful rival: Mistress Jane Seymour. A love-struck page, Anne's forbidden first love and her loyal brother play key roles in this powerful opera, based on historic events. Donizetti's extraordinary portrait of the mental and emotional disintegration of a tormented queen foreshadowed his own tragic fate. In the process, he gave us some of the most poignant and beautiful music ever composed for the human voice. Soprano Hasmik Papian, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, tenor Stephen Costello and bass Oren Gradus lead a superb international cast!

Starring: Hasmik Papian, Oren Gradus, Denyce Graves, Stephen Costello, Mark McCrory, Elena Belfiore**, Aaron Blake
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Stephen Lawless
Scenic Designer: Benoit Dugardyn
Costume Designer: Ingeborg Bernerth
Associate Costume Designer: Julia Müer
Lighting Designer: Mark McCullough
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

** American Opera Debut

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ROMEO & JULIET by Charles Gounod

February 11, 13(m), 16, 19, 25, 27(m) 2011

Scale the heights of passion (literally) and experience for yourself one of the world's most enduring love stories. Inspired by Shakespeare and an overwhelming fan favorite since its Paris premiere, Charles Gounod's Romeo and Juliet delivers a timeless tale of love, loyalty, romance and revenge - as it underscores the power of passion to heal the deepest, darkest divides. An exciting and extraordinary ensemble cast led by one of the most sought-after performers of his generation: tenor Charles Castronovo as Romeo in his company debut, and Russian soprano Lyubov Petrova, who took the Metropolitan Opera by storm in her 2001 debut, makes a welcome return to the Dallas Opera in the role of the irresistible Juliet. Sweeping romanticism, tender duets and riveting action - from beginning to untimely end!

Starring: Charles Castronovo, Lyubov Petrova, Robert Lloyd, Joshua Hopkins, Roxana Constantinescu, Stephen Morscheck, Jane Bunnell, Aaron Blake
Conductor: Marco Zambelli *
Stage Director: Michael Kahn
Production Designer: Claude Girard
Lighting Designer: Mark McCullough
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

* Dallas Opera Debut

RIGOLETTO by Giuseppe Verdi

March 25, 27(m), 30, April 2, 7, 10(m) 2011

Words can be as sharp as any sword-and far deadlier! Verdi's compelling tale of a tragic jester, his corrupt master, and his daughter (an innocent beauty), comes brilliantly to life in this colorful Dallas Opera revival. The star-studded international cast includes Bulgarian baritone Vladimir Stoyanov making his company debut in the title role. It also marks the return of sensational Texas-born coloratura soprano Laura Claycomb as the soft-hearted Gilda, tenor James Valenti (who earned legions of fans as Rodolfo in our most recent production of La bohème) as the lusty Duke, and renowned bass Raymond Aceto as Sparafucile, one of the most cold-blooded killers in opera. Filled with soaring arias and searing drama! Tickets for this popular work are bound to go fast - So, don't be left holding the bag!

Starring: Vladimir Stoyanov*, Laura Claycomb, James Valenti, Raymond Aceto, Kirstin Chavez*
Conductor: Pietro Rizzo
Stage Director: Harry Silverstein
Scenic Designer: Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer: Peter J. Hall
Lighting Designer: Steven Strawbridge
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

* Dallas Opera Debut

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BORIS GODUNOV by Modest Mussorgsky

April 1, 3(m) 6, 9, 15, 17(m) 2011

Inspired by Imperial history, taken from the pages of Pushkin's 19th century play, and raised to iconic status by Modest Mussorgsky; Boris Godunov is set amidst the turmoil of medieval Russia, from the Lithuanian frontier to the haunted halls of the Kremlin! Did Tsar Boris order the assassination of a child in order to ascend to the throne? The heart of this royal mystery is illuminated by a tremendous, ensemble cast led by Russian bass Mikhail Kazakov, a star of the Bolshoi, making his American debut in the title role! Revered for containing some of the finest choral music ever composed, this passionate, highly original and very grand opera is being staged in Dallas for the first time in generations - in the phenomenal acoustical setting of the Winspear! Bring your friends, your family, your highest expectations! This goes beyond "season finale" - It's a crowning achievement!

Starring: Mikail Kazakov** Elena Bocharova, Evgeny Akimov, Vitally Efanov, Mikhail Kolelishvili, Sergei Leiferkus, Allan Glassman, Aaron Blake
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Stephen Lawless
Production Designer: TBA
Lighting Designer: TBA
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom

** American Debut
* Dallas Opera Debut

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