Pittsburgh Opera Preview
Jeanine Tesori’s “Blue”
Jeanine Tesori’s “Blue”
April 23, 26, 28, 29, & May 1, 2022
The Story:
Reflective of an all-too-familiar American headline, Blue centers on the hopes and fears of a young Black couple as they raise their son. As the boy grows into a young man, he becomes a student artist and activist. His mother worries for his future, while his father tries to prepare him for the harsh realities of 21st-century America. The father also wrestles with his own identity as a police officer, a "Black man in blue", and the friction that causes within the family. When their deepest fears come true, the grieving parents must navigate the turbulent waters of loss at the hands of police, while seeking answers and support from their church and community.
On Saturday April 16th at 12:30pm, Anna Singer hosts Pittsburgh Opera Preview. She interviews cast members Kenneth Kellogg (The Father) and Briana Elyse Hunter (The Mother), as well as conductor Glenn Lewis and Stage Director Tazewell Thompson. Plus, you’ll hear musical excerpts from the opera. (Show repeats on Friday April 22nd at 7pm).
The Cast:
Kenneth Kellogg – The Father
Briana Elyse Hunter – The Mother
Aaron Crouch – The Son
Andrew Turner – Policeman/Buddy
Georges Bizet’s “Carmen”
Georges Bizet’s “Carmen”
March 26, 29, April 1, 3, 2022
The Story:
Set in 1830 Seville, Spain, Carmen is a roller-coaster of lust, deception, and murder. Fiery free-spirit Carmen, who lives her life to the fullest, can have any man she wants. But when she seduces naïve Corporal Don José, she gets more than she bargains for.
The Cast
Zanda Svede – Carmen
Scott Quinn – Don Jose
Michael Todd Simpson – Escamillo
Danielle Pastin – Micaela
Christopher Cerrone’s “In A Grove”
Christopher Cerrone’s “In A Grove”
February 19, 22, 25, 27, March 1 & 3, 2022
The Story:
A silent, expectant grove. A violent encounter between a man, a woman, and a notorious brigand. “In a Grove” offers a searing investigation into the impossibility and elusiveness of truth.
The Cast
Yazid Gray – Woodcutter/The Outlaw
Andrew Turner – Policeman/The Man
Madeline Ehlinger – Young Woman/Old Woman
Chuanyuan Liu – Priest/Medium
David Hertzberg’s “The Rose Elf”
David Hertzberg’s “The Rose Elf”
January 22, 25, 28 30, 2022
The Story:
A carefree Elf witnesses a despicable crime. Forever changed, he resolves to give closure to the victim’s Beloved.
The Cast
Madeline Ehlinger – The Elf
Andrew Turner – The Beloved
Veronique Filloux – The Girl
Jeremy Harr – The Brother
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's “The Magic Flute”
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's “The Magic Flute”
November 6, 9, 12, 14, 2021
The Story:
Young Prince Tamino embarks on a hero’s quest to rescue the beautiful Princess Pamina from Sarastro’s clutches. Along the way, he learns that things aren’t always as they seem. Aided by a magic flute, and accompanied by his trusty sidekick Papageno the bird catcher, Tamino pursues truth and reason, love and enlightenment.
The Cast
David Portillo – Tamino
Kathryn Bowden – Queen of the Night
Adelaide Boedecker – Pamina
Veronique Filloux – Papageno
