L.A. Opera’s 11th season promises murder, deceit

L.A. Opera’s 11th season promises murder, deceit

Legendary talent, exciting material wait in wings

By John Mangum

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

Hollywood has nothing on Los Angeles Music Center Opera.

The company announced its 11th season yesterday morning at a
press conference in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion’s opulent
Founders Room. Next year brings more of what opera is famous for –
matchmaking barbers, murderous divas, lovesick priestesses and
jealous husbands.

The season opens in September with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s tale of
a slasher spouse, "I Pagliacci," shorn of its usual partner-opera
"Cavalleria Rusticana." The spouse, Canio, demands to know the
identity of his wife’s lover, but when she tries to make light of
things, he stabs her and her lover, too.

Placido Domingo, currently an adjunct professor at UCLA, assumes
the role of Canio, a portrayal for which he is justly celebrated,
in a new production designed and directed by the legendary Franco
Zeffirelli. L.A. Opera stalwart Veronica Villarroel appears as
Canio’s wife, Nedda, and Juan Pons sings Tonio, the hunchback she
spurns.

As Peter Hemmings, L.A. Opera’s general director, explains, the
unique decision to perform "Pagliacci" alone resulted from
experiences he, Domingo and Zeffirelli have had with the piece in
the theater.

"Zeffirelli’s strong feeling was that partnering ‘Pagliacci’
with ‘Cavalleria’ weakened the impact of ‘Pagliacci,’ since both
pieces are violent, and passionate and too much alike," Hemmings
says. "In his search for another piece, he came to the conclusion
that ‘Pagliacci,’ which covers a whole gallery of emotions, could
gain by being performed by itself."

Domingo again plays a leading role in the company’s next
production, "Norma," Vincenzo Bellini’s tragic tale of a druid
priestess’ clandestine love affair with a Roman proconsul. Domingo
leads proceedings from the pit for four of the performances, which
coincide with "Pagliacci" in December.

Jane Eaglen makes her L.A. Opera debut in the title role, which
she recently recorded with Riccardo Muti for EMI. Susanne Mentzer
will play her sidekick, Adalgisa, and José Cura appears as
Pollione, Norma’s secret lover. This "Norma" is a co-production
with Seattle Opera and Houston Grand Opera, and it provides a rare
opportunity to hear Bellini’s riveting genius for bel canto
writing.

But back to murder and deceit. Giacomo Puccini’s "Tosca" is
being revived in November for Carol Vaness, who was trained in
Northridge and will sing the title role. The story pits the singer
Tosca and her politically minded lover Cavaradossi against the
villainous chief of police, Baron Scarpia. Needless to say, two of
the three acts end in a bloodbath, and there’s enough gunplay and
innuendo to shock the Motion Picture Association of America.

Richard Leech assumes the role of Cavaradossi and Justino Diaz
returns as the wicked Baron. Conductor Andrew Litton makes his
second L.A. Opera appearance (his first was Humperdinck’s
"Hänsel und Gretel").

In January, 1997, L.A. Opera departs from the earthly,
soap-opera love of Puccini and Leoncavallo, and presents Richard
Wagner’s metaphysical masterpiece "Tristan und Isolde." The
production, directed and designed by artist David Hockney, was one
of the company’s most successful, recalled by those who saw it as a
highlight of the 1987 season.

For its revival, L.A. Opera has assembled soloists Siegfried
Jerusalem (Tristan), Renate Behle (Isolde), Donald McIntyre (King
Marke) and Conductor Richard Armstrong. Jorma Hynninen, Jane
Henschel, Jonathan Mack and UCLA Professor Timothy Mussard round
out the cast.

Bringing audiences back to earth in late February and early
March, 1997, the company presents Gioachino Rossini’s "The Barber
of Seville" featuring Jennifer Larmore as Rosina, Rodney Gilfry as
Figaro the barber and Bruce Ford as Count Almaviva, the schemer who
enlists Figaro to help him win Rosina.

Michael Hampe, responsible for an excellent "Abduction from the
Seraglio" this season and many exemplary Rossini productions in the
past, returns to direct this "Barber." Conductor Marco Guidarini
makes his L.A. Opera debut in the work, which he tackled previously
in another production featuring Larmore at the Berlin State
Opera.

The biggest surprise of the new season comes in May, in the form
of Claudio Monteverdi’s "Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria" ("The
Return of Ulysses"). Conductor Glen Wilson joins a noteworthy cast,
including Frederica von Stade and Thomas Allen as Penelope and
Ulysses in a production from the Netherlands Opera.

Mozart’s "Marriage of Figaro" will bring the season to a close
in June, 1997. Conductor Evelino Pidó and soprano Inva Mula
return, having made an impact in last year’s production of
Donizetti’s "Don Pasquale." Accomplished singers, many of whom are
stalwarts of the company, round out the cast of this production
conceived by Sir Peter Hall for Chicago’s Lyric Opera.

OPERA: For information about the 1996-97 or current season, call
(213) 972-8001.

Placido Domingo, L.A. Opera’s artistic adviser and principal
guest conductor will appear in the company’s 11th season as both
singer and conductor.

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