Contact:Gretchen Miller Basso
Public Relations Director
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
Phone: 407/896-6700 x 223
Fax: 407/896-5512
gmiller@orlandophil.org
www.orlandophil.org
(Orlando, FL – February 12, 2010) – The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra proudly announces its talented cast for the upcoming concert opera Carmen, presented in collaboration with Mad Cow Theatre on Friday, February 26 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, February 28 at 2:00 PM. Both performances are held at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre, 401 W. Livingston Street, Orlando. This series is generously sponsored by the Dr. P. Phillips Foundation, United Arts of Central Florida, Darden Restaurants Foundation and WMFE.
The Orlando Philharmonic and Mad Cow Theatre have been busy since the fall producing Carmen in addition to Porgy and Bess, to be performed in April. The work has been inspiring as the organizations have connected with the community in a way that has not occurred previously; having the opportunity to work with an extensive local cast. This past fall, Mad Cow Theatre oversaw the auditions, which attracted over 400 talented local singers. Although many of the leads for both productions are of international renown, most of the cast has been tapped locally.
Heading the cast is internationally-renown mezzo soprano Kirstin Chávez as Carmen. Chávez, a former Orlando Opera Resident Artist, has captured attention and acclaim in her signature roles and is now known as one of the definitive Carmens of the day, a role that she has performed with great success at New York City Opera, Tokyo City Opera, Minnesota Opera, as well as in Beijing, China, and Sydney, Australia. Opera News recently reported that her Carmen in Graz, Austria was “the Carmen of a lifetime. With her dark, generous mezzo, earthy eroticism, volcanic spontaneity and smoldering charisma, Chavez has it all, including a superb command of French and a sense of humor.”
Performing the role of Don José is Richard Troxell. Troxell’s beautiful lyric tenor voice has been thrilling audiences wherever he has sung on stages around the world. His talents as an actor and singer are evident in the wide variety of roles he has sung ranging from a punk-rocker in a contemporary staging of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut at the Spoleto Festival USA, to the wide-eyed innocence of Candide for Portland Opera and Opera Pacific, to the daffy Prince in Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges, which marked his well-received debut with the New York City Opera, to a suave Nanki-Poo in The Mikado– also for New York City Opera, to a dashing Piquillo in La Périchole for Opera Company of Philadelphia.
Luis Ledesma performs as Escamillo. Ledesma has established himself as a singer with powerful, yet refined vocal and theatrical gifts. His career already includes appearances in several international opera houses around the world, including Teatro alla Scala (Luisa Fernanda), the Liceu in Barcelona (Alphonse in La favorite, Riccardo in I puritani and Marcello in La boheme), Klangbogen Festival in Vienna (Leoncavallo’s La boheme), Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Escamillo in Carmen), Semperoper in Dresden (Marcello in La boheme), Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires (Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia), Bellas Artes in Mexico City (Marcello in La boheme), Macau Festival (Sharpless in Madama Butterfly), and Graz Oper (Escamillo in Carmen).
Janette Zilioli, who was once a resident artist in Orlando Opera’s Young Artist Program, performs as Micaela. She is quickly establishing herself as an upcoming star with her abilities as a talented singing-actress and the shimmer and brilliance of her voice. Recently, she made her debut at Opera Santa Barbara as Hanna in The Merry Widow and returned to Orlando Opera, where she performed the role of Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus. Ms. Zilioli also performed the role of Musetta in La Bohème with Palm Beach Opera, and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance with Central Florida Lyric Opera.
Rounding out the cast are talented vocalists Susana Diaz as Frasquita, and former Orlando Opera Resident Artists Sarah Limper as Mercedes and Christopher Holloway as Le Dancaire.
Carmen promises to be a satisfying experience for the ears, eyes and soul. At its premiere, Carmen, written by Georges Bizet, shocked and thrilled audiences. With its seductive tale of the irresistible gypsy woman who drives men to extremes, this opera has enchanted generations of music lovers with its passion, drama and action.
The Philharmonic’s Concert Opera series continues on April 9 and 11 with Porgy and Bess. Subscription prices are $28, $56, $81, $108 and $140 for a two-concert subscription. Single tickets go on sale January 25. Single tickets are: $14, $28, $40, $54 and $70. To purchase subscriptions and single tickets, phone 407-770-0071, or visit www.OrlandoPhil.org.
The Orlando Philharmonic is proud to carry on the tradition of opera in Central Florida. We hope that you will join and support us as we begin our endeavor into the world of opera!
