Both are in love with Leonora; she loves Manrico and spurns the Counts advances. The four central characters of the story, set during a Castilian war in Spain (which, worry not, is hardly relevant to enjoying the plot,) are Manrico (the troubadour) who is the son of Azucena (an old Romani peasant woman), who seeks revenge for the death of her mother burned at the stake for bewitching a young heir to the royal court. He, too, is internationally acclaimed for roles ranging from Porgy & Bess performed at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan to Iago in Otello staged by the Taipei Symphony Orchestra. Shes a lady in waiting to the queen, and she has fallen in love with the rebel Manrico, much to the chagrin of Manricos rival the Count di Luna and the royal family. Were having a great time with the rehearsals. Tickets for adults start at $15; tickets for kids and teens ages 6-18 are half-price. I was a member of Pittsburgh Operas Resident Artist program, Marianne Cornetti was part of it before me, and now Emily Richter and Daniel OHearn are current Resident Artists in the show. Manrico and the Count di Luna, on opposite sides of a civil war in 1400s Spain, dont know they are actually brothers. Center Stage Pittsburgh Opera's 'Il Trovatore': A Smashing Success, Let the Anvils Ring March 27, 2023 / Prentiss Orr Romani villagers strike their anvils in the chorus for which 'Il Trovatore' is best known. Low 62F. There is something to be said for going into a theater and (experiencing) instruments and voices unamplified. Has Alexandra Loutsion ever had those dreams? Antony Walker conducts; Daniel Rigazzi directs. Likewise, Chorus Master Mark Trawka produced exceptional ranges from a chorus of eight soprano, nine alto, eleven tenor, and twelve bass voices. Il Trovatore is both a bucket-list show for any opera fan, as well as an accessible introduction to the art-form for first timers. This is a role she sang at the Metropolitan Opera over 20 years ago. So its like a family reunion. Singing swordsman Conte di Luna (Lester Lynch). But you can still get the best seats in the house via this website. February 15, 2023 Besides the printed synopsis and supertitles, Verdi does a very good job of illustrating the text in his music. . Stage Director: Daniel Rigazzi Host David Highfield sits down with acclaimed performers Marianne Cornetti, Alexandra Loutsion and Emily Richter for a preview of Pittsburgh Opera's production of Verdi's "Il Trovatore." 2023 . The beauty of opera is emotion expressed through song and voice, both of which are made compliant to traditional constructs of (particularly) Italian opera popularized in the mid-17th century. Opera Theater Pittsburgh PNC is the 202223 Pittsburgh Opera Season Sponsor. She was, indeed, the vocal star of the show, but that could have been easily predicted by anyone who has heard her sing. Loustion is a Canonsburg native, regardless of which, she has proven to be a favorite of Pittsburgh Opera, featured in more than ten productions in that past 12 years. to Sunday, March 12, 2023 Marianne Cornetti Marianne Cornetti (born 1962) is an American opera singer, known for her rendition of mezzo-soprano roles in operas by Giuseppe Verdi, such as Azucena in Il trovatore, Amneris in Aida, and Eboli in Don Carlo . Some audience members tell me that they dont even read the supertitles because they get it all from the music.. Pittsburgh Opera - Il Trovatore - LGBTQ+/Ally Night The Anvil Chorus from its most famous scene has been featured in movies and many television shows and commercials. And lets not forget that this performance will feature all the stunning effects and stage direction that you could ever want. Home Our Posts Review: Pittsburgh Opera Brings Verdis Il Trovatore Back to Life, By George B Parous on March 26, 2023 ( 0 ), Pittsburgh Operas production of Il Trovatore, music by Giuseppe Verdi, libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, continues at the Benedum Center March 28, 31 and April 2. He has worked in theater management and has also taught theater. Im going back for next Sundays matinee, just in case the company holds off on producing the opera for another 25 years. 217 We create live opera at the highest standards of artistic excellence, and make it accessible to a diverse audience. Share with Us. Azucena is the woman for whom di Luna has been searching. Loutsion notes that operas are packed with all the ingredients that make for juicy storytelling love, lust, hate, vengeance, a thirst for power and glory, you name it. Performances | Marianne Cornetti This entertaining and insightful Opera Up Close program will be held atthe Bitz Opera Factory, Pittsburgh Operas headquarters(2425 Liberty Avenue) in the Strip District. Scattered thunderstorms. Location: Bitz Opera Factory. They introduced me to opera before I even knew what opera was, as an audience member.". Azucena pleads with Manrico to stay, but he resolves to go to her immediately. You will also recieve a monthly Whats On Guide to your email! In November of 2021, Dan's production of The Magic Flute was Pittsburgh Opera's first show in the Benedum Theater since the pandemic began. Got that? Its grand in every sense of the word, Cox said. ** Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni. Pittsburgh Opera provides both. Mar 28 - Mar 31 Full Price: $82.50 - $162.50 Our Price: $41 - $81 Get Tickets now Showtimes Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023 / 7:00pm Friday, Mar 31, 2023 / 7:30pm Description Revenge is a dish best served hot. Leonora appears to tell Manrico that he is saved and urges him to escape. Alexandria Loutsion, center, in "Florencia en el Amazonas," a 2019 Pittsburgh Opera production Alexandria Loutsion in "Florencia en el Amazonas," a 2019 Pittsburgh Opera production Alexandra Loutsion, a 2002 graduate of Chartiers-Houston High School and an opera singer Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Alexandra Loutsion in the 2019 Pittsburgh Opera production of "Florencia en el Amazonas", Alexandria Loutsion, center, in "Florencia en el Amazonas," a 2019 Pittsburgh Opera production, Alexandria Loutsion in "Florencia en el Amazonas," a 2019 Pittsburgh Opera production, Alexandra Loutsion, a 2002 graduate of Chartiers-Houston High School and an opera singer. Fans like you have already started purchasing their tickets to see the show, so you have to act now! Two Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumnae with local roots have big roles in these performances. Fortunately for this reviewer, Pittsburgh Operas current production of Il Trovatore is a favorite among opera fans who adore Giuseppe Verdis best works. Period production, with scenery from New Orleans Opera and costumes from Sarasota Opera, The Anvil Chorus (Photo credit: David Bachman), Where:Benedum Center, at the corner of 7th Street and Penn Ave, downtown Pittsburgh, Old Romani: Jesse Davis To keep his troops awake, the captain, Ferrando, recounts the terrible story of a Romani woman who was burned at the stake years ago for bewitching the counts infant brother. Tickets for adults start at $15; tickets for kids and teens ages 618 are half-price. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter . Assistant Stage Director:Haley Stamats*, + Pittsburgh Opera debut Member Face2Face Mixer: Pittsburgh Opera - Pittsburgh Tech Council She instead is in love with a mysterious stranger who serenades her every night. They have heard an unknown troubadour serenading Leonora, and the jealous count is determined to capture and punish him. Be Truthful. 2425 Liberty Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: 412-281-0912 Fax: 412-281-4324 Explore Nearby Details Amenities Meeting Space Reviews Events Blogs Adult Admission: $14-$160 Child Admission: $7-$80 Senior Admission: $14-$160 Parking Charge: Y Pittsburgh Opera's 2022-23 season offers both timeless classics and new, contemporary works. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Ferrando (Ashraf Sewailam) tells his troops the tragic story of Garza, the Count's brother. For example, Leonora, left alone to fret the arrest of her lover offstage, seemingly spends an eternity on stage, longer still when her focus is directed elsewhere. There are no microphones, there's no mixing. There is a lot to take in in the first act; fortunately, classic opera is rarely produced for modern audiences without a full plot synopsis available in the evenings program. Pittsburgh Opera's 'Il Trovatore': A Smashing Success, Let the Anvils Mezzo-soprano Cornetti, a Pittsburgh resident and a member of the Voice faculty at CMU, is beloved internationally for her many performances in this singular role. Certainly not least of the evenings four principal artists is Lester Lynch as Counte di Luna. So, indeed, come on down to Il Trovatore. As Leonora, soprano Alexandra Loutsion proves great talent can derive, quite evidently, from a career not long ventured. Conductor Antony Walker led his orchestrainclusive of four bass, ten-plus violins, four viola, five cello, flute, oboe, piccolo, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, tuba, trombone, timpani percussion, organ and harpin fine form. Founded in 1978 by noted mezzo soprano Mildred Miller Posvar, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh has a 30-year tradition of presenting innovative . She recently took the time to share some thoughts on the part and the opera, which will mark her return to the Benedum Center since she sang the title role in Florencia en el Amazonas, the last work staged there before the pandemic. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments. A Romani girl! Pre-Opera Talk - Il Trovatore - Mar. The costumes, provided by arrangement with the Sarasota Opera Association, and the set, provided by the New Orleans Opera Association, are remarkably and dramatically appropriate. Her performance Saturday, soaring and sincere, answers why. She encounters Di Luna and begs for Manricos release, he says No, and in a split-second decision she says, if you let him go, you can have me, and he says OK, great. Romantic and political intrigue, deception and revenge, ensue and, as in Game of Thrones, virtue isnt always rewarded. When she hears di Lunas name, her reaction arouses suspicion, and Ferrando recognizes her as the murderer of the counts brother. His latest book. "It's very challenging," Loutsion explained. Costume Designer:Howard Tsvi Kaplan 37 mins, which includes one intermission, Sung in Italian with English supertitles projected above the stage, Full Dress Rehearsal: Thursday, March 23, 7:00 PM, Benedum Center, Please contactChris Cox, Director of Marketing and Communications, at 412-281-0912 ext. The womans daughter then took revenge by kidnapping the boy and throwing him into the flames where her mother had died. Calendar. 412-281-0912 ext. Be Nice. And what does she tell people who view opera as being a remote and elite art form? Pittsburgh Opera No, Ive sung it with Central City Opera, she said, when asked if this will be her debut in the role. The costumes, provided by arrangement with the Sarasota Opera Association, and the set, provided by the New Orleans Opera Association, are remarkably and dramatically appropriate. If soliloquies are not the norm, arias seem wholly abnormal. Pittsburgh Opera: Il Trovatore at Benedum Center Pittsburgh This event is free, and is held in the Lower Lobby for Benedum performances, in the Black Box for CAPA performances, and in the performance space at the Bitz Opera Factory and the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. And Ashraf Sewailams Ferrando is compelling and awe-inspiring. A mothers tragic past returns to haunt her as she struggles to protect her son in Verdis powerful masterpiece. Its a recipe for a Sunday night of entertainment that you wont want to miss. 7:00 PM Beware! Antony Walker conducts; Daniel Rigazzi directs. Tickets are on sale now and are flying off the shelves. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. That is to suggest that, while blocking a cast of 45 on a stage as large as the Benedum provides might be a simple matter of composition, how best to choreograph the dramatic presence of just one character on stage can create its own problems. is a history of white settlement, genocide, and land speculation in Western Pennsylvania. Counte di Luna commands a full armynot a mere six men representing more. A sometime protege of Ms. Cornetti, she has performed often with the Pittsburgh Festival Opera for which Cornetti serves as Artistic Director. Azucena cries out that her mother is avenged: di Luna has killed his own brother. Much like making a living as an actor, sustaining a career in opera requires no small amount of determination and dedication. Yes, thats right! Verdi's Il Trovatore is an epic tale of love and sacrifice, deception and revenge. Login. All Rights Reserved. English supertitles are projected above the stage. Pittsburgh Opera 2023-24 Season | Pittsburgh Opera But Leonora and Azucena each have deadly tricks up their sleeves, and are determined to have the last laughs. Il Trovatore - Pittsburgh | Official Ticket Source | Benedum Center