Pittsburgh Festival Opera goes outdoors, indoors, digital for new season
Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s upcoming schedule is based on three V’s — “to be visible, viable and victorious — even during a pandemic,” according to Artistic Director Marianne Cornetti.
“Because we are still in a pandemic year, and not knowing how confident our audience would be in attending performances before July, we wanted to maintain being visible, but not having huge production costs,” she said. “It was time to get creative.”
To that end, the PFO season will offer a blend of indoor, outdoor and virtual events, along with an original film production.
The company will produce a film of American composer Mark Adamo’s “Lysistrata,” an opera based on the ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes. “Lysistrata” recounts a woman’s mission to end the Peloponnesian War by recruiting women from the warring cities to withhold sex from their warrior husbands and lovers until they make peace.
“It’s a real film, not a film of a production, but a real film,” Cornetti said. “It’s never been filmed or even recorded before. We feel like we’re making big strides here — it’s a big ask, but we feel we can really get it done.”
Indoor, outdoor, digital
Highlights of the upcoming schedule include:
• “Cendrillon,” digital public release on July 16 — The 45-minute adaptation of “Cinderella” was filmed to be streamed in Pittsburgh Public Schools classrooms. From the Pauline Viardot composition, it was reimagined by Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s Director of Education Seamus Ricci.
• Open Air Series performance, 7:30 p.m. May 31 — A selection of favorite opera arias and ensembles, as well as Broadway standards, will be presented in partnership with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Open Air Series on Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park, Oakland.
Performers include Colin Aikins, Alice Chung, Brian Kontes, Danielle Pastin, John Pickle, Kevin Ray, Schyler Sheltrown and Benjamin Taylor accompanied by Mark Trawka and Robert Frankenberry. WQED’s Anna Singer will be the emcee.
PFO has 100 chairs available to rent at $40 each. Up to six people can sit together in groups, or pods, during this outdoor experience.
• “Voce al Fresco: Fresh Voices Under the Stars” — The Hans and Leslie Fleischner Young Artists Program will offer favorite opera arias and ensembles and Broadway standards in “Piazza in the Park,” July 2 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall in Carnegie, July 9 at the Schenley Plaza Oval Tent in Oakland and July 23 at the Varischetti Pavillon at La Roche University.
• “Lysistrata, or The Nude Goddess” — slated for a red-carpet October premiere at the Carrie Blast Furnaces — Sung in English, the film version will be recorded June 20-July 26 at the furnaces and other Pittsburgh locations. Directed by Derrick R. Brown and conducted by PFO Young Artists Program Director Robert Frankenberry, it will feature PFO Young Artists Program participants and PFO Orchestra.
• “Legends in the Limelight: Pittsburgh Festival Opera Live at Carnegie Music Hall” — Monthly performance by a major opera singer, August through December at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. The lineup includes soprano Alexandra Loutsion, Aug. 3; baritone Michael Chioldi, Sept. 14; tenor Gregory Kunde, Oct. 19; and soprano Marjorie Owens, Nov. 16.
Cornetti, also internationally recognized as one of the leading Verdi mezzo-sopranos of her generation, said she took advantage of her opera world connections to invite “major opera stars” to perform. Their programs will include opera classics, songbook standards and even pop tunes.
All performances are at 7:30 p.m. Ticket range is $75-$125.
• “Holiday Spectacular,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 — Bass Kevin Glavin will perform as Santa, with Cornetti as Mrs. Claus, will share holiday music at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. Glavin previously performed “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” concerts with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
Tickets start at $10.
While PFO traditionally has presented a three-week, summertime opera festival, the pandemic and its lingering effects led to a different approach this year, said PFO Executive Director Christopher Powell.
“There isn’t really a rule that says a festival has to be held over two to three weeks in the summer. A festival is a celebration, and opera is worth celebrating without boundaries,” he said.
By presenting programs over an extended period on different platforms, “we’re reaching different parts of our community and creating better accessibility to opera and breaking down barriers that people may think they have to accessing opera,” Powell said. ” We want to create programs that will reach deep into our community and, in order to do that, we need to change the model a little bit.
“I think it’s a win-win for us.”
As we said all last year, when life gives you lemons, make limoncello,” Cornetti added.
Tickets for online and live performances go on sale June 1, ranging in price from $10-$125. For information, visit pittsburghfestivalopera.org.
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley by email at smcmarlin@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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