Two operas make their Sacramento Opera debut in the company's 2008-09 season, a schedule that also includes Giacomo Puccini's "La Boheme" and a first-time collaboration with the Sacramento Philharmonic on an evening of arias.
The new season, the opera's 28th, includes Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" in a company premiere, as well as the first company production of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operetta "The Pirates of Penzance."
The season begins Sept. 21 with "Arias and Overtures," an evening that signals a new partnership between the ballet and the philharmonic. The arias will be sung by baritone Malcolm MacKenzie and mezzo-soprano Dana Beth Miller, who sang with the company in last year's production of "Otello." A tenor hasn't been announced for that performance.
"This is a true partnership," said Rod Gideons, executive director of the Sacramento Opera. Gideons said that, if successful, such partnerships may become the norm.
"It may be a precursor to what, somewhere down the line, could be a big outdoor free concert in Sacramento like 'Opera in the Park,' " Gideons said. He added that such performances, if they happen, would be a preview of the season to follow.
Gilbert and Sullivan's two-act operetta "Penzance" makes its company debut Nov. 21 and runs through Nov. 25. It's a return to the comic operetta format last seen with Johann Strauss' "Die Fledermaus" in 2005.
"We try to include as many comedies as we can in our programming," said conductor and artistic director Timm Rolek about the inclusion of "Penzance." "And the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire is one that we've neglected in the past."
For "Penzance," the company has cast young tenor Matt Morgan in the role of Frederic. Morgan sang the role last year for the New York City Opera.
On March 1, 2009, the Sacramento Opera will offer the company debut of an opera often performed elsewhere – "The Marriage of Figaro." It runs through March 3.
"It's hard to believe that, at nearly 30 years old, we have never done this opera," said Rolek. "It's long overdue."
Though only partially cast, Rolek said Malcolm has been cast as the Count, and soprano Emily Pulley as the Countess. Pulley, a regular Metropolitan Opera performer, recently made a strong impression with her Sacramento debut performance in "Turn of the Screw" as the Governess.
The season ends with a production of Puccini's "La Boheme" on May 8, 2009, running through May 12. The company last performed the opera in 2002. For this production, the company is eyeing lyric soprano NaGuanda Nobles for the role of Mimi. Nobles is a recent winner of the prestigious Irene Dalis Vocal Award. She sang the Mimi role to rave reviews when she performed with the Fremont Opera production of "La Boheme" last year. She is also making her Chicago Lyric Opera debut in an upcoming production of "Porgy and Bess."
Missing from next year's slate is anything as risky or edgy as this year's rewarding production of Benjamin Britten's "Turn of the Screw."
The absence, said conductor Rolek, is entirely by design.
"Our formula is that we always try to include one popular, well-known work each year," said Rolek. "And then we try to balance that with something that our audiences have not seen yet."
This year, "Penzance," though not the most recent opera, is in the latter category.
But Rolek said it is the company's intention to perform operas from the 20th century, or those written since.
That is no small matter for this company since its performance of "Turn of the Screw" was one of its strongest productions in recent memory, and a production that saw a noticeable number of young patrons in attendance at the Community Center Theater.
But such works will not be programmed every season, said executive director Gideons. Rather, it is likely that recent or contemporary operas will appear every other year, he said.
All operas and performances will be held at the Community Center Theater. Season subscriptions go on sale March 7 by phone at (916) 737-1000. Single tickets will be available July 18 at the theater box office and by calling (916) 808-5181.
More ticket and current- season information can be found at www.sacopera.org.
Call arts critic Edward Ortiz, (916) 321-1071.
