Top 5 Operas to See This Weekend – North America (7/13-15)

‘Silent Night,’ ‘Il Trovatore,’ & A Unique Production of ‘Das Rheingold’ Among Major Offerings

By David Salazar

The World Cup Final will take place on Sunday, which is likely to captivate a major part of the world’s attention. But for those who would prefer a night at the opera, there are plenty of offerings. You might recognize a few company names if you’ve been following steadily these past few weeks. The offerings remain excellent as ever.

Without further ado, here are our top five for the weekend, in alphabetical order by company.

Il Trovatore – Central City Opera

For good measure, here is a Verdi opera that doesn’t often get much spotlight outside of the biggest houses in the US. The melodic crowdpleaser will showcase a solid cast that includes Michael Mayes, Jonathan Burton, Lindsay Ammann, Alexandra Loutsion, and Ashraf Sewailam. Performances start on Saturday.

Silent Night – Glimmerglass Festival

This might be the single most exciting production in North America all year. The Pulitzer Prize-winning opera hasn’t been performed as regularly as it deserves which means that this is as must-see as it gets.

Falstaff – Martina Arroyo Foundation

On Friday night, audiences in New York will get a chance to see Verdi’s “Falstaff” which is always a must-see. It will star a vast array of young talent that is part of the organization’s “Prelude to Performance” showcase.

Das Rheingold – Pittsburgh Festival Opera

Did you miss San Francisco’s Ring Cycle? All is not lost as Pittsburgh Festival Opera is offering up its own cycle, albeit across four seasons. This year it will kick things off with “Das Rheingold.” As might be expected with Pittsburgh Festival Opera, which has no qualms with presenting idiosyncratic versions of major classics. In this case we get a reduced orchestration of the opera by Jonathan Dove. It also condenses the work to two hours. And yes, it is sung in English. Should be an interesting experience for new audiences and old. The showcase takes place on Friday and Sunday.

Dr. Atomic – Sana Fé Opera

Santa Fé is the place to be and this weekend, John Adams’ famed work gets another production by Peter Sellars. Ryan McKinny stars alongside Julia Bullock, Ben Bliss, Andrew Harris, Tim Mix, Daniel Okulitch, and Meredith Arwardy. Matthew Aucoin conducts. Performances start on Saturday.

 

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