The Utah Opera announced its 2018-19 season featuring two new productions by the company’s in-house Production Studios. 

The season opens on Oct. 13, 2018, with Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” with tenor Joshua Dennis as Roméo and soprano Anya Matanovič, who will star as Juliette. Robert Tweten conducts the production with scenery designed by Eric Fielding and costumes by Susan Memmott Allred.

Performance Dates: Oct. 13- 21, 2018 

In January 2019, the company will present the Utah premiere and company debut of Rachel Portman and Nicholas Wright’s 2003 opera “The Little Prince.” Director Tara Faircloth will showcase a new production of the opera with costumes and scenery designed by Jacob A. Climer. The opera will star baritone Jared Bybee as the pilot while a chorister from The Madeleine Choir School will sing the role of the Little Prince, and choristers from the school will comprise the opera’s chorus. Conductor James Lowe leads the orchestra in this modern masterpiece. 

Performance Dates: Jan. 19-27, 2019 

Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” returns in March 2019 conducted by Utah Symphony Music Director Thierry Fischer. The cast will include soprano Zulimar López-Hernández as Pamina, tenor Andrew Stenson as Tamino, Baritone Joo Wan Kang as Papageno and soprano Celena Shafer as the Queen of the Night. Tenor Joseph Gaines also stars Monostatos. 

Performance Dates: March 9-17, 2019

The season concludes with “Bellini’s “Norma” in a new production. The opera stars soprano Marjorie Owens in the title role as well as tenor Chad Shelton as Pollione. Music director emeritus of Opera Theatre Saint Louis Stephen Lord conducts Bellini’s masterpiece.

Performance Dates: May 4-6, 2019 

The season will also include a number of events including Learn Before You Go, Libretti & Libations, Opera-tunities Night, a Red Carpet Event for opening night, Opera Prelude Lecture and numerous Q&A Sessions.