Virginia Opera has announced its 45th-anniversary season, which will include four main stage productions spanning three centuries of operatic works. Artistic Director Adam Turner will preside over the musical direction for all four productions of the 2019-20 season.

The season will start off with Lillian Groag’s production of Puccini’s “Tosca,” part of VO’s ongoing series, “The Puccini Cycle.” The production will feature soprano Ewa Płonka and bass-baritone Kyle Albertson, who will make their VO debuts. Tenor Matthew Vickers, who will appear as Pinkerton in “Madama Butterfly” at VO this season, will return to the stage as Cavaradossi.

Performance Dates: Oct. 4 – 20, 2019

Daniel Catán’s “Il Postino (“The Postman”), based on the 1994 Oscar-winning film of the same title, will be directed by Crystal Manich. The production will be the first installment in VO’s multi-year “From Screen to Stage” series. Tenor Daniel Montenegro will make his company debut, alongside tenor Scott Piper as Neruda. Piper appeared in VO’s 2004 production of “Rigoletto.”

Performance Dates: Nov. 8 – 24, 2019

Next in the lineup is Rossini’s “Cinderella” (“La Cenerentola”), directed by Kyle Lang. A Former Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist, soprano Alyssa Martin will star in the title role for her main stage debut with the company, alongside tenor David Walton as Ramiro, bass-baritone Dale Travis, and baritone Joseph Lattanzi, who appeared in the 2017-2018 VO productions of “The Girl of the Golden West” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Performance Dates: Jan. 31 – Feb. 23, 2020

Finally, VO will stage Verdi’s “Aida” for the first time in ten years, under the direction of Lillian Groag. Laquita Mitchell will star in the title role, with tenor Brian Cheney as Radamès, baritone Marco Nisticò, bass-baritone Ashraf Sewailam as Ramfis, and mezzo-soprano Leah Heater, a former Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist, as Amneris.

Performance Dates: March 20 – 29, 2020