The Austin Opera has announced that the company will return to live performances staging Puccini’s “Tosca” at Germania Insurance Amphitheater at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), the city’s Formula 1 racetrack located just 15 miles outside the downtown core.

The work, which will be performed twice on April 29 and May 1, will feature the Austin Opera Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Timothy Myers, the company’s
Sarah and Ernest Butler Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor. David Lefkowich will direct the production which is set to employ more than 125 local artists
and stage crew who have been out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The production will also star Latonia Moore in the title role, Adam Smith as Cavaradossi, and Aleksey Bogdanov as Scarpia. All three lead singers will be making their Austin Opera debuts.

“We are so excited to return to our central mission of providing a fantastic live music experience to the people of Austin, and we are proud to give employment to the many hard-working musicians and artisans and stage personnel who are part of our artistic family,” Austin Opera General Director & CEO Annie Burridge said in a press statement. “We are working closely with local officials to ensure a safe and healthy experience for people on both sides of the curtain. We are grateful to Frederick S. Addy for underwriting our partnership with Circuit of the Americas, which is making this monumental endeavor possible, to Eva Womack for underwriting the production, and to all our patrons who have championed and sustained us during this challenging year. I can’t wait to wave that green flag and welcome our loyal audiences to the racetrack!”

The company will follow all health protocols with social distancing and facemasks required throughout the venue. All ticket holders will get a complete pre-performance health questionnaire prior to arrival at COTA. Seating in COTA’s Germania Insurance Amphitheater will also be reserved in a socially distanced manner by section.