Opera Southwest is set to showcase “Ali Babà” to open its 2019-20 season.

The opera by Giovanni Bottesini will be showcased on Oct. 20, 2019 with subsequent performances on the 25^th and 27^th of the same month. All presentation will take place at the Albuquerque’s Journal Theatre.

The opera will be conducted by Anthony Barese with Ashraf Sewailam in the title role. Other cast members include Monica Yunus, Christopher Bozeka, Kevin Thomspson, Darren Stokes, and Lauren Serdijan. The production will be directed by Foad Faridzadeh.

“Opera should be a living and breathing art form,” says Maestro Barrese about the importance of reviving lost operas. Most people today think opera is conservative, but throughout the history of music, opera was one of the most experimental musical forms,” Barese said of the work, which continues the company’s initiative to showcase operas that from the 18^th and 19^th century that have been overlooked in the standard repertory.