West Edge Opera Announces 2023 Summer Opera Festival
By David SalazarWest Edge Opera has announced its 2023 Summer Opera Festival.
NJ Agwuna, who led a production of “The Magic Flute” at the Glimmerglass Festival, will direct “The Coronation of Poppea.” Adam Pearl will conduct the opera and a cast starring Shawnette Sulker and Daniel Moody as the lovers Poppea and Nerone. Other cast members include Sara Couden, Michael Skarke, and Samuel Faustine.
Performance Dates: July 22. – August 3, 2023
“Cruzar la Cara de la Luna” by Jose “Pepe” Martinez stars Efraín Solis, Kelly Guerra, Bernardo Bermudez, Aléxa Anderson, and Sergio González.
Performance Dates: July 23 – August 5, 2023
Also on the slate is a double bill of “Erwartung” and “The Nightingale.” That operas will be directed by Giselle Ty and stars Helen Huang, Kevin Gino, Patrick Scully, Kristen Choi, Alice Chung, and Mary Evelyn Hangley.
Performance Dates: July 29 – August 6, 2023
The company will also preview “Dolores” by Benavides and Koch. Mary Chun conducts a performance featuring Kelly Guerra.
Performance Dates: August 14, 2023
“Doing early operas in interesting ways has consistently been a staple of my tenure at West Edge. One of my favorite early pieces is ‘The Coronation of Poppea’ by Monteverdi which I directed for West Edge in 2013,” said Mark Streshinky, General Director of West Edge Opera, in an official press statement. “Back then we were a very different company with different resources. I thought it would be interesting and exciting to return to the piece 10 years later at Oakland Scottish Rite, this time helmed by NJ Agwuna as director and Adam Pearl (my partner in crime on Eliogabalo) as conductor at the harpsichord. I can’t wait to see what they do with this incredible opera.”
“Poppea” will replace “Bulrusher” by Nathaniel Stookey and Eisa Davis, which is now set to premiere during the 2024 festival.
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