The Verdi Cycle Grand Finale Week
ALL VERDI, ALL WEEK
The Grand Finale Week Events
Verdi in Sarasota - A Retrospective
MARCH 4 – 20, 2016
Jonas Kamlet Library
As part of The Verdi Grand Finale Week, Sarasota Opera put together an exhibit exploring 28 years of Verdi performances at Sarasota Opera, including costumes, set designs, scenic models and video.
The Score and Beyond:
Performing, Staging and Experiencing Verdi
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MARCH 18 & 19, 2016
Friday, March 18, 10:00-12:30
Opening and Greetings
Session 1: Verdi On Stage
Evan Baker, “Elephants, Trumpets, and the parola scenica: Thoughts on the Production History of Aida”
Helen M. Greenwald, “Verdi’s Attila Sunrise, Musical Pictures, and the Life of a 170-Year-Old Canard”
Stefano Castelvecchi, “Staging La traviata as a Bourgeois Drama”
Andreas Giger, “The Staging Manual of Verdi’s Otello and its Significance Today”
Friday, March 18, 2:30-4:30
Session 2: Verdi in the World
Roberta Montemorra Marvin, “Getting to Know Verdi in Victorian Britain”
Mark Everist, “Opening the Cairo Opera House”
Emily Richmond Pollock, “Verdi’s American Home”
Saturday, March 19, 10:00-12:30
Session 3: Verdi’s Music, Verdi’s Theater
Linda B. Fairtile, “ ‘Se quel guerrier io fossi’: War and Warriors in Verdi’s Operas”
David Lawton, “Ornamenting Verdi Arias: Recitatives and Cabaletta Repeats”
Hilary Poriss, “Verdi and his Singers: Pauline Viardot”
Francesco Izzo, “The Verdi Critical Edition in Sarasota: The Case for Un giorno di regno”
Saturday, March 19, 2:30-4:30
Panel Discussion: Performing Verdi Today
Presenter and Moderator: Richard Russell
Participants: Martha Collins, Victor DeRenzi, Francesco Izzo, David Lawton, Marco Nisticò.
This conference is presented with the collaboration of The American Institute for Verdi Studies.
Click here for a list of conference presenters.
The Verdi Cycle Grand Finale Celebration
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2016
5:00 PM Dinner, 7:00 PM Verdi Concert*
After Party followed the concert
Sarasota Opera House
The Grand Finale Week Performances
Aida
Sung in Italian with English translations above the stage
MARCH 15, 19
Sarasota Opera premiere
Aida Michelle Johnson
Amneris Leann Sandel-Pantaleo
Radamès Jonathan Burton
Amonasro Marco Nisticò
Ramfis Young Bok Kim
The King of Egypt Jeffrey Beruan
Aida is one of opera’s most beloved tales. Conducted by Victor DeRenzi, staged by Stephanie Sundine and with new sets by David P. Gordon.
Click here for Aida program and notes.
La battaglia di Legnano
Sung in Italian with English translations above the stage
MARCH 16, 18
Sarasota Opera Premiere
Lida Jennifer Black
Arrigo Martín Nusspaumer
Rolando Todd Thomas
Federico Barbarossa Young Bok Kim
Marcovaldo Harold Wilson
Imelda Tara Curtis
Verdi’s La battaglia di Legnano was the final opera presented as part of the Verdi Cycle. Conducted by Victor DeRenzi, staged by Martha Collins and with new sets by Jeffrey W. Dean.
Click here for La battaglia di Legnano program and notes.
The Young Verdi
THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2016, 7:30 pm
Sarasota Opera House
Featuring Sarasota Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Artists
This concert featured music composed before Verdi's first opera, Oberto, conte di San Bonifacio. This concert was part of the Verdi Festival Week and included recently discovered music. This concert included the following works, which will be part of the critical edition of Verdi's complete works published by Chicago University Press and Ricordi: Sinfonia in G Minor, “Tantum Ergo in G major," “Memento Domine David” - Psalm 131, “Pater Noster (Original version)," “In convertendo Dominus,” Sinfonia in C major, “Io la vidi," and Sinfonia in D Major.
Click here for The Young Verdi program and notes.
The Verdi Cycle Grand Finale Concert
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2016 7:00 pm
Sarasota Opera House
Featuring Sarasota Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Artists
This concert featured arias, ensembles, and choruses. With music ranging from Verdi’s earliest operatic compositions to music written when he was in his seventies and eighties.
The concert included: The overture to Aida and the Act I Scene and Duet for Leonora and Oberto from Oberto, conte di San Bonifacio. This duet was transposed for R. Ferlotti and has not been heard since the 1840's. Also included were "Te Deum" as well as music from I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Attila, Macbeth, Rigoletto, Il trovatore, Un ballo in maschera, La forza del destino, and Otello.
Click here for The Verdi Cycle Grand Finale Concert program and notes.