25A Palm Beach Opera Announces Cast for Historic 2022 Season
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alm Beach Opera is excited to announce the cast for its highly-anticipated 2022 Season, which will mark the company’s 60th anniversary and a return to the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. For the company’s 60th anniversary season in 2022, Palm Beach Opera will open with Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” at Norton Museum of Art Sculpture Garden in December and present Bizet’s “Carmen,” Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love” and Lehár’s “The Merry Widow” at the Kravis Center beginning in January. In addition to bringing in acclaimed artists for its mainstage productions, the company has also selected world-renowned performers Denyce Graves and Rufus Wainwright to serve as 60th Anniversary Honorary Co-Chairs that will help commemorate PBO’s milestone season. Recognized as “an operatic superstar of the 21st century” by USA Today, Graves has performed at leading opera houses and concert halls around the world. Graves has performed in multiple productions at PBO since debuting in the company’s 1999 Gala, most notably as Herodias in “Salome” and as the Old Lady in “Candide.” Wainwright, praised for his “genuine originality” by the New York Times, has established himself as one of the great male vocalists and songwriters of his generation. In addition to being a celebrated contemporary pop singer, Wainwright has also composed operas “Prima Donna” and “Hadrian.” “We are thrilled to have Denyce Graves and Rufus Wainwright lend us their star power and passion for the arts as we embark on this historic moment in PBO history,” said General Director David Walker. “The pandemic presented every organization with unprecedented challenges, and while we remain thrilled that we were able to pivot our entire season to performing outdoors during the crisis, we are more excited than ever to again provide the power of live art to South Floridians with an unforgettable, triumphant season of opera, and to celebrate PBO’s 60 years of artistry, resilience, and impact.” On Dec. 11, Palm Beach Opera will open the season with a celebratory performance of the beloved English opera “Dido and Aeneas” outdoors at the Norton Museum of Art Sculpture Garden, starring the company’s resident artists and members of the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra. Conducted by PBO Associate Conductor & Chorus Master Gregory Ritchey, the exclusive seasonopening event will feature a pre-performance dinner, a special cocktail hour, and a post-performance reception. On Jan. 28-30, Palm Beach Opera will present the iconic "Carmen," one of the world's most popular operas, as the
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first mainstage opera of the season. Distinguished conductor Antonello Allemandi, who was last seen at PBO as the conductor of “La traviata” in 2019, will return to lead the orchestra. Director Garnett Bruce, who directed PBO’s 2004 production of “Carmen,” also returns to lead the cast. Starring as Carmen in two debut performances are award winning mezzo-sopranos J’Nai Bridges, who recently debuted at The Metropolitan Opera as Nefertiti in “Akhnaten,” and former Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Rihab Chaieb (Jan. 29), who debuted as Carmen in 2019 at Germany’s Oper Köln to critical acclaim. In another debut performance, Mariinsky Theatre star and Armenian tenor Migran Agadzhanyan will share the role of Don José with Jonathan Burton (Jan. 29), praised for his “thrilling power and beauty” by the Baltimore Sun and last seen at PBO as Rodolfo in the 2005 production of “La bohème.” In two more debut performances, Belarusian bass-baritone Anatoli Sivko will sing the role of Escamillo and frequent LA Opera artist Amanda Woodbury will perform as Micaëla. On Feb. 25-27, PBO will present "The Elixir of Love,” a bel canto classic featuring endearing characters and an exhilarating score in a fizzy, vibrant production. PBO’s Chief Conductor David Stern will lead the orchestra and Fenlon Lamb, who has directed several PBO productions including “Tosca” in 2018 and “Hansel and Gretel” in 2019, returns as the director. Marking her Palm Beach Opera debut as Adina is Andriana Chuchman, a regular performer at both Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Metropolitan Opera. In another debut performance, award winning Guatemalan tenor Mario Chang will sing alongside Chuchman as Nemorino. Alexey Lavrov, recognized for his “rich-voiced baritone” by the New York Times, will also debut at PBO as Belcore, a role he sang recently at the Macau International Music Festival. Last seen at PBO as Zuniga in a 2016 production of “Carmen,” Musa Ngqungwana – whose autobiography “Odyssey of an African Opera Singer” was
