SOCIE T Y
PHOTO BY DOMINIC M. MERCIER
& CULTURE
War Stories was one of Opera Philadelphia’s hottest shows at its first O17 festival.
KEYED UP How do you freshen an art form that’s nearly half a millennium old? You give it to Opera Philadelphia, an arts company that has, in recent years, become a global industry leader with its trendsetting programming. Case in point: The upcoming 11-day O18 festival that includes two world premieres, two new productions and a three-part cabaret. Perhaps the boldest show is the premiere of Glass Handel, which unites baroque composer George Frideric Handel’s works with those of contemporary American musician Philip Glass, and features choreography by dance wunderkind Justin Peck and live painting. “We’re redefining what opera really is and what it could be,” says Michael Bolton, the vice president of community initiatives. For operagoers who crave a more intimate experience, themed afterparties will cater to the senses, like a three-course dinner with composer Lembit Beecher and the cast of Sky on Swings following its world premiere. Rachel McCausland, the vice president of development, best sums it up by saying, “You can’t see these shows anywhere else. The only thing our audiences come to expect is the unexpected.” Sept. 20-30, VIP packages from $950, various locations, operaphila.org –Nila Do Simon