It may surprise many people to realize Kentucky Opera has been around since the early 1950s. There have been changes in venue and budget over the years, but loyal fans, supporters, and artists have kept it going strong. Announcing its 65th Season, Kentucky Opera is bringing back fan favorites, including Giacomo Puccini's beautiful and tragic "Madame Butterfly;" a frothy Mozart romance, "The Abduction from the Seraglio;" and a bit of Victorian tomfoolery in the Far East, Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado."
Madame Butterfly opens the season on September 23rd, one of the most-performed operas in the U.S. This will make the ninth time Kentucky Opera has mounted a production of the enduring favorite, which features gorgeous Italian arias, a beautiful setting, and a story with an American protagonist (although not the most admirable representation of the American character). The Broadway musical "Miss Saigon," set during the Vietnam War, is a loose update of this classic. In the lead role of Cio-Cio San, Grammy-nominated soprano Talise Trevigne will star. I've seen two of the eight previous productions, and I was never disappointed.
Neither of the other offerings are strangers to the Kentucky stage, although it will be a full 30 years since "The Abduction"'s last appearance. It should be a very exotic affair: sung in German and set in a Turkish harem. For those who like their operas in English and with a lower body count, "The Mikado" is just the ticket. How can you not like a show with characters named Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo?
The 2016-17 Brown-Forman Season marks the first year for new Artistic Director Joseph Mechavich, who took over the creative reins following the untimely death of David Roth. Maestro Mechavich is already well-known to Louisville fans from his tenure as Principle Conductor since 2010. If you want to take the plunge and subscribe to all three shows, there are packages available for as little as $86. Check out the details online at www.KyOpera.org or call 502.584.4500. All subscribers have access to exclusive events and ticket offers, along with invitations to cast parties (fun!), VIP previews, special events, and more.
And don't forget that there's still one more show left this season. Tickets are available for Jerome Kern's and Oscar Hammerstein's beloved musical Showboat, February 18, 19, & 20 at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, the 21st at 2 p.m.
Images: Kentucky Opera
