FREDONIA - The 1891 Fredonia Opera House continues the 2012-13 season of Live at the Met high definition broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera with Giuseppe Verdi's classic drama of political intrigue and thwarted romance, "Un Ballo in Maschera" on Saturday at 1 p.m.
"To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Verdi, this year's Met season features several of the master composer's operas," said Opera House executive director Rick Davis. "This week's offering, 'Un Ballo in Maschera,' is a unique new Met production staged by acclaimed opera director David Alden with a charismatic cast of stars."
Led by Met principal conductor Fabio Luisi, "Un Ballo in Maschera" features some of the Met's leading Verdi stars in the central roles of the opera's love triangle: Marcelo Alvarez as the ill-fated King Gustavo III; Dmitri Hvorostovsky as his best friend and eventual rival, Count Anckarstrom; and Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia, Anckarstrom's wife and the object of the king's secret passion.
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Giuseppe Verdi’s classic drama of political intrigue and thwarted romance, “Un Ballo in Maschera,” will be screened live in high definition at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.
Photo by Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
Kathleen Kim sings the coloratura role of Oscar, Gustavo's page, and Stephanie Blythe is Mme. Ulrica Arvidsson, a fortune-teller with ominous news for the king. Soprano Deborah Voigt hosts the transmission and conducts backstage interviews with the stars. The Associated Press calls the production "an intriguing, fresh look at one of the essential works of the repertory."
The production lasts three hours, 24 minutes.
Live at the Met opera broadcasts are made possible by Dr. James M. and Marcia Merrins, who funded the purchase of the satellite transmission and projection equipment used in the series. Additional support comes from Bob and Shirley Coon, Bob and Susan Dilks, Steve and Mary Rees, and DFT Communications.
Tickets to "Un Ballo in Maschera" are $20 for the general public, $18 for Opera House and Met members, and $15 for students and are available in advance by calling or visiting the box office at 679-1891 Tuesday to Friday from 1-5 p.m. They also may be purchased online at fredopera.org.