Amore Opera to Close Out 10th Anniversary Season with Verdi’s 'Un Ballo in Maschera' May 25-June 2 & All-Children’s Production of Gilbert & Sullivan

April 22, 2019, New York City—Amore Opera concludes its 2018-19 season at the Riverside Theatre at Riverside Church (91 Claremont Ave, New York, NY 10027) with a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, sung in its original Italian; and with a production of  Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, performed entirely by children.

Excelling in its mission to discover and present brilliant young singers, as well as in an effort to produce seldom performed but worthy rarities of the operatic repertoire,  Amore Opera presented Giacomo Meyerbeer’s comic opera, Dinorah in March 2019, not staged in nearly a century in the United States.  Eric C. Simpson of New York Classical Review applauded soprano Holly Flack, who sang the eponymous role in Dinorah: “Holly Flack showed the most explosive talent… her middle was all flowing warmth and she showed off rippling coloratura and effortless trills.”  (March 20, 2019). Reviewing the same production,  John Yohalem of Parterre Box concluded: “there is much to delight in in Dinorah, the work of a consummate professional, presented by Opera Amore with impressive ambition and some extraordinary talent" (March 23, 2019).

"Our tenth season has been an incredible success including our revival of Meyerbeer's Dinorah," says Amore Director Nathan Hull, "and I am so pleased that we are topping it off with two wonderful productions both of which are so central to our mission. Un Ballo in Maschera is an audience favorite that represents the height of Verdi's middle period. Iolanthe is not only a funny, sparkling operetta in its own right, but it also gives us a chance to give our amazing children's company a chance to shine on their own."

Opening on Friday evening, May 24, 2019, Amore will present Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (May 25-June 2, 2019) in eight performances. On Saturday evening, June 1st, the performance of Un Ballo will be followed by a Masquerade Party to celebrate the finale of Amore Opera’s tenth season, featuring champagne, hors d’oeuvres, disguises & prizes for every participant. 

The production will be directed by Nathan Hull, conducted by Douglas Martin, with sets by Richard Cerullo, costumes by Lydia Gladstone, and lighting design by Duane Pagano. The rotating cast includes, in the role of Riccardo: tenors Jose Heredia, Todd Wilander, and Fabrizio Doria; in the role of Amelia: sopranos Elizabeth Perryman, Ashley Becker, and Aida Carducci; in the role of Renato: baritones Robert Garner, Jonathan Green, and Jay Stephenson; in the role of Ulrica: mezzo-sopranos Debra Patchel, Sarah Knott, and Galina Atkonis; and in the role of Oscar: sopranos Christa Dalmazio, Merrin Lazyan, Allegra Durante, and Jessie Goebel.

The schedule of performances for Un Ballo in Maschera is as follows: Friday evening, May 24, 2019, 7:30 pm; Saturday afternoon, May 25, 2019, 2:30 pm; Saturday evening, May 25, 2019, 7:30 pm; Sunday afternoon, May 26, 2019, 2:30 pm; Friday evening, May 31, 2019, 7:30 pm; Saturday afternoon, June 1, 2019, 2:30 pm; Saturday evening, June 1, 2019, 7:00 pm (following by a Masquerade Party); and Sunday afternoon, June 2, 2019, 2:30 pm.

For tickets at $45 adults; $35 seniors/students/children under 12; $35 - $25 partial view; $70 June 1st gala performance with Masquerade Party; please visit www.amoreopera.org or call 1 866-811-4111.

Two performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Iolanthe will open on Thursday evening, May 30, 2019. Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas are long-time favorites of Amore’s audiences;  in the past recent years, Amore Opera has presented children’s productions of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance both in 2013 and 2018, as well as Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore in 2015.  The production of Iolanthe will be directed by Nathan Hull and conducted by Iris Karlin. The rotating cast includes, in the role of Phillis: Nicolette Bett; in the role of Iolanthe: Julia Mechner, and Gia Cellucci; in the role of The Fairy Queen: Liora Shuf; in the role of Strephon: Michael Coppola; in the role of Lord Chancellor: Robert Dakwar, and Andrew Thibeault; in the role of Lord Tolloller: Aaron Adlam Ferguson, and Tamrat Gavenas; in the role of Lord MountArarat : Nathaniel (Nate) White; and in the role of Private Willis: Andrew Thibeault, and Bruno Amaro.

The schedule of performances for Iolanthe is as follows: Thursday evening, May 30, 2019, 7:00 pm; and Saturday morning, June 1, 11:00 am.

For tickets at $45 adults; $35 seniors/students/children under 12; $35 - $25 partial view; please visit www.amoreopera.org or call 1 866-811-4111.

About Amore Opera:

Heralded as “an important tradition and a gift to the New York cultural scene,” by Classical Music Editor Zachary  Woolfe of The New York Times, Amore Opera has built a loyal following among opera lovers of all ages. Thanks to having inherited numerous sets and thousands of costumes from Amato Opera, Amore is able to offer fully-staged productions. The company features a 30-member orchestra. Each year, Mr. Hull gives a platform to rising star singers, guest conductors, designers, directors, and, by maintaining a children’s choir, offers opportunities for new opera aficionados and performers. In November 2017, in an interview for Operawire, Mr. Hull explained: “I’m really keen on educating the next generation of people on opera and classical music in general.” In an effort to give more singers a chance to participate in a fully-staged live operatic production, Amore usually assigns several singers to each role, so the cast rotates with each performance.

“Much love and effort were lavished on the production,” wrote James R. Oestreich in The New York Times about a rarely performed sequel to Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte called Das Labyrinth, with libretto by Mozart’s collaborator Schikaneder and music by Peter von Winter. And, Classical Singer Magazine recently exclaimed, “All is not lost! The Amore Opera Takes Over!!”

During the 2018-19 season, Amore Opera also presented: Giacomo Puccini’s classic La Bohème (December 21 – 31, 2018); the company’s yearly production of Scrooge & Gilbert & Sullivan (December 27 – 30, 2018); the company’s 10^th Anniversary New Year’s Eve Dinner Gala (December 31, 2018); with a production of Giacomo Meyerbeer’s long-forgotten comic opera, Dinorah, presented for the first time since the Metropolitan Opera’s 1925 production (March 19 – 23, 2019); and an English-language version of Mozart’s classic Così fan tutte (March 15 – 24, 2019). 

For further information, please contact Hemsing Associates at (212) 772-1132 or visit www.hemsingpr.com.  
# # #