Don Pasquale is one of the most popular comic operas in the world,” she explains, “and its fabulous music and crazy antics make it a great show for opera aficionados and newcomers alike.
Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) September 30, 2013
Opera Mariposa is kicking off its second season with a new take on Donizetti’s Don Pasquale at Marpole United Church on October 18, 19, 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. The all-new production transposes the popular nineteenth-century work to modern times, and features a cast and crew of talented and award-winning young artists from across the Lower Mainland. Tickets are $22 ($18 for students and seniors) from Brown Paper Tickets at http://donpasquale.brownpapertickets.com/ or 1-800-838-3006.
This opera production ushers in the second season for Opera Mariposa, a company for emerging performers that debuted in 2012 to rave reviews. Don Pasquale tells the tale of a crotchety old miser determined to separate two young lovers – and the mayhem that ensues when the clever heroine turns the tables on him. Artistic Director Jacqueline Ko says the company can’t wait to perform Donizetti’s operatic masterpiece. “Don Pasquale is one of the most popular comic operas in the world,” she explains, “and its fabulous music and crazy antics make it a great show for opera aficionados and newcomers alike.”
Ko, along with Managing Director Robin Eder-Warren, came up with the idea of transposing the opera to modern times. “Don Pasquale was written in 1842, but in many ways the story is astonishingly progressive,” explains Eder-Warren. “The heroine isn’t an innocent maiden or wilting flower – she’s a sassy, smart young widow who uses her wits to win the day. By setting the opera in the present, we want to showcase the vibrant, relatable characters and great humour, and make this fantastic work accessible to everyone.”
Though this Don Pasquale is set in contemporary times, Eder-Warren says it stays true to the spirit of Donizetti’s work. Meanwhile, Ko promises the production won’t lack for spectacle: “Opera Mariposa is designing the show from the ground up,” she says, “which includes everything from staging and lighting to the makeup and dozens of costumes.” The opera will be conducted by 24-year-old music director Ian Dives, and will feature two fresh-faced casts of Vancouver’s most talented young performers – among them 29-year-old bass Campbell McLeod as Don Pasquale and award-winning sopranos Ko and Eder-Warren, both 22 years old.
For more information about Opera Mariposa, go to http://operamariposa.com/.
Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti
October 18, 19, 25 and 26, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.
Marpole United Church, 1296 West 67th Avenue, Vancouver BC
Tickets $22 ($18 students/seniors) at the door, or through Brown Paper Tickets at http://donpasquale.brownpapertickets.com/ or 1-800-838-3006.
About Opera Mariposa: Opera Mariposa is a critically acclaimed new opera company run by young artists, for young artists. Now in their second season, the company is dedicated to creating a stage for emerging talent, showcasing the Lower Mainland's most promising performers in a diverse program of gala concerts, original shows and fully staged opera productions. Opera Mariposa's innovative programming presents a mix of classic works and rarely-staged gems, allowing them to offer singers a unique range of artistic opportunities while creating high-calibre shows that engage both dedicated operagoers and new audiences.
About Brown Paper Tickets: (http://www.BrownPaperTickets.ca) the world’s only Not-Just¬-For-Profit ticketing company creates stronger communities through events, donations and a business model that prioritizes people over profit margin. With the largest commitment to social responsibility in the global ticketing and event registration industry, Brown Paper Tickets donates 5 percent of profits from every ticket sold to causes in the category of each ticket buyers' choice, pays employees a week's salary each year to work for nonprofits, and employs a team of “Doers” to build healthy communities.
Media contact: Robin Eder-Warren (Managing Director, Opera Mariposa)
778-918-9498 ▪ operamariposa(at)gmail(dot)com ▪ operamariposa.com