Roméo et Juliette

Arizona Opera presents the tragic love story Roméo et Juliette

September 10, 1997

Arizona Opera opens the 27th Season with the bittersweet opera based on the famous story immortalized by Shakespeare. In Roméo et Juliette, the love between the children of two feuding Italian families ends tragically as the fates conspire against them.

Arizona Opera is participating member of the UKAZ Festival with the October production of Roméo et Juliette.

Last Arizona Opera Presentation: Seventeenth Season 1987-88
Sung in French with English surtitles

Tucson:
October 17 & 18, 1997 at 7:30 PM;
October 19, 1997 at 2:00 PM

Phoenix:
October 23, 24 & 25, 1997 at 7:30 PM;
October 26, 1997 at 2:00 PM

Returning to Arizona Opera are sopranos Robin Lee Parkin (Lakmé), and Susanna Uher (Echo, Ariadne auf Naxos) to share the role of Juliette. Familiar with numerous roles ranging from Puccini's tragic Mimi (La Bohème) and Rossini's The Barber of Seville as Rosina, Robin Lee Parkin appeared in Arizona Opera's production of Lakmé in the title role. She has performed with opera companies primarily in the Southern California area and has appeared in Opera Pacific's production of The Magic Flute (Papagena) and The Merry Widow (Olga Kromov) as well as in the Los Angeles Guild Opera's The Barber of Seville(Rosina.) Phoenix audiences will remember her musical theater performances when she appeared several years ago in Phoenix Little Theatre's The Music Man and C.A.S.T.'s West Side Story.

Susanna Uher made her Arizona Opera debut singing the role of Echo in the 1996-97 season's Ariadne auf Naxos, a role she had previously performed in the Stockton Opera's 1995-96 season. She made her European operatic debut in Italy in the summer of 1996 as Norina in Don Pasquale with the Rome Festival. She was a member of the 1994 San Francisco Opera Arts Training Program under the direction of Blanche Thebom, and has placed as a Top 10 finalist in the 1996 MacAllister Awards, the 1994 Rosa Ponselle International Competition of the Vocal Arts, and was awarded third prize in the 1995 Florida Grand Opera Voice Competition.

After his princely performance as Tamino in The Magic Flute and, subsequently, as Des Grieux in Manon during Arizona Opera's 1996-97 season, tenor James Miller returns for the 1997-98 season as Roméo. Mr. Miller made his debut with Arizona Opera in 1995's production of Salome. Well versed in operetta and grand opera, Mr. Miller has sung extensively with Utah Opera Company and Utah Festival Opera Company in numerous roles including Macbeth as Malcolm, Madama Butterfly as Yamadori, Die Fledermaus as Alfred as well as Salome and Aida. Mr. Miller also appeared in Tulsa Opera Company's production of Cosí Fan Tutte as Ferrando.

In the role of Mercutio, Dennis Jesse returns to the Arizona Opera stage after his powerful portrayal of Frederick in Arizona Opera's 1996-97 production of Lakmé. Mr. Jesse has enchanted audiences throughout the eastern United States, singing such roles as Figaro in The Barber of Seville with the Treasure Coast Opera, Marcello in La Bohème with the National Opera Company, and Escamillo in Carmen with Opera Lenawee.

Singing the role of Stephano is Kathryn Moore, in her debut with Arizona Opera. Formerly on tour with the National Opera, singing such roles as Meg Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Fidalma in The Secret Marriage, Ms. Moore moved on to sing with the Virginia Opera Association as Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, Die Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte, and as Ado Annie in Oklahoma.

The following artists will appear in Roméo et Juliette; Stefan Szkafarowsky as Friar Laurent, Korby Myrick as Gertrude, Glenn Bennett as Tybalt, Charles Stephens as Count Capulet, Robert McGaha as Gregorio, Richard Weidlich as Benvolio, Charles Roe as the Duke of Verona, and Reynaldo Romo as Count Paris. Returning to conduct the Arizona Opera Orchestra is Michel Singher. The production's stage direction will fall to frequent director James Lucas.

Theaters:

Tucson:
Tucson Convention Center Music Hall, 260 S. Church

Phoenix:
Symphony Hall, Civic Plaza, 225 E. Adams

Arizona Opera Offices:

Tucson:
3501 N. Mountain Avenue,
Tucson AZ 85719;
(520) 293-4336
Fax 293-5097

Phoenix:
4600 N. 12th Street,
Phoenix AZ 85014;
(602) 266-SING (7464)
Fax 266-5806

Season Tickets:

Arizona Opera is offering three ticket packages for the 1997-98 Season.

Full Season Package
Opening Nights and Sunday Matinees (Tuc & Phx): $212, $160, $104, $56
Encore Series(Tuc) and Friday & Saturday (Phx): $224, $168, $112, $60

Four Opera Package
Opening Nights and Sunday Matinees (Tuc & Phx): $180, $136, $88, $48
Encore Series(Tuc) and Friday & Saturday (Phx) Series: $190, $143, $95, $51

Three Opera Package
Opening Nights and Sunday Matinees (Tuc & Phx): $143, $108, $70, $38
Encore Series(Tuc) and Friday & Saturday (Phx) Series: $151, $113, $76, $41