Arizona Opera’s 2007-08 season ranges from moors of Scotland to salons of Paris

The momentous opening for opera lovers in Southern Arizona begins Oct. 6. That night, the nascent Arizona Opera season will open with Donizetti’s powerful favorite, “Lucia di Lammermoor.” And that’s not all.

The season concludes in April with another heavy hitter, Verdi’s “La Traviata.”

What could possibly hold up between these two heavy book ends of the season? Actually, quite a lot. Between the moors of Scotland and the salons of Paris, there are stops in Vienna and an enchanted forest, and for operatic comfort food, there is “Gems.”

In November, the company will mount Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus,” yet another favorite of the veteran opera audience as well as those new to the art form - a light-hearted combination of the wicked as well as the faithful in Viennese love affairs.

Mozart’s “Magic Flute” continues this panoply of the “known” in March.

A counterpoint to the lushness of the season will be “Gems,” an album of familiar arias presented in concert.

One casualty of the season is “Turn of the Screw,” originally planned as general and artistic director Joel Revzen’s now-annual acknowledgment of the less-well-known yet credible parts of the opera repertoire not often seen in Tucson under past administrations.

Unfortunately, the death of Colin Graham, director of last season’s “Madama Butterfly,” doomed the Benjamin Britten piece. It would be a welcome highlight in future seasons, but the inclusion of more contemporary pieces depends on the support they receive from year-round residents as well as winter visitors to Southwest Arizona.

Although only a little over half of the cost of each opera is covered by the price of the tickets, that is an important half without which new productions are not financially feasible.

Revzen’s choices for the coming season were pretty close to perfection for Arizona as well as companies throughout the country had he been able to keep the Britten. Nevertheless, the audience support of the more standard part of the season should make it possible for the general director to be a bit more adventuresome in the future. For this year, he is not likely to get much argument about his repertoire.

Again this season, the Arizona Opera League will sponsor previews of each opera at the Green Valley campus of Pima County Community College and provide low-cost bus transportation to Sunday matinees. Further information about these services is available at 625-3361.

Singers, obviously, make all the difference in opera. Revzen has been in Arizona long enough now to place his own personal imprimatur on the casting. Metropolitan Opera star Stephanie Blythe will sing Prince Orlofsky in “Fledermaus.” Of her, the New York Times said, “Ms. Blythe’s voice…pulls a listener to the edge of his seat.” Alexandra Deshorties, “a powerhouse” according to the Dallas Morning News, will appear as Violetta in “Traviata” with another famous Violetta, Sheri Greenawald of the San Francisco Opera Center, directing.

The opera company has recently added some strong new staff. Roberto Mauro, director of artistic operations, has had a great deal to do with the up-coming Michigan Opera’s world premier of David DiChiera’s “Cyrano” this year. Similarly, Toni Morrison’s opera about a pre-Civil War fugitive slave Margaret Garner, premiered under his tutelage.

New deputy director of development, Lisa Bury comes to Arizona from Chicago where she was director of corporate, foundation and government support for Lyric Opera. With a Master’s degree in violin performance from Ithaca College as well as master’s degrees in business administration and arts administration, Bury brings a nearly unique combination of education and experience needed by the local company.

Season and multiple performance tickets are available directly from Arizona Opera at 520-293-4336. Tickets for individual performances are handled by TicketMaster, 520-321-1000 or www.ticketmaster.com.

rford@gvnews.com | 547-9740