Purdue News
Purdue News
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October 1, 1999 'Don Giovanni' strides into Elliott Hall on Oct. 22WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – San Francisco Opera's acclaimed professional touring company, Western Opera Theatre, will perform Mozart's "Don Giovanni" at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, at Elliott Hall of Music on the Purdue University campus. Presented by Purdue Convocations as part of the Lively Arts Package, the fully staged and costumed production features 16 up-and-coming singers from four countries and 11 states as well as a 33-piece orchestra under the direction of conductor Steven Osgood. Based on Graziella Sciutti's original staging for the 1999 Merola Opera Program, "Don Giovanni" is directed by Jose Maria Condemi and features sets by Jay Kotcher and lighting by L.B. Luebbers. Roles in the opera are multiple-cast, and all artists will sing in the chorus when they are not scheduled to sing a principal role. "Don Giovanni" will be sung in Italian with English "supertitles," translations that are projected above the stage. Inaugurated in 1967 with assistance from the first National Endowment for the Arts grant to a touring ensemble, Western Opera Theatre has given approximately 2,725 performances for more than 2.6 million people in 420 cities, 45 states (including Hawaii and Alaska) and five countries. In 1987, it became the first American opera company to tour the People's Republic of China. Through subsequent visits to China and Japan, Western Opera Theatre has become the most active opera company in the Pacific Rim. Among the hundreds of young singers who have performed on Western Opera tours, many have gone on to established international opera careers, including: sopranos Tracy Dahl, Patricia Racette, Ruth Ann Swenson and Deborah Voigt; mezzo-sopranos Catherine Cook, Catherine Keen and Dolora Zajick; tenors Craig Estep, Alfredo Portilla and Michael Sylvester; baritones David Malis, Hector Vasquez and LeRoy Villanueva; bass-baritone Monte Pederson; and bass Dale Travis. Tickets to the Oct. 22 performance of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" are $30, $22 and $16 for the public, $15 and $12 for Purdue students. Family Circle pricing at $8 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under is also available in the second balcony of Elliott Hall. Charge by phone at (765) 494-3933 or (800) 914-SHOW. Additional information is available at the Purdue Convocations Web site at www.convos.purdue.edu. CONTACT: Sue Stevens, Convocations publicist (765) 494-5045, snsteven@purdue.edu
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