UK Opera Theatre Presents a 'Tale' of a Season
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 21, 2014) — For 2014-15, University of Kentucky Opera Theatre continues its streak of presenting blockbuster musical theatre in addition to its classical opera programming.
UK Opera Theatre presents Stephen Sondheim’s maniacal masterpiece "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Directing "Sweeney Todd" will be one of the country’s most in-demand young directors, Richard Gammon. Gammon is a graduate of the New England Conservatory and currently is the stage director for Ash Lawn Opera’s Young Artist Program. He previously worked in Kentucky when he directed the 2010 production of "Much Ado About Nothing" for the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, in Louisville. Attend "Sweeney Todd” Oct. 4-12, at the Lexington Opera House.
A first in UK Opera Theatre history, Jacques Offenbach’s French fantasy "The Tales of Hoffmann" will be presented to the Central Kentucky community in March 2015. Stage Director David Lefkowich, director of Kentucky Opera’s November 2013 production of "Simon Boccanegra," comes to Lexington to bring to life the opera featuring tenors, Gregory Turay and Jonathan Parham. Lefkowich and Turay last worked together in the 2004 premiere of Julie Taymor’s "The Magic Flute" at the Metropolitan Opera. Lefkowich was Taymor’s assistant director, and Turay performed the role of Tamino. Lefkowich was also an assistant director for Angela Brown’s "Aida" debut at the Met. "The Tales of Hoffmann" plays March 5-8, at the Lexington Opera House.
Audiences will be wowed with the 23rd annual production of "It’s a Grand Night for Singing!" next summer. Six performances of the annual revue of Broadway, cinema and Billboard hits will be center stage June 12-21, 2015, at the Singletary Center for the Arts.
In addition to the main-stage season, the UK Opera Theatre Undergraduate Studio will present the holiday classic "Amahl and the Night Visitors." "Amahl," directed by Gregory Turay, will be a collaborative production with the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras under Maestro Daniel Chetel, and the historic Lyric Theatre. "Amahl" will play for three performances Dec. 12-13, at the Lyric Theatre.
Season tickets ("Sweeney Todd," "The Tales of Hoffmann" and "Grand Night") are available now through the Lexington Center Box Office at 859-233-3535. Tier I tickets are $157 and tier II tickets are $140. Single tickets will go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 2.
UK Opera Theatre is one of a select group of U.S. opera training programs recommended by the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. The Tucker Foundation is a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to the support and advancement of the careers of talented American opera singers by bringing opera into the community and heightening appreciation for opera by supporting music education enrichment programs.
The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts has garnered a national reputation for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, composition, and theory and music history.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu