Arts & Culture

UK Opera Theatre presents Mozart's timeless masterpiece 'Don Giovanni' Feb. 23-25

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 23, 2024) — Tonight, University of Kentucky Opera Theatre will ring in the season of love with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s "Don Giovanni." The show runs through the weekend at the Lexington Opera House.

One of Mozart’s final operas, "Don Giovanni" originally premiered in Prague in 1797 and has stood the test of time as one of the opera world’s enduring classics. Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte's triumphant retelling of the legendary "Don Juan" weaves a tale that captures the audience's imagination with its dark underpinning, a dash of comedy and a dose of tragedy.  

Everett McCorvey, Ph.D., director of UK Opera Theatre is excited about the two very talented casts of this production and their ability to showcase the "Beautiful duets, quartets, sextets, in which every character is able to express their own thoughts using the musical technique of ensemble singing.

'Don Giovanni' contains some of the most exciting ensemble singing in all of opera," McCorvey said. 

""Don Giovanni" has rightfully earned its place as one of the most lauded operas in history. When asked about his favorite among Mozart's operas, famed Italian composer Gioachino Rossini,declared "Don Giovanni" as his choice. Whether it becomes your favorite opera or not, there's no denying that it is a true masterpiece. 

Sung in Italian with English supertitles, performances of UK Opera Theatre’s production of "Don Giovanni" will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25. Tickets are on sale now at ticketmaster.com, or by calling the Central Bank Center ticket office at 859-233-3535 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. All phone orders include a per ticket service fee.    

"Don Giovanni" stage direction and scene design is by Stephen Wrentmore; choreography by Danielle Dunmire; costume design by Melissa Gilbert; and fight direction by Meredith Crutcher.

Content warning: This production contains spoken references to violence and sexual assault. 

Buyer beware  
With the rise in the number of "secondary ticket agencies/scalpers," UK Opera Theatre has experienced an increase in the number of invalid tickets being presented at entrance gates. The only authorized ticket sales agents for the Lexington Opera House are:  

The Lexington Opera House is not able to honor, replace or refund invalid tickets. Invalid tickets must be confiscated by the Central Bank Center Ticket Office. A copy of the tickets, which may be used to alert the point of purchase, will be provided at the customer's request.  

Customers with invalid tickets are welcome to purchase valid tickets at the Central Bank Center Ticket Office — seating location and price based upon availability. Learn more by visiting the Lexington Opera House’s website. 

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.