PR - OperaDelaware & Baltimore Concert Opera present co-production of The Barber of Seville

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JANUARY 31, 2022

Wilmington, DE & Baltimore, MD — OperaDelaware and Baltimore Concert Opera will present a co-production of Rossini’s madcap comic masterpiece, The Barber of Seville, in February. The opera will premiere Feb. 18 in Maryland at Towson University’s Stephens Hall with an encore performance on Feb. 20, followed by two performances at The Grand in Wilmington, DE on Feb. 25 & 27. Tickets start at $29 and are on sale now at operade.org and baltimoreconcertopera.com. 

While OD and BCO are frequent artistic collaborators, Barber will be the companies’ first co-production of a full-scale opera. The opera also marks two other milestones: OD’s first in-person grand opera performance since the start of the pandemic and BCO’s first fully staged production with orchestra since its inception in 2009. 

“We are beyond excited to combine forces with OperaDelaware to bring this fun-filled production to two Mid-Atlantic cities, and to offer BCO’s patrons our first fully staged production with orchestra,” said Julia Cooke, Artistic and General Director of Baltimore Concert Opera.

Brendan Cooke, General Director of OperaDelaware added, “Though the idea of a co-production has been brewing for quite some time, the timing of this first effort could not be better. Together, we enjoy the financial and human resources from two companies, the ability to engage artists for a longer period, and the efficiencies that come from shared fixed costs. This mutually beneficial arrangement has afforded OD a smoother re-entry into presenting grand opera to our patrons.”

Celebrated baritone Brian James Myer will star as the wily barber, Figaro. Hailed by critics for his for “buttery baritone” (New York Times) and “flawless comic timing” (Opera Today), Myer’s recent appearances include Alberto Finzi-Contini in the world premiere of The Garden of the Finzi-Continis with New York City Opera and Dancairo in Carmen with the Atlanta Opera. Rounding out the extraordinary ensemble cast are mezzo-soprano Mary Beth Nelson as Rosina, tenor Christopher Bozeka as Count Almaviva, baritone Tim Mix as Dr. Bartolo, bass-baritone Kevin Short as Basilio, soprano Julia Laird as Berta, and baritone Zachary Bryant as Fiorello.

The OperaDelaware Orchestra will be conducted by OD music director, Maestro Anthony Barrese. Octavio Cardenas will return to OD as director. (Cardenas directed OD’s acclaimed 2019 Festival production of Dead Man Walking). The production will also feature costumes and scenic design by Papermoon Opera Productions, which pairs innovative lighting projections with breathtaking sets and costumes constructed almost entirely out of paper. Papermoon co-creators Fenlon Lamb and scenic designer Jefferson Ridenour were part of the creative team behind OD’s Dead Man Walking and Scalia/Ginsburg (also part of the 2019 Festival).

While the companies are eager to welcome patrons back to the theater, leadership at OD and BCO stress that safety is paramount. At this time, both performance venues require proof of vaccination for entry (OperaDelaware will also accept a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours), and masks are mandatory regardless of vaccination status. In addition, all staff, artists, and volunteers involved in the production must be fully vaccinated and follow strict safety protocols, including frequent testing. (See operade.org/safety and baltimoreconcertopera.com/safety for more information.)  

“Presenting opera is challenging even in normal times,” said OD’s Brendan Cooke. “Though rehearsing through a pandemic makes an already complicated process more difficult, our teams have been diligently preparing to do the delicate dance that will allow us to make a triumphant return to the stage.” 

“We are confident that with the stringent health and safety protocols we’ve put in place for our artists and patrons under the careful guidance of our medical advisors, we can all safely and joyously return to the magic of live opera together,” added BCO’s Julia Cooke.

FREE TICKETS FOR “HOMETOWN HEROES”

As a special thank-you, both companies are teaming up with local healthcare and education partners to offer limited free tickets to medical professionals, educators, and other essential workers through a new Hometown Heroes initiative. It is an expansion of the companies’ “Pay Opera Forward” program, which subsidized the cost of tickets for those financially impacted by the pandemic, as well as OD’s traveling Pop-Up Opera performances at Delaware healthcare facilities.

"Throughout the pandemic we have been afforded the opportunity to bring the power of live performance to the parking lots of area hospitals and other healthcare facilities," said OD’s Brendan Cooke. "We are excited to be able to invite those who have given so much to our community for a night of inspiration, wonder and laughter."

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

A co-production by OperaDelaware & Baltimore Concert Opera 
Sung in Italian with projected English supertitles

FEB. 18 at 7:30 pm
FEB. 20 at 3 pm
Performances at Stephens Hall at Towson University
7900 York Road, Towson, MD 21204

Tickets available through Baltimore Concert Opera’s box office:
baltimoreconcertopera.com/tickets
443-445-0226 (Mon. – Fri., 10 am – 4 pm)
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FEB. 25 at 7:30 pm
FEB. 27 at 2 pm 
Performances at The Grand
818 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801

Tickets available through OperaDelaware’s box office: 
operade.org/tickets
302-442-7807 (Mon. – Fri., 9 am – 5 pm)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE:
https://www.operade.org/the-barber-of-seville &
http://www.baltimoreconcertopera.com/barber-of-seville

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About OperaDelaware: OperaDelaware, now in its 77th season, is a professional non-profit opera company with a reputation for excellence in both opera and arts education. OperaDelaware opens the door to bold, vibrant and creative operatic programming that enriches the community, transforms audiences, and encourages dialogue.

About Baltimore Concert Opera: Founded in 2009, BCO invites both long-time opera enthusiasts and future opera fans to revel in the timeless music and stories of opera that bring us all together. Inspired by the beauty of our venues and legendary music from across the centuries, we achieve our ultimate goal: our artists and audiences leave moved, entertained and enriched.

MEDIA RELATIONS

Press contact: For interview requests, please email us at bcooke@operade.org or call 302-658-8063.

Organizational images: Available for download here

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