FGO press notes describe the three-act work as "a tale of tightly woven friendship, loyalty and forbidden love. This opera transports the audience to the shores of Ceylon where a passionate love triangle unfolds in visual and dramatic spectacle."
This staging reunited the production team of fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and director Andrew Sinclair, who collaborated on the same piece for San Diego Opera.
Soprano Maureen O'Flynn sang the central role of Leila. O'Flynn has recently been seen as Juliette in Rom_o et Juliette at The Metropolitan Opera, Amina in La sonnambula at the Opera de la Coruê±a and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at the Santander Festival in Spain.
American tenor William Burden portrayed the fisherman Nadir. Burden has sung the title role in Faust for Houston Grand Opera, the title role in Candide for both the Th_ê¢tre du Chê¢telet and La Scala, and recently created the role of Gilbert Griffiths in the world premiere of Tobias Picker's An American Tragedy at The Metropolitan Opera.
Also featured in the small cast were Lucas Meachem as Zurga and Burak Bilgili as Nourabad. FGO music director Stewart Robertson conducted.
The Florida Grand Opera season continues April 12 with Puccini's La Bohme and will close out in May with Handel's Julius Caesar.
For more information and tickets visit www.fgo.org
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All photos by Deborah Gray Mitchell for Florida Grand Opera.
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William Burden as Nadir and Maureen O'Flynn as Leila | Maureen O'Flynn as Leila and William Burden as Nadir |
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Maureen O'Flynn as Leila and Lucas Meacham as Zurga |
