Carmen opens the new season September 29 with Nassif and tenor German Villar as Don Jos_. The production will be directed by Dorothy Danner; Peter Mark conducts.

In November, Virginia Opera stages the company premiere of Floyd's Susannah. Floyd, who composed the opera in 1955, will be present for the performance in Norfolk. Dorothy Danner directs; Peter Mark conducts.

The company will celebrate the New Year with the Virginia premiere of Handel's Agrippina; Lillian Groag directs. The season concludes with a double bill of I Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana. Argentinean tenor Gustavo L‹pez Manzitti will make his company debut as Turiddu in he former and Canio in the latter.

Virginia Opera performs in Norfolk at the Edythe C. & Stanley L. Harrison Opera House, at the Landmark Theater in Richmond, and at George Mason University's Center for the Arts in Fairfax.