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LA Opera On Air

KUSC’s resident opera expert Jennifer Miller Hammel takes you through some of the LA Opera’s most exciting productions.
JENNIFER OPERA-ONAIR

Coming up this season:

Saturday, August 2, 10AM Giacomo Puccini's Turandot

Hiding out in enemy territory, a prince on the run encounters a captivating beauty who scorns love. With nothing to lose, he enters an all-but-impossible contest, risking his life to win her hand. But after claiming his victory, he faces an even greater challenge: melting Turandot’s icy heart.

Composer Giacomo Puccini’s untimely death in 1924 left Turandot, his final opera, unfinished. Shortly after Puccini’s passing, composer Franco Alfano was commissioned to create an ending for the world premiere production at Milan's La Scala in 1926. This now standard finale is what will be heard in these performances.

Saturday, August 9, 10AM Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Cosi fan tutte

The wine is flowing a little too freely, and two young men enter into a risky (and risqué) bet: Each will try to seduce the other’s fiancée. Hijinks ensue, with dashing disguises, outrageous flirting, and, of course, wedding bells—but we won't say who ends up together!

Mozart’s razor-sharp comedy is back in a delightful production first created by director Michael Cavanagh. A stylish set by Erhard Rom updates the action to a swanky American country club, bursting with kitsch and color. James Conlon conducts a fantastic ensemble cast, led by longtime LA Opera favorites Ana María Martínez and Rod Gilfry as the schemers behind the deception. Featuring an endless parade of exquisite ensembles, Mozart’s deliciously scandalous opera is a can’t-miss for newcomers and seasoned fans alike.

Saturday, August 16, 10AM Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto

In a court ruled by decadence and corruption, the Duke of Mantua sits on top. Whatever he wants, he gets. And lately, he’s set his sights on Rigoletto’s daughter. It’s enough to send the carefree court jester into a deadly rage, but revenge comes at a price he never expected.

Verdi master James Conlon conducts Rigoletto, featuring some of the most famous music ever written. Quinn Kelsey, the premier Verdi baritone of his generation, returns to star in the title role. Tenor René Barbera portrays the suave and sadistic Duke, and two dazzling sopranos, Lisette Oropesa and Kathryn Lewek, share the role of Gilda, his unsuspecting prey. Stage director Tomer Zvulun updates the action to Mussolini’s Italy, transporting audiences to a realm of glittering grandeur that’s absolutely rotten to the core.