Cincinnati Opera Finds Gold in Spain

Cincinnati Opera's just-concluded 2009 Summer Festival was one high note after another, scaling the difficult economy to keeps its books balanced and its artistic level as strong as ever.
   The Spanish-themed season -- which began with Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" and ended with "Carmen," with Osvaldo Golijov's "Ainadamar" and Verdi's "Don Carlo" in between -- brought 25,907 people to Music Hall, including visitors from 29 states, 2,550 students (a new high) and over 4,000 first-time opera goers. 
   Attendance for the nine performances (a fourth performance of "Carmen" was canceled last fall for budgetary reasons) exceeded that of 2008, which drew 25,072 for 10 performances.  The Opera's goal for 2009 was 24,800.
   Ticket income was also up, with $1,608,815 on an operating budget of $5.92 million.  This compares to $1,581,392 for 2008.
   As a result, the Opera is projecting an operating surplus for the 20th consecutive season. (The Opera's fiscal year ends August 31, after which final figures will be available.)
   Artistically, the season was an outstanding one.  "Ainadamar," which starred soprano Dawn Upshaw, was a regional premiere and a musical highlight.  "Don Carlo," with a cast including famed bass James Morris as King Philip, received an epic performance, handsome visually and vocally.  The opening "Figaro" was conducted by Sir Roger Norrington, whose historically-informed but unpedantic approach enlivened it, as did the fine cast, which included strapping baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Count Almaviva.
   "Carmen," directed by Mark Streshinsky, was downright visionary, with Romanian mezzo Ruxandra Donose as more 21st-century liberated woman than elemental gypsy sexpot.     
   The season was not without risks.  "Ainadamar" was a world premiere, an unknown that was semi-staged, with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra performing alongside the singers onstage.  Lengthy and complex, "Don Carlo" is one of Verdi's less frequently heard operas and a real challenge to mount and perform. Cincinnati Opera also inaugurated "Opera Idol," a community-wide search for "Cincinnati's next opera star."
   Fashioned cannily after TV's popular "American Idol," event drew over 160 amateur singers to open auditions at Music Hall in June.  The winner, soprano Margaret Russo of Zionsville, Indiana, was selected through online voting following a semi-finals concert.   To heighten the suspense and pump up the bottom line, the announcement was made by Opera artistic director Evans Mirageas just before the curtain on opening night of "Carmen" (July 22).
    Over 10,000 online votes were cast, Opera officials said.  Russo received a $3,500 contract with Cincinnati Opera and made her "debut" by singing Musetta's Waltz from "La Boheme" preceding "Carmen."
   Cincinnati Opera, which seems able to walk the difficult line between artistic integrity and marketing which can demean the product while doing nothing to educate the public, held several successful outreach events that involved the larger community.
   These included:

• "Cuatro de Mayo," a celebration of Hispanic culture at the Contemporary Arts Center in May, where the Opera previewed its 2009 all-Spanish season
  

• two "Opera Goes to Church" concerts featuring 2009 season artists at local African-American churches, including soprano Angela Brown and bass Morris Robinson (Elisabetta and the Grand Inquisitor in "Don Carlo")
  

• a screening of "Little Ashes," a film about the relationship between Spanish poet/playwright Federico Garcia Lorca (subject of "Ainadamar") and surrealist painter Salvador Dali

• "GLBT Night at the Opera," the Opera's third annual event welcoming the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender community, including a special reception before opening night performance of "Ainadamar"

• "Ainadamar" After-Party," a Latin-themed fiesta featuring flamenco music and salsa dancing in the Music Hall Ballroom following the opening night performance of "Ainadamar"

• Community Open Dress Rehearsal, an open dress rehearsal of "Carmen," designed to allow diverse community groups to experience opera for the first time (the Opera's 19th annual Community Open Dress Rehearsal)

      It took some doing to turn the season into gold.  Said general director and CEO Patricia K. Beggs in a prepared statement:  "What a thrill it was to see opera fans come out in such large numbers to attend Cincinnati Opera.  At the same time I must commend the Opera's staff and board of trustees, who have worked diligently to preserve our resources within the current economic climate without sacrificing quality.  Through thoughtful and deliberate measures -- including the cancellation of a performance, the tightening of our production budget, salary reductions and the elimination of several staff positions -- we have been able to adjust our sights while continuing to deliver world-class opera."
   The 2010 Summer Festival will celebrate Cincinnati Opera's 90th anniversary with a new production of Wagner's "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" led by Cincinnati native James Levine.  For more information, visit www.cincinnatiopera.org