In Your Feelings
Salome
June 18 and 20, 7:30 p.m.
Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street
Music by Richard Strauss
Libretto by Hedwig Lachmann
Based on the play by Oscar Wilde
Sung in German with projected English translations
Lalovavi
Thursday, July 9 and July 11, 7:30 p.m,
Music by Kevin Day
Libretto by Tifara Brown
Sung in English and Tut* with projected English lyrics and translation
Carmen
July 25, 29 and 31, 7:30 p.m.
August 2, 3 p.m.
Music by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Ludovic Halévy and Henri Meilhac
Sung in French with projected English translations
Orpheus and Euridice
July 28, 8 p.m.
Wilks Studio, Music Hall
Music and text by Ricky Ian Gordon
Sung in English with projected lyrics
Tickets and info at www.cincinnatiopera.org
If your only experience with opera is what you’ve seen in Warner Brothers cartoons, I urge you to give Cincinnati Opera a try this summer.
It will be at once what you’ve seen Bugs Bunny perform and all-together something new.
Opera is BIG and it is explores all the big themes – love (obviously), death (so many deaths), revenge (though often “he had it coming”) and joy (no, really).
These are also all the things that make us human and shape how we see our world, in ways both mundane and grand.
There is an old adage in musical theater that when you can’t talk about how you feel, you sing. Opera is all singing.
You may not know a single word of Italian, but when Madame Butterfly sings her final aria you will still cry. Her expression of sadness over the loss of her child and the many (many) tragedies in her life transcend any language barrier and speak to universal truths.
Like any good summer blockbuster, Cincinnati Opera features plenty of action, monumental characters and an unforgettable score.
The season begins next week with “Salome,” based on the play by Oscar Wilde and music by Richard Strauss, who you might know from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
The opera is a mix of political intrigue, sex, and chaos – all the things things you’re scrolling to on Netflix. “Salome” is described as a fever dream of obsession, power, and prophecy, where every glance is loaded, and no desire is without cost.
Maybe sci fi is more your thing? What if I said you could experience the world of “Blank Panther” on the stage of Music Hall.
This is the promise of “Lalovavi.”
The author and her husband, post-opera, post- crying.
Set 400 years into the future, “Lalovavi” is an Afrofuturist adventure that follows Persephone, the youngest daughter of the ruler of Atlas, the city formerly known as Atlanta. Expect secret identities, betrayal, and a road trip on the way to discovering one’s destiny.
“Lalovavi” is a world premiere and the first production of The Black Opera Project, a bold initiative shaping a more expansive future for opera, rooted in artistry, legacy, and the power of stories that deserve to be seen and heard. Each story is designed to uplift, inspire, and resonate profoundly.
Created by award-winning composer Kevin Day and writer and performance poet Tifara Brown, “Lalovavi” is a massive production, with sets and costumes to rival a Marvel movie.
Wrapping up the season is a classic, transporting “Carmen” to Havana. This epic tale of love and rivalry doesn’t really end well for anyone, but the story and music – some of which you’ll recognize from “The Bad News Bears” – have enthralled audiences for more than 150 years. This is your chance to find out why!
The season also includes Ricky Ian Gordon’s new retelling of “Orpheus and Euridice,” one of the all-time saddest love stories. The myth is a cautionary tale to don’t look back, and Gordon infuses the opera with longing, loss, and ultimately acceptance.
One question I often is “Do you need to get dressed up for the opera?”
I do, and you most certainly can. In our hyper-casual society, it’s fun to break out a sparkly dress or a bow tie. But it’s also summer in Cincinnati, so that moisture-wicking shirt makes a lot of sense.
Cincinnati Opera is very much come as you are, just as long as you make sure to get there.
– Tricia Suit