Dear Friends,
We at Opera Southwest are pleased to announce our tentative 20-21 season plan, including the further postponement of La traviata due to the ongoing COVID19 crisis. Although all dates and operas should be considered tentative due to COVID19, we nevertheless have a very exciting season planned, and remain optimistic about the odds of carrying it out.
La traviata, originally scheduled for March 2020 and postponed to October 2020 has been postponed again, to April 2021. Patrons who currently hold tickets for La traviata will automatically have their tickets moved to the corresponding April dates. Replacement tickets will be issued in January.
At this point, patrons who instead wish to receive a refund or convert their ticket to a tax-deductible donation should contact the Opera Southwest box office at 243-0591 or by email to tzanc@operasouthwest.org.
In our traditional October opera time slot, Opera Southwest hopes to present a “socially distanced” production of Giovanni Pergolesi’s La serva padrona, either in a large indoor hall at a small fraction of its capacity, or outdoors as a “drive-in/tailgate”. This will be the professional New Mexico premiere of this historic work, which calls for just two singers and a very small and flexible string orchestra. Details and location of this production are dependent on changes in the public health order and the medical situation. This performance will take into full account all then-current COVID safe practices.
In February of 2021, we hope to return to the National Hispanic Cultural Center and our ongoing partnership and produce Robert Xavier Rodriguez’ 1991 opera, Frida, based on the life of the famous artist, Frida Kahlo. Opera Southwest is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant in support of this important project, which is the New Mexico premiere of the work and should coincide with the Albuquerque Museum’s Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Mexican Modernism exhibit.
In April of 2021, of course, we hope to finally bring Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata to life on stage at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
And, in May, Opera Southwest will produce a fully staged apprentice opera complete with orchestra outdoors at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. Our talented apprentice artists will perform Gioachino Rossini’s L’inganno felice, a charming and compact comedy in the mold of 2019’s La cambiale di matrimonio.
Sincerely,
Tony Zancanella
Executive Director
Anthony Barrese
Artistic Director
Due to the evolving nature of the COVID 19 crisis, tickets for these operas are not yet on sale, but we hope to be able to make tickets available for sale in late September.
2020-2021 SEASON DATES: All Subject to Change due to COVID19
La serva padrona (Socially Distanced) Venue TBD
October TBD
Frida at the National Hispanic Cultural Center Journal Theatre
February 14, 2pm
February 17, 7:30pm
February 19, 7:30pm
February 21, 2pm
La traviata at the National Hispanic Cultural Center Journal Theatre
April 18, 2pm
April 21, 7:30pm
April 23, 7:30pm
April 25, 2pm
L’inganno felice at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History Amphitheater
May 8, 7:30pm
P.S. Need a facemask? OSW Costume staff are still making them at a fast pace. Order online here!
