AUSTIN—Austin Lyric Opera (ALO) is pleased to announce its 2013-14 Season, which will include the company premiere of two operatic masterpieces, and the presentation of one perennial favorite. The season opens this November with Don Carlo, Verdi’s epic tale of unrequited love and strained family allegiances.  ALO will be offering Don Carlo for the first time in the company’s history, in celebration of the bicentennial of Verdi’s birth.  The season continues in January and February 2014 with Tosca, Puccini’s volatile drama, returning to the Austin stage for the first time since 2004.  The charming and romantic The Elixir of Love brings the season to a close in May 2014, and is another ALO first.

The 2013-14 Season marks an important milestone in the company’s history: Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Richard Buckley’s 10^th Anniversary with ALO.  Known for his dynamic contributions in both the operatic and orchestral genres, Maestro Buckley has delivered a level of artistry that has elevated ALO’s reputation in the United States and beyond.  He has brought a range of audience favorites and critically-acclaimed productions to ALO during his tenure, consistently ensuring the highest musical standards.  Maestro Buckley will conduct all three productions in the upcoming season.

“Our 2013-14 Season is exciting on several levels.  Not only are we continuing our efforts to present epic masterworks from the repertoire, but we have an opportunity at the same time to make important company premieres with Don Carlo and The Elixir of Love,” says General Director, Joseph Specter.  “It’s a terrific season that I think Austin audiences will really enjoy, and a fitting celebration of Richard’s 10^th year with ALO.” 

“We open our season with Verdi’s Don Carlo, one of ALO’s most ambitious and large-scale productions,” says Maestro Richard Buckley.  “We continue with Puccini’s explosive drama, Tosca, and end with The Elixir of Love, Donizetti’s famous comic gem.  All three pieces represent the great Italian tradition of which I have been associated with all my career.”

2013-14 SEASON

Verdi’s Don Carlo

November 16, 21, 24, 2013

Politics, love and family loyalties are tested in this epic battle of wills involving a tyrannical king, a despairing prince and an innocent young woman. Verdi’s tour-de-force tells the tale of powerful people who must accept their role as pawns in a tragic destiny.

Puccini’s Tosca

January 30, February 1, 2, 2014

A captivating diva becomes entangled in a dangerous struggle between her rebellious lover and a scheming police chief, whose desire to have her reaches a deadly climax. Set against the turbulent political backdrop of Napoleonic Rome, Tosca features some of Puccini’s most passionate music in one of opera’s most explosive and best-loved dramas.

Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love

May 1, 3, 4, 2014

Mischievous charlatans, misguided affections and “magic” potions intoxicate and entice in this delightful story of a simple peasant who has fallen in love with the town beauty. Filled with twists, turns and romantic mix-ups, Donizetti’s masterpiece is a beguiling combination of romance and comedy. This wildly popular and enchanting work is another first for Austin Lyric Opera.

IMPORTANT SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION

Patrons may subscribe to either a Thursday, Saturday or Sunday series, which include all three productions. Austin Lyric Opera performances are scheduled on Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm; Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm; and Sunday matinees at 3:00 pm.

Subscriber benefits include first choice of seats, not yet available to the general public, at up to 40% off regular ticket prices.  Subscribers may exchange their tickets free-of-charge for a different performance date up to 48 hours prior to curtain.  They may also purchase additional single tickets for friends and family at 10% off regular ticket prices.

All performances take place at The Long Center for the Performing Arts.

SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL INFORMATION

Current subscribers are receiving renewal forms in the mail this week.  Renewing is easy with these five convenient options:

1.    Online: Visit www.AustinLyricOpera.org/Renew

2.    By Mail: To Austin Lyric Opera; 3009 Industrial Terrace, Suite 100; Austin, TX 78758

3.    By Fax: To 512.472.1243

4.    By Phone: Call Dianne Van Hulle, Patron Services Manager, at 512.610.7684

5.    In Person: At an upcoming performance of The Marriage of Figaro or Faust. A renewal table will be set up on the Orchestra Level.

Current subscribers may renew their season tickets on Austin Lyric Opera’s newly-revamped website beginning today.  (New subscriptions will go on sale later this spring; an announcement will follow.)

NEW ALO WEBSITE

In order to enhance customer experience and provide easier access to information about the company and its programs, ALO is proud to announce the launch of its new website, which will still be found at www.AustinLyricOpera.org.  The site boasts a modern, colorful design, and is full of user-friendly features and new imagery to make the site more robust and accessible for ALO patrons.

ALO’s new website also provides more efficient access to general information about the company and its history, as well as specifics regarding donor programs, education and outreach programming, events and social media outreach initiatives.  The site also streamlines the process to purchase tickets and make donations in support of the company.

For more information, visit www.AustinLyricOpera.org

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AUSTIN— Austin Lyric Opera’s (ALO) Opera by Night community engagement program offers 5,000 free tickets each year to students, parents and teachers to attend ALO dress rehearsals throughout the season.  Teachers and parents interested in learning more about the Opera by Night Program may contact Elizabeth Cooper, Education and Production Coordinator at 512.610.7683 or ecooper@austinlyricopera.org.  For more information, visit www.AustinLyricOpera.org/community.

Students grades 5-12 and accompanying adults are invited to participate in the Opera by Night program.  Prior to each Opera by Night dress rehearsal, ALO distributes educational packets to teachers at participating schools.  These packets contain a variety of information about the opera itself, as well as cultural and historical context which teachers can use in their curriculum in a variety of subjects, including music, history, art and literature.  This enables students to familiarize themselves with opera and have a more meaningful and enjoyable experience during their visit to the theater.

“Listening to live opera as a kid played a big role in how I came to fall in love with the art form,” says Joseph Specter, General Director of Austin Lyric Opera.  “There is something so special about the live experience that cannot be conveyed in a recording.  This program gives students the chance to share in that experience.”  Opera by Night is often the first opportunity for many participants to enjoy live opera.

The 2012-13 Opera by Night schedule is as follows:

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)
Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Who’s laughing now?  This famous play-within-a-play tells the heartbreaking story of betrayal and jealousy in an Italian theater troupe.  Theater and reality collide in a dramatic climax of operatic proportions when Canio discovers his wife has eyes for another man.

The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart)
Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Something’s afoot in the palace of the Count!  In this single “day of madness,” Mozart takes us on a laugh-out-loud ride filled with schemes, masquerades and mistaken identities. The infamous Figaro, his bride-to-be Susanna, and the Countess conspire to expose and embarrass the Count. This is comic opera at its best.

Faust (Gounod)
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Would you strike a deal with the devil?  Faust, an aging scholar, wants another chance at youth and love, and forges a pact with Méphistophélès to seduce the beautiful and innocent Marguerite.  What follows is an epic struggle between good and evil.

All performances take place at The Long Center for the Performing Arts.

Attendance for the Opera by Night program has grown by 20% over the past two seasons and now reaches nearly 5,000 each year.  Participation has been bolstered by affiliations with a growing list of schools and community organizations that includes, but is not limited to:

• Texas School for the Deaf
• Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• East Austin Public Schools (AISD)
• Round Rock ISD
• American Youth Works
• Project Hope of Manor ISD
• Austin Shelter for Women and Children
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin
• Lifeworks
• Leaders Enrichment Arts Program (LEAP)

Austin Lyric Opera is committed to empowering young people with innovative programs that expose students to the joys of classical music and live performance.  Opera by Night makes opera an accessible art form in a welcoming, non-discriminatory environment.  Opera by Night is made possible by the generous support of BlueCross BlueShield of Texas.  For more information, visit www.AustinLyricOpera.org.

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