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The Lyric Opera of Kansas City will present its 52nd season of opera that will showcase productions drawn from the works of the great operatic composers. The season opens in September with Puccini's tragic masterpiece Tosca, followed by Gilbert and Sullivan's sidesplitting satire H.M.S. Pinafore in November. March will bring Verdi's ever-popular Rigoletto, and the season concludes with Mozart's Don Giovanni in May 2010.

"With this season we are showcasing some of the greatest operas ever written, operas which have stood the test of time," stated general director Evan Luskin. In an effort to economize during these trying financial times, the Company will present four performances of each of its 2009-10 season productions, instead of the usual five. "The Lyric Opera of Kansas City will continue to produce operas of the highest quality" said artistic director Ward Holmquist. "There is much to be excited about in the 2009-10 season, including the debut of Richard Paul Fink to our stage and the return of many
other acclaimed singers." All four full-length operas will be presented in their original language with English subtitles projected above the stage.

Tosca
by Giacomo Puccini
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
September 11, 13, 16, 19, 2009
Unbridled emotions explode throughout this powerful drama. Puccini's dramatic music set in Rome during the time of the Napoleonic Wars is the backdrop for a political game of cat-and-mouse. A beautiful new production by director of design and technical production R. Keith Brumley. Cast and director to be announced at a later date.

H.M.S. Pinafore
by Gilbert and Sullivan
Sung in English with English subtitles
November 6, 8, 11, 14, 2009
Gilbert and Sullivan are back again by popular demand. The pair's hilarious tale of love, rank and birthright will delight fans with the duo's wit and musical genius. This sidesplitting opera features loveable characters and a memorable score that includes iconic tunes such as "I'm called little buttercup," "When I was a lad" and "Nevermind the why and wherefore." It is the perfect introduction for a first timer. Cast and director to be announced at a later date.

Rigoletto
by Giuseppe Verdi
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
March 20, 24, 26, 28, 2010
The tragic story of a cursed, hunchback jester and the deadly fate of his innocent daughter
is the setting for some of opera's most memorable melodies. This Verdi classic is jampacked
with passionate, invigorating music including the arias "La donne è mobile" and
"Caro nome."

Dramatic leading baritone Richard Paul Fink, a regular at major opera houses worldwide - including the Metropolitan Opera, Opera National de Paris and the Sidney Opera - will perform the role of Rigoletto. In 2007 the Calgary Herald hailed, "Fink showed the full heft of a classic Verdi baritone... Dramatically he was completely convincing." Garnett Bruce, director of the acclaimed La Cenerentola in 2004 and the 2008 audience favorite The Magic Flute, will return to the Lyric Opera to direct this production.

Don Giovanni
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
April 24, 28, 30 and May 2, 2010
Don Giovanni's 2,065 conquests give him more than his little black book can handle. Opera's greatest lover and ultimate bad boy will use Mozart's unforgettable music to seduce even the purest of hearts.

Mezzo-soprano Christine Abraham will return to the Lyric Opera stage to perform the role of scorned lover Donna Elvira. Ms. Abraham previously was seen in the Company's first Baroque opera Julius Caesar in 2008. Bass Andrew Gangestad, whose voice was deemed "glorious" by The Kansas City Star during the 2007 production of The Barber of Seville, will sing the role of Giovanni's comedic and loyal servant, Leporello.

Ticket Information
Season ticket prices range from $60 to $252. For ticket information, contact the Lyric Opera Ticket Office at (816) 471-7344 or toll free at (877) OPERAKC (673-7252), visit www.kcopera.org or visit the Lyric Opera ticket office at the Lyric Theatre, 11th and Central Streets in downtown Kansas City.

Season ticket holders receive a substantial discount - four shows for the price of three. Subscriptions will go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 9, 2009. Subscribers to the 2008-09 season will receive subscription renewal information beginning the week of March 2. Single tickets will go on sale to the general public on August 17, 2009.

By KCM Staff