The WFMT Radio Network

WFMT Radio Network

The WFMT Radio Network

LA Opera on Air

July | August

The WFMT Radio Network is pleased to continue its American Opera series with five (5) productions from the 2012-13 LA Opera season, and one (1) rarely produced opera from its archives. 

In just a quarter-century of existence, LA Opera has become, under the leadership of The Eli and Edythe Broad's General Director Plácido Domingo, the United States' fourth largest opera company and now "...stands out as a newly important force in American Opera." (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times). 

Here is what they are saying about this season's operas:

"The Two Foscari boasts "a stellar cast" Ron Blum, Associated Press

"Placido Domingo continues to be a vocal marvel after a 50-plus-year career,"
Bob Hofler, Variety

Conducted by James Conlon, The Two Foscari is "compelling…. musically, this is inimitable, irresistible Verdi… a spectacular performance by soprano Marina Poplavskaya, the most exciting Verdi soprano on the scene" Mark Swed, LA Times

 "A vocal tour de force, Oksana Dyka is a triumph!" Jim Farber LA Daily News

"Under the baton of Grant Gershon, "The orchestra sounded terrific… the company's resident conductor illuminated intriguing instrumental details and giving them a theatrical life of clarity and vigor."  Mark Swed, LA Times

 "A radiant score," David Mermelstein, Musical America

"LA Opera's production is "the first staging of any Schreker opera in the Western Hemisphere.  It is the most ambitious work and the most persuasive (in LA Opera's Recovered Voices series.) Music Director James Conlon's passion for the work meant a convincing emphasis on the sumptuous atmosphere and dramatic character of the score."  Mark Swed, LA Times

Bridge Records will release the CD of The Stigmatized in the summer of 2013.

Broadcast Rights: 
One broadcast only per opera within the release dates.

This series of American Operas are free to all affiliate stations.  For more information please contact Tony Macaluso at (773) 279-2114, e-mail: tmacaluso@wfmt.com or Carol Martinez at (773) 279-2112, e-mail: cmartinez@wfmt.com.

General Information:

*Local stations may air operas at times different than those listed below.  Please contact your local station to confirm broadcast times.

Program Schedule

LA OPERA ON AIR
Broadcast Schedule - Summer 2013

PROGRAM #:  LAO 13-01
RELEASE:  July 20, 2013

OPERA:   THE TWO FOSCARI (I Due Foscari) (in Italian)
COMPOSER:  Giuseppe Verdi
CAST:
Barbarigo, A Senator Ben Bliss
Jacopo Loredano  Ievegen Orlov
Officer of Council of Ten Omar Crook
Jacopo Foscari  Francesco Meli
Lucrezia Contarini Marina Poplavskaya
Pisana   Tracy Cox
Francesco Foscari Placido Domingo
Servant of the Doge Hunter Phillips

CONDUCTOR: James Conlon
STAGE DIRECTOR:  Thaddeus Strassberger
LA OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
  & CHORUS MASTER: Grant Gershon

Approx Length:   2 hours


PROGRAM #:  LAO 13-02
RELEASE:  July 27, 2013

OPERA:   THE STIGMATIZED (in German)
COMPOSER:   Franz Schreker
CAST:
Carlotta Nardi    Anja Kampe
Alviano Salvago  Robert Brubaker
Count Tamare  Martin Gantner
Duke Adorno  James Johnson
Lodovico Nardi  Wolfgang Schöne

CONDUCTOR: James Conlon
STAGE DIRECTOR:   Ian Judge
LA OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
CHORUS MASTER: Grant Gershon

Approx Length:  4 hours 15 minutes

PROGRAM #:  LAO 13-03
RELEASE:  August 3, 2013

OPERA:   Madama Butterfly (in Italian)
COMPOSER:   Giacomo Puccini
CAST:
Cio-Cio-San  Oksana Dyka
B.F. Pinkerton  Brandon Jovanovich
Suzuki   Milena Kitic
Sharpless  Eric Owens
Goro   Rodell Rosel
Bonze   Stefan Szkafarowsky
Prince Yamadori  Museop Kim
Kate Pinkerton  D'Ana Lombard
Imperial Commissioner Gabriel Vamvulescu
Official Registrar  Hunter Phillips

CONDUCTOR: Grant Gershon
STAGE DIRECTOR:   Ron Daniels
LA OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
CHORUS MASTER:  Grant Gerson

Approx Length: 3 hours


PROGRAM #:  LAO 13-04
RELEASE:  August 10, 2013

OPERA:   The Flying Dutchman (in German)
COMPOSER:  Richard Wagner
CAST:
The Dutchman  Tomas Tomasson
Senta   Elisabete Matos
Erik   Corey Bix
Daland   James Creswell
Steersman  Matthew Pienk
Mary   Ronnita Nicole Miller

CONDUCTOR:  James Conlon
STAGE DIRECTOR:  Nikolaus Lehnhoff
LA OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
  & CHORUS MASTER: Grant Gershon

Approx Length:  2 hours 30 minutes

PROGRAM #:   LAO 13-05
RELEASE:  August 17, 2013

OPERA:   Cinderella (in Italian)
COMPOSER:   Gioachino Rossini
CAST:
Angelina/Cinderella Kate Lindsey
Prince Ramiro  René Barbera
Dandini   Vito Priante
Don Magnifico  Alessandro Corbelli
Alidoro   Nicola Ulivieri
Clorinda   Stacey Tappan
Tisbe   Ronnita Nicole Miller

CONDUCTOR:  James Conlon
STAGE DIRECTOR:   Joan Font
LA OPERA ORCHESTRA

Approx Length:   3 hours 10 minutes


PROGRAM #:  LAO 13-06
RELEASE:  August 24, 2013

OPERA:   Tosca (in Italian)
COMPOSER:   Giacomo Puccini
CAST:
Floria Tosca  Sondra Radvanovsky
Mario Cavaradoss Marco Berti
Baron Scarpia  Lado Ataneli
Cesare Angelotti  Joshua Bloom
The Sacristan  Philip Cokorinos
Spoletta   Rodell Rosel
Shepherd Child  Eden McCoy

CONDUCTOR: Plácido Domingo
STAGE DIRECTOR:  John Caird
LA OPERA ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
  & CHORUS MASTER: Grant Gershon

Approx. Length:   3 hours