Utah Opera intends to pick up where it left off, before the COVID-19 pandemic rudely interrupted the 2020 season.
The opera company announced its 2021-2022 season Tuesday, which will launch Oct. 9 with a production of Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” — the same work Utah Opera was about to perform when everything went into lockdown in March 2020.
The other three productions for next season all were shows Utah Opera had scheduled for 2020 or early 2021, but were canceled because of the pandemic.
With big productions canceled, Utah Opera performed two small-cast one-act operas last October. A four-person production of “La tragédie de Carmen,” a pared-down version of Bizet’s “Carmen,” will be produced in May.
All shows will be performed at Utah Opera’s home, the Capitol Theatre in downtown Salt Lake City. Here’s the season lineup:
Oct. 9-17 • “The Barber of Seville,” by Gioachino Rossini, the comic story of a cunning woman, the two men who are pursuing her, and the barber Figaro who deploys pranks and disguises to win her heart on behalf of one of the men. Gary Thor Wedow conducts, Michael Shell directs, and baritone Michael Adams stars as Figaro.
Jan. 15-23, 2022 • The Utah Opera premiere of the 1998 contemporary opera “Flight,” by Jonathan Dove and April De Angelis, inspired by the true story of an Iranian refugee who was forced to live in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport. Robert Tweten conducts, Kristine McIntyre directs, and countertenor John Holiday (once a contestant on “The Voice”) plays the Refugee.
March 12-20, 2022 • Giacomo Puccini’s classic “Tosca,” about the romance between a diva and a freedom fighter, and the ruthless police chief who threatens to destroy them. Conducted by Steven White and directed by Omer Ben Seadia, the three main roles will be sung by soprano Katie Van Kooten, tenor Dimitri Pittas and baritone Stephen Powell.
May 7-15, 2022 • Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera “The Pirates of Penzance,” in which a “model major general” tries to keep his daughters away from a band of pirates. Wedow again conducts, and Kyle Lang will direct and choreograph the action. Baritone Curt Olds plays the Major-General; baritone Craig Irvin sings the role of the Pirate King.
Season subscriptions go on sale Tuesday, March 23, by calling 801-533-6683, or by visiting the utahopera.org website. Single-show tickets go on sale to the public on June 15, through the website or ArtTix outlets.
