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Star Trek Parody Opera Cast
Abduction from the Seraglio
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| Brian Cheney
Captain James T. Belmonte |
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Shawnette Sulker
Lieutenant Constanza
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| Robert Norman
Mr. Pedrillo |
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Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio is a tale of two men rescuing their kidnapped girlfriends from a Turkish harem. Our production moves from Turkey to outer space and becomes a parody of an episode of "Star Trek," replete with a crew from the Enterprise, marauding Klingons, slave girls and plenty of over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek humor.
Sung in English with a new translation by Josh Shaw, this production celebrates the 50th anniversary of Star Trek -- and the 25th anniversary of Festival Opera, both in 2016.
The original story of the opera revolves around an attempt by the hero Belmonte (now called Captain James T. Belmonte, sung by tenor Brian Cheney) and his servant (first officer) Mr. Pedrillo (Robert Norman as the Spock-inspired character) to rescue his girlfriend. The girlfriend, Lieutenant Constanza (portrayed by soprano Shawnette Sulker),
along with her servant Blondie (Sara Duchovnay), has been kidnapped by Selim (what was an Ottoman empire governor has been transformed into a Klingon warlord, sung by bass Kevin Thompson).
Maestro Michael Morgan will conduct the Bay Area debut of this opera/TV show mash-up. The concept, libretto and direction is by Josh Shaw, who is the artistic director of Pacific Opera Project where the production was presented in March 2015 after its 2014 debut at the Southern Illinois Music Festival.
More information about Festival Opera's production, slated for early August 2016, will be coming soon.
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| Contact Us | |
Festival Opera
1630 North Main Street, #61
Walnut Creek, California 94596
925.944.9610
Dick Brundage, CBC - Marketing Director
Board of Directors
Susie Hanson, Chair
Peter Johnson, Vice Chair
David Baer, Secretary
Jennifer Kwock-Lau - Treasurer
Nina Bancroft Dickerson
Bernice Greene
Diane Heald
Steve Morris
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Bernice Greene Joins Board
Welcome to Our New Director!
Bernice Gree ne is a California native who grew up in Walnut Creek and fell in love with opera while attending UC Berkeley in the 1960's. She has supported Festival Opera as a Sostenuto member since the 1990's, as well as SF Opera, the Met and Santa Fe opera.
Bernice currently serves as a board member of Cal Performances and is a founding board member of Project Hearth for the Homeless. She is also a working woman, and is President of Stillman Pacific, Inc. and Managing Member of Zuckerman Construction.
Bernice lives in Orinda, and is the the proud grandmother of five grandchildren, three of whom live a mile from her home.
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Save The Date for Chorus Reunion
and Opera Sing-a-Long: April 17
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Festival Opera Chorus in Verdi's "Otello" 2013
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Have you ever
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Festival Opera Chorus in
Carlyle Floyd's "Susannah" 2002
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sung in the Festival Opera chorus? If so, you are invited to come to a Chorus Reunion on April 17. Friends and family are also invited to come to listen and to join in the sing-a-long. More information on location and other details coming soon!
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April
(date and venue TBA)
April 17
3:00 pm
(Location TBA)
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Starship Mozart Benefit Dinner Party
Chorus Reunion
& Opera Sing-a-Long
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August 2016
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(venue TBA)
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Mozart's
Abduction from the Seraglio
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October 2016
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(date and venue TBA)
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Workshop performance of composer Wang Jie's new chamber operas
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December 2016
Round Hill Country Club, Alamo
| 2016 Holiday Gala
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