Hansel and Gretel By Boston Lyric Opera Just for Kids Sunday, March 30, Marblehead, MA

"BLO's kid-friendly version of Engelbert Humperdinck's treat of an opera is a squirm-proof one-hour, fully staged, English-language version that features BLOs orchestra and will be performed for families in Boston , Marblehead and Waltham," says BLO publicist Mia Howard.

Tickets are still available for this Sunday, March 30, for Marblehead families interested in introducing their kids to opera via Boston Lyric Opera's Hansel and Gretel. Tickets can be purchased by phone at (617) 542.6772 or at the door Sunday from 12:30pm.

In this classic fairy tale geared for children ages 6-12, a walk in the forest turns into a discovery of delights and frights. A gingerbread house tempts Hansel and Gretel's taste buds, but behind those sugar-coated gumdrop walls lurks a witch. Hansel and Gretel must stick together to free the forest from a wicked spell. This production is a perfect way to introduce children to opera and is great for the whole family.

Sunday, March 30, 1:30pm, Marblehead Veterans Middle School Performing Arts Center, 217 Pleasant St., Marblehead.

In Boston, the opera is Sunday, April 13, 11:30am and 1:30pm, John Hancock Hall, 180 Berkeley St. Final performance is Sunday, May 4,,11:30am and 1:30pm, Brandeis University's Spingold Theater, 415 South St. , Waltham.

Tickets for Marblehead and Boston shows are $18 for adults and $12 for children. Call (617) 542-6772 or order online at www.blo.org/HG. For Waltham performances, call Brandeis Tickets at (781) 736-3400, option 5.

Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) was founded in 1976, and is recognized for its artistically excellent productions of a diverse repertoire that entertain and inspire audiences and feature emerging operatic talent. Its mainstage productions at the Shubert Theatre, live broadcasts on WGBH radio and annual traveling production of a fully staged, one-hour English version of a popular opera for school children and families reach some 200,000 people a year. Boston Lyric Opera's programs are funded, in part,
by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. www.blo.org

Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore" A Lovely Boston Lyric Opera Production -- Still Time to See It

REVIEW -- Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore" ("The Elixir of Love") premiered in Milan in 1832 and has been beloved since for its comedic, romantic boy-meets-girl plot and its gleeful confection of a score and songs. Director James Robinson keeps a nice pace throughout the opera, emphasizing the fun and joy of Donizetti's score. The wonderful new production for Boston Lyric Opera is a treat, like a breezy summer’s day spent with good friends, albeit with a tiny squabble or two mixed in. And this love’s labor is not lost, for it has a happy ending. No one leaves heavy-hearted, clutching a hankie. Hooray for Love!

Donizetti's original opera takes place in the early 19th-century Italian countryside. Director Robinson changed the setting to a rural early 1900s America in this Boston Lyric Opera production. A painted stage curtain of fields, streams, cows and a horse sets the mood for the opera --think Norman Rockwell and the Berkshires. Allen Moyer’s set is terrific, gleeful and creative, featuring a white bandstand on the town commons. Costumes by Martin Pakledinaz are vibrant.

As the curtain rises, the town commons and bandstand appear and Nemorino, the simple, good-hearted fellow and ice cream man, drives onstage in a converted Model T truck to sell ice cream to the townsfolk, who are hanging around, socializing.

Tenor Eric Cutler as lovesick Nemorino is superb and wins the audience’s heart immediately, even if his beloved, Adina, laughs and taunts him. After all, to her he is just a bumptious ice-cream guy. Cutler’s acting and comedic skills enhanced his stupendous, soaring voice. He mesmerized me whenever he sang. Finally, in Act II, his heartfelt emotion eventually even won over the silly Adina. Cheers for his Act II aria, "Una furtiva lagrima."

Soprano Maria Kanyova sang Adina in a lighthearted, charming voice. James Westman as Belcore, the sergeant – new kid in town – wooed and won Adina in a day with his bold charismatic, manner, throwing Nemorino into gloom.
Enter a traveling salesman and huckster, Dr. Dulcamara. With the “help” of “Dr.” Dulcamara, performed and sung by Dale Travis, Nemorino eventually won the girl. Travis’ strong bass and comedy skills were a pleasure to listen to, and although the audience knew his “cure” for Nemorino was Bordeaux, Dulcamara fooled Nemorino. Emboldened by the guaranteed “cure,” Nemorino bought a bottle of elixir, drank, got tipsy, and eventually won Adina. Ah, then the rest of the villagers bought the “cure.” Soprano Ji Young Yang sweetly sang the role of the village girl Giannetta. Somehwere in the plot Nemorino enlists in the army, gets rich and gets the girl. Happy ending.
The audience gave a standing ovation for the BLO's longtime music director Stephen Lord, who is performing his final season with the BLO. The orchestra was superb under his guidance.

L’elisir d’amore is a co-production by BLO and Opera Colorado.
L’elisir d’amore will be sung in Italian with projected English translation The Shubert Theater is at 265 Tremont Street in Boston’s Theatre District. Single tickets on sale now for L’elisir, starting at $33. The next production is The Abduction from the Seraglio April 25-May 6. Visit www.citicenter.org or call (866) 348-9738 for tickets and information.

Opera photo, courtesy of Opera Colorado, by Matthew Staver.

Boston Lyric Opera Donizetti’s L’ELISIR D’AMORE A Happy Treat

Spring is almost here so rejoice at a happy opera. In Boston, the Boston Llyric Opera’s season continues with Gaetano -Donizetti’s L’ELISIR D’AMORE, from March 14-25, 2008 at The Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre, Boston. BLO presents a new production of Donizetti’s boisterous comedy L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love), a flirtatious tale with a happy ending. Set in the innocence of Middle America in the early 1900's, this charming production leaves the audience sighing not crying. L’elisir d’amore is another co-production by BLO and Opera Colorado, a partnership that has brought to the stage Eugene Onegin in 2005, La traviata in 2006 and Un ballo in maschera in 2007.

Maria Kanyova returns to sing the role of the carefree beauty, Adina, a role for which she won acclaim in Colorado. Ms. Kanyova debuted with BLO as Tatyana in 2005’s Eugene Onegin. Tenor Eric Cutler sings the role of shy Nemorino, her love struck ice cream man. Mr. Cutler made his BLO debut in 2002 as Belmonte in The Abduction from the Seraglio. Baritone James Westman returns as the dashing Sergeant Belcore following his critically acclaimed performances as Germont in La traviata and Athanäel in Thaïs in 2006. The Company also welcomes back bass Dale Travis as the potion-prescribing Dr. Dulcamara, a role he sang for BLO in 1997. Ji Young Yang, makes her BLO debut as Gianetta.

A veteran production team joins the cast. Maestro Stephen Lord conducts and James Robinson returns to direct. Allen Moyer and costumes by Tony Award winner Martin Pakledinaz design sets.

L’elisir d’amore will be sung in Italian with projected English translation The Shubert Theater is at 265 Tremont Street in Boston ’s Theatre District. Single tickets on sale now for L’elisir, starting at $33. The next production is The Abduction from the Seraglio April 25-May 6. Visit www.citicenter.org or call (866) 348-9738 for tickets and information.

BLO’s mainstage productions at the Citi Shubert Theatre, live broadcasts on WGBH radio, traveling production of a fully staged, one-hour English version of a popular opera for school children and families and other outreach activities reach over 200,000 people a year. Boston Lyric Opera ’s programs are funded, in part, by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. www.blo.org.

Opera for the Kids – The Boston Lyric Opera presents a production in Marblehead, of Engelbert Humperdinck’s treat of an opera, Hansel and Gretel. The one-hour, fully staged, English-language version features BLO’s orchestra. In this classic fairy tale geared for children ages 6-12, a walk in the forest turns into a discovery of delights and frights. A gingerbread house tempts Hansel and Gretel’s taste buds, but behind those sugar-coated gumdrop walls lurks a witch! Hansel and Gretel must stick together to free the forest from a wicked spell. This production is a perfect way to introduce children to opera and is great for the whole family, grandparents to grandkids. Sunday, March 30, 1:30pm, Marblehead Veterans Middle School Performing Arts Center, 217 Pleasant St., Marblehead, MA.

Tickets: $18 for adults and $12 for children. Call Audience Services at (617) 542-6772 or order online. For Waltham performances, call Brandeis Tickets at (781) 736-3400.