Opera comes to Friday Harbor….

Shows are on the 24th & 25th!

It’s not that often that we have a full opera performed here in town, so this is your chance. It’s extra cool that Robin Lohery, Roberta Leed, Nick Zervas, Michelle Mullin, Sally Browne and a few other local friends will be in the show as well. Here’s the scoop about Carmen, to be performed next weekend (I’m telling ya now so you can get your tix) from Linda Downes:

Come and experience the brilliance and beauty of soaring voices and the passionate story of a Spanish gypsy woman and her soldier when Bizet’s popular opera ‘Carmen’ is presented by professional opera company ‘Opera Pacifica’ of Olympia on October 24, Saturday, at 7:30pm and on October 25, Sunday, at 2pm at the San Juan Community Theatre in Friday Harbor.

These two rare on-island performances feature the original ‘Opera Pacifica’ opera company cast with live orchestra in a production of ‘Carmen’ that was last performed by the company to rave reviews at the ‘Washington Center for the Performing Arts’ in Olympia. ‘We will be performing ‘Carmen’ in an English translation that was used successfully at the New York Metropolitan Opera’, said Erich Parce, director of Opera Pacifica’. Mr. Parce sang at the NY Met for 18 years as a baritone, and is now a widely recognized stage director who works with several opera companies including ‘Opera Pacifica’.

‘Opera Pacifica’ principal Jenny Knapp, a beautiful and critically acclaimed mezzo-soprano, will play the fiery ‘Carmen’ for these on-island performances. Ms. Knapp is known for singing opera throughout the Northwest. In Seattle Ms. Knapp has sung opera extensively with the ‘Seattle Symphony’ including her acclaimed role of the mother in Menotti’s opera ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ under the baton of Gerard Schwartz.

Robert Corl, a seasoned tenor who is the co-founder of ‘Opera Pacifica’, will play Don Jose, the soldier who falls madly in love with Carmen. Mr, Corl has sang tenor opera roles in New York, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, throughout the Northwest, and in Beijing, China with the Beijing Opera and Dance Orchestra, where he recorded the CD ‘An American Tenor in China’.

Claudia Simpson-Jones, ‘Opera Pacifica”s conductor and co-founder, will conduct musicians from the ‘Olympic Chamber Orchestra’ live in the SJCTheatre orchestra pit for
‘Carmen’. Joining these musicians in the pit will be local Cellist Sally Browne and Violinist Robin Lohrey, who is just fifteen years old and has recently come home after studying music extensively in France. Ms. Jones, who has conducted throughout the States and for the Beijing Opera and Dance Orchestra in China, is currently the conductor for the
‘Olympic Chamber Orchestra’ whose members make up the ‘Opera Pacifica’ orchestra.

‘We are all very excited to perform ‘Carmen’ in the beautiful San Juans!’ she said.

Northwest based theatre and dance choreographer Linda Downes, who is co-producer for ‘Carmen’, will feature gifted dancers from ‘Cornish College of the Arts’ in the ‘gypsy tavern scene’ of the opera, including a talented local Friday Harbor dancer who is now in her third year at Cornish, Michelle Mullin.

Several local San Juan singers auditioned and were accepted into the opera chorus to sing with the ‘Opera Pacifica’ company in ‘Carmen’, including Nick Zervas, an accomplished tenor who recently came back to perform in the Northwest after graduating from a New York performing arts conservatory, and local Friday Harbor favorite soprano Roberta Leed.

Although there is no dress code for the Friday Harbor theatre, ‘I happen to know that many women are choosing to wear their best for our Saturday night ‘Carmen’ performance’, said Linda Downes, ‘So dust off your beautiful opera attire and go out and enjoy a gala evening!’

In the spirit of the Saturday night event, ‘Pazzo Vivo’ restaurant in downtown Friday Harbor will stay open for after the opera food and drink.

For those opera lovers who will be coming from other places, or for those who want to ‘make a night of it’, a special hotel package complete with Lodge room for two, champagne, dinner, and ‘Carmen’ tickets and back stage passes is available through Lakedale Resort on San Juan Island. The Lodge at Lakedale is known for its elegance and romantic setting overlooking beautiful unspoiled Neva Lake set among 82 pristine and private park like acres. Please contact Lakedale Resort at www.lakedale.com for more information. Winter rates for lodging are available at other popular and recommended San Juan destinations as well including Roche Harbor Resort, and at charming and conveniently located near the SJCT B and B’s like Hillside House and Juniper Lane Guest House.

Tickets for ‘Carmen’ for both performances, Saturday
October 24 at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 25 at 2pm, are on
sale now either on line at www.sjctheatre.org or via the
SJCT box office by calling 360-378-3210 or dropping by the
ticket window from 11am-4pm Tues. – Fri. or Sat. from
11am-2pm. The SJCT box office is also open one hour prior to
all performances.’Carmen’ tickets are $30. for center
section and $25. for all other seats. Please reserve tickets
for the Saturday night ‘Carmen’ performance early in order
to avoid possible disappointment as Saturday tickets are
selling quickly.

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