Opera Theater of CT presents Rigoletto

Opera Theater of Connecticut is

proud to announce its stellar cast for its August 2013 presentation of Verdi's

dynamic and moving opera, Rigoletto, performed in celebration of

the bicentennial of Verdi's birth.

Under the leadership of

General Director Kate Ford, Opera Theater of Connecticut’s artistic team of

Production Director Alan Mann and Music Director Kyle Swann will work with one

of the finest musical and dramatic ensembles brought together in the state for

this special presentation.

Since its founding, many

singers and conductors performed with Opera Theater just short years before

their Metropolitan Opera debuts. This season the pattern reverses as

Metropolitan Opera artist Galen Scott Bower debuts with Opera Theater in

the title role of the complex and compelling character of the tormented jester

and yet loving father.

Returning to OTC's summer

MainStage as Gilda, Rigoletto's lovely and innocent daughter who is seduced and

betrayed by the Duke of Mantua, New York City Opera singer Amanda Hall

will thrill the audience as surely as she did performing Lucia last year in

Opera Theater's acclaimed Lucia di Lammermoor.

International rising-star Alok

Kumar makes his debut both with OTC and in the role of the venal and

salacious Duke of Mantua. The Indian-born tenor has been heard in many of the

most romantic lead roles in opera from Tel Aviv, Israel to Rome and Spoleto,

Italy, and, here in the United States, from Massachusetts to Colorado to Santa

Fe to New York.

Also appearing in this Verdi

blockbuster are Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions National Finalist and

Connecticut native, Nicholas Mastersas the assassin Sparafucile;

National Opera Association finalist and Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions

Encouragement Award winner Jennifer Feinstein as the sultry siren

Maddalena; and, as the powerful nobleman Monterone whose curse sets the tragic

wheel in motion, Alexander Hahn. Christopher Lucier, Luke Scott and

Laurentiu Rotaru sing the roles of the courtiers Borsa, Marullo and

Ceprano, supporters and sycophants of the decadent Duke. Soprano Theresa

Pilz appears as the Countess Ceprano, the lovely focus of the Duke’s recent

fascination.

As a response to recent

seasons’ sold-out performances, Opera Theater of Connecticut will again present

four performances of affordable opera in an intimate setting

at the air-conditioned Andrews Memorial Theater, 54 East Main Street, Clinton

to ensure that no one is turned away for this not-to-be-missed production! The

opera will be sung in Italian with projected supertitles to fully appreciate

all the dramatic facets of this masterpiece.

The performances begin on

Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 7:30 pm (followed by the traditional opening night

reception) and continue on Thursday, August 8 and Saturday, August 10 at 7:30

pm, with a final performance on Sunday, August 11 at 6 pm. Tickets are $45.00

for Regular; $40.00 for 65 and over, and $35.00 for Under 18.

Opera Theater also features

Opera Talk, an informal, informative talk about the evening’s opera and

composer, by Artistic Director Alan Mann starting one hour and a half before

each performance. Opera Talk tickets are $5.00.

Boxed Suppers Al Fresco Style

from Chips Pub III are available through the Opera Theater of Connecticut

office for $15.00 and need to be reserved 48 hours in advance.

For more information and to

reserve your tickets, call Opera Theater of Connecticut at 860-669-8999 or to

download an order form, visit our website at www.operatheaterofct.org.