Puccini's "Tosca," conducted by Domingo, opens the season in September, followed by Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor" in November. Verdi's "Nabucco" and Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte" (in this case, of course, it's the libretto that's Italian, not the composer) will follow. A great French opera will be bring a change of language and style to close the season: Massenet's "Werther."
Domingo called the season announcement "bittersweet" in the press release. "I am proud that I and my team have crafted a powerful season with quality and artistic integrity as our number-one goals," he said. Although this is his last major stamp on the company, the tenor went on to say that "WNO will forever be in my heart, and I do plan to stay involved with the company." WNO will be absorbed into the Kennedy Center starting in July.
All five productions for '11-'12 will be new to WNO. One of them, "Cosi," is being touched up by
director/designer Jonathan Miller with "costuming inspired by Washington, DC."
"Tosca" will star Patricia Racette (alternating in the title role with Natalia Ushakova) , Frank Porretta (alternating with Gwyn Hughes Jones as Cavaradossi) and Alan Held (alternating with Scott Hendricks as Scarpia). Israel Gursky will share podium duties with Domingo. The director is David Kneuss.
"Lucia" is also double-cast: Sarah Coburn and Lyubov Petrova (Lucia), Saimir Pirgu and Alexey Dolgov (Edgardo). WNO music director Philippe Auguin conducts. The director is David Alden.
The Jonathan Miller "Cosi" staging features Elizabeth Futral, Renata Pokupic, Joel Prieto, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, William Shimell and Ketevan Kemoklidze. Auguin conducts.
WNO's first production of "Nabucco" will be directed and designed by Thaddeus Strassberger and conducted by Auguin. The cast includes Franco Vassallo and Csilla Boross.
"Werther" offers Francesco Meli in the title role, with Sonia Ganassi as Charlotte. Emmanuel Villaume conducts. The director is TBA.
The season will also see the continuation for the Placido Domingo Celebrity Series with concerts by Deborah Voigt (in a Broadway program) and Angela Gheorghiu.
PHOTO (by Robert Workman for English National Opera) COURTESY OF WNO