Go behind the scenes of opera with this free series of conversations on topics inspired by Cincinnati Opera’s 2024 Summer Festival
CINCINNATI (December 1, 2023)— For every opera that makes its way to the stage, there are fascinating stories about the inspiration, creative process, and personalities behind it. Cincinnati Opera’s popular Opera Raps series, which returns January 25–April 17, 2024, aspires to pull back the curtain and reveal behind-the-scenes insights into the operas that make up the company’s 2024 Summer Festival.
The 2024 Opera Raps series kicks off in January with a mini-Mozart experience in anticipation of the company’s June 2024 production of his opera, Don Giovanni: “Hausmusik: Mozart and Friends at Home” (January 25), a recreation of a musical evening hosted at Mozart’s home, and “Mozart’s Women” (January 26), led by renowned conductor Dame Jane Glover.
In March, the series continues with two events inspired by the company’s July 2024 world stage premiere of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio: “The Beatles Phenomenon” (March 6), featuring Beatles expert Om Srivastava, and “Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio: Sneak Peek with the Creative Team” (March 28), offering a first look at Cincinnati Opera’s new production-in-progress.
The series concludes on April 17 with opera director Trevore Ross discussing “Violetta’s Chosen Family,” inspired by the heroine of Verdi’s La Traviata, which Cincinnati Opera will present in June 2024.
Opera Raps will take place at venues throughout the city, including Music Hall, Cincinnati Opera’s warehouse, Over-the-Rhine’s First Lutheran Church, and the Woodward Theater. Admission is free and open to the public, though tickets are required. Tickets will be available beginning December 1, 2023, at 12 p.m. (ET) at cincinnatiopera.org and by calling 513.241.2742. See below for complete series details.
Cincinnati Opera
2024 Opera Raps
January 25, 2024
Hausmusik: Mozart and Friends at Home
6:30 p.m. (ET)
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
In anticipation of Cincinnati Opera’s June 2024 production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni, audiences are invited into this immersive exploration of the composer’s life and work. On countless evenings between 1784 and 1787, Mozart would invite friends to his Vienna home for food, wine, and music-making. Joseph Haydn was a frequent guest, as were many other celebrated musicians of the day. This event recreates a typical evening with the Mozarts featuring music for piano four hands, songs, and a string quartet dedicated to Haydn, along with excerpts from visitors’ memoirs, Mozart’s letters, and more.
January 26, 2024
Mozart’s Women
6:30 p.m. (ET)
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
The celebrated conductor, scholar, and author Dame Jane Glover, who will conduct Cincinnati Opera’s Don Giovanni in June 2024, leads a discussion inspired by her book, Mozart’s Women: His Family, His Friends, His Music (Harper, 2006). Dame Jane will delve into Don Giovanni as well as the composer’s other glorious music for women, with performances by two members of the Don Giovanni cast: sopranos Jessica Rivera and Erin Keesy. The event precedes Dame Jane’s appearances that weekend with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, where she will conduct an all-Mozart program.
March 6, 2024
The Beatles Phenomenon
7:30 p.m. (ET)
Woodward Theater
1404 Main Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Inspired by Cincinnati Opera’s July 2024 world stage premiere of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio, Beatles expert Om Srivastava will lead audience members on a journey into the creativity and worldwide impact of the Fab Four. With recordings, interviews, and photographs, Srivastava will trace the phenomenon of the Beatles from their early days in Liverpool and Hamburg to the epochal albums and worldwide tours (including two Cincinnati appearances!). A cash bar will be available.
March 28, 2024
Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio: Sneak Peek with the Creative Team
7:30 p.m. (ET)
Cincinnati Opera Warehouse
7712 Reinhold Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45237
Audiences are invited to this exclusive glimpse into the creation of Cincinnati Opera’s world stage premiere production of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio. Director Caroline Clegg, designer Leslie Travers, and choreographer Michael Pappalardo will offer insights into their creative vision for this extraordinary new theatrical experience and share a guided first look at the production under construction.
April 17, 2024
Violetta’s Chosen Family
7:30 p.m.
First Lutheran Church
1208 Race Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
As a preview to Cincinnati Opera’s 2024 production of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, stage director Trevore Ross explores this beloved masterpiece as an ode to the outsider. When Verdi composed the opera in 1853, his life bore some similarities to that of his heroine, the Parisian courtesan Violetta Valéry; he was something of a social outcast, living unmarried with his lover, the opera star Giuseppina Strepponi. Through this lens, Ross will examine Violetta’s world and the friends with whom she surrounded herself. Were they members of high society, fellow demimondaines, or both? The evening will include excerpts performed by soprano Dana Pundt and tenor Pedro Barbosa.
About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.
Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. Learn more at cincinnatiopera.org.
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