News & Events

Hawaii Opera Theatre’s 50-year tradition of artistic excellence carries forward with the invigorating energy of its Grand Opera 2010 Anniversary Season.  Revered across the nation as one of the most vibrant opera companies in America, Hawaii Opera Theatre (HOT) arrives at its 50-year milestone with unfettered enthusiasm.  Grand Operas already in production for this momentous season include Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; the Hawaii premiere of Richard Wagner’s Die Walküre from his famous Ring Cycle, and Giacomo Puccini’s A-list opera:  La Bohéme, which was the inspiration for the contemporary Broadway musical RENT.  Tickets for individual opera performances are now on sale at the HOT Box Office:  848 S. Beretania Street, Suite 315; by phone:  596-7858 or www.hawaiiopera.org.

Presented in Italian with English subtitles, Le Nozze di Figaro is opens the season January 29, 31 and February 2.  This light-hearted comedy is the sequel to Rossini’s Barber of Seville.  Principal artists include Michael Chioldi, who is making his HOT stage debut this season as the Count.  He has performed at nearly every major American opera house, including The Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, New York City Opera, Washington National Opera and Los Angeles Opera.  Soprano Inna Dukach makes her HOT debut as the Countess.  She also has graced the stage of the New York City Opera and countless European houses.  HOT welcomes back Honolulu’s own Leon Williams for the title role of Figaro and Valerian Ruminski returns this season as Bartolo.  Ivan Törzs joins the artistic team as conductor with Hans Nieuwenhuis stage directing, Peter Dean Back is Lighting Designer and Helen E. Rodgers, costumer.

HOT’s General and Artistic Director, Henry Akina stage directs the 50th Anniversary Season centerpiece, Richard Wagner’s Die Walküre. Akina selected a stellar cast of seasoned professionals for this HOT stage premiere.  Comprised mostly of principal artists who have appeared in numerous HOT productions, several make their debut performance in their roles in Die Walküre including Kip Wilborn as Siegmund, Jake Gardner as Wotan, Lori Phillips as Brünnhilde, John Marcus Bindel as Hunding and Mary Phillips as Fricka.  Joining the cast is Soprano Susan B. Anthony in her HOT stage debut as Sieglinde.  Jari Hamalainen is the conductor with Peter Dean Beck as Scenic & Lighting Designer and Helen E. Rodgers, costumer.

Karen Tiller, HOT’s Executive Director, directs the season finale, La Bohéme by Giacomo Puccini. A timeless opera of eternal hope, this classic love story continues to be one of the most popular operas in the world.  Olga Chernisheva, recognized as one of most distinctive young singing actresses to emerge on the American opera stage in recent years, makes her HOT stage debut as Mimi, opposite Derek Taylor as Rodolfo.  Taylor was last seen on the HOT stage in A Little Night Music.

Other HOT stage favorites, Etienne Dupuis and John Marcus Bindel, who both appeared in HOT’s 2008 Romeo and Juliet, return as Marcello and Colline respectively.  Honolulu’s own Laurence Paxton appears in dual roles - Benoît and Alcindoro.  Mark D. Flint conducts this production with Peter Dean Beck as Lighting Designer and Helen E. Rodgers as Costumer.

All HOT performances at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall have English super-titles conveniently projected about the stage. For ticket information, call the HOT Box Office at 596-7858 or visit www.hawaiiopera.org.  Season ticket packages continue to be on sale with general tickets to individual opera performances now open to the public.  HOT is the only professional opera company in Hawaii, producing grand opera since 1960. With critically-acclaimed grand opera productions, award-winning education programs and year-round presentations that bring opera to everyone, HOT is an artistic gem in Hawaii’s performance arts community.