Crafting Asheville Lyric Opera’s
original production of Don Giovanni
will be the talents of nationally acclaimed singers led by internationally
acclaimed opera singer and director David Malis. A wealthy, handsome, Italian seducer will be
soon be trespassing on the hearts and emotions of the audiences of Asheville and Western North Carolina
in this Mozart classic. Don Giovanni, to be performed Friday,
April 4 with a special Sunday matinee April 6, will open Asheville Lyric
Opera’s 2014 Season with lust, murder, and vengeance.
A Georgia
native and Mars-Hill College graduate, David Malis originally
entertained with Asheville Lyric Opera in its inaugural season 15 years ago as
a singer, then continued for the next six years as both a singer and director. Malis’s last
performance with ALO was in the 10th Anniversary Season. We are pleased to have him return after 5
years to direct Don Giovanni in our
15th Anniversary Season. Malis brings his multitude of opera experiences to this
unique production of Mozart’s take on the Spanish Don Juan. He has participated
in the production of opera in almost every capacity, including music direction,
costume and set design, choral preparation and conducting. Having begun his singing career with the San
Francisco Opera, Malis’s talents have won him
the prestigious Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, and taken him around the world to
perform in such places as The Metropolitan Opera, Teatro Colòn in Buenos Aires, and the Thêàtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. He has also
been an Assistant Professor of Voice and Co-Director of the Opera Theater at
the University of Miami, and Opera Director and Coordinator of the Crested
Butte Music Festival and Festival de Musique de St. Barthélémy. While continuing to perform in recent
productions, Malis currently serves as
Director of Opera and Professor of Voice at the University of Arkansas.
Mozart’s Don Giovanni is the tale of a wealthy Italian who carelessly
indulges in the sensual lusts of life with no regard for those affected or his
own reputation. After being discovered
to have stolen the innocence of Il Commendatore’s betrothed daughter, Don
Giovanni murders the father in a classic duel and escapes. He continues his exploits by shamelessly
throwing himself at a newly-wed in front of her husband while thwarting the
scorned advances of a former lover.
Through disguise and the ploy of a party, Don Giovanni tries to throw
off his accusers, and once again escapes under their noses. His sins eventually catch up to him when he
invites the statue of the dead Il Commendatore to dinner and the invitation is
surprisingly accepted. The possessed
statue finally brings justice to those lives that Don Giovanni has marred by
dragging him to hell.
Asheville Lyric Opera has
carefully chosen the talents of a variety of artists and performers to bring an
original and unique approach to the classic Don Giovanni opera, reinventing for
today’s audiences. ALO proudly
continues our support of local talents by giving them a stage to perform for
the public, as well as bringing accomplished opera singers from around the
world to Western North Carolina
audiences. David Malis’s direction will
lead a cast of nationally acclaimed artists opening the new season, alongside
maestro Scott Schoonover. Returning for
the first production of 2014 are Galen Scott Bower, as Don Giovanni, and Kathy
Pyeatt, as Donna Elvira, performers from 2013’s Tosca. Jonathan Ross, a
teacher at Asheville-Buncombe Tech, will also continue to lend his voice
talents, as well as local star Dominic Aquilino. Debuting with ALO are Grant Knox, Director of
Lyric Theatre at Furman University,
international soprano Kristin Vogel, and Washington
D.C.’s leading opera soprano,
Randa Rouwehya. This original production
will feature a brand new design concept incorporating the contemporary and
sophisticated talents of resident designer Julie Ross. The wonderful Lyric Opera Chorus and
Orchestra will continue to provide the musical support. While performed in Italian English
supertitles will be provided through a digital interactive experience.
PERFOMANCE
DATES WITH ADDED SUNDAY MATINEE
Friday, April 4, 2014, 8pm
Sunday, April 6, 2014 Matinee at
3pm
Diana Wortham Theater, Asheville, NC
Tickets are on sale now at the
theater box office: 828-257-4530, or
online at www.ashevillelyric.org.
For schools and community groups,
tickets to the Don Giovanni April 2, 2014 Preview Dress Rehearsal at 7pm are
available only through the Asheville Lyric Opera office. Call ALO at 828-236-0670 to make your
reservations.
For more information visit www.ashevillelyric.org.
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