The Circus Is Coming to Town with Opera North
The Circus Is Coming to Town with Opera North
ON’s Summerfest 2021 brings plenty of performances, including La Bohème
Tickets are going quickly!
What was once thought of as the most unlikely pairing—opera with circus?— has become an ultra-successful staple of Opera North’s annual summer season. For Summerfest 2021, it’s “Havana Nights.” “Pulsating Latin rhythms blend with circus acrobatics, juggling and aerial work as Opera North’s Resident Artists bring sultry, sizzling, sensational favorites from Puccini, Bizet and Lecuona to a joyous crescendo in a family-friendly mashup of song and circus.” July 16, 17, and 18 under the open-sided and larger than last year’s Big Top at Blow-Me-Down Farm in Cornish NH
“Extraordinary Women” showcases this season’s Resident Artists singing operatic selections that feature “strong, resilient, unforgettable women who persisted throughout history.” The July 24 performance quickly sold out. You might be able to snag a ticket for the company’s dress rehearsal on July 22. (Farm)
“La Bohème” by Puccini is this season’s major production and a favorite of many opera lovers. Opera North invites you to “savor ‘la vie en rose’ with the rakish Bohemians of Paris and some of the most beautiful music ever written for the stage.” July 28, 30 and August 1. (Farm)
“Music of the Knights” is a theatrical concert of works from contemporary British music royalty: Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Viewers are urged to bring a picnic. July 31. (Unfortunately this performance appears to be sold out, but there is the possibility of a wait list if you contact the box office at LOH.) (Farm)
Blow-Me-Down Farm has that dramatic, outdoorsy Upper Valley vibe; Lebanon Opera House has tradition. Opera North returns to LOH to present a Masterclass with Metropolitan Opera soprano Angel Blue. Watch how talented young artists learn to sing and then learn to sing even better. July 29. (LOH)
Apart from the performances, Opera North is proceeding in partnership with Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park with renovations at the Blow-Me-Down Farm. The history-rich former Beaman home has seen new windows, sills and an improved foundation, not to mention a fresh coat of paint. The plans for a “park for the arts” move ever forward.
Need more information about performance times (matinees or evenings), venues, or looking to purchase tickets? Click here. Directions to Blow-Me-Down Farm are available here.
Facepalm: Earlier this week a post went out about Jon Gilbert Fox’s excellent exhibition at AVA Gallery, with inconsistent spellings of Jon’s name. It is, of course, Jon, not John. The correction has been made in the web version of the newsletter. My apologies.
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And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.