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Wolf Trap Opera and National Symphony Orchestra come together for a new, large-scale production at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

Vienna, Virginia (August 3, 2016)– Wolf Trap Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra come together for a new production of Puccini’s beloved La bohème, Friday August 5 at 8:15 p.m. The one-night-only performance takes place at the outdoor Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. See below for complete production and ticketing information. Images are available upon request.

Puccini’s masterpiece is one of the most popular operas in the repertoire. It tells the story of idealistic young friends who experience love, joy, and profound loss against the backdrop of the garrets and cafés of Paris.

Wolf Trap Opera’s Filene Young Artists perform all principal roles, and Studio Artists sing supporting roles. Soprano D’Ana Lombard is the poor seamstress Mimì, tenor Yongzhao Yu is the poet Rodolfo, and soprano Summer Hassan is the singer Musetta. Baritone Reginald Smith, Jr. is the painter Marcello, bass Timothy Bruno is the philosopher Colline, and baritone Shea Owens is the musician Schaunard. Wolf Trap Opera’s elite group of young professional singers is chosen through a highly selective annual nationwide audition tour. See complete casting below.

Conductor Grant Gershon of Los Angeles Opera returns to Wolf Trap following collaborations on La traviata in 2013, Carmen in 2014, and Madama Butterfly in 2015. Paul Curran directs, with a new scenic design by Erhard Rom, video and projections design by S. Katy Tucker, costumes by Court Watson and lighting by Mark Stanley. One of the largest theatrical stages in the country, Wolf Trap’s Filene Center allows the entire National Symphony Orchestra to join Wolf Trap Opera artists onstage.

As a top-tier operatic training program for emerging artists, Wolf Trap Opera provides its singers with the opportunity to take part in a fully staged grand opera annually at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, among many additional performance and training opportunities. An evening of opera under the stars invites newcomers to begin their opera love affair, and aficionados to hear works from the popular repertoire in the beautiful National Park setting.

PRODUCTION AND TICKETING INFORMATION

Wolf Trap Opera presents
LA BOHÈME
New production
National Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Grant Gershon
Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia 22182
Friday, August 5 at 8:15 p.m.

Sung in Italian, with projected English supertitles

 LA BOHÈME- CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM

CAST

(in order of vocal appearance)

Marcello, a painter...............................................................................Reginald Smith, Jr.

Rodolfo, a poet...............................................................................................Yongzhao Yu

Colline, a philosopher................................................................................Timothy Bruno

Schaunard, a musician...................................................................................Shea Owens

Benoit, the landlord......................................................................Wm. Clay Thompson*

Mimì, a seamstress...................................................................................D’Ana Lombard

Alcindoro, a wealthy older man.................................................Wm. Clay Thompson*

Parpignol, a toy vendor...............................................................................Matthew Hill*

Musetta, a singer.....................................................................................Summer Hassan

Vendors, waiters, guards, patrons, mothers, soldiers.........Wolf Trap Opera Studio

*Studio Artist

CREATIVE TEAM

Conductor.....................................................................................................Grant Gershon

Director................................................................................................................Paul Curran

Scenic Designer...............................................................................................Erhard Rom

Video & Projections Designer...................................................................S. Katy Tucker

Costume Designer......................................................................................Court Watson

Lighting Designer..........................................................................................Mark Stanley

Wig & Makeup Designer...........................................................................Anne Nesmith

Chorusmaster.........................................................................................Robert Mollicone

Children’s Chorusmaster..............................................................................Kirill Kuzmin

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Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, produces and presents a full range of performance and education programs in the Greater Washington area, as well as nationally. Wolf Trap features three performance venues: the outdoor Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, both located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and The Barns at Wolf Trap, located down the road from the national park and adjacent to the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. The 7,028-seat Filene Center is operated in partnership with the National Park Service and annually showcases an extensive array of diverse artists, ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to classical music, dance, and theatre, as well as multimedia presentations, from May through September. The Barns at Wolf Trap is operated by the Wolf Trap Foundation year round, and during the summer months is home to the Grammy-nominated Wolf Trap Opera, one of America’s outstanding resident ensemble programs for young opera singers. Wolf Trap’s education programs include the nationally acclaimed Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, a diverse array of arts education classes, grants, and a nationally recognized internship program.

Media Information

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High-resolution headshots and stage designs are available upon request. Production images will be available the morning of the performance, on August 7.