Thursday, December 14, 2017 – Sunday, December 17, 2017
The Annex (map)
LA TRAVIATA | GIUSEPPE VERDI
THREE PERFORMANCES:
Thu 14 Dec 2017 8pm - Buy tickets
Sat 16 Dec 2017 8pm - Buy tickets
Sun 17 Dec 2017 3pm - Buy tickets
VENUE: The Annex
ESTIMATED RUN TIME : 90 mins
BUY NOW TO ENJOY EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT
Have you ever felt intimidated by opera? If so, you are not alone, and More Than Musical may just have the remedy. In keeping with More Than Muscial's goal of making opera more accessible, we have reduced the runtime from the usual 2.5 hours to about 100 minutes, with no intermission.
Verdi's original was set in "modern" times, 1853, the year of the premiere, as Verdi wanted the audience to relate to the characters without the filter of "a time longpast". We, too, have set out production in the present.
La Traviata is a story about social and religious hypocrisy. In 19th century France, wealthy men were permitted to have mistresses, but insisted on virginal behaviour from women in their family circles. Violetta is the embodiment of this dilemma: a courtesan who trades physical intimacy for financial gain.
Then, however, she falls in love and gives up her lucrative and licentious lifestyle. But can a person be forgiven for their mistakes, however heinous? And can a woman be forgiven? This is the critical question of the piece. Verdi's answer, or rather that of society's as he saw it, is a resounding "no".
Allow yourself to be offended by the behaviour of some of the characters, to sympathise with Violetta's plight, to struggle with Germont's request, to pity Alfredo's rage.
Cast & Porduction Crew
Stage Director and Production Design
Nic Muni
Nic Muni is Artistic Director for both the A. J. Fletcher Opera Institute at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and More Than Musical (HK). He has also served in that capacity for both Tulsa Opera and Cincinnati Opera.
For the A. J. Fletcher Opera Institute, he has directed La Tragédie de Carmen, Florencia en el Amazonas and Impressions de Pelléas, and, elsewhere, Norma at Dallas Opera and Florida Grand Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor at The Academy of Vocal Arts (Philadelphia), Higglety, Pigglety, Pop and Die Zauberflöte at Bard Conservatory Vocal Arts Program, Don Giovanni at San Diego Opera and Don Pasquale at San Francisco Opera Merola Program. He served as Director and Production Designer of La Traviata for More Than Musical (2016 and 2017).
http://www.nicmuni.com
Music Director and Pianist
Wei-En Hsu
A graduate of Juilliard School and Taipei National University of the Arts, and winner of the 2010 Los Angeles International Liszt Piano Competition, Wei-En Hsu enjoys a busy performing career throughout the US, Europe and Asia. He has established himself as a specialist in Baroque opera. He has also worked closely with living composers of his generation, promoting new music. Hsu now holds the repetiteur position at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.
http://weienhsu.com/
Violetta Valéry
Lei Xu
Lei Xu (Soprano)
Ms. Xu has most recently been touring in Asia for concert series, including the first Viennese style New Year concert with Maestro Martin Sieghart in Macao, where she sung operetta arias. In the year of 2016, Ms. Xu also made her debut solo concert with Shanghai Philharmonic orchestra in Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall -- one of the most famous concert halls in China. In the same year, Ms. Xu has made her appearance in the most famous concert hall Sejong center for the performing arts.
She was featured in Houston Grand Opera's production of BOUND,composed by HuangRuo, in which she sang the leading role, Diane.
A native of Nantong, China, Ms. Xu holds a Master's degree from The Juilliard School and a Bachelor's degree from The Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She was a member of The Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program from 2009-2013.
Alfredo Germont
Ji-Min Park
Ji-Min Park (Tenor)
Ji-Min Park trained at the Seoul National University, South Korea. He joined the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in September 2007 where he enjoyed conCancelsiderable success. Ji-Min was promoted to Principal Young Artist for the 09/10 season.
Ji-Min has won many prizes including First Prize at the 5th Klaudia Taev International Estonian Music Competition, the Vienna Staatsoper Special Prize at the International Belvedere Singing Competition in Vienna (2004), First Prize at the 7th International Bidu Sayao Competition in Belem, finalist in the International Francisco Viñas Competition in Barcelona (2006), and third prize at the International Singing Competition in Toulouse (2008). Ji-Min represented Korea in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition 2009 and was chosen by Peter Katona to represent Covent Garden in the Stella Maris International Vocal Competition onboard MS EUROPA in 2009, in which he was awarded European concerts.
Engagements in the 12/13 season included Romeo in Romeo et Juliette for Opera de Bauge, Alfredo in La Traviata for his debut at La Fenice and Ernesto in Don Pasquale for Opera Australia. In the 13/14 season included Alfredo for his debut with Welsh National Opera, Rodolfo for Opera North, Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore in Santiago. Engagements in the 15/16 season and beyond include Scaramuccio Ariadne auf Naxos for the Royal Opera House, concert performances of Rossini's Otello at the Al Bustan Festival of Performing Arts, Lebanon, Rodolfo in La bohème for Opera Australia, his debut with Atlanta Opera and a further return to Opera Australia.
Giorgio Germont
Zhou Zhengzhong
Zhengzhong Zhou
Zhou Zhengzhong is a professional opera singer and a lecturer at Wuhan Conservatory of Music He graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of professor Zhang Renqing, and teaches at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the First Prize of opera category and Second Prize of French art songs category at the International Opera Singing Competition of Marmande, the Third Prize at the International Singing Competition of Toulouse. He also awarded the scholarship from the Centre national d'insertion professionnelle d'artistes lyriques to undergo a 2-year internship at Marseilles. Thereafter, he was admitted to the Royal Opera House under the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme before he joined the Deutsche Oper Berlin as an ensemble member.
Zhou Zhengzhong is highly active on the international opera stage, having performed at many leading theatres. He has collaborated with both Chinese and foreign renowned conductors such as Donald Runnicles, Andris Nelsons, Seiji Ozawa, Daniel Oren, Tang Muhai and Lü Jia, and played the leading role in operas, including Rigolettom, Roméo et Juliette, Madame Butterfly, Salome, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Boheme, Faust and Le Nozze di Figaro. In addition, he has participated in the recording of Werther by Deutsche Grammophon and Le portrait de Manon by Opera Rara. He has also recorded Anna Nicole Rigoletto, Tosca, and Madame Butterfly by Opus Arte Royal Opera House and so on.
Annina & Flora Bervoix
Etta Fung
Etta Fung (Soprano)
Rising coloratura soprano Etta Fung, a native of Hong Kong, is quickly establishing herself as a versatile singer with a powerful stage presence. Etta made her European debut as Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) at the Neue Eutiner Festspiele (2011) in Eutin, Germany and received critical acclaim in the Hamburger Abendblatt: "(Fung) acted with great enthusiasm, her powerful soprano voice underscoring the Wagnerian sounds of the score". Since then Etta has performed actively in Europe.
Etta made her American debut as Peep-Bo (Mikado) during her Apprenticeship with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City (2012-2013) after performing the role of Musetta (La Bohème) at Brevard Music Festival. At the University of Kansas, Etta has been cast as Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Lucia (Rape of Lucretia), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Atalanta (Serse) and Anne Trulove (The Rake's Progress). In 2015, Etta was invited to sing Britten's Songs from the Chinese with internationally renowned guitarist Camilo Carreras and the soprano solo in Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem at the National Music Festival in Chestertown, Maryland. Etta will be singing the role of Aninna (La Traviata) with More than Musical (Hong Kong) in June, 2017.
Doctor Grenvil
Stefan Gordon
Stefan Gordon (Baritone)
Stefan Gordon has performed in operas, theaters, churches, and in concert in productions in Germany, Austria, Italy, Hong Kong, and across America. He has created two leading roles in American opera premieres, participating in both Arizona Opera workshops of Craig Bohmler's new opera Riders of the Purple Sage as the villainous Elder Tull. With Ohio Light Opera he premiered the role of romantic lead James Paradene in the first complete performance of Jerome Kern's "The Cabaret Girl" in the United States, a role he recorded with Albany Records. As an administrator and director, Dr. Gordon led casting and helped in the creation of a new opera production of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with over 200 productions in Vienna, Austria. He directed Rapides Symphony's production of Die Zauberflöte, and created the Northwestern Opera Theater Ensemble at NSULA. Dr. Gordon is also on faculty at the Vienna Summer Music Festival in Austria, and worked as a musical coach and assistant in their production of Don Giovanni. Dr. Gordon received his Doctor of Musical Arts at Arizona State, holds a Master in music from Florida State, and a Bachelor in music from the University of Utah. When he's not performing or directing, Dr. Gordon teaches with American Vocal Studio in Hong Kong
Baron Douphol
Jack Wu
Jack Yu (Baritone)
ZhengHuan Yu earlier won Third Place, NY Lyric Opera Theater competition in 2015. First Place in National Association of Teachers of Singing competition (Category 12), and First Place at Ball State University School of Music Vocal Competition.
He performed the role of Frank, Die Fledermaus in 2016, role of Colline, La Boheme, in 2015, role of Escamillo, La Tragédie De Carmen in 2014 with Ball State University Opera Theater.
Solo in Requiem, KV 626, Mozart, Ball State University Symphony Orchestra in 2015.
Finished an Artist of Diploma program in Voice Performance, School of Music, Ball State University. Graduated from XingHai Conservatory of Music, GuangZhou, China in 2012.
Nina Vitarniya
MTM Founder
Rumiko Hasegawa
MTM Co-founder:
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