Opera Pacific Announces Casts for ‘Aida,’ ‘Die Fledermaus’

Opera Pacific has announced a new Radames in Verdi’s “Aida,” as well as double casts for “Aida” and Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” during its second season at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. The season, Jan. 16-March 6, will also include the Broadway musical “Kismet.”

Soviet defector Vyacheslav Polosov originally was to have sung Radames, but “withdrew his contract for personal reasons,” Opera Pacific marketing director Luke Bandle said this week.

Polosov’s agent, Robert Lombardo, said from New York that “(Opera Pacific general director) David DiChiera very kindly released (Polosov) from his contract so that he could sing in the production of ‘Macbeth’ at the Metropolitan Opera (in New York), both at the premiere and on the national radio broadcast.” The dates were in direct conflict with the Opera Pacific engagement, Lombardo said. (“Macbeth” will be performed Jan. 7-Feb. 15 at the Metropolitan Opera. Polosov will sing Jan. 7-23.)

Substituting for Polosov will be Ruben Dominguez, Jan.16-26, and Stefano Algieri, Jan. 29-31. Dominguez has sung with the Dallas, Cincinnati and Connecticut operas, among others. Algieri has appeared with the Opera Company of Syracuse, the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the New York City Opera.

Additionally, Metropolitan Opera soprano Carol Neblett will sing the role of Aida on Jan. 29-31; Leona Mitchell, who had previously been announced, will sing Jan. 16-26.

“We added a performance (of ‘Aida’) about a month ago, on the 29th and at Palm Desert on the 31st,” Bandle said. “Since Leona Mitchell has other commitments (for these dates), Neblett is singing these performances. . . .

“I don’t think anyone has been misled (about casting). These are new performances that people didn’t buy before they knew Neblett and Algieri were singing. We didn’t do a major casting brochure, and as we had the casts, we did list them and the double casting.”

Other principals for all performances of “Aida” include Dolora Zajic as Amneris, Andrew Smith as Amonasro and Eric Halfvarson as Ramphis. John Mauceri will conduct. Nicholas Muni is the stage director. Wolfram Skalicki is the set designer.

For “Kismet,” Feb. 5-21, the cast will include David Chaney, Beverly Lambert, Kim Criswell, Avery Saltzman, Brent Barrett and Lee Henry. Paul Schwartz will conduct.

Michael Montel will stage Alan Kimmel’s new production of “Die Fledermaus,” which will be presented eight times.

Heather Thomson will sing Rosalinda on Feb. 26, 28 and March 5; Sharon Christman will sing the role on Feb. 27, March 3, 5 (matinee) and 6. Eisenstein will be sung by Charles Roe, Feb. 27, March 3, 5 (matinee) and 6; by Andre Jobin, Feb. 26, 28, March 4 and 5.

Cheryl Parrish and Evelyn de la Rosa will alternate as Adele. Rico Serbo and Gregory Kunde will alternate as Alfred. The roles of Prince Orlofsky and Frosch have not been cast yet. Franz Allers will conduct. Jobin and Parrish had been previously announced for all performances.

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