New ‘Don Giovanni’ to Headline Opera Pacific in 1990

A new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” will highlight Opera Pacific’s 1990 season, which will include three operas instead of the customary two.

The season will also include, as has become a company tradition, a Broadway musical.

The season will open Jan. 13 with Verdi’s “La Traviata,” through Jan. 20, followed by Puccini’s “Turandot” (Feb. 16 to March 2) and “Don Giovanni” (Feb. 21 to March 3). Jerome Kern’s “Show Boat” will be offered July 6 to 15.

All programs will take place at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

“La Traviata” will be presented by two casts, according to Opera Pacific’s general director, David DiChiera, who announced only some of the casting: Diana Soviero and Stephanie Friede will alternate as Violetta; Tonio Di Paolo will be Alfredo, and Timothy Noble will sing Germont.

DiChiera said he expects to announce the rest of the cast and the conductor in a few weeks.

Staging will be by Bernard Uzan, with sets by John Copley and costumes by David Walker, created for a 1987 production for the San Francisco Opera. Performances will be given Jan. 13, 14 (matinee), 17, 19 and 20.

The cast of “Turandot” will include Johanna Meier and Ealynn Voss alternating in the title role. Lando Bartolini will sing Calaf, the Unknown Prince. Maria Spacagna and Katherine Luna will alternate as Liu.

Sets and costumes are by Allen Charles Klein, from a 1980 co-production by the Dallas, Houston, Miami and San Francisco operas. The stage director and conductor will be announced. Dates will be Feb. 16, 18 (matinee), 22, 24 and March 2.

The cast of the new “Don Giovanni” will also be announced. The conductor will be Klaus Donath. The dates will be Feb. 21, 23, 25 (matinee), March 1 and 3.

All three operas will be sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Casting and the staging team for “Show Boat” will also be announced. The sets and costumes were designed for the Houston Grand Opera in 1982.

DiChiera said the expanded season will necessitate a jump in Opera Pacific’s operating budget from about $4 million to about $4.85 million. He said the company raises about 65% of its budget through ticket sales and the remainder, about $1.4 million, through contributions. A new operating fund, the Opera Pacific Growth Fund, has been created to raise $400,000 of the $1.4 million.

The company finished the 1987-88 season with a deficit of about $20,000, according to DiChiera, and needs about $200,000 to balance the current season, which ends in July.

DiChiera said subscriptions have held steady at about 10,800 this year.

Business may well have been affected, though, by three New York City Opera productions that preceded Opera Pacific’s by just 3 weeks, DiChiera said.

“It wasn’t ideal that our presentations should be so close together,” he said. “It would have been much better to give the public a breather.”

Asked whether Opera Pacific would use amplification, DiChiera said: “I’m sure I will use it for ‘Show Boat.’ ”

He said he has not decided whether to use it only for dialogue or for singing as well: “I will experiment with it. It depends on the character of the singer. Especially Julie, a torch singer and a soul type, will have to be amplified.”

Subscription prices will range from $54 to $238. Current Opera Pacific subscribers can renew now; subscription sales will be opened to the general public April 28. Single tickets will not be available until late fall. For information, call (714) 979-9000.