Intriguing Prospects for Summer

For its 39th summer season, Santa Fe Opera will offer its traditional mix of the new, recent, novel and standard: the world premiere of David Lang’s “Modern Painters,” with libretto by music critic Manuela Hoelterhoff; new productions of Kalman’s “Countess Maritza” and Richard Strauss’ “Salome”; and revivals of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” and Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del West.”

“Modern Painters,” based on the life of English art critic John Ruskin, is the Los Angeles-born Lang’s first opera. Conducted by George Manahan, it will receive three performances, July 29-Aug. 11, with a cast including Francois Le Roux, Ann Panagulias and Jeffrey Reynolds.

Santa Fe debutants Gwynne Geyer,, Kevin Anderson and Kenn Chester are principals in “Countess Maritza.” Moving up (or down?) to the role of the Count in “Nozze” is baritone Rodney Gilfry--who has sung Figaro in both Rossini’s and Mozart’s operas--for nine performances, July 1-Aug. 25.

Meanwhile, the late-spring season of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, its 20th birthday season, promises two world premieres plus new productions of Haydn’s “Armida” and Offenbach’s “La Belle Helene,” and a revival of Puccini’s “Tosca,” which opens the season, May 20.

Stephen Paulus’ “The Woman at Otowi Crossing” is the third full-length opera the American composer has created for the Saint Louis company.

Cary John Franklin, OTSL’s chorus master, is the composer of the new, company-commissioned young-people’s opera “The Thunder of Horses,” to be given its premiere June 10.

At the Ravinia Festival, the 60th summer of concerts at the Highland Park, Ill., summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, coincides with the departure of music director James Levine and the assumption of that title by another celebrated conductor-pianist, Christoph Eschenbach.*