‘Onegin’ Is a First for Opera Pacific

Opera Pacific will produce its first Russian opera, Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin,” as part of its 2001-02 season at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

The season will include the Southern California premiere of Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking” and new productions of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” The new season will also conclude the Santa Ana-based company’s Verdi centennial celebration with a production of “Rigoletto” and a Verdi program at the outdoor “Festa Italiana” program in Laguna Beach.

The Segerstrom Hall subscription series:

* Nov. 6-11: Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” Christopher Robertson and Louis Otey will alternate in the title role. Elena Kellessidi and Jan Grissom will alternate as Gilda. Misha Didyk and Andrew Richards will share duties as the Duke.

Opera Pacific artistic director John DeMain will conduct. Elijah Moshinsky will direct the Opera Australia production from 1991.

* Jan. 22-27, 2002: Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” William Shimell and Mark McCrory will alternate as the Don. John Relyea will sing Leporello. Mary Dunleavy and Paula Delligatti will alternate as Donna Anna. Pamela Armstrong and Irina Tsirikidis will alternate as Donna Elvira. Charles Workman will sing Don Ottavio. Soprano Sari Gruber will be Zerlina.

DeMain will conduct. This new production, in partnership with Pittsburgh Opera and New York City Opera, will be created and directed by Thor Steingraber and set designer Riccardo Hernandez, who collaborated on Rossini’s “Cenerentola” for Los Angeles Opera last fall.

* Feb. 26-March 3, 2002: Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin.” Lucio Gallo will sing the title role. Mary Mills and Maria Kanyova will alternate as Tatiana. Hugh Smith will sing Lensky. Eric Halfvarson will sing Prince Gremin.

Steven Lord, music director of the Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, will make his Opera Pacific conducting debut. Dejan Miladinovic will direct the Lyric Opera of Chicago production, with sets by Pier Luigi Samaritani and costumes by John Lehmeyer.

* April 16-21,2002: Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking.” John Packard will sing Joseph de Rocher. Frederica von Stade will sing the role of his mother. Kristine Jepson will sing Sister Helen.

DeMain will conduct. Joe Mantello will direct this San Francisco Opera production, which premiered in October, with set by Michael Yeargan and costumes by Sam Fleming.

* A non-subscription production of Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” will be presented May 11-19, 2002, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Lynette Tapia will sing Rosina. John Osborn will sing Almaviva. Figaro will be announced. Linda Brovsky will be the stage director. Tickets: $40 to $65.

Subscriptions to the four Segerstrom Hall operas will run $90 to $432 and go on sale March 1. Single tickets are $25 to $125 and will go on sale Sept. 1.

Preceding the subscription season, “Festa Italiana” will take place Sept. 16 in Irvine Bowl. Soloists will include Marianna Zvetkova, Marianne Cornetti, Hugh Smith and Mark Rutter. DeMain will conduct the Opera Pacific Orchestra and Chorus. Tickets: $25 to $75.

The Performing Arts Center, in association with Opera Pacific, will also present soprano Renee Fleming and bass Samuel Ramey in its “2002 Voices in Song Series.”

Fleming, who has excelled in music from Handel to Strauss to Conrad Susa and Andre Previn, will sing with piano accompaniment March 17 at 2 p.m. Ramey will appear with the Opera Pacific Orchestra and Chorus and the Pacific Chorale, all under the direction of DeMain, on April 7 at 2 p.m.

Subscriptions for the “Voices in Song Series,” the center’s third vocal series, will be $45 to $149. Single tickets are $25 to $90.

Information for all events: (800) 346-7372.