[Vermont] Green Mountain Opera Festival Announces 2008 Events Including La Traviata with Aline Kutan

Green Mountain Opera Festival For Immediate Release February 12, 2008 Contact: Rachel Carter, 802-318-5527 Email: rachel@rachelcarterpr.com Green Mountain Opera Festival Announces 2008 Events 2008 Season Features La Traviata, Vermont & International Artists, And Three Weeks of Opera in the Mad River Valley Waitsfield, VT ’Äì International opera performers, world renowned directors, emerging opera artists will all come together this June in the Green Mountains of Vermont for the 2008 Green Mountain Opera Festival. This three week operatic Vermont sojourn is now in its third year under internationally acclaimed artistic director and bass, Taras Kulish. The Green Mountain Opera Festival begins on June 1st and explores the art and beauty of opera with concerts, open air events, free open rehearsals, and free master classes throughout the Mad River Valley culminating with two fully staged and costumed performances of Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, accompanied by the Green Mountain Opera Orchestra at the beautifully restored Barre Opera House. La Traviata performances at the Barre Opera House will be Friday, June 20th at 7:30 pm and Sunday, June 22nd at 3:00 pm. La Traviata literally means "the woman who strayed" and is a tragic love story where rich boy, Alfredo ’Äì sung by nationally acclaimed tenor, Derek Taylor, falls for Violetta, a high-class courtesan ’Äì sung by internationally renowned soprano, Aline Kutan. Alfredo's father, Germont ’Äì sung by long-standing international career baritone, Theodore Baerg, doesn't approve of his son's relationship with Violetta and persuades her to abandon him because her scandalous past threatens his son's future. She leaves Alfredo and goes back to her old life, but falls mortally ill. Germont relents and allows Alfredo and Violetta a touching deathbed reunion. The young artists accepted into the Emerging Artist Program will sing supporting and ensemble roles. The Emerging Artist Program is a residence program for auditioned young opera singers taking place during the course of the Green Mountain Opera Festival. These opera stars of tomorrow will also perform the Emerging Artists Showcase on June 13th at the Josyln Round Barn in Waitsfield. Several other events are scheduled throughout the Green Mountain Opera Festival and more will be announced as the festival nears. Opera enthusiasts are invited to join the Emerging Artists at a series of free master classes taught by legendary soprano, Phyllis Curtin, bass-baritone, Sanford Sylvan, festival conductor, Francis Graffeo, and festival stage director, Ron Luchsinger. Free rehearsals of La Traviata will be open to the public throughout the festival. On June 6th, the La Traviata cast will perform opera favorites at the festival's opening concert at the Joslyn Round Barn and on June 11th, they will perform Broadway tunes at a picnic at the Lareau Farm Inn. Master classes and concerts will take place at the Joslyn Round Barn, the open rehearsals will take place at the Valley Players, the broadway picnic will take place at the Lareau Farm Inn, all located in Waitsfield, Vermont. Dates and times will be posted at www.greenmountainoperafestival.com. "You won't want to miss any of these fantastic events coming up in our 3rd annual opera festival. I couldn't be more proud and excited to present you all these established and emerging artists in the gorgeous Central Vermont landscape. High quality opera and breathtaking nature’Ķwhat more could you want?!" exclaims artistic director, Taras Kulish. The Green Mountain Opera Festival is co-sponsored by the Inn at the Round Barn Farm and the Green Mountain Cultural Center, a non-profit organization that has promoted the visual and performing arts in Vermont's Mad River Valley for twenty years and was founded by the Inn at the Round Barn Farm's original owners. Additional contributions for the festival and the Emerging Artist Program, which is free for those chosen to attend, come from the Sheila C. Johnson Foundation, which supports programs related to education, children, and the arts and was founded by the Black Entertainment Television co-founder and opera enthusiast. The Green Mountain Opera Festival's Annual Gala Fundraiser helps raise additional funds and this year will feature Metropolitan Opera soprano, Wendy Nielsen, who will perform at the Joslyn Round Barn in Waitsfield on Sunday, March 16th. The Green Mountain Opera Festival is Vermont's premier annual and professional opera festival and was created to awaken the opera soul throughout the Mad River Valley and beyond. Tickets go on sale May 1st through the Green Mountain Cultural Center at 802-496-7722 or by emailing tickets@greenmountainoperafestival.com. For all additional information, please visit www.greenmountainoperafestival.com.