An internationally-acclaimed series of operas is coming to St. Pete as the Vienna Summer Music Festival readies for its second-ever season in the United States. The prestigious festival puts on performances in only two places across the globe: Vienna, Austria, and St. Petersburg, Florida. Hosted at Eckerd College’s Bininger Center for the Performing Arts, this year’s festival features four incredible performances June 16-19.
The festival itself is the culmination of a month-long program for aspiring performers and musicians beginning their careers in classical music. The Vienna Summer Music Festival is an annual program that pairs rising classical musicians and performers with renowned leaders in the world of opera and classical music, providing them with a month of intensive training, teaching and guidance. The grand finale of the program is the lineup of public performances.
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The four operas being performed this year are a mix of classics of the stage and new works, giving St. Pete a unique chance to experience these time-honored works and commissioned performances. Tickets are available here.
Classics and new compositions take the stage
Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) was originally composed by Mozart in 1786, and appropriately enough, the opera made its debut that year at Vienna’s Burgtheater. Performances take place at the Bininger Center on June 16th and 19th at 7:30 pm.
Based on the legend of Don Juan, Don Giovanni is another classic by Mozart paired with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. The original premiered in Prague in 1787, and performances at the Bininger Center take place June 17th and 18th at 7:30 pm.
Mondo Novo is a modern opera by Paul Richards and Wendy Steiner set in the 18th-century and following the story of two English girls traveling in Venice as they discover surprising family secrets. Performances take place June 18th and 19th at 3 pm.
Pluto is another new opera, this one composed by one of Florida’s own, Dr. Michael Polo. The Vienna Summer Music Festival is a showcase of his work, putting on performances June 18th and 19th at 4:30 pm.
Tickets to all performances can be found here.
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