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Rusalka
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Performance Dates
Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Friday, February 18, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 2:00 pm
The Story
Dovrák’s beloved fairytale opera is based on the folk story of a water sprite, Rusalka, who out of love for a mortal man longs to become human. Rusalka sings the haunting “Song to the Moon,” begging the celestial orb to tell the Prince of her love. The witch Jezibaba makes Rusalka’s dreams come true. But when the Prince she loves is unfaithful, there are tragic results for all. Rusalka will star soprano Kelly Kaduce in the title role. Opera News praised her work, writing “Kaduce sings with a bell-like purity and silvery sweetness, and she suspends her legato with an effortless, sensual spin. A born actress, Kaduce is also a masterful illuminator of text.”
The Cast and Crew
Director Eric Simonson makes his company debut after directing Rusalka with both Boston Lyric Opera and Minnesota Opera. Alexander Polianichko (San Francisco Opera, Milan’s La Scala) also makes his debut with the company as conductor. Soprano Kelly Kaduce (Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Santa Fe Opera) sings the title role. Ms. Kaduce performed the role with Minnesota Opera and sang the opera’s famed “Song to the Moon” aria to be a winner of the 1999 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She is joined by tenor August Amonov (Minnesota Opera, Greek National Opera), who plays the unfaithful Prince.
The Music
“Song to the Moon”
“Unfeeling cruel waters’ might”
Did You Know?
The famed aria “Song to the Moon” was featured in the 1989 comedy Driving Miss Daisy.
The libretto was written by Jaroslav Kvapil before he ever met with Dvorák. The libretto was completed by 1899 and Kvapil was referred to the composer, who read the libretto and composed his opera in seven months.
The story is based on elements of Slavic mythology and is similar to the stories The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen and Undine by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué.