The Atlanta Opera unveils an ambitious 2024/25 season celebrating the Hero’s Journey | EarRelevant

Mark Gresham | 19 JAN 2024

Atlanta, GA— At 11:00am on this cold, clear morning, The Atlanta Opera announced its plans for the 2024/25 season in a special press conference at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre that was simultaneously live-streamed. The new season will be the company’s 45th and its first complete season as one of only 10 “top tier” opera companies in the United States, as ranked by Opera America.

The new season will feature productions inspired by the archetypal “hero’s journey” found in myths and fairytales worldwide.

Opening the season is a pair of Discoveries Series presented in festival format under the banner “The Bohème Project.” This contemporary and immersive opera experience alternates a brand-new adaptation of Puccini’s La bohème with its modern-day analog, Jonathan Larson’s Rent, in performances at Atlanta’s converted industrial complex Pullman Yards from September 18 through October 16.

The Discoveries Series’ most ambitious program to date, the pairing of these productions reflects upon three historical pandemics: tuberculosis, AIDS/HIV, and COVID-19. It is the product of a collaboration with multiple major organizations in the city, including the Emory and Grady healthcare systems.

The Atlanta Opera’s Mainstage Series launches in November at the 2,750-seat Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre with Mozart’s The Magic Flute featuring Rainelle Krause as Queen of the Night in her company debut and Santiago Ballerini as the hero Tamino (Nov 2-10).

In the final weeks of winter, the series continues with Michael Mayes as the anti-hero of Verdi’s Macbeth joined by Sara Gartland as Lady Macbeth (March 1-9).

The apex of the season comes with general & artistic director Tomer Zvulun’s new production of Wagner’s Siegfried, the third opera in The Atlanta Opera’s continuing Ring Cycle with a cast of superb Wagnerian singers: The acclaimed bass-baritone Greer Grimsley and heldentenor Stefan Vinke as Siegfried lead a cast of luminaries that include Barry Banks, Lise Lindstrom, and Lindsay Ammann (April 26-May 4).

The season finale is another first-time production for the Atlanta Opera: Handel’s Semele with Lauren Snouffer as the heroine who, like Macbeth, allows ambition to bring disaster (June 7-15).

The Atlanta Opera Film Studio, entering its fifth year, will film and live-stream all Mainstage Series productions, creating new cinematic content for later release. Led by Felipe Barral, the Film Studio provides yet another way for audiences to experience The Atlanta Opera.

The company also continues its investment in contemporary American opera with the 96-hour Opera Project, including performances in June of Steel Roots by last year’s winners, composer Dave Ragland and librettist Selda Sahin.

Tickets for the 2024-25 season are now available as multi-event season subscriptions. Individual event tickets will go on sale in summer 2024. Further details will become available at atlantaopera.org.

Chronological listings of The Atlanta Opera’s Discoveries Series, Mainstage Series, and 96-Hour Opera Project, including programming and signed artists to date, appear below. ■

The Atlanta Opera 2024-25 season

Discoveries Series

Performances take place at Pullman Yards.

Sep 18 – Oct 6, 2024
The Bohème Project
Co-directors: Tomer Zvulun and Vita Tzykun
Giacomo PUCCINI: La bohéme
Sep 18, 20, 22^M*, 25, 27 & 29^M*, Oct 1, 3 & 5, 2024
In Italian with English subtitles.
Jonathan LARSON & Billy ARONSON: Rent
Sep 19, 21, 22*, 26, 28 & 29*, Oct 2, 4 & 6^M, 2024
In English with English subtitles.

* La bohéme and Rentwill both be performed on these dates (Sundays).
^M = Matinee.

Main Stage Series

Performances take place in the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

Nov 2, 5, 8 & 10, 2024
W.A. MOZART: The Magic Flute
In German with English supertitles. Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. Conductor: Arthur Fagen; Director: Tomer Zvulun. Cast: Tamino: Santiago Ballerini; Pamina: Meigui Zhang; The Queen of the Night: Rainelle Krause; Sarastro: Peixin Chen; Monostatos: Barry Banks.
Mar 1, 4, 7 & 9, 2025
Giuseppe VERDI: Macbeth
In Italian with English supertitles. Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei. Conductor: Ivan Lopez Reynoso; Macbeth: Michael Mayes; Lady Macbeth: Sara Gartland; Banquo: Morris Robinson; Macduff: Won Whi Choi
Apr 26 & 29, May 2 & 4, 2025
Richard WAGNER: Siegfried
In German with English supertitles. Libretto: Richard Wagner. Conductor: Roberto Kalb; Director: Tomer Zvulun. Cast: Siegfried: Stevan Vinke; Mime: Barry Banks; Wanderer/Wotan: Greer Grimsley; Brunnhilde: Lise Lindstrom; Alberich: Zachary Nelson; Erda: Lindsay Ammann
Jun 7, 10, 13 & 15, 2025
George Frideric HANDEL: Semele
In English with English supertitles. Libretto: William Congreve. Revival Producer: Tomer Zvulun; Director: Nora Winsler; Semele: Lauren Snouffer

96-Hour Opera Festival

Performances take place at Ray Charles Performing Arts Center, Morehouse College.

June 2025 – Dates TBA
96-Hour Opera Festival

EXTERNAL LINKS:

The Atlanta Opera: atlantaopera.org

About the author:

Mark Gresham is publisher and principal writer of EarRelevant. He began writing as a music journalist over 30 years ago, but has been a composer of music much longer than that. He was the winner of an ASCAP/Deems Taylor Award for music journalism in 2003.

Read more by Mark Gresham.