La Traviata

Verdi's beloved masterpiece overflows with romance, glamor, timeless melody, and a heartrending story. Violetta Valéry, a celebrated Parisian courtesan, falls in love for the first time. She gives up the glamorous world of Paris for a simple life with her beloved Alfredo Germont. But their idyll is brief; pressed by Alfredo's father, a heart-broken Violetta must abandon Alfredo to protect his family from scandal. The lovers are finally reunited a year later, but only as the frail Violetta nears the end of her life.

Heading an outstanding cast will be soprano Danielle Talamantes as Violetta, making her Fremont Opera debut. Winner of the first prize in the 2010 Irene Dalis Vocal Competition, Ms. Talamantes will be heading to New York later this season to cover roles at the Metropolitan Opera. She has won numerous awards, and has appeared in recital at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, as National Winner of the 2006 National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Awards.

Baritone Scott Bearden (Germont) appeared earlier this season in the Fremont Symphony's The World of Opera, and as Iago in the Oakland East Bay Symphony's concert performance of Verdi's Otello. Other engagements during the 2009 season have included Tonio (Pagliacci) with Knoxville Opera, and the title role in Verdi's Falstaff with Toledo Opera. Mr. Bearden won First Prize in both the 2008 Irene Dalis Vocal Competition, and the 2007 Chester Ludgin American Verdi Baritone Competition, where his judges included Placido Domingo, Mignon Dunn and Julius Rudel.

Tenor Benjamin Bunsold (Alfredo) makes his Fremont Opera debut in La Traviata, after appearing earlier this season as Beppe (Pagliacci) for Opera Columbus, Ferrando (Così fan tutte) at St. Petersburg Opera, and Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) at Opera Idaho. He has performed for companies throughout the country, including Opera Delaware, Shreveport Opera, New Opera St. Louis, and Memphis Opera. He has been in resident artist and apprentice programs at Glimmerglass Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Fort Worth Opera, and Tampa Opera.

Conductor David Sloss returns for his third podium appearance with Fremont Opera. Since 1980, he has been Music Director and Conductor of the Fremont Symphony, which also serves as the Fremont Opera orchestra. During his long association with West Bay Opera, beginning in 1981, he conducted over twenty productions for the Palo Alto company, and served as General Director from 1997 to 2005. He has also worked as a producer and director for WGBH-TV in Boston, where he received an Emmy nomination for the National Educational Television series A Roomful of Music. He holds degrees in music from Harvard College and Stanford University.

Stage Director Jonathon Field has over ninety productions throughout the United States to his credit. He has staged operas for Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera's Western Opera Theatre, and Seattle Opera. He has directed ten productions for Arizona Opera, and has been hailed as "their most perceptive stage director". Mr. Field introduced computer-generated scenery to opera production in Candide, and pioneered the use of video-projected scenery in productions of The Tales of Hoffmann and Der Freischütz. As Artistic Director of Lyric Opera Cleveland, Mr. Field staged an award-winning production of Don Giovanni in 2002, and a unique Così fan tutte in which the audience votes to choose one of three alternative endings.

In Italian with English titles.
Semi-staged production.

• Venue: Smith Center for the Fine and Performing Arts (Ohlone College)
• Date: Sun August 29, 2010 2:00pm
• City: Fremont
• Price Range: $50, $46
• Tickets: 510.474.1004

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