Pittsburgh Festival Opera (PFO), formerly Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, is a professional American opera company based in Pittsburgh's university and museum district. Pittsburgh Festival Opera performs at non-traditional venues around the city.
Pittsburgh Festival Opera was established in 1978 by the noted opera star Mildred Miller Posvar and Helen Knox. In 2012, Pittsburgh Festival Opera reinvented itself as a summer festival presenting staged operas, musicals, recitals, and cabaret.
PFO is currently under the leadership of Managing Director Roxy MtJoy and Artistic Director Marianne Cornetti.
Activities Artistic initiatives have included a Music that Matters series, exploring new work that tells socially relevant stories, a Fusion Festival of American-Asian works at the Andy Warhol Museum which included the world premiere of RedDust, a multi-media opera by Mathew Rosenblum and The Sound of a Voice by Philip Glass and David Henry Hwang. Other projects have included the Pittsburgh Ring, two complete cycles of Wagner's great operas in collaboration with Long Beach Opera using Jonathan Dove's orchestral reduction. Recent American operas include A Gathering of Sons, Just Above My Head, a world premiere jazz opera by Pittsburgher Nathan Davis. Operatic versions of classics American plays have included Lee Hoiby's Summer and Smoke, William Bolcom's A View From the Bridge and Regina, an operatic version of The Little Foxes by Marc Blitzstein. In 2020, Pittsburgh Festival Opera premieres Virgula Divina by Karen Brown and Jessica Lanay.
Aside from forays in the traditional repertory, PFO has sought to present a number of modern masterpieces which are not regularly included on standard programs: Lost in the Stars, The Emperor of Atlantis, Bluebeard's Castle, Brundibar, Der Jasager, and the English language premiere of Weill's Die Bürgschaft.
Past productions also include a "Salon Series" devoted to shorter works performed in unusual spaces, such as Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, performed in a church converted into an art gallery; Bizet's Djamileh, presented in a Persian Carpet Emporium; Thomas Pasatieri's La Divina, and Salieri's Prima la Musica, e Poi le Parole, performed in Pittsburgh's own version of the Petit Trianon Palace.
The Mildred Miller International Voice Competition
Pittsburgh Festival Opera annually hosts the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition in honor of its founder, Mildred Miller Posvar. The event, held in Pittsburgh, is a search for America's best singers. Young professionals aged 18–35 are eligible to compete for cash prizes and solo roles in the company's summer Festival. Past competition winners include Juan José de Leon, Andrey Nemzer, Meghan Kasanders, Alasdair Kent, Karen Chia-ling Ho, and Elizabeth Baldwin.
PFO previously celebrated annually The Millie Awards. The purpose was to reflect several diverse aspects of Mildred Miller's distinguished career - singing, acting, community service and education. The "Millies", as they are affectionately called, recognize and show appreciation for high accomplishments in the performing arts, honoring those individuals whose support has been instrumental in the success of Pittsburgh Festival Opera.
Community Engagement and Education
Pittsburgh Festival Opera's engagement with its community is of primary importance. Working directly with schools as well as in partnership with fellow non-profit organizations, PFO has taken opera to more than 500,000 school children in its 42-year history. In addition, it actively seeks opportunities to include students in productions, exceeding state standards for direct arts experiences and creating partnerships with the communities and the families for which it performs.
Record of Repertory
Festival 2018 - July 6–July 22, 2018
La Bohème Warhola by Giacomo Puccini Arabella by Richard Strauss Rhinegold by Richard Wagner Goldie B. Locks and the Three Singing Bears by John Davies/Wolfgang A. Mozart
Festival 2017 - June 15–July 23, 2017
A Gathering of Sons (World Premiere) by Dwayne Fulton Intermezzo by Richard Strauss Xerxes (opera) by George F. Handel Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck
Festival 2016 - July 7–24, 2016
Carmen the Gypsy by Georges Bizet The Silent Woman by Richard Strauss Julius Caesar (opera) by George F. Handel Kiss Me, Kate by Cole Porter Little Red Riding Hood by Seymour Barab
Festival 2015 - July 10–August 2, 2015
The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Capriccio by Richard Strauss A New Kind of Fallout by Gilda Lyons Damn Yankees by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Wallace DePue
Festival 2014 - July 10–27, 2014
Marianne Cornetti in Concert The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár The Fantasticks by Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt Ariadne on Naxos by Richard Strauss The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Lukas Foss Happy Hour! by Roger Zahab
Festival 2013 - July 6–21, 2013
The Tales of Hoffmann - Retold by Jacques Offenbach A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim Shining Brow by Daron Hagen La finta giardiniera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Night Caps International by various composers
Festival 2012
The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, English translation by Jeremy Sams - June 29, July 1, 8, 14, 2012 Carmen -The Gypsy by Georges Bizet, English translation by Sheldon Harnick, musical adaption by Jonathan Eaton and Robert Frankenberry - June 30, July 6, 12, 14, 2012 Candide by Leonard Bernstein - July 7, 13, 15, 2012 Night Caps libretto by Rob Handel, music by Alberto Garcia Demestres, Robert Frankenberry, Dwayne Fulton, Daron Aric Hagen, Gilda Lyons, Eric Moe, Roger Zahab - July 6–8, 12–15, 2012
2010-2011
Euridice and Orpheus by Ricky Ian Gordon - June 9–11, 2011 The Gospel at Colonus by Bob Telson - March 25–27, 2011 Orpheus ed Euridice by Christoph Gluck - November 5–7, 2010
2009-2010
Beautiful Dreamers by Martin Giles - April 15-May 1, 2010 Love Spell (L'incantesimo) by Italo Montemezzi - February 12–14, 2010 Beggar's Holiday by Dale Wasserman - December 18–20, 2009 Brundibar music by Hans Krasa, designed by Maurice Sendak - November 6–8, 2009
2008-2009
Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini - April 24–25, 2009 Prima la Musica, e Poi le Parole by Antonio Salieri - March 24–25, 2009 Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin - February 14–15, 2009 Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss - December 27–28, 2008 La Divina by Thomas Pasatieri - November 2, 2008 Djamileh by Georges Bizet - October 3–4, 2008
2007-2008
Lost in the Stars by Kurt Weill - February 12–14, 2008 Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, December 27–30, 2007 The Impresario by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, November 11, 2007 The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - September 25, 28–30, 2007
2006-2007
Fusion Festival - The Sound of a Voice by Philip Glass and Red Dust by Mathew Rosenblum - April 26–29, 2007 Die Zauberflöte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart- collaboration with Pittsburgh Opera - March 24, 27, 30, and April 1, 2007 Carmen Jones by Georges Bizet and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein - November 17–18, 2006 Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 14–17, 2006
2005-2006
The Ring Cycle (Rhinegold, The Valkyrie, Siegfried, Twilight of the Gods) by Richard Wagner - July 14–16 and 21–23, 2006 Noye's Fludde by Benjamin Britten and The Jackleg Testament by Jay Bolotin - March 2–5, 2006 Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 14–18, 2005
2004-2005
The Ring Cycle (Rhinegold and The Valkyrie) by Richard Wagner with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - July 15–17, 2005 Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 8–12, 2004 The Soldier's Tale by Igor Stravinsky with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra- November 5–7, 2004 with Pittsburgh Symphony A View from the Bridge by William Bolcom, based on the play by Arthur Miller - September 16–26, 2004
2003-2004
Summer and Smoke by Lee Hoiby, based on a play by Tennessee Williams - September 26 - October 5, 2003 Talking with Tennessee devised and directed by Jonathan Eaton - September 25 - October 5, 2003 Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 7–13, 2003 Jazzopera: Just Above My Head by Nathan Davis, based on the novel Just Above My Head by James BaldwinJune 913, 2004
2002-2003
25th Anniversary Celebration, Gala Concert of American Opera - April 27, 2003 Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti- December 12–15, 2002 The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - November 22–23, 2002
2001-2002
Bluebeard's Castle by Béla Bartók - April 26 & 28, 2002 The Emperor of Atlantis by Viktor Ullman - April 6–7, 2002 Brundibar by Hans Krása - March 7, 2002 Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 13–16, 2001
2000-2001
Madrigals of Love and War by Claudio Monteverdi - November 4–5, 2000 Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck Amahl and Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 14–17, 2000 The Cunning Vixen by Leon Janáček Limbus - a mechanical opera by Jay Bolotin - March 27–31, 2001
1999-2000
Die Bürgschaft (The Bond) by Kurt Weill - May 25–28, 2000 Songplay by Kurt Weill/Jonathan Eaton - April 26 - May 7, 2000 Weill We're At It by Kurt Weill - collaboration with River City Brass - April 22, 2000 Nogaku-za in Taniko (The Valley Rite) attributed Komparu Zenchiku - April 10, 2000 Der Jasager (The Consenter) by Kurt Weill - April 10, 2000
1998-1999
Susannah by Carlisle Floyd - March 27 & 29, 1998 Candide by Leonard Bernstein - April 16 & 18, 1999
1997-1998
The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – April, 1997
1996-1997
The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - April 16, 1997 The Ballad of Baby Doe by Douglas Moore
1995-1996
The Bartered Bride by Bedřich Smetana - March 28 & 30, 1996
1994-1995
La Cendrillon by Jules Massenet - May 18 & 20, 1995 Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini - March 22 & 25, 1995
1993-1994
Julius Caesar in Egypt by George Frideric Handel - March 3 & 5, 1994
1992-1993
Il barbiere di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini - April 15, 1993
1991-1992
The Crucible by Robert Ward - November 23, 1991
1990-1991
The Consul by Gian Carlo Menotti - May 19, 1991 The Abduction from the Seraglio by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - January 20, 1991 The Tender Land by Aaron Copland - November 1990
1989-1990
Orpheus and Euridice by Christoph Willibald Gluck - May 1 & 3, 1990 Regina by Marc Blitzstein - January 18, 1990 Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - November 19, 1989 The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - April 3, 1989
1988-1989
The Triumph of Honor by Alessandro Scarlatti - January 22, 1989 Carmen by Georges Bizet - Summer 1989 Tartuffe by Kirke Meacham - November 20 & 22, 1998
1988
The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, August 27, 1988 at Hartwood Acres Carmen by Georges Bizet
1987
Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck, May 2, 1987
1986
La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini
1985
Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini
1984
The Brute by Lawrence Moss and A Full Moon in March by John Harbison - May 24, 1984
1982
The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck, November 29, 1982 with Pittsburgh Symphony The Music Master by Giovanni Pergolesi, and Combatimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Monteverdi, July 12, 1982
1981
The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, November 14, 1981 with the Greenville Symphony (Touring Production)
1979
La Cenerentola by Gioachino Rossini (dress rehearsal), June 1978
1978
The Telephone by Gian Carlo Menotti and La serva padrona by Giovanni Pergolesi
References
External links Official website