South Florida Classical Review

Daniel Catán’s “Florencia en el Amazonas” will be performed in Florida Grand Opera’s 2017-18 season. (Illinois Opera Theater production. Photo: Darrell Hoemann/News Gazette)

Florida Grand Opera will span the centuries in its 2017-18 season, from a 1762 German work to an opera by a Mexican composer that premiered in 1996.

The company will open its season November 11 at the Arsht Center in Miami with Lucia di Lammermoor. Anna Christy makes her company debut as the doomed title character in Donizetti’s bel canto classic with Joshua Guerrero and Jesus León alternating as her lover Edgardo, and Trevor Scheunemann and Troy Cook as her malign brother Enrico. Alexander Polianichko conducts.

Richard Strauss’s Salome is up next beginning January 27, 2018. Melody Moore and Kirsten Chambers will share the title role of the demented princess with Mark Delavan as the besieged holy man Jochanaan. John Easterlin as Herod and Elizabeth Bishop as Herodias round out the cast, and Timothy Myers conducts.

Christoph’s Gluck’s Orfeo will have its belated FGO debut beginning March 17. Fast-rising countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo will perform the title role in most performances with Anthony Barrese conducting.

FGO closes its season with Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas, which opens April 28 in its Florida premiere. Since its unveiling at Houston Grand Opera in 1996, the Mexican composer’s fantastical opera–based upon the writings of Gabriel García Márquez–has enjoyed positive reviews and repeated revivals, including at New York City Opera last year. Ana María Martínez will portray the title role with Steven LaBrie, Cecilia Violetta Lopez and Andrew Bidlack in support. Ramon Tebar conducts.

The second-cast Lucia and the rest of the casting and production details have yet to be announced. All productions except Florencia will also play at the Broward Center.

Subscription for FGO’s 2017-18 season go on sale Wednesday. fgo.org; 800-741-1010.

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