First photos of KC's film noir Don Giovanni

Daniel Okulitch with Samantha Gossard (left) and Joshua Bloom (right) Photo by Cory Weaver

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City is opening its 58th season with Mozart’s Don Giovanni featuring the barihunk trio of Daniel Okulitch in the title role, Joshua Bloom as Leporello and Rhys Lloyd Talbot as Masetto. Performances are on September 26 and 30 and October 2 and 4 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available online. 

The opera is being done in a film noir theme set in the mid-20th century featuring snap-brim fedoras, trench coats and dimly lit speakeasies. Seville has been replaced by the mean streets of the big city as dark shadows hide mistaken identities.

“Film noir is about seduction and about mystery, and the lead character, Don Giovanni, is about seduction and about mystery,” said Deborah Sandler, general director and CEO of the Lyric Opera. The opera is directed by Kristine McIntyre. “There’s a lot that happens in this opera that we don’t see. It’s kind of in the dark. It’s about hints. The darkness and the shadows of film noir seem to be a very good lens with which to see this opera.” 

Lyric Opera of Kansas City's Don Giovanni Photo by Cory Weaver

Okulitch has sung the title role in Portland, Vancouver, Colón, Palm Beach, New York City Opera and will reprise it in Santa Fe next season with fellow barithunks Kostas Smoriginas as Leporello and Soloman Howard as the Commendatore.

After Don Giovanni, Bloom will portray The Pirate King in Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance in October at both Théâtre de Caen and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. Okulitch will head to the Manitoba Opera where he will sing Count Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. Talbot just completed the Young Artist program at Glimmerglass where he performed the Speaker/Second Priest in Mozart's The Magic Flute and the Apparition in Verdi's Macbeth.