Jarrett Ott makes K.C. debut in Barber of Seville

Jarrett Ott (Photo: Dario Acosta)

Jarrett Ott will be making his debut at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and returning to the title character in Rossini's The Barber of Seville, which he first sang with the Dayton Opera. Performances are on April 28 and May 2, 4, and 6 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and tickets and cast information is available online.

Rossini's opera premiered on February 20, 1816 with the title "Almaviva, o sia L'inutile precauzione (The useless precaution)." The famous overture was actually recycled from two of his earlier operas, Aureliano in Palmira and Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra and contains none of the thematic material from the opera.

The opera was first performed in the United States on May 3, 1819 in English at the Park Theatre in New York and was the first opera ever to be performed in Italian in New York, when it was performed at the Park Theater on November 29, 1825.

The famous "Largo al factotum" is one of the most difficult baritone arias to perform and has become an audience favorite, largely due to it's tongue twisting patter. The aria has been frequently used in cartoons, including by Michigan J. Frog in One Froggy Evening, as well as in Rhapsody Rabbit, Long-Haired Hare, You Ought To Be In Pictures, Notes To You and Back Alley Oproar.

Jarrett Ott will join the Ensemble of Staatsoper Stuttgart beginning in 2018-2019.

David Adam Moore makes KC debut in Dead Man Walking

David Adam Moore as Joseph de Rocher in Des Moines

Barihunk David Adam Moore will be making his Lyric Opera of Kansas City debut in the role of Joseph de Rocher in Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking. Moore sang the role with the Den Moines Metro Opera in 2014, which was broadcast on public radio. He'll be joined by fellow barihunk Daniel Belcher, who will make his role debut as the grieving parent Owen Hart.

Dead Man Walking has become one of the most frequently performed contemporary operas in recent years. It is the story of a profound spiritual journey taken by a nun and a convicted killer about to face the ultimate sentence. Based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean, the opera delves into the conflict between the act of murder, society’s demand for retribution and redemption, and forgiveness. 

Performances are on March 4, 8, 10 and 12 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. Tickets and additional cast information is available online.

Moore will be making two major house debuts in 2017, one as Col. Alvaro Gomez in Thomas Adès' The Exterminating Angel at The Royal Opera in London, opening on April 24 April and a second at the Metropolitan Opera (which has not been officially announced).

Belcher will continue to sing contemporary American opera, as he takes on the role of Brian Castner in Jeremy Howard Beck's The Long Walk at Utah Opera from March 13-April 2.

John Viscardi to star in Elvis Costello's The Juliet Letters

John Viscardi

American barihunk John Viscardi, who recently won the Tosti International Vocal Competition, will star in Elvis Costello’s The Juliet Letters as part of Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s Explorations Series.

Costello’s The Juliet Letters was written in 1992 and is a set of 20 songs for voice and string quartet, including a few quartet-only interludes. Costello was inspired to write the piece when he heard that the lovelorn actually write letters to Shakespeare’s Juliet and leave them at her supposed ‘balcony’ in Verona, Italy.  Costello came up with his own stylized "letters" and set them to music, using the idea as a platform for the exploration of young love.

Musically the material lies somewhere between that of his pop albums and his 2004 Shakespearean orchestral ballet Il Sogno, one of his more classical works.

Viscardi will be joined by his fellow Lyric Opera Resident Artists, including soprano April Martin, mezzo-soprano Samantha Gossard and tenor Casey Candebat. They will be accompanied by the Fry Street Quartet in a special scenic environment created for the performance. 

Performances are on Saturday, January 28 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, January 29 at 2 p.m. at the Ginger Frost Production Arts Building in Kansas City. Tickets are available online.

Viscardi will perform the role of the Motorcycle Cop in Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City from March 4-12 with fellow barihunk David Adam Moore as Joseph de Rocher.