Druid City Opera

Druid City Opera

Paul Houghtaling, Director

The UA Opera Theatre and the School of Music are pleased to announce the third season of
Druid City Opera at The University of Alabama.

 

 

RIGOLETTO

Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

 

One performance only:
Thursday, May 16, 2024

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR RIGOLETTO

 

 

In 2023, Druid City Opera began a partnership with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra,
Natassia Perrine, Executive Director.
This collaboration was an important step forward for Druid City and
opera lovers in West Central Alabama!  Thank you TSO!!

Druid City Opera is proud to be an Associate Member of Opera America.

 

 

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Our 2023 production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor was a great success.
See below for details on our previous seasons.

Lucia di Lammermoor

In partnership with the
Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra

Music by Gaetano Donizetti  (1797-1848)
Italian Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano
based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott

Director and Producer – Paul Houghtaling
Music Director and Conductor – Richard Masters
Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master – Scott Santoro
With musicians from the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra

Miss Lucia – Susan Williams

Lord Enrico Ashton, Lucia’s brother – Jacob Lasseter

Sir Edgardo Di Ravenswood – Blake Friedman

Lord Arturo Bucklaw – Thomas Rowell

Raimondo Bidebent, tutor and confidante of Lucia – Earl Hazell

Alissa, companion to Lucia – Maria de Conzo

Normanno, Captain of the Ravenswood Guard – Aaron Smith

Ensemble of Ladies and Knights, Inhabitants of Lammermoor, Soldiers and Domestics –
The Young Artists of the Druid City Opera, Principal Role Covers

ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY

Tuesday evening, May 16 at 7:30 pm
Bryant-Jordan Hall

TICKETS for $25 Can be Purchased Here
Early Arrival Strongly Suggested – Limited Seating

Cast Biographies can be found here.

HISTORY OF DRUID CITY OPERA … After a highly successful 11 year run, it was time to take the next step with the Druid City Opera Workshop, a nationally-recognized opera training program founded in 2010 by Paul Houghtaling.  Druid City welcomed over 300 young artists into its program over the years and offered a unique array of experiences and opportunities designed to prepare young singers for the next steps in their careers.  The Druid City program also included professional internships for emerging stage directors and collaborative pianists, many of whom have gone on to impressive teaching, directing, and collaborating careers, or who worked with us in mid-career to polish and renew their skills (including Jen Stephenson, Baylor University; Charles Anthony Moore, University of Northern Colorad0; Joshua May, Columbus State University; Ariana Wyatt, Virginia Tech; Taylor Hutchinson, Truman State University; Lauren Carlton, University of Central Arkansas; Bonita Bunt, Ole Miss; Joey Garcia, freelance director; and many others.) We will forever be proud of what we accomplished with the Druid City Opera Workshop and we invite you to review its history through the links below (an archive of schedules and final programs will be posted soon). Long time, devoted Druid City faculty included Kevin Chance, Susan Fleming, Stacy Gulli, Amanda Johnston, Linda Lister, Richard Masters, Dawn Neely, Matthew Von Redlich, and David Ronis, and so many others, as well as UA voice faculty Alexis Davis-Hazell, David Tayloe, and Susan Williams.  Thank you all!

The Druid City Opera is a new professional company engaging exciting artists from around the U.S.  We look forward to offering compelling and powerful operas not heard in Tuscaloosa, if ever, or at least not in many generations, while still offering opportunities to young singers.  We believe we are the first professional opera company based here in Tuscaloosa, and we look forward to sharing our mission and our voices with opera lovers throughout the West Alabama region.

Follow Druid City Opera on Facebook

Our first production, in May of 2022, was a great success!

TOSCA

Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Sunday, May 22, 2022, 3:00 pm
Bryant-Jordan Hall

FREE ADMISSION

Early Arrival Suggested … Limited Seating

 Cast and Crew:

  • Floria Tosca: Maria Fasciano, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Mario Cavaradossi: James Chamberlain, Houston,Texas
  • Baron Scarpia:  Jacob Lasseter, St.Louis, Missouri
  • Sacristan: Daniel Spiotta, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Cesare Angelotti: Paul Houghtaling,Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Spoletta: Breyon Ewing, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Sciarrone: Matthew Tyree (former Druid City Opera Workshop Young Artist)
  • Shepherd Boy: Jonathan Davies,Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • A Jailer:  Daniel Spiotta, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Music Director and Pianist: Richard Masters, Blacksburg, Virginia
  • Stage Director and Producer: Paul Houghtaling,Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Production and Administrative Assistant: Christopher Withrow, Birmingham, Alabama  *
  • Musical Assistant: Scott Santoro, Ann Arbor, Michigan *

* – Both Dr. Withrow and Dr.Santoro are former young artists and interns with The Druid City Opera Workshop. We are proud of that!

SINGERS – Watch this space and our social media posts for announcements on repertoire and auditions for 2023.

HISTORY OF THE FORMER DRUID CITY OPERA WORKSHOP – 2010-2021

About UA and Tuscaloosa

Nicknamed the Druid City, Tuscaloosa is home to The University of Alabama, a beautiful campus and surrounding community, located about an hour away from Birmingham. We are easily reached from the Birmingham airport, as well as Amtrak, and there is plenty to do if you would like to extend your stay after the opera, or arrive early — restaurants, museums, cultural events, theater and concerts.  Huntsville is only 90 minutes away; Montgomery is a two-hour drive; Atlanta is just three hours away; Memphis and Nashville are about three-and-a-half hours from us; and Mobile is about a four-hour drive.  We invite you to experience grand opera in Tuscaloosa and the West-Central Alabama region!