Organization

Conductor

Steven White

Stage director

Chuck Hudson

Singer

Soprano

Rebecca Nash

Ariadne

Leah Hawkins

Tenor

Corey Bix

Bacchus

Bille Bruley

Nicole Haslett

Zerbinetta

Véronique Filloux

Sarah Coit

The composer

Lauren Cook

Baritone

Kyle Pfortmiller

A music teacher

Brad Bickhardt

The dance master

Scaramuccio

Schyler Vargas

Harlequin

David Margulis

Brighella

Bass

Peter Morgan

Truffaldin

Tiffany Choe

Naiad

Mezzo-soprano

Stephanie Sanchez

Dryad

Spoken

Dale Dreyfoos

The majordomo

Aaron Matthew Smith

The wigmaker

Paul Nicosia

The officer

Kaitlyn Johnson

Echo

Assistant Stage Director

Marco Pacheco

Arizona Opera

German

Ariadne auf Naxos -  (Ariadne on Naxos)

Tucson

United States

Temple of Music and Art

Phoenix

Herberger Theater Center

Ariadne auf Naxos Strauss,R

Public

Ariadne on Naxos

English

Approved

n the home of the "richest man in Vienna" two performing groups are preparing for their respective productions which are to play immediately following the gentleman’s dinner. One is a group of Opera singers employed to perform a new work based on Greek Mythology entitled "Ariadne auf Naxos." The other is a group of actors in a Commedia dell’Arte Troupe engaged to perform an Italian Comedy. The Major-domo of the manor arrives to announce the line-up of events: the opera will play first, then the comedy, and then fireworks in the garden precisely at nine o’clock. Protests are made by the opera’s Music Master, but the Major-domo is unmoved. The young Composer of the opera becomes outraged when he learns the news, the Tenor shouts insults at the Wig Master, and the opera's Prima Donna complains about performing on the same stage as Zerbinetta, the leading lady of the Commedia Troupe. To add to the tumultuous circumstances, the Major-domo returns to announce that since the dinner is running long, both Opera and Commedia are to be performed simultaneously so that the fireworks display may begin on time.

The performers divide into their camps to plan how to pull off this great feat. The defeated Composer is wary and hesitant to make any changes to his score, but the Music Master encourages him to make the changes - after all, if they do not perform, he will not earn his wages. The Composer agrees and begins to craft changes while the Tenor and the Prima Donna pester him into abridging the others' parts. Zerbinetta and the master of her troupe walk-through the scenario of the opera to discover how and when they will insert their Commedia lazzi (improvised comedic routines). Ariadne has just lost her lover, Theseus, and having no hope left, desires to end her life. According to Zerbinetta’s interpretation, Ariadne simply needs a new lover. This sends the Composer into a rage where he shares his artistic torture with Zerbinetta. By improvising a love scene with him, she calms the Composer and proves her talents as an actress. Intoxicated by his discoveries with this muse of a woman, the Composer comes to a new understanding of his Opera as part of the Sacred Art that is Music. When his adrenaline finally wears off, he immediately regrets that he has agreed to allow his great work of art to share the stage with such low entertainment and blames his Music Master for convincing him to do it.

Ariadne on Naxos by Strauss, From (2022/2022), Directed by Chuck Hudson,, Conductor Steven White, Herberger Theater Center, Phoenix, United States

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues