BERKSHIRE OPERA FESTIVAL

Great Barrington, Mass. — Berkshire Opera Festival (BOF) is pleased to announce its summer concert, "Breaking the Mold: Baroque, Bel Canto, and Beyond," on July 22 at 2:00pm at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. In keeping with BOF's vision to explore the entire operatic repertoire the program will feature selections that represent a wide range of musical styles spanning over 300 years of operatic composition. These arias and ensembles are sung by strong characters who each "broke the mold" in their own way. BOF is proud to present a world-class slate of artists to perform this powerful music.

The afternoon concert will feature some artists familiar to BOF audiences, like soprano Jacqueline Piccolino, who has been hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as having "impeccable technique and stage presence,” and who was the guest artist at last season’s Kickoff and Fundraiser, “Supper in Seville.” Mezzo-soprano Megan Moore was in the Berkshires last summer for her acclaimed turn as Donna Elvira in BOF’s production of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Tenor Alex McKissick, who makes his Irish National Opera debut next season as Narraboth in Salome, was featured in last season's spring concert “Mid-Winter Mozart.” Baritone Ethan Vincent, who next season will cover the role of Riolobo in Florencia en el Amazonas at the Metropolitan Opera, will appear for the first time in front of a BOF audience, but will be seen again later this summer as Schaunard in BOF's mainstage production of Puccini’s La Bohème. This world-class slate of artists will be accompanied by pianist Travis Bloom.

Exemplifying the range of the program, Megan Moore will sing arias from Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Massenet’s Cendrillon, and Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, operas spanning centuries. She spoke of her anticipation to return to the Berkshires, saying, “Cendrillon is a role I’ve sung in English, so I’m really looking forward to presenting this aria in the original French, but these are all dream roles for me. The date range of the pieces is huge, 1688-2000, but all of these roles exhibit strong, loving, devoted, compassionate women. From luscious legato lines to racing coloratura, I am so excited to present a wide range of arias and characters to the wonderful Berkshire Opera Festival audience this summer.” 

Don't miss the chance to explore centuries of operatic composition with these wonderful artists as your guide.