Opera Pacific, led by Artistic Director John DeMain, presents two Opera in the Raw performances of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love at Founders Hall, Orange County Performing Arts Center on March 22, and the OC Pavilion in Santa Ana on March 23. OC Pavilion is a new venue for Opera Pacific.   Opera in the Raw is Opera Pacific’s series in which opera is performed cabaret style, providing an opera experience that is up close and personal. The audience is instructed to leave your opera glasses at home – they will be so close that they can feel the physical presence of the singers.

The March 22 and 23 performances of Elixir follow the first Opera in the Raw performances of La Traviata last May. The Elixir Opera in the Raw is a performance of the primary sequences of the opera in English, for a smaller, more intimate audience experience, cabaret style with piano accompaniment. Executive Director Robert C. Jones said, “Some of the most exciting moments I have had in producing opera were while attending final rehearsals, hearing and watching performers work intensely, yet informally. Their dramatic and vocal presence while being so close has a unique kind of power that can’t be duplicated under any other circumstances. 

Opera Pacific artistic director John DeMain said, “Our new Opera Pacific Ensemble Repertory Artists (O.P.E.R.A.), which was established to bring Opera Pacific to new venues and new audiences, is exactly suited to create this kind of experience -- in essence they are the new, raw talent of Opera.   They will perform the major scenes of Donizetti’s delightful The Elixir of Love to piano, in a space just large enough to hold the performers and an intimate audience. Since the delight of this opera is how the story is told through Donizetti’s ravishing music, it made the most sense to simply shorten it a bit for this presentation so that the entire narrative would be told through music.”  

“Last year it made the most sense to perform the major arias, duets and trios of La Traviata with a narration to tie the music together. As we move forward in the series, the musical content of each opera will dictate the Opera in the Raw presentation. The most important thing is to give an intimate, dramatic opera experience found nowhere else.”

Donizetti, who lived only to age 49, was among the most prolific of composers producing seventy operas of which two are most remembered, the tragic Lucia di Lammermoor and the comedic The Elixir of Love.   Donizetti’s light-hearted confection is all about – what else? – romance, love potions, the twists and turns of courtship, and happy endings.

John DeMain said, “Like his contemporary Rossini, Donizetti was a master of bel canto – literally beautiful – singing. The music seems to pour out of the score effortlessly whether it’s tuneful comedy or something poignant for his buffoons. The score gives our O.P.E.R.A. singers a great chance to show off what they can do on both comic and more lyrical vocal styles.”

The cast from O.P.E.R.A. is headed by Chad Berlinghieri as Nemorino, who has performed over 18 roles with Opera Pacific; 2005-2006 season chorusmembers Maria Cristina Navarro as Adina and James Martin Schaefer as Belcore; and Melissa Simpson as Gianetta. They are joined by In Joon Jang as Dulcarmara, who performed with Opera Pacific in Tosca (2005), Turandot (2004) and Madame Butterfly (2003), and Kristina Engel with Caroline Nelms as the chorus. Pianist Kristof Van Gryspeer will accompany them. 

The Opera Pacific Ensemble Repertory Artists debuted as a group at October 2005’s Opera Ball An Evening at the Moulin Rouge, performing well-known songs from opera and Broadway. The Opera Pacific Ensemble was created to highlight emerging Orange County area opera singers, by giving them a variety of performance opportunities. 

In just twenty seasons, Opera Pacific has established itself as one of the finest professional opera companies in the nation. Opera Pacific's main-stage productions, extensive community outreach programs, and energetic Guild Alliance combine to create a cultural resource for all of Southern California. More than 670,000 people have enjoyed Opera Pacific's productions at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, while over 575,000 young people have discovered the world of opera through the company's in-school presentations, Student Previews, and nationally recognized Opera Camps.

Opera Pacific performs at the The Center’s Segerstrom Hall, Opera Pacific’s home opera house.   The 20th anniversary season (2005-2006) concludes Verdi’s masterpiece, Aida April 18, 20, 22, 23, 2006.   The recently announced 21st season (2006-2007) season includes three operas produced by Opera Pacific – Mozart’s Don Giovanni performs January 17-27, 2007, followed by Bizet’s Carmen from February 28 to March 10, 2007, and Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, performing April 11-22, 2007. 

The season will begin with two special events. The first is a full concert version of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (October 4-5, 2006) during the opening celebration for the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, which is part of the Orange County Performing Arts Centerís expansion. Giovanni, Carmen, Elixer, and Porgy are all conducted by DeMain.   Porgy is followed by the full production of Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov by the Kirov Opera of the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg, Russia (October 13-15, 2006) at Segerstrom Hall, conducted by Valery Gergiev.   It is presented in cooperation with the Orange County Performing Arts Center, as part of the Center-wide Mariinsky Festival.