Getting excited for new season: Sarasota Opera favorites and some newcomers cast

Some singers who have been thrilling Sarasota Opera audiences for the last few seasons will be back in major roles in the company’s five fall and winter mainstage productions.

The company will launch the season in October with the U.S. premiere of Richard Strauss’ comedy “The Secret Marriage,” about a social-climbing father named Geronimo, sung by bass-baritone Stefano de Peppo, most recently seen in “The Elixir of Love” and “Maid to Mistress.”

Geronimo plans to buy his way into society by marrying his eldest daughter to an aristocrat (sung by baritone Filippo Fontana), who actually prefers Geronimo’s younger daughter, sung by Hanna Brammer, last heard in “The Pearl Fishers” earlier this year. The elder daughter is sung by soprano Brenna Markey in her Sarasota debut. The aunt is sung by Lisa Chavez who has had a number of roles in recent seasons. Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi will lead the Sarasota Orchestra in the performances and Stephanie Sundine is the stage director.

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More familiar titles are planned for the winter season, which opens Feb. 18 with Puccini’s beloved “Madama Butterfly.” Soprano Racquel Gonzales makes her Sarasota debut as Cio-Cio San, the geisha who falls in love with an American naval officer, who leaves her behind when he returns home to marry. The officer, B.F. Pinkerton will be sung by tenor Christopher Oglesby in another Sarasota debut. Gonzales was recently seen in “Harvey Milk” at Opera Theatre St. Louis and as Mimi in “La boheme” at Virginia Opera. Butterfly’s maid, Suzuki, will be sung by Heather Johnson, who has previously been seen at Sarasota Opera in “Rigoletto,” “La Cenerentola” and “The Crucible.” Fontana returns as the U.S. Consul Sharpless in the production that will be conducted by DeRenzi and directed by Sundine.

It will run for 10 performances through March 24.

Mozart’s comedy “Don Giovanni,” the composer’s story of Don Juan, stars bass-baritone David Weigel in the title role. He was seen last winter in both “Tosca” and “The Pearl Fishers.” de Peppo plays his sidekick, Leporella, and Young Bok Kim returns as Il Commendatore after starring in “Atilla” last season. Caitlin Crabill who starred as Tosca last winter, returns as Donna Elvira, one of Don Giovanni’s conquests. Making their Sarasota debuts are Erica Petrocelli  as Donna Anna and Brian Vu as Don Ottavio. Anna Mandina, who starred as Liu in the 2019 production of “Turandot,” and Mimi in “La Boheme” last winter, returns as Zerlina, another target of Don Giovanni’s interests.

The production will be conducted by Marcello Cormio who conducted “The Pearl Fishers” and Mark Freiman returns to direct after last season’s “The Daughter of the Regiment.”

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Verdi’s “Ernani,” which the company hasn’t presented since 1997, returns with tenor Rafael Davila in the title role of an outlawed bandit. He was last seen in Sarasota in “La Wally.” Three other artists will be making their Sarasota Opera debuts in principal roles.

Canadian-Italian soprano Aviva Fortunata sings the role of Elvira, a noblewoman who has attracted the attention of three men. She recently sang the title role in “Norma” for Dallas Opera. Baritone Ricardo Jose Rivera will sing the role of Don Carlo, the King of Spain, after performing with the Chicago Symphony, Houston Grand Opera and and Opera de Puerto Rico. And bass Mariano Buccino will play Elvira’s elderly uncle and fiancé. This production marks his U.S. debut. Martha Collins, who has staged numerous early Verdi operas in Sarasota, will direct, and DeRenzi will conduct.

The season’s final production is the Sarasota premiere of Jules Massenet’s rarely heard “Therese,” featuring Chavez in the title role of a woman who is torn between her husband and her lover during the French Revolution. Chavez will be joined by tenor Andrew Surrena as her lover, Armand, and baritone Sean Anderson as her husband. Surrena appeared in 2020 as Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet,” and Anderson starred in last season’s “The Silken Ladder.” Louis Lohraseb will make his Sarasota Opera debut as conductor for the production, which will be staged by Katherine Carter, who directed “The Pearl Fishers.”

Also this fall, the Sarasota Youth Opera will present a revival of its production of Dean Burry’s “The Secret World of Og,” on Nov. 5 and 6. Jesse Martins will conduct and Collins will direct.

For ticket information for the season’s productions: 941-328-1300; sarasotaopera.org

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Opera casts returning favorites and local debuts for season